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Aviation History
1956
1956 - 0378.PDF
376 FLIGHT, 6 April 1956 FROM ALL QUARTERS Supersonic Bomber Ordered A PROTOTYPE order-for a supersonic bomber for the R.A.F.**• has been placed by the' Ministry of Supply. The prime con- tractor is not named but, from a statement by Sir Roy Dobson,Avro managing director, it could be inferred that it is his com- pany. (Nevertheless, Vickers-Armstrongs are known to beintensely interested in this field and Sir Frederick Handley Page said last week that his company also was conducting research intosupersonic flight.) Speaking at the Avro apprentice prize-giving ceremony onJanuary 20th, Sir Roy said that the company had recently received a "very important Ministry contract for a new aircraft." Hewent on "We have an aeroplane, or something else, which will go through the air very fast—and it is going to get very hot . . ." Receipt for such a contract would place Avro in a very strongposition, for, while their production floor will be filled for at least five years with Vulcan production, the development of a bomberof a later generation would keep them occupied for at least another decade in a major aircraft programme which is hardly likely tobe affected by any foreseeable event. Avro are certainly one of the few British companies strong enough to attempt such a pro-gramme; in particular their research and testing departments are exceptionally well equipped, both in equipment and personnel. A reference to such a bomber occurred during the DefenceDebate in the Commons. The Minister of Supply, Mr. Reginald Maudling, said that after the present V-bombers there would be"the ballistic missile and at least one other bomber .. . one cannot possibly go nap on either the ballistic missile or a large, high-performance bomber; we must continue to have re-insurance." Meteor Drone AT the end of March a report from Adelaide, South Australia,- stated that a radio-controlled Meteor has now reached the flight-development stage, No details were disclosed.The Weapons Research Establishment at Salisbury, 13 miles north of Adelaide, has been working for four years on the generalproblems of control and guidance of pilotless aircraft and much of this has been associated with the indigenous Pika manned pro-totype and small Jindivik target. Nevertheless, a pilotless Meteor was considered to be a necessity and the first flight took place onMarch 23rd. Although a pilot was on board, he did not touch the controls at any point during the flight and future flying willbe done without a pilot. The primary application of the aircraft will be in the role of target for guided missiles. Royal Aero Club's A.G.M.A T the annual general meeting of the Royal Aero Club, on• March 27th, a motion of no confidence in the club chairman, Mr. S. Kenneth Davies, was defeated by a large majority. Themotion arose from the action of the chairman at the recent dinner of the Association of British Aero Clubs, when he walked outafter protesting against a reference by Mr. Geoffrey de Freitas to the procedure for obtaining club landing-cards. In his report for the year 1955, Mr. Davies said that inDecember the club's membership comprised 1,629 full members, 444 overseas members and 1,963 associate members. A total of175 aircraft were maintained under the three-year C. of A. scheme, and 63 firms were now approved to undertake this work. Afterreviewing the club's activities and other aviation events during the year, the chairman spoke of the affiliated organizations. Referring to the A.B.A.C, Mr. Davies said: "It is with the greatest regret that I have to report that your committee has for a"number of years been extremely worried by the differences between" the Association of British Aero Clubs and Centres and our^Club. . . . References in the annual reports of the A.B.A.C. ~- have not helped in mis connection. Not for the first time we,"are making approaches to see whether the differences can be' discussed, understood and put behind us." After the meeting, Royal Aero Club awards for 1955 were,presented by Lord Brabazon, president of the Club. The Britannia Challenge Trophy was awarded to Capt. J. W. Hackett and Mr.P. J. Moneypenny, for their one-day out-and-return flight in a Canberra P.R.7 between London and New York on August 23rd,and Capt. Hackett received in addition the Geoffrey de Havilland Trophy for the New York-to-London speed record of 550.35m.pji. achieved on that occasion. A Royal Aero Club Gold Medal was presented to Mr. John Cunningham, "in recognitionof his work in connection with British aviation," and a Silver Medal to S/L. J. S. Fifield for his personal courage in testingautomatic-ejection equipment at ground level and at 40,000ft. New M.o.S. Atomics PostT HE Minister of Supply, Mr. Reginald Maudling, has appointedMr. E. S. Jackson to be Director-General, Atomic Weapons, as from April 1st. This is a new post, established on the conclu-sion of the term of office of Lt-Gen. Sir Frederick Morgan as Controller of Atomic Weapons. When the Atomic Energy Authority was set up in January1954, says the official announcement, the responsibilities of the Ministry of Supply in This field became limited to trials andsupply of nuclear weapons for the Services. General Morgan, formerly Controller of Atomic Energy in the Ministry, was thenasked to continue to direct this work as Controller of Atomic Weapons, which involved the organization of trials facilities andof the necessary arrangements for meeting the operational require- ments of the armed forces. V In the light of the progress made and experience gained in thepast two years, adds the Ministry, it has been decided to integrate these responsibilities more closely with the work of the Controllersof Aircraft Munitions and Guided Weapons and to appoint a Director-General for this purpose. P.9 Flight TrialsM ANUFACTURERS' flight trials of the Edgar Percival P.9 agricultural aircraft (270 h.p. Lycoming GO-480-B1B engine) have now been completed. The makers state that tests under all conditions of loading have proved most satisfactory, design per- formance figures having been reached in all cases—and in some cases exceeded. The trials have shown that a load can be carried of some 200 1b more than originally specified for the "agricultural overload" category. (A full description was published on December 30th.) Confirmed figures for performance at full normal load (gross weight 3,415 lb; useful load 1,565 lb) are: top speed (take-off power), 146 m.p.h.; top speed (max. continuous power), 142 m.p.h.; cruising speed, 128 m.p.h.; economical cruising speed, 120 m.p.h.; rate of climb, 1,140 ft/min; take-off run (5 m.p.h. headwind) 105 yd. At the design-overload gross weight of 3,675 lbj the above speeds are each reduced by 2 m.p.h., the rate of climb is 990 ft/min and the take-off run is 155 yd. Landing speed (light) is 37 m.p.h. LONG - TIME SERVICE: John Cunningham, de Havilland chief test pilot (left) was one of 275 D.H. personnel who, having completed 20 years' ser- vice, were congratulated by Sir Geoffrey de Havil- land and other founders at Hatfield on March 23rd. SHORT-TIME TRIP: The one-day return Canberra trip from London to New York made last August by Capt. J. W. Hackett (right) and Mr. P. J. Moneypenny resulted in their being awarded the Britannia Trophy. (See third news item above.)
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