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Aviation History
1956
1956 - 1705.PDF
FIRST AERONAUTICAL WEEKLY IN THE WORLD FOUNDED 1909 and AIRCRAFT ENGINEER No 2498 Vol 70 FRIDAY 7 DECEMBER 1956 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) . . . giving Place to NewW E present in this issue the most detailed review of the world's guided missiles yet prepared for public consumption. These devices are now usurping the functions not only of the bombing aeroplane, the fighter, and to some degree the reconnaissance aircraft, but also those of heavy and medium ordnance for use against terrestial, naval and aerial targets. Even the depth charge —seemingly one of the crudest of modern weapons—and certain of the unpre- tentious anti-tank devices of the infantry platoon are gradually giving way to the new, more complicated, but vastly more effective technique. That much is clear from a study of this issue. Just as railway enthusiasts find little in electric locomotives and diesels to compare with the glamour and nostalgia of the days of steam, so most of our readers, we believe, will be a shade saddened by the gradual secession of the military aeroplane in the face of the all-conquering, laboratory-engineered, mathematically correct missile system. But the old order is changing, and changing fast; and we shall continue to consider all types of guided weapons to be very much our business. 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 1, Ontario Thomas Skinner and Co., Ltd. 67 Yonge Street Telephone • Empire 6-0873 New York 6, N.Y. Ill Broadway Telephone • Digby 9-1197 SUBSCRIPTION RATES Home and Overseas • Twelve Months, £4 10s. US.A. and Canada, $14.00 in this issue 870 Civil Conversions 871 Sir Thomas Sopwith Remem- bers 873 Antarctica 876 Missiles That Think 884 Reflections of a Weaponeer 885 Missile Design 890 Missile Testing 893 Guided Missiles 1956 ClubworthinessN OT surprisingly, there are differing points of view between those who fly and those who draft regulations concerning the ease (or otherwise) with which surplus military aircraft, sometimes ageing and usually cheap, may be converted to a useful, hardworking civil life. We refer particularly to light air- craft. Illustrative of two opposing viewpoints are the article by Elstree's chief flying instructor which appeared in our issue of November 16, and the reply from the Air Registration Board on page 870 of this issue. The Board presents a reasoned, general account of its philosophy on the conver- sion question. In the case of the Chipmunk, the majority of modifications required were those which would have been incorporated had the machines remained in the Service; the purely civil alterations were few and, in several cases, minor. Yet the fact remains that the conversion in question proved a long and frustrating process and, while individual members of the A.R.B. were helpful, there was on occasion a lack of co-operation from both the Board and the manufacturers. We of Flight admire the enthusiasm of the author of the original article no less than we respect the scientific integrity and sense of responsibility of the Air Registration Board. Were there no flying enthusiasts to persevere and overcome obstacles the light-aircraft movement would be in a sorry state. At the same time there is no excuse for unnecessary obstacles set up by the regulating authority; our best safeguard against this is the fact that, in general, the Board's decisions are based on sound technical evidence and not on any feeling of hostility towards this country's club movement. On the contrary, the Board's record of helpful co-operation with the ultra-light aircraft movement is extremely good. The relaxation of airworthiness requirements two years ago, in conjunction with die Popular Flying Association, has resulted in a healthy growth of P.F.A. operational and constructional groups. The Board follows closely the developments of its opposite number in France, the most practical light-aircraft-minded country in Europe, and there are signs that, by joint agreement between the two countries, the scope of ultra-light air touring may well be widened. We would suggest a similar relaxation in airworthiness requirements for bona fide club-operated aircraft. Normal club flying should not require machines licensed as "public transport aircraft." To achieve this object, club associations and organizations should cease bickering among themselves and objecting on principle to everything the A.R.B. does. A joint submission should be made to the Ministry by the club movement and the Board for such a concession. We have reason to believe that the Board itself could produce evidence to justify thii step.
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