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Aviation History
1955
1955 - 1262.PDF
376 FLIGHT SAUNDERS-ROE, LTD. ~——T^wTT*- East Cowes, Osborne, Isk of Wight Telephone: Cowes 2211 Princess That all three of the Princess long-range transport flying boats have been cocooned (two at Calshot and one at Cowes) in no way lessens the constructors' faith in the future of these magnificent machines. They must, however, await suitable power plants. The Princess was designed to be engined with Bristol Proteus 3 turboprops, arranged as four coupled units with two single units in the outboard positions. A set of under-rated and experimental versions of the Proteus 3 was provided for the development flight-test programme which was carried through with the first aircraft between August 1952 and April 1954. The Proteus 3, however, is no longer to be made available and design investigations into the possibility of fitting other power plants, at present under development, have shown that several types are suitable, among them the two-spool Bristol B.E.25. With six of these, each delivering 4,000 s.h.p. at sea level plus 2,720 1b thrust (5,045 e.h.p.), the Princess should unstick in 2,240 yd at a gross weight of 345,000 lb. Cruising speed, with 130 or 220 passengers would be 311 kt, and the still-air range in the respective cases would be 5,250 nautical miles and 4,630 nautical miles. Skeeter The latest development of the Skeeter light helicopter is the Mk 6, with the D.H. Gipsy Major 200 engine. It is a derivative of the Mk 2, which first flew in October 1949, with a Gipsy Major of 145 h.p. The following marks 3B and 4 were intended for military use and were fitted with the 180 h.p. Blackburn Cirrus Bombardier 702. Though externally similar to the Mk 2, they incorporated considerable re-design. The Mk 5 civil machine, from which the Mk 6 is a direct development, again used the Bombardier 702, but incorporated many design improvements, resulting from experience on the previous machines, and was, of course, adapted to carry different equipment and afford improved accommodation. In the Skeeter 6, the crew of two sit side-by-side, and have an excellent field of view. Full dual controls are available, permitting the machine to be used as a trainer, but the seats are individually removable and a long-range tank may be installed in place of the seat normally used by the observer. If required, this seat can- be reversed and rearward vision is satisfactory for A.O.P. work. The engine is installed transversely, the drive from the main motor being taken from the rear end of the crankshaft on the starboard side. Fan cooling is provided through a starboard intake. Each of the three main rotor blades consist of a wooden secondary structure bonded to a steel tubular spar, the whole being* covered with fabric; the leading edge has plywood covering. Span 210ft 6in Length 148ft(N.B. Original version, with Proteus engines, is shown.) Above, Princess Below, Skeeter Mk 6 Power plant D.H. Gipty Major 200 Rotor diameter 32ft Length (blades folded) ... 28ft Sin Gross weight 2,150 lb Max. speed ... ... 106 m.p.h.
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