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Aviation History
1955
1955 - 0431.PDF
FLIGHT, 1 April 1955 431 CORRESPONDENCE The Editor of "Flight" does not hold himself responsible for the views expressed by correspondents in these columns; the names and addresses of the writers, not necessarily for publication, must in all cases accompany letters. Light Flying-boatsT HE correspondence during the last week or two in Flight onthe subject of light flying-boats has made interesting reading. It led me to look up, in the 1933-34 edition of the Air Annual of theBritish Empire, page 264, a photograph of the Parnall Prawn. This seems to have been a most intriguing little machine butno particulars appear in the text relating to it. The serial is SI576 and, from the photograph, one is led to believe that thethrust-line was variable by the pilot for taxying purposes to prevent the airscrew touching the water. The Prawn has not been mentioned in your correspondenceand would appear to have been a very small single-seater indeed. Has anyone any details concerning its size, purpose of the experi-ments and any information about the engine fitted and its unusual installation? London, N.8. P. M. H. LEWIS. 'T'HE correspondence in your columns which has followed the*• small paragraph, "Cockle-shell", which appeared in your November 19th issue reveals there is a good deal of interestin light flying-boats and some conjecture as to which one quali- fies for the claim to be the smallest. The Short Cockle has been mentioned several times and wasillustrated in Flight on February 25th, so it occurs to me that your readers may like to know some more about this interestinglittle machine. As regards any claim on size (or should I say "lack of size"?) one is given to wonder what is the definition of"smallest." Offhand I cannot remember the exact dimensions of the Cockle but I am in no doubt that it was physically largerthan either the Finnish Eklund or the Dutch Scheldemeeuw, both of which have been referred to by correspondents; but it wasprobably lighter and certainly much less powerful than either of those pleasing little craft. The two standard 697 c.c. Blackburne motor-cycle engineswhich powered the Cockle, driving tractor airscrews directly through extension shafts (for e.g. reasons the engines weremounted well back on the wing), gave a total b.h.p. of 22 at the revolutions used. Mr. Chamberlain [Correspondence, February25th] mentioned that engine starting was by means of levers in the cockpit. He is quite right. The appropriate lever wascoupled by wire cable to a rack and pinion on the engine, much in the manner of the modern motor-cycle kick starter, and thesystem worked well. Originally the Cockle was named the Stellite and, with theSatellite (a similar-sized landplane fitted with a Bristol Cherub 32 b.h.p. engine) was one of a pair of experimental light aircraftproduced as a practical try-out of one of Mr. Oswald Short's brilliant brainwaves that a fuselage or hull could be constructedmonocoque style in light alloy—in other words, on the stressed- skin principle. The flying-boat's first few attempts at flight were not successfulalthough it ran beautifully on the water at a speed of 45 m.p.h. —not a bad speed for any water craft of this power in those days.I finally succeeded in getting it off in October 1924—incidentally, under the civil registration letters G-EBKA—after the wingincidence had been increased. As was to be expected, it was somewhat under-powered. According to my log its serviceceiling was about minus 3,000ft. Indicated speed at take-off was 27 m.p.h. and maximum level speed 57 m.p.h. However Iwas fairly light and by dispensing with all unnecessary para- phernalia such as jacket and shoes I was able on occasion toget higher than 2,000ft. About a year later, as the hull had shown no sign of failurenor developed any leaks or suffered much from that dreadful nightmare corrosion, it was acquired by the Air Ministry forresearch work at the seaplane experimental station at Felixstowe. The civil marking was accordingly replaced with Service roundels and the R.A.F. No. N193 proudly displayed. Unfortunately mostof the officers were weightier than me and, although they generally managed to get off the water, to remain airborne there-after called for the exercise of considerable piloting skill. How- ever, a good deal of flying was achieved, particularly by the lighterpilots; but the heavyweights—notably, I think, the "three Cs," Carnegie, Cahill and Cross—had to resort to bathing trunks. So well did the Cockle survive that in 1927 it was decidedto replace the Blackburnes with Bristol Cherubs, thereby increasing the power from 22 to 64 b.h.p. In this guise it flewextremely well—though to me something of its original delightful smoothness and fascination was lost by the fitting of thesebigger, horizontally opposed, engines. It continued to fly at Felixstowe for several more years. Iteventually finished up, I believe, at Cranwell, as a working model with which cadets could practise the art of erection and overhaul. Heathfield, Sussex. J. LANKESTER PARKER. Transport-pilot Training ' I 'HE problem of obtaining civil aircrew in the years to come,•*• and its solution, have far-reaching implications. Training pilots is an uncertain and expensive business, for nobody—noteven the trainees—knows to which branch of flying he is most suited. A prospective fighter pilot may, after a year's training,find that he would make a far better bomber or transport pilot, and vice-versa. It will, therefore, be seen that to set up a train-ing establishment to train one type of pilot will only lead to a high wastage rate, or to unsuitable pilots, or both. If the R.A.F., with the only large training establishment in thecountry, had a use for transport pilots—that is, if Transport Com- mand were expanded to fulfil its appointed duty as the air trans-port service for the military forces—these pilots could, at the end of say a five-year short-service commission, join airlines. With a considerable number of hours on world routes withmodern aircraft, and with both right- and left-seat experience, they would be ideal.They would have spent sufficient time practising aerobatics and formation flying to benefit from these activities, but would alsohave spent the maximum time in large transport aircraft, using all the current navigational and blind-landing techniques. Providing Transport Command was kept properly equipped,they should be able to go straight into the Corporations' aircraft without further ado. Essendon, Herts. D. HOUSTON. Harvards'Still in Harness I NOTE that in your Service Aviation pages for March 18thyou record the retirement of the Harvard. This, however, is not quite true, for this company has a current contract for over-hauling Harvards for the R.A.F. and we are assured that they will remain in service for at least another year or two. These aircraft are operated by university air squadrons, whostill use them for advanced training after a pupil has completed his elementary course on Chipmunks; admittedly the number issmall, but they are certainly used very actively. Derby Airport. DAVID F. OGILVY Derby Aviation, Ltd. IN BRIEF The Racing Pigeon is preparing a report on the work of pigeons,particularly in the saving of lives of aircrew during the Second World War. The editor, Mr. W. H. Osman, says that he hasinformation concerning the birds but is anxious to get in touch with any aircrew members who have had their lives saved throughthe use of pigeons, and he would be grateful if they would write to The Racing Pigeon at 19, Doughty Street, London, W.C.I. (Left) This photograph of the Sr.ort Cockle flying-boat, referred to above by Mr. Lankester Parker, was taken after it had acquired a Service identity; but its wings still bore civil markings. (Right) the highly unconventional Parnall Prawn mentioned by Mr. P. M. H. Lewis; it is believed to have been powered with a 65 h.p. Ricardo-Burt engine. Imperial War Museum photographs
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