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Aviation History
1957
1957 - 1297.PDF
FLIGHT, 6 September 1957 385 THE EIGHTEENTH S.B.A.C. DISPLAY Confidence in a Year of Transition Illustrated mainly with "FLIGHT" Photographs FARNBOROUGH 1957—and the 18th S.B.A.C. Display-dawned promisingly. There was the usual meteorologicaluncertainty; but there were new aeroplanes to give variety; and, as a kind of third dimension, a whole static park of guidedweapons pointing their noses forebodingly skyward in front of the exhibition hall. Even the flying display this year has a freshdimension, with the Royal Navy participating for the first time; so that, even without any supersonic bangs or Russian visitors,the show as a whole has plenty of meat for the experts, some vintage wine for connoisseurs, and food for thought for numerous foreignvisitors. Just how much it has to offer, in detail, is clearly evidenced by the following pages. Those fortunate enough to be classed as technicians or Press(and how many technicians there always seem to be, on the Monday in Farnborough week) can view the static parks and theexhibition in reasonable comfort, while the earth is still visible underfoot. The current aircraft park satisfies both the mind andthe eye. At its centre is the Fairey F.D.2—now in a Roman shade of purple—which still holds the world speed record; at one cornerthe Scorpion Canberra which last week took the (as yet uncon- firmed) world height record. Interesting newcomers are the ShortSR.53, in dazzling white; the Aviation Traders Accountant, fresh from Southend; the Miles H.D.M. 105 and the same company'sStudent (whose neighbour—another instructional aircraft—is the larger Hunting Percival Jet Provost). The Britannia 310, in El Al'scolours, looks a truly big aeroplane even though not far from the Beverley XB 262 which has been East and West for tropical andArctic trials and bears appropriate R.C.A.F. and Arabic insignia. By contrast, the Comet 4 in B.O.A.C. livery looked almost asmall aircraft, not only for its intrinsically sleek lines but because its near neighbours were the Victor and (in the North corner ofthe static park), both a production and Conway test-bed Vulcan. Near the Vulcans stand the Canberra test-beds, Scorpion, GyronJunior and Spectre; the SR.53 has a proud place in the centre of the park; the Gnat displays much in little; there is a wholefamily of Hunters (the largest, numerically, on view); and, near them, the English Electric P.I A and B—looking defiantlyconscious of their first public appearance at ground level. No one can predict where public interest may concentrateamong such variety, especially when the movement of population is so rapid and changing as at Farnborough; but there was a notice-ably close examination of the Scorpion Canberra (especially under- neath, though its essential ingredients were covered by scorpion-crested baffle-plates), the SR.53 attracted a great deal of attention, and there was a long queue to board the Viscount 800 OttoLilienthal in K.L.M. colours. Not surprisingly, too, the guided weapons park—dramatically situated near the entrance to theexhibition hall—attracted a large audience. Here, for the first time, Britain's missile development is on public show; and this weapongalaxy looks as fearsome in prospect as the names they have been given—Sea Slug; Bloodhound, and the Bristol test vehicles Bobbinand Borzoi; Firestreak; Thunderbird; Fireflash, and the Aus- tralian Jindivik target for which Fairey Aviation are Europeanrepresentatives; and the as yet unnamed—though they doubtless will receive equally formidable titles—Vickers Armstrongs missiles. Both the out-of-doors exhibition—where the Martin-Baker ejec-tion test-rig (which somehow always adds a pleasant fairground touch to Farnborough) was early and continually in action withvolunteer ejectees—and the main exhibition hall (there are 350 companies showing this year) were busily populated from Mondayonwards, especially in the mornings before flying began. Here, and in the three lines of exhibitors' enclosures, the air world meetsto renew acquaintances and to do business. Already early in the week there was a marked sprinkling of overseas military uniforms
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