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Aviation History
1956
1956 - 0141.PDF
FLIGHT, 3 February 1956 SWEDISH LANCE ... short-field performance; the Saab-designed cold-air unit and cabin-conditioning system; provision for a large external fuel tank under the belly; and die possibility of rapid conversion to dual controls for pilot familiarization. Early production Lanscns are powered by the Svenska Flygmotor RMS, which is the Rolls- Royce Avon of the RA7R-type licence-built in Sweden. Area- ruling of the Lansen fuselage has facilitated the installation of an exceptionally large and useful type of afterburner which probably increases the sea-level emergency power to nearly 10,000 lb. It is also known that very much later and more powerful types of Avon are scheduled for installation in future Lansens as well as in the forthcoming J35 supersonic interceptor. Four prototypes were built (one was lost) and Mach 1 was exceeded for the first time on October 25th, 1953. Since then supersonic speed has been surpassed "hundreds of times" by Saab pilots, frequently with external stores in place. Lansens have also been put through "Sweden's Boscombe" at Malmslatt. During 1953 a large production order was placed and Saab - 141 invested very heavily in new production tooling, plant facilities and other equipment. Of more than two million engineering man-hours expended on the Lansen (more than twice the work needed to develop the J29 fighter), over half were spent on tooling. Some 1,500,000 working man-hours were needed to manufacture the tools, which include some 23,000 detail tools, 365 jigs and about 2,000 detail-assembly fixtures. Saab have also calculated that each Lansen absorbs approximately 325,000 rivets, 25,000 screws and bolts, 21,300ft of electric cables, 21,250 sq ft of sheet metal and 5,165ft of metal sections. Quantity deliveries are now being made. The first unit to be fully equipped is the Blekinge (F17) wing at Kallinge in southern Sweden, where the Lansen is replacing Saab 18Bs. A recent Swedish budget proposal suggests a 25 per cent increase in R.S.A.F. attack strength, and a repeat order for Lansens is therefore in prospect. Saab A32 I ansen (Rolls-Royce/Svenska Flygmotor Avon RM5):Span, 42ft 8in; length, 48ft; height, 15ft 6in; weight empty, about 15,500 lb; normal gross weight, about 22,000 lb; maximum speed,700 m.p.h.; landing speed, 125 m.p.h.; service ceiling, about 50,000ft. MISS KENYA'S STORY Flying in a 30-year-old D.H.51 By JO WOODWARD TO fly in an aircraft which is the pnly one of its type still inoperation 30 years after its first test flight is a notableexperience, and I count myself lucky to have had the privilege. The aircraft in question is a de Havilland 51— appropriately named Miss Kenya, having been the first aeroplane imported into that colony. The first four entries in Miss Kenya's log-book are signed by Captain (now Sir) Geoffrey de Havilland, who test-flew her in September 1925. Bought by Mr. J. E. Carberry, she was shipped out to Kenya in 1926. From Mombasa she went by train to the Thika railhead, where she was off-loaded on to a wagon, drawn by 18 oxen and driven by Mr. Carberry's Afrikaner friend, Piet Smith, up to Nyeri. There arose die problem of getting the aeroplane off the wagon. No cranes were available, so a long, sloping hole was dug, die wagon hauled into it, and Miss Kenya off-loaded at ground level. She was assembled by a British sergeant mechanic, and Mr. Carbeny flew her for die first time on April 4th, 1926. In June 28 die aircraft was purchased by Messrs. Campbell Black, G. Skinner and A. Hughes, of Nakuru, Tom Campbell Black using her as a "refresher" in order to obtain his civilian licence, a document which was only then becoming necessary. September 10th, 1928, was the great day when, for the first time in the history of aviation in East Africa, an aeroplane was regis- tered in Kenya, the D.H.51 being allotted the nationality and registration markings of G-KAA. Shortly afterwards, the initial registration letters VP were allocated to the Colonies, and she became VP-KAA on January 3rd, 1929. Miss Kenya now followed a somewhat chequered career, pass- ing through several hands. In September 1933 she was registered in the name of D. A. G. Onslow, of Kisumu. During the war she acquired R.A.F. markings, but never flew on duty; and finally she was pranged at Kisumu and left derelict. Mr. G. F. Baudet, a ground engineer who had been a pilot in France in die early days of flying, took her over in June 1946, registered her in his name, carried out repairs and flew her locally. In May 1951 he offered her as a museum piece to die Royal Air Force at Eastleigh. The offer was accepted; but, flying her into Eastleigh, Mr. Baudct made a heavy landing. A battered Miss Kenya was relegated to a corner of the R.A.F. hangar, and remembered only on party nights, when it was felt that she would be cheered up by having her petrol tank filled with Deer. It was in 1954, when it looked as if Miss Kenya would never fly again, that Mr. J. A Johnstone of the A.R.B. and Mr. J. S. le Poer Trench of Noon and Pearce Air Charters asked the R-A.F. if the old aeroplane could be handed over to diem widi a view to making her airworthy. The Service agreed with alacrity, and VP-KAA was registered in die name of J. S. le Poer Trench. There began the job of getting her back into the air. She was in a bad way (inter alia, the beer had to be drained from her tanks) but Johnstone and Trench were supported in rneir venture by the generous assistance of various commercial firms and individuals. Interest in the veteran was aroused in aviation circles in Nairobi, and material assistance received from—in particular—the Palmer Tyre Co., de Havillands, Shell of East Africa, East African Air- ways, Airwork, Noon and Pearce Air Charters, and many individuals too numerous to mention. A few weeks ago, Jack Trench was kind enough to take me for a A FORTNIGHT ago we pabUshed in the Correspondence columns aletter from a reader concerning a D.H.51, "Miss Kenya," which is stilt flying in East Africa. This rare vintage aircraft took part in the KenyaAir Show on January 7th; a photograph appeared in our report of that event, in last week's issne; and it is now possible to publish this moredetailed history of a nniqne aircraft. The D.H.51 was designed as an economical private or commercial two/three-seater; though not so smallas the Moth, it was in some degree its progenitor. Only three D.H.Sls, we believe, were built. short trip in this historic aircraft. Although of a generation now almost extinct, Miss Kenya stood on the tarmac of Nairobi West airport impeccably groomed, the evening sun glinting on the silver fabric of her wings. Her Airdisco-Renault yee-eight engine was the one originally installed in 1925; her cockpit was simplicity itself, containing only six instruments—rev counter, oil pressure gauge, altimeter, compass, lateral level indicator and airspeed indicator. I stepped into die front cockpit, Jack Trench piloting from the rear. The prop was swung by Mr. D. Stewart of die A.R.B. and we taxied out past a surprised Asian who had just landed a Cessna. On the ground the vibration seemed to me considerable, for I was unaccustomed to flying in biplanes with flying and landing wires shuddering between the wings. From the airfield, which stands at an altitude of 5,500ft, we were airborne in little more dian 100 yards. Once in die air vibration ceased, Miss Kenya climbed steadily to 2,000ft above Nairobi West, and settled down at an airspeed of 65 m.p.h. From this height we were able to see the snow-capped summit of Mount Kenya, a hundred miles away to our right, a violent tropical thunderstorm coming up from the A close-up of the D.H.S1. Standing by the cockpit is Mr. Doughs Stewart, A.R.B. representative in Nairobi, and at the tail is Mr. J. S. le Poer Trench.
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