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Aviation History
1957
1957 - 0197.PDF
15 February 1957 199 LONG AND STRAIGHT: The Lockheed U-2 is powered by a Pratt and Whitney J57. Span and length appear to be roughly 90ft and 45ft respec- tively. Limiting Mach number is approximately 0.75, and the ceiling must approach 60,000ft. SHORT AND TRIANGULAR: The lower picture emphasizes the propelling nozzle of the second prototype Nord Griffon, which has been flying at Istres since January 23. Power is provided by a ramjet plus a central Atar turbo-jet. application. We have commented several times on this curiousstate of affairs (leading articles, June 1 and July 6 last) and, on November 23 last, we published an exclusive account of opera-tions of the U-2 from Lakenheath, Suffolk, and Frankfurt Rhein/Main. It is now permissible to publish a posed photograph of a U-2together with a general-arrangement drawing prepared by one of our artists. One of the fundamental requirements of the designwas an ability to maintain flight at altitudes exceeding 5O,OOOft, and various U-2s have now undertaken many sorties up to 55,OOOftin order to gather data on the upper atmosphere for the Air Weather Service of the U.S. Air Force. The U-2 has a large wing with a high aspect-ratio, and ispowered by a Pratt and Whitney J57 turbojet. It is normally a single seater, the canopy resembling that of the same company'sF-104 fighter. Retractable double-wheel assemblies are mounted in tandem on the fuselage, and under-wing stabilizing legs arejettisoned after take-off. Air brakes are fitted on each side of the fuselage and a parachute is contained in a box above the propellingnozzle. After touch-down the U-2 is allowed to sink on to one of its down-turned wing tips. A considerable amount of specialinstrumentation is carried, much of it furnished by the N.A.C.A. and the U.S.A.F. Wright Air Development Center. Future of the University Squadrons PROPOSING the health of the University of London Air Squad--*- ron at their annual dinner last Friday evening, Air Chief Marshal Sir Dermot Boyle, Chief of the Air Staff, allayed fearsand rumours—at any rate temporarily—by saying that the uni- versity air squadrons were not to be disbanded; but he qualifiedhis remark by saying that "anything that costs money is suspect," and that the squadrons were "being watched." They were unlikelyto get jet trainers to supplement their present Chipmunk and Provost equipment. Replying to the toast of the guests, proposed by W/C. N.Cameron, CO. of the U.L.A.S., Sir Thomas Creed, principal of Queen Mary College, said that the undergraduates of today werethe leaders of tomorrow and that the best way of interesting them in aviation was to bring them into the university squadrons. TheUniversity of London, he said, laid great store by this connection with the R.A.F., and on no account should it be severed. Sir Dermot Boyle also reviewed the reasons for the disbandmentof the R.Aux.A.F. fighter squadrons. He said that there was no worthwhile role which these squadrons could now take over,though many had been most carefully considered. The R.A.F.'s main purpose was to provide a deterrent to aggression and anair defence. Manned aircraft would continue in service during the gradual process of introduction of rockets. So far there wereno operational rocket sites in Britain. Meanwhile the U.L.A.S. was to move to Biggin Hill in the near future, replacing the twoAuxiliary fighter squadrons formerly based there. After the speeches, Sir Dermot presented the U.L.A.S. trophies.The Spencer Trophy for the best all-round member of the squad- ron went jointly to P/O. Irene Bates and P/O. M. P. Pearce; theBennett Cup for the most promising pilot of the year to P/O. P. Waring; and the Field Cup for the best fighter controller toP/O. C. R. V. Reed. Helicopter Vibration 'THERE is a growing opinion that the classical method of pre-A senting a lecture is not the ideal one, and that plenty of time for free discussion is all-important. A recent paper, VibrationProblems Associated with the Helicopter, by Mr. O. L. L. Fitz- williams, B.A., F.R.Ae.S., chief engineer of Westland Aircraft,was circulated as a booklet in advance of delivery; the meeting itself, due to take place last Tuesday, February 12, as a jointmeeting of the R.Ae.S. and Helicopter Association, was being confined to explanatory films and slides in order to allow ampletime for prepared discussion. The paper covers the whole field very adequately and con-cludes with the comment that future, faster helicopters will be able to fly smoothly by using turbine-driven rotors with four ormore blades and with "a moderate reduction in blade loading coefficients." We hope to refer to the meeting in detail in an earlyissue. . . SHORT AND STRAIGHT: Otherwise superficially similar to the standard Lockheed F-104A Starfighter,the F-104B has two seats mounted in tandem. It is in production for the U.S. Air Force for various roles, including that of combat-proficiency trainer.
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