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Aviation History
1954
1954 - 1895.PDF
Blackburn Beverley C.l (four Bristol Centaurus). Military Aircraft 1954 TRANSPORTS Under this heading will be reviewed—or previewed—some developments and projects of weighty significance, not to military transport alone but also to commercial operations—machines such as the Blackburn Beverley, Vickers 1000, Lockheed C-130, Boeing 707 and Douglas C-132; and here, too, the big flying- boat holds a place, if somewhat precariously. It will be shown that the large troop-carrying assault helicopter is already making a strong bid against such eminently practical fixed-wing machines as the Fairchild-built Chase C-123; and the big convertiplane is, perhaps, not many years distant. That semi-specialized ambulance machines—exemplified by the Convair Samaritan—should be establishing a place for memselves is hardly surprising when it is remembered that during the Korean campaign more than 95 per cent of combat casualties were air lifted back to the U.S.A., and that the mortality rate of American wounded was less than one-half that of World War II. The tactical use of "cas. evac." helicopters in Korea is already history. GREAT BRITAIN Blackburn Beverley C.l. The Beverley C.l is the R.A.F. pro duction version of the Universal Freighter, G.A.L.60 Mk 2, and is powered with four Bristol Centaurus engines of unspecified mark. It is similar in all essentials to the civil machine, which would weigh about 61 tons, and have a main cargo hold measuring 40ft x 10ft x 10ft. Ten jeeps can be carried in the main freight compartment, in addition to troops in the rear fuselage, and it may be noted that the Beverley is the first British aircraft designed for the dropping of heavy army equipment, for which purpose the rear-loading doors are removed. The under carriage is fixed and is designed to allow the Beverley to operate without the use of prepared runways. Though no actual perform ance figures can be quoted, it is known that the prototype has been flown on two engines—even at maximum all-up weight—without loss of height, and it has climbed above the estimated service ceiling. By the use of wheel brakes, and in a light wind, the aircraft has been using less than half the maker's 1,400-yd runway for landing, and this distance can be considerably reduced by the use of braking airscrews.* Design studies have been made of Beverley developments with Napier Nomad compounded engines, Wright Turbo-Compounds, and possibly with a new type of Rolls-Royce turboprop. Span, 162ft; length 99ft 2in. Bristol Type 170. Military versions of the Type 170 are used by die air forces of Australia, Canada, New Zealand and Pakistan. Dependable and economical, these machines have the advantage of nose-opening doors, but lack rear doors for loading and heavy dropping. Span, 108ft; length, 68ft 4in. Handley Page Hastings C.2. This is the standard heavy trooper/freighter of R.A.F. Transport Command. Powered with Bristol Hercules 106 engines, it accommodates 30 paratroops with supplies, 50 fully equipped troops, 32 stretcher cases and 28 sitting-wounded, or any of several combinations of freight loads. Span, 113ft; length, 81ft 8in; basic equipped weight (freighter), 48,427 lb; max. take-off weight, 80,000 lb; max. weak-mixture cruising speed, 291 m.ph. at 15,200ft, or 302 m.ph. at 23,600ft; range for max. payload, 1,690 miles. Saunders-Roe Princess. This great Proteus-powered flying- boat—designed to fly at a gross weight of 330,000 lb and to cruise at speeds up to 380 m.p.h.—was not originally intended for mili tary use, though the possibilities of this have been very carefully studied. With its capacity for 200 troops, and with its range of 3,500 miles, the Princess could carry in one year as many Handley Page Hastings C.l (four Bristol Hercules 106). Vickers 1000 (four Rolls-Royce Conway).
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