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Aviation History
1956
1956 - 0632.PDF
632 FLIGHT FROM ALL QUARTERS Hydrogen Bomb from B-52 A T 5.51 a.m. on Monday last (local time), over the target island•**• of Namu, in the Bikini atoll, America exploded her first hydrogen bomb to be dropped from an aeroplane. The weaponwas released from a B-52 at 5O,OOOft and detonated at the planned altitude of 10,000ft. Code-named "Cherokee," and the eighthhydrogen-type device to be tested by the United States, this is believed to have been the first true "hydrogen fusion" weapon.The explosion was unofficially estimated to be equivalent to that of at least 15 million tons of T.N.T. National Air Race Results "DRILLIANT weather favoured the first and second rounds of •** the National Air Races, flown at Yeadon, Leeds, on Whit- Monday. Results were as follows: —Goodyear Trophy Race.—First Round: 1, H. B. lies (Miles M.18); 2, D. F. Ogilvy (Compel Swift); 3, A. G. Oldham (Tiger Moth). SecondRound: 1, A. G. Oldham; 2, D. F. Ogilvy; 3, H. B. lies. Kemsley Challenge Trophy.—First Round: 1, D. P. Boulnois; 2, J. M.Donald; 3, B. J. Snook (all in Tiger Moths). Second Round: 1, J. H. Denyer (Auster); 2, J. M. Donald; 3, D. P. Boulnois.Osram Cup.—First Round: 1, A. Barker (Proctor); 2, J. R. Johnston (Hawk Trainer); 3, T. G. Knox (Proctor). Second Round: 1, J. N.Somers (Chipmunk), 139 m.p.h.; 2, E. Crabtree (Gemini); 3, J. R. Johnston.S.B.A.C. Challenge Cup.—First Round: 1, G. C. Marler (Falcon Six), 163.5 m.p.h.; 2, R. H. Mclntosh (Proctor); 3, A. S. K. Paine (Proctor).Second Round: 1, F. Dunkerley (Sparrowjet), 197.5 m.p.h.; 2, G. C. Marler; 3, E. Crabtree (Proctor).An illustrated report of the meeting, and of the accompanying air display, will appear in our next issue. Displays were also seen by large crowds at Speke—where theproceedings were marred by the death of Leo Valentin, the French "bird-man"—and Hucknall. These, also will be referred to nextweek. Barry Aikman Resigns THE unexpected resignation of Mr. Barry T. Aikman, managingdirector of the British flying boat operator Aquila Airways, is announced as we go to press. No reason has been given for hisresignation; a statement issued by the independent airline states that the Board "have agreed to release him from further dutiesimmediately." On leaving, Mr. Aikman expressed his good wishes for the future of Aquila, which he founded in 1948. Belfast Tunnel LAST week Short Brothers and Harland, Ltd., announced that• their high-speed tunnel had started calibration running. Of the open-circuit injection type, driven by three Nene turbojets,the facility will be able to test 18in-span models up to Mach 1.2. We expect to make further reference to the tunnel in an earlyissue. Another Loss to Farnborough 'T'HE movement of senior members of Government depart-•*• ments into industry continues. The latest move to be an- nounced is that of Dr. F. E. Jones, M.B.E., B.Sc, Ph.D.,A.M.I.E.E., Deputy Director of the Royal Aircraft Establishment since 1953, who is joining the Board of Mullard, Ltd, the well- FIRST MAN OUT: A still from a cine-film of the first live drop from a Blackburn Bever/ey, referred to in the news item below. known makers of electronic valves and equipment. Now forty-two years of age, Dr. Jones was Demonstrator in Physics at Kings College, London, before the war. During the war he wasclosely concerned with radar and blind-bombing techniques and became Head of Experimental Physics at the Telecommunica-tions Research Establishment. Only a little over six months ago Sir Arnold Hall, who wasDirector of the R.A.E., left the Establishment in order to join the board of Hawker Siddeley Group. Live Drops from the Beverley "DOSCOMBE DOWN was the scene of the first live parachute-*-* descents from a Blackburn Beverley C.l. The aircraft took off with nine parachute troops and the first man out was F/L.Harrison, A.F.C., officer in charge of paratrooping at Boscombe Down. He was followed out by Capt. Pressey, of the AirborneForces, and seven sergeant instructors from Abingdon. All the jumps were made from about 1,000ft using a static line. Thefirst drops were made from the hatch in the floor of the rear fuselage and later ones were from the side doors of the freightcompartment. Everything went "extremely smoothly" and over 250 live drops have been completed to date. Using both decksof the Beverley, 70 parachute troops can be dropped from the Three available exits. United Aircraft Promotions FOLLOWING the death on April 25 of Frederick B. Rent-schler, chairman of United Aircraft Corporation and founder of the Wright and Pratt and Whitney companies, a number ofre-appointments have been made within United Aircraft. H. M. Homer, president since 1943 and a director since 1942, has beenelected chairman; Leonard S. Hobbs, vice-president for engin- eering, becomes vice-chairman; William P. Gwinn, P. and W.general manager since late 1943 and a vice-president since 1946, is made president, chief administrative officer and a director;Wright A. Parkins, P. W. engineering manager since 1944, be- comes general manager of P. and W. and a vice-president of theCorporation; and Arthur E. Smith, assistant engineering manager since 1952, succeeds Mr. Parkins in his former post. AH "five men either have spent all or the greater part of theirworking careers with United and Pratt and Whitney Aircraft. In all, their careers aggregate 137 years of service with the com-pany. HEAVY ATTACK squadrons of the United States Navy will eventually be equipped with Douglas A3D Sky- warriors, an early-production example of which is here seen landing aboard the U.S.S. "Forrastal" during recent trials. The Skywarrior costs two million dollars and weighs about 70,000 Ib.
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