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Aviation History
1955
1955 - 0709.PDF
and AIRCRAFT ENGINEER First Aeronautical Weekly in the World Founded 1909 No. 2418 Vol. 67. FRIDAY, 27 MAY 1955 EDITOR MAURICE A. SMITH, D.F.C. and Bar ASSOCIATE EDITOR H. F. KING, M.B.E. TECHNICAL EDITOR W. T. GUNSTON ART EDITOR JOHN YOXALL Editorial, Advertising and Publishing Offices: DORSET HOUSE, STAMFORD STREET, LONDON, S.E.1. Telegrams, Flightpres, Sedist, London. Telephone, Waterloo 3333 (60 lines). Branch Offices: COVENTRY 8-10, Corporation Street. Telegrams, Autocar, Coventry. Telephone, Coventry S210. BIRMINGHAM, 2 King Edward House, New Street. Telegrams, Autopress, Birmingham. Telephone, Midland 7191 (7 lines). MANCHESTER, 3 260, Deansgace. Telegrams, Iliffe, Manchester. Telephone, Blackfriars 4412 (3 lines). Deansgate 3595 (2 lines). GLASGOW, C.2 26b, Renfield Street. Telegrams, Hiffe, Glasgow. Telephone, Central 1265 (2 lines). SUBSCRIPT/ON RATES Home and Overseas: Twelve months £4 10s. U.S.A. and Canada, $14.00. IN THIS ISSUE : Brood of the Eagle - - 711 Mars to Javelin (Gloster History): War and Peace - - The Family Tree - - Friends in the Gloster Family 713 715 - - - - 731 Jet-Airliner Systems - - 734 Man-Carrying Centrifuge - - - - 739 Full AheadT HERE are men in the Navy today who must know how the Ancient Mariner felt when disencumbered of his pendulous albatross. They are those concerned, jointly with Armstrong Siddeley, Fairey and Westland, in the development and operation of the Double Mamba and Python turboprops, respectively powering the Gannet and Wyvern. Both these big "sea snakes" have met with problems of control, rendered the more intractable by peculiar demands of carrier operation; but each has nevertheless been brought to a stage where it can be operated without restriction in its designated role. This knowledge is both reassuring—in that the Wyvern and Gannet are the standard carrier-borne strike aircraft and the standard submarine-killer in Fleet Air Arm service— and technically significant, for America has been less fortunate (and perhaps less active) in resolving similar difficulties. Though at one time the U.S. Navy had intended that the turboprop Douglas A2D Skyshark should succeed the piston-engined AD Skyraider as a single-seat strike aircraft (Wyvern equivalent), the difficulties of engine development were such that only a service-test batch of ten Skysharks was put in hand. True, the pure jet has since gained in favour with the U.S.N. for fixed-wing carrier-borne machines, other than those designed for anti-submarine duties; but this in no way detracts from Britain's achievement in clearing the turboprop for carrier service. Indeed, it is in the anti- submarine role—for which, as we have remarked, America retains the piston engine— that the airscrew-driving turbine is likely to find its most valuable naval application, and not in fixed-wing machines alone. In the coming months the Gannets will be joined at sea by the Short Seamews, lighter, and with a single, instead of a Double, Mamba, though conforming to the Royal Navy's long-laid plan for standardization of the turboprop for specific duties. These considerations add point to the report in this issue that H.M.S. Eagle has been working up with squadrons of Wyverns and Gannets—that she is, indeed, the first carrier yet to embark a Gannet squadron. The training mishap which has inevitably set back her programme in no way minimizes the significance of an event which was appropriately marked by the presence on board of leading personalities from the aircraft industry. Numbered among these was a director of A. V. Roe and Co., Ltd., who, according to a Canadian report, are engaged in the development of a supersonic delta-wing intercepter. So, just as the Navy has led the way in turboprop development, so new forms of aircraft, and possibly of propulsion also, may soon be advancing under the White Ensign. Systematic Approach AS guided-missile technology advances and conventional aircraft performanceincreases, the extreme importance of efficient functioning of what have comeL to be known as "systems"—powered controls, air conditioning, pressurization, fire control and guidance—makes itself felt to a growing extent. The success of any operational flight depends upon more factors than ever before, and the failure of any one of an aeroplane's systems can easily render abortive a vital and carefully planned sortie. It has also been brought home forcefully that, however good may be the individual components of, for example, a hydraulic or an air-conditioning system, its effectiveness can be seriously reduced if it is not suitably accommodated. Equipment in military aircraft is taking more and more of the available space, and at the same time it is becoming increasingly sensitive to its location and operating conditions within the airframe. Failure to realize the optimum performance of equip- ment can often be traced to the fact that it was incorporated into the aircraft after the airframe design had been finalized. . . The conclusion which must be drawn is that, at the earliest possible stage in design and prototype construction, the concept should be complete and every one of the requirements for its operational role fully provided for. It is no longer a practical approach to the problem for the airframe designer to work out his aircraft project in advance and, having satisfied himself as to the main details, only then to bring m the specialist designers and manufacturers concerned with weapons and other systems.
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