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Aviation History
1955
1955 - 0581.PDF
Leading data, Druine D.61 Condor.—Span, 30ft; Length, 23ft; height (tail down), 5.1ft; wing area, 136 sq ft; aspect ratio, 6.8; empty weight, 663 Ib; total weight, 1,140 1b, Continental A.65 Continental 90 h.p. Maximum speed ... ... ... 112 m.p.h. 127 m.p.h. Cruising speed 100 m.p.h. 124 m.p.h. Stalling speed 38 m.p.h. 39 m.p.h. Ceiling 14,000ft 18,500ft Range 410 miles 435 miles hands and feet off showed that under sudden application of fullpower there were no untoward trim changes. Sideslips at about 1.3Vs to the right and left showed plenty of rudder control avail-able and releasing the controls in a side-slip resulted in the Condor's smartly going back to level flight. With power off, there was no stall to speak of, and aileroncontrol remained very good to the last moment, while with power on the attitude was almost ridiculous, the controls stillbeing positive. A full series of stalls was not undertaken, but the results obtained were promising. The controllability characteris-tics result in good behaviour on the approach glide which can be steepened at will by side slipping, there being no flaps. Side slipswere held on the glide and the nose wandered into a turn only with the bank being held on excessively. Touchdown in a light The Condor's hood opens upwards for easy access, and the rear windows afford an ample view aft. Note the neat instrument panel. cross wind proved firm and positive and good for the vanity being without kangaroo's muscles in the undercarriage. The immediate reaction to flying in this aircraft was quiteanti-social; registration letters and serial numbers, however, prevented any kleptomaniacal tendencies.While helping Roger Druine put the Condor into its hangar in company with the transatlantic Conrad Piper Apache, it waseasy to appreciate, watching his careful attention to little items of maintenance, how good aeroplanes can be produced and alsohow future good engineers and designers can obtain that little something which helps them produce good and practical aero-planes. A proper philosophy applied to light aircraft in this country could even now be a great help to our aviation in otherspheres. H. B-D. THE AERONAUTICAL BOOKSHELF "Faith, Hope and Charity," by Kenneth Poolman. William Kimber and Co., Ltd., 46 Wilton Place, London, S.W.I. Illustrated. Price 15s. HERE is a real collector's piece—the true and factual history ofthree of the most famous aeroplanes of World War II, told by an author who appreciates the enthusiast's interest in details. Mr. Poolman has gone to an immense amount of trouble to make as complete as possible his story of the three Gladiator biplanes that defended Malta in the summer of 1940. There is even a brief history of the development and service career of the Gladiator, which explains how Sea Gladiators N.552O, N.5519, N 5531 and N.5524 happened to be in crates at Kalafrana in April 1940. It was the CO. of Kalafrana, W/C. Michie, who first thoughtof uncrating the aircraft and forming a Station Fighter Flight at Hal Far. They were assembled by the Aircraft Repair Section,under F/O. Collins, and manned by seven volunteer pilots. Ten days later the Admiralty remembered its Sea Gladiators atMalta and decided to send them to Alexandria. It looked as if the island would have to give up its sole defence against almostcertain attack by Mussolini's Regia Aeronautica. Carefully, Collins and his men dismantled and packed the Gladiators back intheir crates. Just as they were wearily securing the last box, Collins was called to the telephone. It was Michie: "Unpackthe lot again and get 'em back to Hal Far as quick as you can. The A.O.C. has got permission to keep them after all and theylook like being needed any time now." They were. On June 10th Italy entered the war. Next daythe Italian Air Force attacked Malta eight times, expecting it to be undefended. Startled by the Gladiators, they sent escorts ofC R 42 and Macchi 200 fighter with their bombers: but before the day was out, Faith, Hope and Charity had made their firstkill (There were originally four Gladiators, but only three were flown at any one time, so only three names were given to them.)The odds were apparently hopeless; but the Gladiators manceuvrability, the soundness of their pilots' RAF. trainuigand the devotion of the ground crews kept alive Malta s air de- fences, which were supplemented by the first Hurricanes at theend of June. The Gladiators fought on for many months after that, side- bv-side with Hurricanes, Fulmars and, finally, the Spitfires that saved the island when the Luftwaffe arrived to stiffen Mussolini s faltering attack. Indeed, in January 1941, the two surviving Gladiators were still so full of fight that they were nearly putaboard the badly damaged H.M.S. Illustrious, to protect her during her dash from Malta to Alexandria. Fortunately, theship's captain decided that his vessel was a moving target, whereas Malta was not, so that its needs were greater than his. Eventually only one Gladiator remained serviceable: but theother was again rebuilt, with an airscrew from a different aircraft, two extra guns above its top wing and other "mods" which earnedit the nickname of "The Bloodiator." Even when the siege was raised and Malta had grown fat with whole wings of Spitfires, alone Gladiator remained in use for meteorological reconnaissance. It is her battered fuselage that remains today in Malta as areminder of how four old biplanes and seven pilots once challenged an air force and saved an island, without which victory wouldhave been difficult or even impossible. "U.S. and Canadian Military Aircraft Recognition," by John W. R. Taylor. Ian Allan, Ltd., Craven House, Hampton Court, Surrey. Illustrated. Price 2s 6d.B ULKING larger than any other volume in the valuable seriesto which it belongs (Civil Aircraft Markings, Civil Aircraft Recognition, British Military Aircraft, Continental Military Air-craft), this Little book offers salient particulars, photographs and three-view silhouettes of the many and varied aircraft which equipthe U.S.A.F., U.S. Navy, U.S. Marine Corps and Coastguard, and the Royal Canadian Air Force and Navy. For good measureMr. Taylor includes the latest U.S.A.F. guided-missile designa- tions. At half a crown the book is quite remarkable value. "Come Gliding With Me," by Ann Welch. Frederick Muller, Ltd., Earls Court Gardens, London, S.W.5. Illustrated. Price 9s 6d.N O gliding enthusiast needs an introduction to Ann Welch and,such is her achievement in the sport, few would decline to come gliding with her. This book, however, is not for the estab-lished enthusiast, but for the enquiring young person who wants to know what gliding is and what goes on at a gliding club.This it explains in a fresh and clear manner, starting with a visit to Lasham and continuing through elementary gliding, cross-country soaring and a useful chapter on the weather, to champion- ship flying. If put in the hands of normal schooiboys and girls atan appropriately receptive age, Mrs. Welch's book should guaran- tee an ever greater flow of recruits—with high chances of becom-ing converts—to engineless aviation.
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