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Aviation History
1956
1956 - 1187.PDF
31 August 1956 333 MILITARY BRITANNIAS were the particular interest of the Secretary of State for Air, Mr. Nigel Birch, when he visited the Queen's Island works of Short Brothers and Harland, Ltd., on August 20. Here he is being conducted round the main factory by Short's chairman, Rear Admiral Sir Matthew Slattery (left). mounted behind and slightly above the pupil's seat; a revisedwing, with greater area and a thickness/chord ratio of seven (instead of eight) per cent; flaps, mounted inboard, displacing theailerons (powered, with manual reversion) to a conventional posi- tion outboard; and a modified fuel system, involving relocation ofthe forward fuselage tank as a result of the addition of the second seat. Performance figures are not available, but it can be statedthat a 75-minute training flight can be undertaken on internal fuel, and that another hour's fuel can be carried in the pylon-mountedunder-wing tanks. Supersonic Crusading /~\N August 22 it was reported by the U.S. Navy that a Chance*** Vought F8U-1 Crusader "probably" beat the existing speed "record" for American fighter aircraft during measured runs overthe Mojave Desert in California. No precise figure for the speed reached was made public but it is generally believed to have beenapproximately 1,030 m.pii. This compares with the record of 822.135 m.p.h. achieved one year ago by Col. Hanes in a NorthAmerican F-100C, and with the 1,132 m.p.h. established by Peter Twiss in the Fairey Delta 2 in March. The Crusader was flownby Cdr. Robert W. Windsor and the calibrated course was at the Naval Ordnance Test Center at China Lake. Like the F-100,the F8U is powered by an afterburning Pratt and Whitney J57. A development of the F8U will be engined by a more powerfulturbojet and will introduce design improvements which should enable it to exceed the present international record held by theF.D.2. The British machine's other challenger, the Lockheed F-104, is claimed by Lockheed to be "the fastest jet aircraft in theworld"; but it has yet to substantiate this claim. Meanwhile the F.D.2 itself is theoretically capable of handsomely exceeding itsown record since, as we pointed out in our issue of March 23, the aircraft accelerated throughout each of its measured runs andfinished each run at a speed in excess of 1,200 m.p.h. Mercator Lost in China Sea A U.S. NAVY P4M-1 Mercator, carrying a crew of 16, waslost during a routine flight some 400 miles north of Formosa on August 23. It was reported that the aircraft notified its basethat it was under attack and a major air search was immediately instituted in the vicinity of its last known position 32 miles offthe Red Chinese mainland near the Saddle Islands. The American destroyer Dennis J. Buckley located wreckage off the China coastabout 300 miles north-east of Formosa soon afterwards. Exami- nation showed that the aircraft had been damaged by fire, whichhad presumably broken out after the attack. The body of one of the crew was recovered, together with two life-rafts. During the search Peking Radio announced that a "ChiangKai-shek aircraft" was fired on at about the time that the American aircraft reported it was under attack. The report stated that theaircraft had intruded over Chinese islands and flew off in a south- easterly direction after being hit. THRUSTING LANCES: Powered by the Rolls-Royce Avon RAJ turbojet with afterburner, these Saab-32 Lansen all-weather attack aircraft of the Royal Swedish Air Force's Attack Wing F.17 make a brave— and enviable—sight. F-100 FOR TWO: The long canopy of this North American F-100 Super Sabre proclaims it to be of the new sub-series "F," a two- seater suitable for use as a trainer or, operated as a single-seater, capable of fighter or fighter/bomber missions. Several other advanced versions of the supersonic F-100 are in prospect. Fighter CollisionsW E regret to record the death, following a mid-air collisionlast Saturday, of the Gloster Aircraft Company's experimental test pilot Brian Smith. He was flying a Javelin from theairfield at Moreton Valence when he was involved in a col- lision with an R.A.F. Hunter. Mr. Smidi, his navigator, F/L. R.Jeffries, R.A.F., and the Hunter pilot, F/L. Hicks, all used their ejector seats but, for reasons which have not so far been deter-mined, Mr. Smith failed to save his life. He was found still in his ejector seat. F/L. Jeffries suffered a broken arm and shockand F/L. Hicks was reported to be in hospital in a serious condition. Both aircraft fell near Nailsworth, Glos, causingsome damage to a farm building, but no casualties. Brian Smith had been with Glosters for over five years. He had served withthe R.A.F. from 1942 to 1946, and was later in No. 501 Sqn., R.Aux.A.F., flying Spitfires and Vampires. On the following day two Meteor 8s of an R.Aux.A.F. squadronat Biggin Hill collided over Clopton, near Woodbridge, Suffolk, and, though one pilot used his ejector seat, both lost their lives. German Industry Orders ORDERS for 671 military transport and training aircraft, it isreported, had already been received by the German aircraft industry before its recent revival. They are for three types ofaircraft, to be built under licence from two French companies and one Italian concern by three groups of constructors. A total of 117 Noratlas transports are due for manufacture byFlugzeugbau Nord, under licence from S.N.C.A.N.: some 360 Fouga-Magister trainers by the partnership firm of Messerschmitt
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