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Aviation History
1956
1956 - 0238.PDF
236 PLIGHT, 2 March 1956 Unfamiliar markings: The Hunting Percival Provost T.52 at top left has the old insignia of the Royal Rhodesian Air Force; to its right is a Fairchild C-119G of the Italian Air Force (46th Aerobrigata, based at Pisa). The Lockheed P2V-7 Neptune on the left belongs to the Japanese Self-Defense Force, and the Hunting Percival Pembroke above is the first of two for the Finnish Air Force. AIRCRAFT INTELLIGENCE Great Britain Westland Whirlwind. Whirlwind heli- copters now leaving the Westland line at Yeovil have the tail boom drooped through three degrees. The modification is of American origin and obviates damage to the tail boom by the blades flexing on touchdown. The pylon which carries the tail rotor is now at least double the length of the original in order to retain the same tail rotor characteristics. U.S.A. Convair F-102. There will be no squad- ron of Convair F-102 all-weather single- seat supersonic intercepters in service with the U.S.A.F. before July. Thereafter four more should be added by the end of the year. Grumman Albatross SA-16B. This is a new development of the Albatross with a wing span increased by 16.5ft and having cambered leading edges for improved con- trol at low speeds and at high angles of attack. Other improvements include larger ailerons with geared tabs, larger tail sur- faces, and improved de-icing arrangements. Gross weight has risen by about 1,000 lb. Boeing KC-135. Three squadrons of these Boeing jet transports will be able to do the same amount of work as fifteen squadrons—totalling 150 of the largest piston-engined transports—now being used by the Military Air Transport Service. Thus, thousands fewer men will be re- quired in the way of aircrew and ground crew, fewer hangars, fewer spare engines and parts, fewer transport stops, and fewer crew quarters. According to Boeing vice- president Edward C. Wells, savings in direct operating costs in one year could total more than $40 million. Martin XP6M-1 SeaMaster. The U.S. Navy has accepted a Martin proposal to delay flight tests of the second SeaMaster pending installation of test equipment of the type lost aboard the first machine. Unlike the first SeaMaster, which com- pleted more than 50 hours in the air be- tween July 14th and December 7th last, the second specimen carries complete mine- laying and navigation systems, which will now have to be removed to make room for the test equipment. The cause of the acci- dent to the first machine has not yet been determined. Republic .F-105^4. Notwithstanding pre- vious reports, it is officially confirmed that this supersonic fighter/bomber, which made its first flight on October 22nd last, is powered with a Pratt and Whitney J57 turbojet. The F-105A has short-span, thin, swept-back wings, and a long cylindri- cal fuselage. Wing-root intakes permit radar equipment to be installed in the needle nose of the fuselage. The slab tail- plane is set low on the after fuselage and there is a ventral fin surface. Lockheed WV-2. A £25 million order from the U.S. Navy is announced for Lockheed WV-2 early-warning Super Constellations. Production will extend until December 1957. Lockheed engineers have calculated that a WV-2, flying at 10,000ft, could provide radar coverage over a surface area of about 45,000 square nautical miles. .••-.-.-'..--^.. •.-:.-.-. France 5.O.4050 Vautour. The Vautour "04" —an all-weather fighter prototype—has been flying from Mont-de-Marsan in very bleak weather, including snow blizzards, and landing in cross winds on icy runways without using the braking parachute. Several flights have been made daily with this machine, as with another prototype which is being used for missile trials. This second machine has been engaged also on bombing and gunnery tests and it is stated that no difficulties have been met in firing the four 30 mm guns. Leduc 021. The two Leduc 021 ramjet prototypes have now completed more than 90 flights, averaging three to four per week. Current tests are aimed at determining operational characteristics of the equipment to be installed in the 022 fighter. S.iJ.210 Caravelle. The prototype Cara- velle has now accumulated over 329 hours in the air, representing 165 flights. Twenty- five Air France technicians have recently begun a training course to prepare the crews who are to conduct the 500 hours of endurance tests scheduled to begin in April. At the end of that month the second Caravelle should fly. S.E. Thunderstreak Overhaul. For the U.S.A.F. in Europe and for the French Air Force, S.N.C.A.S.E. have so far over- hauled 122 Republic F-84F Thunder- streak fighter /bombers. This work is done at the Marignane factory. S.E. 3130 Alouette II. Two prototypes and three production models of the S.E. Alouette II helicopter are flying. After a few minor modifications one of these will be taken through the first 500 hours of endurance testing. Fouga CM.170R Magister. Recent tests carried out with the Magister light jet trainer at Mont-de-Marsan have involved a number of student pilots whose aptitude "did not exceed a certain average degree." The students were divided into two groups, one doing its initial training on airscrew- driven machines and then converting on to the CM.170R, and the second starting immediately on the CM.170R. It was found that the average number of flying hours required by each group "to be pro- ficient in solo flight" were: Group I, 40 hr on airscrew-driven aircraft, 10 hr on the CM.170R; Group II, a total of 20 hr on the CM.170R.
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