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Aviation History
1955
1955 - 1047.PDF
29 July 1955 159 It was recently announced that an engine as near as possible to the production JT3L has now been given a 1,000-hr static test, simulating operation on the New York to Los Angeles route with a stop at Chicago (this ties in with United Airlines' interest). The test was run in two equal periods, and less than 80 man-hours of maintenance are reported to have been required. Only one fault occurred: a plugged oil line to a main bearing at die 978-hour mark. Military J57s have completed accelerated service tests during which actual flight times of 500 hr have been logged without overhaul. At present it seems probable that 500 hr will, in fact, be the initial major-overhaul life set for the JT3L. On the other hand, it is natural for Douglas to look towards more than one powerplant, and Mr. Edgar Burton, the Santa Monica division's chief engineer, expressed his company's very serious interest in the Rolls-Royce Conway. The optimum power for the DC-8 would seem to be of the order of 13,000 lb-dirust for take-off, and an extensive research programme is already well advanced in an attempt to find the best methods of reducing internal and external noise. Choice of fuel would be left to the operator, but it seems likely that wide-cut fuels would predominate in American operation of the DC-8. Most of the tankage is integral throughout the wing, although there are certain unspeci- fied sections in which bags are used. On all domestic routes other than the non-stop coast-to-coast sector, the operation would be determined by the landing weight. On paper the DC-8 is highly flexible in operation in that the performance does not significantly deteriorate at heights as low as 30,000ft and, on the other hand, a cruising height as high as 45,000ft can be selected if necessary. Various forms of interior layout have been planned, with four-, five- and six-abreast seat- ing. Many operators have expressed a preference for a mixed cabin with first-class and coach passengers, and die maximum capacity in the coach configuration is 135 passengers. There is a lower "bubble" in the 140ft fuselage which houses no fuel but will be fully occupied by the various systems and the pressurized baggage holds. Douglas and other companies—such as Sperry—have evolved a radically new system of instrumentation Finding the author's pencil sketch inadequate, our artist, Arthur Bow beer, built a working model of the DC-8 main undercarriage in order to develop a geometry which operates as described in the text. in which data presentation is effected in a highly novel manner. Douglas have not yet finally decided what sort of test pro- gramme will be carried out on the DC-8. We learned that they will certainly do tests of the pressure-hull using air as die pres- surizing medium and filling the volume with ping-pong balls to reduce the stored energy. On the odier hand, a large water tank is now being built at Long Beach (a structure 170ft long and costing $1,000,000) and it seems likely that the DC-8 will be subjected to "the full torture" just as our own transports have been. The fuselage will certainly be tested at lg stress levels with full pressure and aerodynamic loads. A first-flight date in November 1957 has been announced, with initial deliveries following about two years later. ROOM WITH A VIEW—THE FLIGHT DECK OF THE B-36 There never was any other "office" quite like that of the Convair B-36, nor is one likely to materialize in the future. Certainly Convair's next bomber, the supersonic B-58, will be far less liberal in fenestration and in interior space; on the other hand, B-58 crews will never be airborne for longer than a very few hours, whereas B-36 captains keep calenders on the wall. They gain the flight deck via stairways from the nose, and walk round the outside of their seats—the space between the seats being filled by a massive control desk. At the front of this desk are the six throttles (too many for one hand), and four jet power levers lie up in the roof. It will also be noted that, in case the 150-tonner reaches a tropical dime, each pilot has a ventilating fan. yn3Kt*«.**ufeu, "N .W-'K
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