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Aviation History
1957
1957 - 1353.PDF
FLIGHT, 13 September 1957 443 The Plessey fuel-control unit tor small gas turbines consuming about 25 gal/hr. ON THE GROUND . . . Engines and Accessories (continued) provided with pipe-attachment faces (twolarge and one small) on the underside of the engine, and could serve a flap-blowingmechanism or various other functions which may not yet be disclosed. D.H.Engines were also exhibiting a fairly recent type of Spectre controllable rocket engine(Flight, August 23). The new developments by Napier werethe Double Scorpion twin-barrel rocket engine, first described on August 30, anda liquid-propellant missile motor which the company were allowed to show in sec-tioned form. Another relaxation of security permitted Napier to display the diametralcentre-body housing fuel tanks, control system and injection nozzle for the super-sonic ramjet which they have built in some numbers under contract to the N.G.T.E. Described in our September 6 issue, theOrenda Engines Iroquois two-spool super- sonic turbojet was exhibited in a very wellfinished display form. One of the new gas-turbine engines wasthe Rolls-Royce RB.108 turbojet, reported to have a rating of 1,810 Ib-thrust. Thisengine clearly comes into the same class as the Soar, and like its predecessor has anexcellent thrust/weight ratio. Unlike the Soar, the RB.10& is not entirely of mono-coque construction but has a relatively con- ventional compressor casing and mainframe. The compressor is obviously axial with a moderate pressure ratio, and thecombustion section is evidently annular or can-annular. The exterior of the engine isvery clean and contains rigid pipe for fuel and bleed air, and one of the few acces-sories is a Hobson control unit. The engine exhibited had its intake blanked off, andwas supported (in the vertical position) by twin trunnions on the main frame. Four108s are mounted in this manner in the Short SC.l research aircraft, for which theyprovide jet lift. The RB.108 was illus- trated on page 397 of last week's issue. Other engines exhibited by Rolls-Royceincluded a Conway (RCo.5 type), a 520- series Dart, a 524-series Avon (RA.29) anda Tyne. In addition there was a reverse- thrust nozzle, as illustrated in an accom-panying diagram, and a quiet-running Greatrex-type fluted nozzle. Not previously-exhibited was the reheat nozzle of an advanced afterburning Avon, probably anRA.24R. Unlike the RA.7R's 'win clam- shell nozzle eyelids, this pipe had a multi-segment nozzle with 8 small hinged flaps. A clue to the application of this unit wasprovided by the words "upper engine" on a name-plate. Sperry showed a new turbine-enginecockpit vibration indicator. Any exces- sive vibration can, if it continues unde-tected, mean costly repairs. Sperry offer two systems; they may well become aswidely used in turbine aircraft as are ex- haust analyzers (also Sperry) in piston-engined aircraft. The basic equipment com- prises a pick-up which can be mountedanywhere on the engine; an amplifier; and a galvanometer dial in the cockpit to indi-cate the vibration level. New on the British Messier stand was adevice for locking the Dart engine on the ground to promote fast turn-round time;the unit (in the input to the accessories gearbox and incorporating a small Dunlophydraulic brake) is linked with the Vis- count's air-stairs.Plessey showed new engine-driven fuel backing pumps, supplied for the Rolls-Royce Conway (BP.200) and Tync (BP.34). These were developed mainly in view ofAmerican civil airworthiness regulations, which require that engine power shall bemaintained even with aircraft fuel tank booster pumps switched off or unservice-able. In effect, the units replace the dupli- cate fuel-tank pump, and are capable ofpumping all types of fuel in the unfiltered state. Plessey showed also a new little fuelcontrol unit for small gas turbines, designed to supply fuel to turbines which have arequirement of about 25 gal/hr. Shown for the first time by Tecalemitwas an ingenious water-separator suitable for installation on fuel bowsers. It is thedesign of the American firm, Bendix Skinner, and is to be manufactured by theBritish company. Saunders Valve showed a new flap typenon-return valve for fuel systems, the much higher flow efficiency claimed for it beingconvincingly demonstrated by sectioned, animated displays. Size for size and pres-sure for pressure, the flap valve should be considerably more efficient than conven-tional spring-operated non-return valves. Dowty showed, in section form, theGyron Junior's single circuit spill-burner fuel system. Recent important develop-ments in this type of burner system for supersonic flight were not displayed. An important development by BritishOxygen was the B.O.A.E./L.N. liquid nitrogen system for the protection of air-craft fuel tanks against fire. B.O.A.E./L.N. makes use of the fact that a gas mixtureof oxygen and nitrogen will remain inert provided that the oxygen content does notexceed a given value. Liquid nitrogen is injected into the air used to pressurize thefuel tanks, so that under all conditions— lightning-strikes, kinetic-heating, combat,etc.—the gaseous mixture remains inert. As an explosion-suppression system itappears to be the simplest and lightest yet devised; it weighs 15 lb per 1,000 gal of fuel. Marston Excelsior showed flexible fueltanks made out of the new lightweight "Marlite," and the Self Priming Pump andEngineering Co. an impressive display of fuel-system components, including boosterpumps driven electrically, hydraulically, or by air-turbine. Probably the widest rangeof fuel pumps offered was that by Pulso- meter—units for flow-rates from 10 gal/hrto 30,000 gal/hr. A revolutionary aircraft refuelling dock,"designed for the jet age," was a surprise sprung by Esso. This is proposed as analternative to expensive hydrant schemes, which, as parking aprons are expanded,may require continual alteration. The new Esso idea is that the refuelling dock wouldbe constructed in selected areas, and air- craft towed to them after the embarkationof passengers and freight. A design has been proposed for London Airport, but hasnot yet been finally accepted. THE OUTDOOR EXHIBITION THE equipment exhibition outdoors was,as usual, larger than in the previous year. Here were displayed the bulky ancillariesto the aircraft operating industry, military and civil, which cannot readily be accom-modated indoors. One of the first items to strike the eyeon entering this "exhibition within an exhi- bition" was the large grey bulk of Airtech'smobile automatic V.H.F. direction finder, alongside their mobile independent trans-mitting station (4 kW, 28 Mc/s.). F. G. Miles (whose name once again featured inthe flying display, with the H.D.M. 105 and the Student), displayed their wideningaeronautical interests in the equipment exhibition. Numerous fancy shapes in highpressure moulded Durestos were noted, including a 100 gal drop tank and a radarscanner. An eye-catcher in a burnished bronzefinish on the Auto Diesels stand was the "Stad" gas turbine compressor for use withcrash tenders. The usual array of aircraft starting and servicing equipment, and adiesel fire pump, were shown also. As in previous years, there was no short-age of volunteers for the Martin-Baker mobile ejection seat training-tower. Itsdesultory detonations throughout the show were an incidental piece of showmanshipwhich attracted visitors to the whole equip- ment exhibition. Zwicky showed their1,560 gal "Clyde" pressure refueller, painted in Shell Mex and B.P. colours, witha reminder on the vehicle's cabin door that Shell Mex are, by appointment, "Pur-veyors of Motor Spirit to Her Majesty the Queen." Zwicky showed also their runwaysweeper, a yellow monster which is likely to be an inhabitant of more and more run-ways during the forthcoming jet age, when the problem of debris ingestion by poddedjet engines is likely to be serious. The Mk FE1-10 can sweep 72,000 sq ydper hour. From Lucas/Rotax came the hum ofworking test rigs, mobile and permanent, for testing the serviceability of gas turbinesystems. An elegant passenger embarka- tion stair, hydraulically operated andshown in B.E.A. colours, was exhibited by Edgehill: like other tall structures in theequipment exhibition (such as the "Giraffes" and "Zip-Up" maintenancestagings showed by Access Equipment, and the servicing and maintenance equip-ment built up from "Basix" components made by Aero Controls) provided a goodvantage point for privileged visitors to watch the flying display. Shown for the first time by Flight Re-fuelling was their airborne hose drum package unit (Mk 16) as supplied to theR.A.F., no doubt for the mid-air refuelling of V-bombers. The unit was shown on itsground servicing trolley, and a display demonstrated the system of operation.H.M.L. (Engineering), Ltd., also showed mobile aircraft test rigs, and displayedattractively (in pink and grey) their hydrau- lic tyre remover. Crash and fire tenders,painted in traditional red (U.S. authorities appear to be adopting yellow), were againa prominent feature of the equipment exhi- bition, with Pyrene and General FireAppliance Co. exhibits displayed.
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