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Aviation History
1955
1955 - 1124.PDF
236 FLIGHT, 12 August 1955 DEVELOPMENT ON THE GRAND SCALE . . . wire have been used in the motor windings. From end to end,the motors together measure about 500ft. The transonic com- pressor is a single unit, but the supersonic compressor consistsof four compressors coupled as one. The blades for the com- pressors measure 2ft across the face and 6ft in length and rotateon a spindle 18ft in diameter. Weighing almost two-thirds of a ton each, the blades are solid forgings rooted to discs that arethe largest to be found anywhere in the world. Though the machine will represent the highest stored energyof any rotating mass ever built, it can be brought to a standstill in about three minutes by using its wound rotor motors as brakes.The energy is dumped into liquid rheostats—the world's largest— which are used for secondary control. The most important contribution of the A.E.D.C. equipment isdeemed to be that of shortening the length of time required to develop a new weapon, and it is considered that this "buying oftime" might make all the difference between victory and defeat in any future war. An important corollary contribution, how-ever, will be a substantial saving in development costs, or in costs to correct service-incurred difficulties. It is estimated thatthe combined beneficial effect of the A.E.D.C. may, in addition to greatly reduced development time, result in a reduction in thecost of flight test programmes by as much as 75 per cent. It is expected, therefore, that the initial, and admittedly vast, costof the A.E.D.C. facilities should be rapidly offset by the savings in flight-test programmes alone which will accrue when oncethe centre gets under way. Since the Arnold Engineering and Development Centre willbe used by the aircraft industry and educational institutions closely associated with those technical sciences pertaining to theactivities of the Air Force, an Industry and Educational Advisory Board was created in 1950 to make it possible for these outsidegroups to advise on the policy, operation and design of die centre. Meeting regularly several times a year, I.E.A.B. is composed ofeight members, six from industry, whose nominations are made by the Aircraft Industries Association, and two from the educa-tional institutions, who are nominated by the chairman of the Scientific Advisory Board. It has become an important forcewithin A.E.D.C. and reports to the Commanding General, The propulsion wind-tunnel facility: one of the two closed-circuit tunnels under construction. Maximum diameter is some 60ft. A.E.D.C. regarding policy matters, to the Commanding General,Air Research and Development Command, regarding the rela- tionships with other research and development facilities, and,at least once a year, to the Chief of Staff, U.S.A.F., regarding over-all policy of design, construction and operation at A.E.D.C.In command of the Arnold Engineering and Development Centre is Brig. General Samuel R. Harris, U.S.A.F. Col. HughM. Arnold, U.S.A., is in charge of the TuUahoma District, Corps of Engineers. :..:••.., J. G. 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. A Letter from U.S.S.R.I AM an aviation historian and was a reader of Flight for about22 years (until the autumn of 1939). Now I have received the June 24th, 1955, number, and may I take this opportunity ofsaying what an excellent journal Flight now is? I would like to congratulate you on the excellent articles. Also, I have read H. F. King's Fifty Years of Powered Flight,reprinted from Flight. Here, I'm afraid, I must disagree with the author. The first aeroplane in the world to be designed and builtwas by Captain of the Russian Imperial Navy Alexander F. Moshaiski (1825-1890). Capt. Moshaiski invented his aeroplanein 1885. In 1877 the Head Administration of Military Engineers granted him 2,192 roubles for his project. In 1878 Moshaiskiasked for a subsidy of 19,000 roubles, but on June 15th, 1878, a commission refused to grant it. On November 3rd, 1881,Moshaiski received a patent from the Department of Industry and Manufacture. In the summer of 1882 the building of the aeroplanewas finished, and in July 1882 it was tested on the military exercise ground at Krasnoye Selo, near St. Petersburg—22 years earlierthan the brothers Wright in the U.S.A. This was a single-seat, open fuselage biplane powered by twosteam-engines of 20 and 10 h.p. driving three airscrews. The aeroplane consisted of five main components—wings, fuselage,steam engines, tail and chassis. The length of the fuselage was 14.6 metres, the length of both wings 21.4 m, and breadth ofwings 28.4 m. The area was 372 square metres, and weight 934 kg. The aeroplane was piloted by the mechanician I. N. Golubev,who was the first aeroplane pilot in the world. It made a short flight at a speed of about 40 km/hr, but on landing a wing was damagedand Golubev was injured. The first seaplane in the world was designed and built by thewell-known Russian aeroplane and seaplane constructor Dmitri P. Grigorovich (1883-1938), who designed over 80 aircraft. In1912 he built the first flying-boat in the world—M-l (Curtiss in U.S.A. and Levecq in France built their seaplanes in 1913;in England, Sopwith and Short seaplanes were built in 1914). In 1914 Grigorovich built the flying-boat M-5 for the Russian Navy;M-5 was powered by a 100 h.p. engine. During the years 1914-17 Grigorovich built many seaplanes and flying-boats: M-5, M-6, M-7, M-8, M-9 (several modifications),M-10, M-ll, M-12, M-13, M-14 and M-15. In 1916-17 Russia gave the designs of M-5 M-9 and M-15 to her allies—to England,France, Italy and U.S.A., and in England the M-9 was built. M-9 was the first seaplane fitted with a 37-mm gun. In 1916 on theM-9, Nesterov was the first in the world to achieve looping the loop. In 1916 Grigorovich built the first seaplane-hunter in theworld—M-ll. In 1916-17 Grigorovich built the first two-engined torpedo-carrying seaplane in the world, and in 1930-31 the firsthunter "Z" fitted with a gun. The first seaplane-carriers in the world were in the RussianNavy: Nicolas I—fitted with five seaplanes, and Almaz, fitted with a seaplane (in March 1915). Tartu, U.S.S.R. E. MEOS. Air Fares ~~r":' .^y- THE provocative and interesting article by R. J. Clark (Flight,•*• July 22nd) has caused much comment in aviation travel circles. Mr. Clark helps to practise what he preaches. I recollect whenhis airline (Aquila Airways, Ltd.) commenced a service to Capri from Southampton. Existing carriers to Italy and other membersof I.A.T.A. at first required a fare of £66 12s return to be charged. By sticking to his guns and insisting on air travel at a pricemore popular with the public, Mr. Clark—with the aid of his Board and members of the Press—was able to force a reductionof this fare to £52 4s without increasing the seating in his flying- boats or lowering standards. London, S.E.25. K. WESTCOTT JONES. Museum Pterodactyl VOUR correspondent John Young (Flight, July 15th) states that •*• Pterodactyl J8067 has "now" found a resting-place in the Science Museum, South Kensington. As far as I know, it wasthere when I paid a visit last September, although I agree with him when he says that it is not in the Aeronautical Collection; it is, in fact, where an air enthusiast would probably not look for it—across the road in the main building with the old cars, motor cycles and steam engines, etc. Isleworth, Middx. E. G. HARDY.
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