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Aviation History
1955
1955 - 1438.PDF
548 FLIGHT, 30 September 1955 AIRCRAFT INTELLIGENCE U.S.A. Boeing KC-135. Subject of a large orderfor the U.S.A.F. Strategic Air Command, this four-jet tanker/transport will weigh atleast 200,000 lb and may be powered by Pratt and Whitney J75 turbojets, each ofsome 15,000 lb thrust. Only one- power- plant will be fitted with a full starting sys-tem : the other three will be turned over by air bled from the engine already running.It is not stated whether this bleed-air will drive geared-down air-turbine motors orwill form a jet acting directly on the main engine turbine. • Convair YC-131C. Corresponding roughlyto the civil CV-340, there are two of the turboprop test beds, each powered by apair of Allison YT56s installed in a manner rather like that specified for the LockheedElectra. Operated by the 1,700th Air Transport Group (Kelly A.F.B., SanAntonio, Tex.), the two machines have put up some impressive utilization figures: onethat must surely be a world record is the fact that the two aircraft logged a com-bined total flying rime of 46 hr 20 min (split evenly between the two) in a singlerecent period of 24 hr. The upper machine is the final production form of McDonnell F-101A Voodoo strategic fighter. This one has two tanks on, but an atomic weapon can be carried on the centre pylon. Limiting speed is M = 1.5. The Douglas A4D-1 Skyhawk is now com- pleting carrier qualification trials. The machine used is shown about to arrive on board U.S.S. "Ticonderoga," trials carrier. Martin B-51D Canberra. Unlike otherproduction types of Martin B-57 this machine is powered by two Pratt andWhitney J57-P-5 split-compressor turbo- jets; previous B-57s have had Wright J65Sapphires. Use of the J57 greatly in- creases the bulk of the nacelles (theengines project well ahead of the wing) and also the weight of the aircraft; on the otherhand, performance—particularly altitude performance—is much improved. Themaximum sea-level speed is given as 675 m.p.h. The B-57D is a high-levelbomber, although photo-reconnaissance versions are no doubt also being built. France Leduc 022. Two prototypes of the firstsupersonic Leduc ramjet aircraft are now rapidly being built at the Argenteuilfactory. The airframe has been broken down into a number of sub-assemblies sothat work can go ahead faster on each part. Final erection will consist merely of put-ting completed portions together. The 022 main undercarriage will retract intothe root of the thin swept wing and the nose gear will fold into the pointed nose.The slab tailplane has slight anhedral. Nord 2501 Re-engined. The S.N.C.A.N.are at present re-engining a Nord 2501 Noratlas (twin-boom transport) with apair of 2,450 h.p. Pratt and Whitney Double Wasp CB-17 engines. Use of thesewill increase maximum power by some 900 h.p. and should confer better per-formance and also permit a considerable increase in maximum weight. The newpowerplant will be an alternative to the Hercules in civil Noratlases. SCOTTISH AVIATION TWIN PIONEER (Two 550/570 h.p. Alvis Leonides) Span 76ft 6in Length 45ft 3in
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