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Aviation History
1956
1956 - 1752.PDF
916 FLIGHT FROM ALL QUARTERS IN ARCTIC RIG (1): The essentially fine lines of this Lockheed P2V-7 Neptune for Operation Deep Freeze (see "Flight" of November 30) are noticeably modified by the presence of skis (5ft wide and 16ft long); wing-tip nacelles for carrying fuel, radar and a searchlight; under-wing jet pods; a "stinger" tail; and assorted ventral and dorsal excrescences. U.S.-Iceland Agreement ON December 6 the State Department confirmed that theUnited States and Iceland had reached an agreement which will allow American forces to remain at the Keflavik air base. Thetwo Governments have agreed, stated the department, that "the continuing threat to the security of Iceland and the North Atlanticcommunity" necessitated the retention of forces in Iceland. Provisions for ending the agreement are unchanged; eitherGovernment can seek a review of the situation from the North Atlantic Council, and if it achieves no satisfaction within sixmonths can end the agreement on a further 12 months' notice. The agreement also calls for increased participation in defencework by Icelandic nationals and the institution of training pro- grammes for them. Construction projects at Keflavik, whichwere suspended last year, are now expected to be resumed. Flying Clubs and the Fuel TaxA S reported in this week's "Club and Gliding News" page, the• Royal Aero Club (in addition to the British Gliding Associa- tion and the Popular Flying Association) has applied to theMinistry of Transport and Civil Aviation for a further grant in relief of fuel tax. The R.Ae.C. letter of application to the Parlia-mentary Secretary to the M.T.C.A. indicates that an additional cost of at least 8s 6d per hour on flying charges is probable ifthe recently announced additional tax has to be paid by clubs, groups and private owners. At present the clubs and groups (but not private owners) receivea grant in relief of fuel tax which, the Royal Aero Club states, "was granted to offset the last heavy increases in fuel taxation."The Club's application continues: "It is to be hoped that the principle can be extended to cover the additional tax now leviedupon private aviation including the remaining private aircraft in this country." After mentioning the probable additional cost of flying quotedabove, the letter continues: "It is felt that this additional charge at this difficult period whenoperational private flying will be reduced as a result of petrol rationing for cars, may well have disastrous consequences for die majority ofclubs and groups and for owners of private aircraft. May we therefore urge upon you the very great desirability of absorbing the greater part—if not all—of this extra tax increase by raising the present grant in relief of petrol tax to cover the one-shilling-per-gallon additional tax."We feel diat the small amount of fuel used by the private aviation movement is unlikely to have any real effect upon the economy of thecountry. While fully appreciating the necessity for a reduction of 25 per cent in supplies, unless some concession can be given we foreseethat the extra tax may well result in the unemployment of professional pilot-instructors and the elimination of private aircraft to such an extentthat to the rest of the world it will appear this is a country where private aviation is practically extinct; this surely would be detrimental tonational prestige." American Jet Flaps? . -S INCE some of the work was disclosed just over a year ago (seeFlight for September 30, 1955) the jet flap has been inten- sively studied by every major nation. Several countries, notablyFrance, have conducted parallel work on similar schemes. Over a month ago the American National Advisory Committeefor Aeronautics published results of tests which they had con- ducted at the Langley Laboratory, with a view to American use ofthe jet-flap idea. Now, an American company—presumably a firm of aircraft builders—is reported to be wishing to make suchsystems under licence. The devices relating to jet flaps were developed by the National Gas Turbine Establishment, and thepatents are held by Power Jets, Ltd., a company owned by the British Government. The Ministry of Supply state that discus-sion has not yet reached the "financial stage." Lockheed U-2: An Eye-opener "PRESCRIBING the first—and still exclusive—illustrated*J description of the Lockheed U-2 [Flight, November 23) as an eye-opener to U.S.A.F. personnel, a reader goes on to affirmthat the undercarriage is jettisoned after take-off. The gear itself, he says, is not unlike that of the B-47, and for landing themachine makes a normal runway approach, touches down and veers on to the grass, finally dropping on one wing-tip. It may be recalled that the jettisonable undercarriage featurehad previously been reported, but subsequently denied. A feasible explanation is that the gear is retained for training flights andmedium-level work, but is dropped to enable the aircraft to attain extreme altitudes on operational missions.The pilots who fly the U-2s are said to be civilians employed by the All-Weather Service (MATS) of the U.S.A.F. Twomachines were originally based at Lakenheath, later moving to Wiesbaden, Germany, where, following an accident to one, theremaining example was seen flying during the week ended December 1. While on the ground U-2s are closely guarded atall times. Shackleton Accident ~" • \\f E regret to record the deaths, in a flying accident on DecemberTT 7, of S/L. J. B. Wales and three technicians of A. V. Roe and Co., Ltd.—G. A. Blake (flight engineer) and C. O'Neill and R. A.Greenhalgh (technical observers). They were on a test flight in a Shackleton from Woodford, Cheshire, when it crashed and caughtfire near the Derbyshire village of Foolow. S/L. Jack Wales, O.B.E., D.F.C., T.D., had been an Avroproduction test pilot since 1946. He was also commanding officer of No. 613 (City of Manchester) Squadron, R.Aux.A.F. Aged 39,he had joined the Army in 1936 but transferred to the R.A.F. on the outbreak of war and served as a fighter pilot, chiefly in India IN ARCTIC RIG (2): Ranged before this orange-painted de Havilland Beaver for the New Zealand section of the Trans-Antarctic expedition is some of its special equipment, including a kite for hoisting an aerial, a serviceable tent, camera and special clothing.
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