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Aviation History
1954
1954 - 1878.PDF
25 June 1954 845 (Right) English Electric Can berra P.R.3 (two Rolls-Royce Avon). RECONNAISSANCE In these days it is not necessary for air recon naissance to be either visual or photographic; indeed, it is possible, by electronic means, to ob tain valuable informa tion, especially on radio and radar installations, without actually pene trating the territory of a potential enemy. Nevertheless, the reconnaissance camera remains an extremely valuable instrument of intelligence, for both tactical and strategic purposes. In general, the long-range and medium-range reconnaissance aircraft is a derivative of the long-range medium or heavy bomber, and the short-range "tac. r" machine is similarly related to the jet fighter. No aircraft designed solely for reconnaissance is known to exist, though prototypes have been developed in the past and new specialized designs may well be seen in die future. An apparently successful resuscitation of an old idea is the FICON system of the U.S.A.F., whereby a parasite Republic RF-84F is carried by a Convair RB-36. The RF-84F, while primarily intended for reconnaissance, could alternatively carry an atom bomb. It has also been suggested that the RB-36, if suitably equipped with search radar, could function as a picket aircraft, using the "parasite" for its defence. The picket aircraft, incidentally, may fittingly be considered under the present heading. It is being increasingly developed and employed by the U.S.A.F. to carry powerful search radar to high altitude in order to provide early warning of incoming raids, including those by low-flying aircraft, and is foreseen as a fighter-director station. In this last capacity it would guide defending intercepters to their correct locality and height in rela tion to the approaching raiders, and might thus permit a simpli fication of radar equipment in the fighters themselves. In the tactical field the need for visual reconnaissance remains, and it is British practice to arm the "tac.-r" aircraft so that they may operate in pairs, the leading pilot making the actual recon naissance, whilst his companion keeps watch for enemy fighters. Reconnaissance * LONG-RANGE GREAT BRITAIN V-Bomber Adaptations. It is obvious that Britain's three V-bombers—the Vickers-Armstrongs Valiant, Avro Vulcan and Handley Page Victor—-could readily be adapted for long-distance, high-altitude reconnaissance, though no reference to specific de velopments in this direction may yet be made. English Electric Canberra P.R 3 and P.R 7. Unlike the Can berra bombers, these photographic-reconnaissance variants carry a crew of only two. The P.R. 7 is distinguished from the earlier model in having later versions of the Rolls-Royce Avon and a longer fuselage. At the beginning of 1953, a Canberra P.R. 3 reached Australia from England in an elapsed time of 22 hr at an average speed of 430 m.p.h. Average ground speed for the flight was about 500 m.p.h. Inspection of a Canberra P.R.3 suggests that pro vision is made for seven cameras. The world's altitude record of 63,668ft, standing to the credit of a special version of the Canberra powered with Bristol Olympus two-spool turbojets, is indicative of the altitudes potentially attainable by special P.R. developments. U.S.A. Boeing RB-47B and E. It was announced about a year ago that these two high-altitude reconnaissance versions of the basic B-47 were being delivered to the U.S.A.F. Whereas the RB-47E is built for reconnaissance from the outset, the "B" is a specially converted standard bomber which can be used either for recon naissance or in its usual role. The chief differences between the RB-47E and the B-47E bomber include a longer nose and an (Top) Martin RB-57 (two Wright J65). (Mow) English Electric Canberra P.R.7 (two Rolls-Royce Avon).
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