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Aviation History
1956
1956 - 1025.PDF
FLIGHT, 27 July 1956 171 CORRESPONDENCE The Editor of "Flight" is not necessarily in agreement with the viewsexpressed by correspondents in these columns; the names and addresses of writers, not for publication in detail, must in all cases accompany letters Flight Refuelling TN answer to Mr. Dorman's challenge, in Flight for July 13,A that as a critic of flight refuelling for civil airliners I should include solutions for overcoming the objections to such a methodof increasing the range or reducing the take-off weight of airliners, may I take what must appear to be the easy way out and referto page 76 of the same issue of Flight? Lord Brabazon is quoted, under the heading "A.R.B. Last Year," as saying: "Or shouldwe give proper attention to fuel economy, silence, reverse thrust, deflected thrust, lower landing speeds and shorter landings, andto a concentrated attack on laminar flow?" Surely that is the answer, not flight refuelling? Admittedly, all credit must be given to the way in which theR.A.F. and the U.S.A.F. have developed flight refuelling; but if they could use aircraft which did not need such a complicatedtechnique, no doubt they would jump at the chance. Whilst most anxious to give credit to the lead which militaryaviation has given to civil in many aspects of development, there are many operational techniques which are used by civil operatorsbut have not been adopted by the military because, although they would undoubtedly increase the safety of flying, they wouldbe a "restrictive practice" in combat operations. Of course, we can have flight refuelling but we must add upthe possible consequences. For just one west-bound thirsty air- liner : —A radar control centre, a "private" airspace with "out ofbounds" notice, a large £1,000,000 tanker, double insurance (both receiver and tanker must be considered as a whole for the pur-pose of assessing the probability factors of mishap) and a special radar interception set in the receiver. In addition, who is goingto sort out the sticky question of "who commands the operation, the tanker captain or the 'thirsty one'?" By the time theoperational techniques have been established, to the satisfaction of all interested parties, Dr. Lachman and his suck-and-blowpipe will have softly laminated the "stop me and buy one" aircraft at the becoming speed of sound. London, N.W.2. L. F. E. COOMBS. "The Hi'-Land Duster" TN Flight for December 23,1955, on page 928 ("A Dak Goes Top-A dressing") you described the James Aviation, Ltd., Dakota. I live in Hamilton where the aircraft was converted and enclosephotos [one is reproduced above—Ed] of this aircraft, known as "The Hi' Land Duster." It carries five tons of fertilizer in a big hopper fitted centrally.There are double openings in the top of the fuselage for loading and two more in the bottom of it for unloading.The Dakota does not operate from Ardmore only but from any aerodrome where there is sufficient room. The registrationletters are ZK-AZL. The Dakota and its big loader (see letter below). The loader is a big cream and black Thornycroft with a largeboom. On the end of the hopper lifting wire is a big "halter" scale which measures in tons! The loading hopper, made of steel,weighs 15 cwt and has a canvas chute at the bottom. The colour of the aircraft is drab khaki below with a colouredband just above window level. The top is painted white. Hamilton, New Zealand. V. N. BENTLEY. Twin Pioneers 'I AM bewildered by the significance that your correspondentMr. Dennis M. Powell places on my statement that some 200 orders for Twin Pioneers have been placed. This figure, whichwas given to me not only by Mr. D. F. Mclntyre but also by other officials of Scottish Aviation, Ltd., was quite irrelevant to thepurpose of my article in Travel World, which was to draw atten- tion to the suitability of the aircraft for feeder services. I mayhave misunderstood Mr. Mclntyre and others of his management, but is it so very important providing that the virtues of this uniqueScottish aeronautical achievement are made more widely known? London, W.I. W. D. C. CORMACK. Flying Objects, Identified and UnidentifiedI N reply to Mr. J. T. Bennett's query about the D.H.9A withspare wheel (Flight for July 13), the example I have shows a military machine, series No. E87 with the ace of clubs on the fin. I and many other people were interested in Mr. J, E. Reynolds'sletter on Unidentified Flying Objects (Flight, May 25). The object I saw on Friday, November 6, 1953, at 1.20 p.m. came intoview from the west in a break of 7/10 altostratus cloud. Its flight was slow and erratic and its shape oval and silvery. Suddenlyit stopped with a jerk and stayed perfectly still for about ten seconds, then continued its wavering course above broken wafercloud. I would have reported this had I a witness but many people like myself refrain from doing so, fearing ridicule. Asan ex-R.O.C. observer this is understood. I think Mr. Reynolds's letter deserves an article in Flight on the subject. Birmingham, 14. , MAURICE AUSTIN. THE INDUSTRY IN BRIEF United Kingdom (and Lebanon) agents for the Kaman heli- copter described on page 173 are Field Aircraft Services, Ltd., Croydon Airport, Surrey. .••,-.• * * * , Maintaining standardization with their existing fleets, B.O.A.C.are specifying the Aro A-12A regulator for crew oxygen on the Britannia 102. This light-weight unit is manufactured by therecently formed British Oxygen Aro Equipment Company. * * * From Engineering Developments (England), Ltd., Mark Road,Hemcl Hempstead, Herts, come details of their EDM 103 fluores- cent light unit for interior assembly or maintenance work. Thelight, a two-foot 40 Watt fluorescent tube working from 230 or 240 volt mains, can be swivelled through 180 deg and the reflectortilted at any angle. So that electric tools can be connected direct to the unit, a power take-off plug is built into the base, which inaddition contains the necessary control gear. * * * So popular have the overhaul exchange schemes operated byHants and Sussex Aviation, Ltd., proved that the amount of floor-space allocated for engine overhauls at their City Airport,Portsmouth, premises has been trebled. Often testing is carried out "round the clock" and a similar scheme has now been appliedto all forms of components, parts and accessories, such as mag- netos, ignition harnesses and cylinder assemblies. To make this possible, the A.R.B. approval has been extended to cover electrical servicing. . * * * •'•"-.- A new type of universal hose clip has been marketed by F. H.Bourner, Ltd., of Aldrington Basin, Hove 3 3, Sussex. Known asthe "Coronation," it uses a nut and bolt mechanism, while alternative adaptors provide easy access in awkward places.* * * A vibration generator designated V.G.109 and described as thelargest of its kind developed on this side of the Atlantic has been completed by Goodmans Industries, Ltd., Axiom Works, Wembley,Middx. Designed particularly to test guided-weapon components, it produces a thrust of plus or minus 8,000 lb at continuous rating.Diameter of the V.G.109 is 50in, height about 40in and its weight approximately 6£ tons. * * * At the invitation of the Public Schools Appointments Bureau,some 30 careers and science masters from schools all over Britain, together with two headmasters, spent a day looking round theRadlett and Cricklewood works and aerodrome of Handley Page, Ltd. They discussed the aircraft industry from the careers aspectwith senior members of the company and heard from Sir Frederick Handley Page about the industry's great need for suitable recruits.
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