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Aviation History
1956
1956 - 1353.PDF
FIRST AERONAUTICAL WEEKLY IN THE WORLD FOUNDED 1909 ^^ and AIRCRAFT ENGINEER No 2487 Vol 70 FRIDAY 2 1 SEPTEMBER 1 956 Editor MAURICE A. SMITH D.F.C. and BAR Associate Editor H. F. KING M.B.E. Technical Editor W. T. GUNSTON Production Editor ROY CASEY Iliffe and Sons Ltd Dorset House Stamford Street London, S.E.I Telephone • Waterloo 3333 (60 lines) BRANCH OFFICES Coventry 8-10 Corporation Street Telephone • Coventry 5210 Birmingham 2 King Edward House, New Street Telephone • Midland 7191 (7 lines) Manchester 3 260 Deansgate Telephone • Blackfriars 4412 (3 lines) Deansgate 3595 (2 lines) Glasgow C.2 26B Renfield Street Telephone • Central 1265 (2 lines) Toronto 2, Ontario 74 College Street Telephone • Walnut 4-5631 New York 6, N.Y. Ill Broadway Telephone • Digby 9-1197 SUBSCRIPTION RATES Home and Overseas • Twelve Months, £4 10s. U.S.A. and Canada, $14.00 in this issue 508 Thoughts on the Hustler 511 New Developments in Radio and Radar 515 Toronto's Big Flying Display 516 Design Notebook 518 Oklahoma 521 Viper-powered Italian Trainer 522 I.L.S. for the R.A.F. 523 New Electra Data 524 Art for Flying's Sake 526 Glass-Fibre Skins 527 137 Not Out Hustler—I N our Military Aircraft number earlier this year we remarked on the scarcity of new bombers. This, we suggested, had been brought about by extreme costs of development and operation, and because certain of the bomber's traditional missions could now be flown more economically, and with higher hopes of success, by adapted fighters. A fighter such as America's McDonnell Voodoo, having an already respectable "built-in" range and possessing flight-refuelling, supersonic and nuclear capability, could clearly present some stiff defensive problems, for its run-in and over-target speeds could be high in the supersonic regime. Implicit in that term "over-target," however, is one deficiency which, under conditions now pertaining, could place it at a severe disadvantage as compared with the "conventional" multi-engined, multi-seat bomber. By virtue of the guided bombs which form its armament (the Bell Rascal, of 100 miles range, is the best-known example), the specialized bomber of to-day has no need to penetrate the target area at all; consequently, it is less vulnerable to the enemy's inner defences and to the heat and blast effect of its own weapons. In point of accuracy, moreover, its guided bombs should prove superior to the free-falling or parachute-lowered weapons as are likely to be launched by the converted fighter. It is the necessity for carrying large guided bombs, and for using the newest and most elaborate navigational aids to ensure delivery over ranges unattainable even by the largest fighters, which is perpetuating the classic bomber line. The latest addition to that line is Convair's B-58 Hustler, subject of a critical appraisal in this issue. Although, as the Technical Editor recounts, the Hustler specification originally called for a Mach number of 1.7 to 1.8, the bomber as now in being may well prove appreciably faster. More than once in recent weeks we have heard a Mach number of 2 suggested, though we have yet to receive a dependable explanation of the intended range/cruise technique. For what length of time and in what circumstances the Hustler is intended to fly supersonically remains a riddle, though when operating at full thrust and at optimum height it should clearly outstrip most present-day fighters. Altitude performance should prove exceptional and, the possibilities of load-stowage being many and varied, it is hardly remarkable that a fighter version should now be envisaged. This, it has been suggested, should act as a mother-ship for pilotless intercepters; but though for the present the modus operandi remains obscure, the menace of the supersonic bomber, typified by the Hustler itself, is disconcertingly plain. —and GnatA WEEK that brought disappointment and despondency (with yet another —and even lengthier—postponement of B.O.A.C. Britannia services) brought also a tonic piece of news for which the nation at large has waited restlessly for the past two years. A production order has been placed for the Folland Gnat. Not, it is true, for the sort of quantity that was widely hoped for, but nevertheless for a £3 million batch of 25, and with a licence agreement attached. And this, says Folland's "Teddy" Petter with quiet confidence, is only the beginning. To Petter, for his vision and tenacity; to Folland Aircraft, for an excellent piece of business; to Bristol Aero-Engines, upon this latest acknowledgement of the Orpheus—a turbojet beyond compare in its class—the congratulations of the entire industry will go out. And to the Ministry of Supply, for its helpful, if small and belated, contribution of an order for six examples, a measure of thanks. We now look for other nations—perhaps three or four—to follow India's lead; and although interest in the carrier-borne Sea Gnat project appears to have flagged, there is new promise in the Gnat Trainer, detail design of which is already in hand as a "P.V." by the ever-venturesome ones at Hamble. B
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