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Aviation History
1957
1957 - 1301.PDF
\FLIGHT, 6 September 1957 389 Emitting a long, shock-diamond-studded flame from its Spectre, the first Sounders Roe SR.53 flies past with Firestreaks at the ready on the wing-tips. THE 18th S.B.A.C. DISPLAY ... noise level is still high it is much less irksome in character. (Thefly-past is as quiet as that of a turboprop.) The big Comet news on the eve of the display was B.E.A.'sorder for six 4Bs (see page 378): big models on the stand show the two versions of the Comet—the medium-range 4 for B.O.A.C.arid the short-range 4B for B.E.A.—symbolizing the full national recognition now accorded to the Comet by both British airlinecorporations. A prominent exhibit on the de Havilland stand is a mock-upof the Comet 4B lounge which can be installed in the forward (quietest) part of the cabin. The layout—a curved seat for fouron the port side and a table with facing two-seat couches on the starboard side—is separated from the main cabin by trans-parent half-bulkheads decorated with wrought devices. The actual styling and fabrics of the lounge are rather more traditional thanthe highly contemporary schemes specified for the Douglas and Boeing jet airliners. The next stage in the Comet's development will be the installa-tion of thrust-reversal, and a display on the Rolls-Royce stand shows how the Comet's system will be arranged. de Havilland Dove 6 (G-AMZN). The Dove makes itstwelfth appearance at an S.B.A.C. display in the role for which it is now most in demand—as a six-seat business-executive aircraft.The specimen on display is the much-flown de Havilland demon- strator, in an elegant, Wedgwood-china-like paint scheme of paleblue and white. de Havilland Heron 2 (G-APEU). Fresh from the de Havil-land production factory at Chester is an eight-seat Heron 2D, the suffix D signifying its special executive category. It differs fromthe standard executive aeroplane in that the cabin is divided by a bulkhead, the adjoining cabinets of the super executive versionbeing retained. The interior is of the usual sumptuous Heron executive standard, styled in dove grey and salmon pink. Theexterior is olive green and white picked out with gold. The prominent twin aerials on the nose-gear door serve the I.L.S.system, an indication of the comprehensive equipment with which this small four-engine (Gipsy Queen 30 Mk 2s) "airliner inminiature" can be fitted. Well over 100 Herons have been sold. de Havilland Gyron Junior Canberra (WF 909). Painted inrich royal blue, and with its name proclaimed in vivid "Dayglo" script, this aircraft was converted by D.H. Propellers to take thenew Gyron Junior in its port nacelle. Inspection of the jet pipes confirms that the Junior's 7,000 lb-thrust is greater than that ofthe Avon mounted to starboard, and lead ballast is carried adjacent to the new engine to make up the correct weight. A bulge underthe cowling houses the drain tank, and will provide space for items fitted to future Juniors. Along the underside of the nacelle is arow of 18 pipes, each fitted with a diagonal disc to create a depression at the orifice, which drain the space ahead of eachnacelle frame. Four ram scoops induce air to cool the jet pipe. WF 909 first flew at Hatfield on May 29, and will fly with twoJuniors at the end of the year. de HavUland Sea Vixen FAW.20 (XJ 475). This is the secondproduction machine, with six pylons, folding wings and radome, high-velocity undercarriage and tail-booms cocked-up five degreesto give ground-clearance during landing and take-off, but without the hefty flight-refuelling boom. The undercarriage doors are nowpre-closing, giving better clearance for catapult gear; and a number of "capped" drain pipes are evident under each engine. A smallintake in each wing leading edge leads direct to a small radiator. The control system, which is very refined, has previously been des-cribed in Flight in some detail. Final touches of Naval equipment now added include indicator, taxying and navigation lights on, inand near the nose-wheel door. When it arrived at Farnborough, the Sea Vixen was loaded withfour Firestreaks on the four inner pylons, and two 150-gal plastic (Bristol) tanks on the outer pylons outboard of the wing fold. Inthe static park, the Sea Vixen pylons are unloaded, but a wide variety of stores is disposed around it. The accompanying noticedeclares that the pylons can carry the following combinations: — four Firestreaks and two tanks; four 500-lb bombs and two tanks; Two Firestreaks on the port inboard pylons of the Sea Vixen. The wing fold is just outboard of the nearer Firestreak. Tail (lower) and front views of the very clean Firestreak attachment to a shoe fitted to the tip of the extremely thin wing of the SR.53. Two Firestreaks on the starboard pylons of the Javelin FAW.7. Bullet fairings cover the pylon roots and the gun ports can be seen either side of the nearer pylon. The battle camera is now mounted outboard /.-•;,•:..
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