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Aviation History
1956
1956 - 0153.PDF
FIRST AERONAUTICAL WEEKLY IN THE WORLD FOUNDED 1909 and AIRCRAFT ENGINEER No 2455 Vol 69 FRIDAY 10 FEBRUARY 1956 Editor MAURICE A. SMITH D.F.C. and BAR Associate Editor H. F. KING M.B.E. Technical Editor W. T. GUNSTON Production Editor ROY CASEY Iliffe and Sons Ltd Dorset House Stamford Street London, S.E.I Telephone • Waterloo 3333 (60 lines) BRANCH OFFICES Coventry 8-10 Corporation Street Telephone • Coventry 5210 Birmingham 2 King Edward House, New Street Telephone • Midland 7191 (7 lines) Manchester 3 260 DeansgateTelephone • Blackfriars 4412 (3 lines) Deansgate 3595 (2 lines) Glasgow C.2 26B Renfield Street Telephone • Central 1265 (2 lines) Toronto 2, Ontario 74 College Street Telephone • Walnut 4-5361 New York 6, N.Y. Ill Broadway Telephone • Digby 9-1197 SUBSCRIPTION RATES Home and Overseas • Twelve Months, £4 10s. U.S.A. and Canada, $14.00 in this issue 153 Belfast Britannias 154 Viscount Round-Up 158 Subsonic to Hypersonic 161 Two T34-powered U.S.A.F. Transports 162 Men, Rockets and Space Rats 164 No. 18 Squadron 169 Made In Spain Stalking the HunterJ UST when it seemed that the Hawker Hunter—assessed last year by the U.S. Defense Department as the best day intercepter in Europe—was settling down to the general satisfaction of all concerned (though still under operational restrictions) a double-barrelled discharge from the thickets of Fleet Street kicked up another flurry of dust round this much-potted-at fighter. Had "the R.A.F.'s main fighter plane", the Daily Express demanded, proved incap- able of using the guided missiles which would be the only weapons effective against modern bombers? Next day the fur was again ruffled, if not actually set flying, in the House of Commons, when Mr. Strachey asked the Air Minister whether he was satisfied with the Hunter's performance; whether restrictions on firing its guns could be lifted; how far it was still intended to proceed with production in the numbers originally contemplated; and if greater reassurance could be given that "this fine aircraft" would be got through its teething troubles before it was obsolete. Which drew from Mr. Birch assurances that the Hunter had "proved its flying qualities in the Service"; that though diere were certain restrictions on gun firing and a programme of modifications was in progress, it was hoped that a number of modified aircraft would be operational before the summer; and that there would be a small reduction in orders. Diligent readers of Flight are aware, of course, that the Hunter's "flying qualities" were enthusiastically endorsed by squadron pilots over a year ago. As for the armament modifications, it must be admitted that these are taking an uncomfortably, if not unconscionably, long time, though the production cut- back, affecting fifty machines, is of relatively minor consequence. Having regard to the newly stimulated interest in the Hunter's missile capability, it is regrettable, of course, that no official word should have been uttered on the subject; nor, as we write, can any useful comment be made, beyond recalling that a Hunter appeared at the S.B.A.C. Display last year with an impres- sive under-wing load of two 1,000 lb bombs (not far removed in form and weight from typical guided weapons) as well as batteries of unguided rockets. There are at least three possible explanations of any deficiencies which might underlie current restlessness: that provision for guided weapons was not written into the original specification and that subsequent difficulties of adaptation arose; that certain patterns of missile can be handled, but not others; and that, whereas the Hunter is physically capable of carrying and launching missiles, the pilot's means of location and direction are inadequate. Or it may well be that present fears are wholly baseless. We must hope that, when the answer comes, it will come unalloyed. In the Queen's ServiceI T is the clear duty of the Air Ministry and Treasury to agree forthwith on a plan for the re-equipment of the Queen's Flight, in part, if not in whole. At least they must provide for more suitable aircraft for Royal service than have been available on the recent tour. We do not advocate thereby that a Britannia should be constantly at the Royal command in the way that Super Constellation Columbine is at the call of Mr. Eisenhower and America's statesmen; but we are acutely aware, as are so many of Her Majesty's subjects, that Argonauts and Vikings are no longer worthy—in terms of speed and comfort at least—to bear our Royal personages on their long and arduous journeys. Imperative now is a study of how best the Royal Family may be served, having regard to the types of military aircraft on order. The demands of their high calling must go no longer unfulfilled; nor must their dedicated use of the air be answered by anything but the best—or the best that can by any reasonable means be put to their service.
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