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Aviation History
1955
1955 - 0175.PDF
FLIGHT, 11 February 1955 175 AIRCRAFT INTELLIGENCE Great Britain Folland Gnat. Modifications to make theGnat suitable for shipboard operation would consist only of strengthening theundercarriage and fitting an arrester hook. Since the span is so small, no wing-foldingwould be required. Production of the Gnat is foreseen for 1957, with supersonic Mk 2and Mk 3 versions appearing respectively in 1958 and 1959. New Insignia. Recently approved is thecamouflage scheme for R.A.F. night attack aircraft (presumably typified by the Can-berra B.8). Such machines will be finished in the usual dark green and medium seagrey above the fuselage centre-line; the whole lower half of the aircraft will be darksea grey. In passing, it may be noted that the production Javelins so far completedhave been finished in day-fighter camou- flage (dark green and grey down to thebottom of the fuselage and silver under- side); the authorized scheme for all-weather machines specifies a grey under- surface carried half-way up the fuselagesides (a uniform carried, surprisingly enough, by all the Javelin prototypes). Thefinal recent change is that Fleet Air Arm machines will carry the words "RoyalNavy" in letters as large as possible on the fuselage or tail boom; previously this wasin 4in letters above the serial number. Radome Finishes. Although there are, ofcourse, authorized finishes for radomes, the surface colour varies. The nose cap of theJavelin, for example, is a very dark—almost black—colour; several aircraft retain abrownish colour, characteristic of the dielectric material used, and the largemouldings over the bomb-sight scanners of such aircraft as the Valiant are generallypainted white. The colour of the scanner can have a profound effect on the "shape"of the aircraft when seen from a distance, particularly at high altitude. The Grumman Cougar (above, right) is gradu- ally being superseded in production in favour of the F9F-9 Tiger (first prototype shown). The Cougar illustrated is an F9F-6 (J48) carrying two ifiOO Ib bombs. It is just sonic in a 25 deg dive; the Tiger, however, is easily sonic on the level. U.S.A. Beechcraft. In 1954Beechcraft produced 50 Model 18s, 97 Twin-Bonanzas and 322 Bo- nanzas; sales revenuefor 1955 is expected to increase by 25 percent over 1954. They also announced a newBonanza, the F35, to go with the recentlyintroduced Super 18 and C50 Twin- Bonanza. The F35 can have a 225 h.p.Continental engine and the airscrew blades have been shortened and squared off tolessen tip-losses. A third window has been added at the rear of the cabin side wall togive better visibility, and the flaps and undercarriage have been strengthened toallow extension at higher speeds. Some 4,000 Bonanzas have been completed. TheF35 is one of the few light aircraft capable of passing C.A.A. Utility Category Tests atits full 2,750 1b all-up weight. McDonnell F-101A Voodoo. The publi-cized prototype of this massive single-seat escort fighter/bomber (Machine 53-2421)has now joined two earlier prototypes in flight testing at Edwards A.F.B. It was flownthere in company with a B-47B Stratojet (acting as navigator) direct from theMcDonnell factory in E. St. Louis, a dis- tance of 1,700 milei. The two other F-lOlswere air-lifted in C-124s. D.H.C.3 Otter. It is now confirmed (seeFlight, January 7th) that 84 Otten will be delivered to the U.S. Army, at C-137s.The first six will be in service early in March with the Corps of Engineers. Thesesix will be supply aircraft on topographical survey operations in Alaska and the Carib-bean. The Otter is the subject of this week's drawing (R.C.A.F. machine shown).A recent modification is the fitting of a pair of simple wing fences; unusual on a"straight-wing" aircraft, these improve low-speed behaviour. DC HAVILLAND CANADA OTTER (tOO h.p. Canadian Pratt ami Whitnay Wa.p S1H1-G) Span 58lt Length 41ft lOin j
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