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Aviation History
1955
1955 - 0721.PDF
27 May 1955 719 high performance, it met with tail-flutter problems arising fromthe servo flaps on the rudders. In the bomber role a maximum load of 6,600 lb could be carried at a cruising speed of 95 m.p.h.Gross weight was 28,500 lb, maximum speed 146 m.p.h. at 12,000ft, landing speed 55 m.p.h., rate of climb at sea level 700ft/min, time of climb to 10,000ft, 17 min, service ceiling 19,000ft. TORPEDO/SPOTTER/RECONNAISSANCE T.S.R.38 In November 1930 the company began work on thedesign of a three-seat torpedo/ spotter/ reconnaissance aircraft to Specification S.9/30. The engine was the steam-cooled Rolls-Royce Goshawk. Progress was slow, due to the general retarding of aircraft manufacture throughout the country, but towards theend of 1932 the prototype was complete. After initial trials the control circuits were somewhat redesigned, flotation gear wasfitted in the wings, and with these modifications the aircraft— now conforming to Specification S.15/33—was duly delivered toMartlesham Heath. The T.S.R.38 was a good-looking single-bay biplane of all-metal construction with steel spars of dumb-bell section, Duralumin former ribs and high-tensile steel compression ribs.The front fuselage was built up of square-section steel tubes and the rear section was of round steel tubes. In addition to the usualVickers gun for the pilot and Lewis gun for the observer, an 18in torpedo could be carried beneath the fuselage, as an alternativeload to some 1,700 lb of bombs. Full equipment for deck opera- tion was installed. As a torpedo/bomber the machine had a topspeed of 150.5 m.p.h. at 3,000ft, stalled at 61 m.p.h., and climbed to 10,000ft in 12.7 min. Service ceiling was 19,500ft. PISTON-ENGINED FIGHTERS Mars II (Sparrowhawk I) Thirty of these single-seat fighterswere built for the Japanese Navy circa 1922. Like other machines of the Sparrowhawk series, the type was essentially a BritishNieuport Nighthawk, with a 230 h.p. Bentley B.R.2 rotary en- gine in place of the 320 h.p. A.B.C. Dragonfly originally fitted.In consequence, performance was much reduced. Top speed was 127 m.p.h. at sea level, 15,000ft was reached in 21 min, and rangewas 300 miles. Two synchronized Vickers guns were mounted in the top cowling, span was 28ft, length 18ft, and wing area 270sq ft. A number of Sparrowhawk Is were fitted with Leitner- Watts steel-bladed airscrews. Mars III (Sparrowhawk II) A two-seater trainer version of theSparrowhawk I. Ten were supplied to the Japanese Navy. The maker's own Mars III, with a tail resembling that of the Bamel,was flown in the Aerial Derby of 1922. Mars IV (Sparrowhawk III) A modified version of the Mars II,having a hydrovane undercarriage and flotation gear, to reduce the hazards of "ditching". Top speed was 125 m.p.h. at sea level.Of the ten examples supplied to Japan, some had the Leitner- Watts metal airscrew. Mars VI (Nighthawk) There were two main variants of theMars VI (1922) fitted respectively with the Bristol Jupiter IV and Armstrong Siddeley Jaguar III engines. Both were supplied to theR.A.F. in small quantities, though they were never in full-scale squadron service, and the Greek Air Force was supplied with 25examples of the Jaguar version. In the R.A.F. the same Night- hawk was retained, and it may be said that, on the occasion ofthe 1922 Aerial Derby, F/L. Bulman came over from Farn- borough to give "a magnificent display of stunt flying" on aNieuport Nighthawk built by the Gloucestershire Aircraft Co., Ltd., and fitted with a 350 h.p. Siddeley Jaguar. F/L. Rollo deHaga Haig and F/O. Chick were other skilful exponents of the type. In Mesopotamia Nighthawks with Jupiter and Jaguar en-gines were subjected to what would nowadays be known as tropical trials, and one machine, with a forward collector ring forits Jupiter and with an oleo undercarriage also (instead of the former bungee type) was used for special acceleration and in-cidence tests at the Royal Aircraft Establishment. Performance of the Mars VI was truly outstanding, sea level speed with eitherengine being about 150 m.p.h. Loaded weight varied between 2,375 and 2,580 lb, and the Jupiter version climbed to 20,000ftin 16i min. Mars X (Nightjar) Though the fact is little known, the Night-jar was a standard Fleet Air Arm fighter, 22 having been de- livered to the Air Ministry, and used (according to Gloster records)during the Chanak crisis of 1923. The engine was a B.R.2, and the undercarriage was wider in track and longer in stroke thanon earlier Mars types. To engage with the fore and aft deck arrester-wires then in use the undercarriage axle fairing carriedtwin "jaws." Top speed was 120 m.p.h. and time of climb to I5,000ft, 20 min. Today's Naval architects will note with a sighthat the gross weight was 2,165 lb and wing loading 8.3 lb/sq ft. Mars III (Sparrowhawk II). Mars IV (Sparrowhawk III) Mars VI (Jupiter). Mars VI (Jaguar). Mars X (Nightjar). Grebe I prototype.
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