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Aviation History
1957
1957 - 1380.PDF
,10 FROM ALL QUARTERS New Records T> ECORDS recently homologated by the F.A.I, include the Los •**• Angeles to New York flight by Maj. John H. Glenn on July 16 in a U.S. Navy Crusader at an average speed of 723.5 m.p.h.; the Tokyo - London flight of the Canberra P.R.7 Aries V on May 25 (flown by W/C. W. Hoy with F/L. P. J. Lageson as second pilot and F/L. J. J. L. Denis as navigator), at an average speed of 335.7 m.p.h.; and a distance-in-a-straight line record (1,504.6 miles) set up also on May 25 by the U.S. woman pilot Miss Jerrie Cobb, flying an Aero Commander from Guatemala City to Oklahoma City. Suez Postscript IN his report on operations in the Eastern Mediterraneanbetween October 30 and December 22 last year, Gen. Sir Charles F. Keightley, who was Commander-in-Chief Allied Forces, says that two of the limiting factors encountered were the shortage of airfields in Cyprus and limited resources of air transport. As to the former, he remarks that "at the outset of the planning only Nicosia was in operation and that was under reconstruction and not working to full capacity. Akrotiri and Tymbou were developed rapidly during September and October." On air transport resources he remarks: "We had an air lift for two battalions but very limited air supply resources." In his description of the airborne assault on November 5, Gen. Keightley says that one of its features was the "excellent support" provided by aircraft from the Carrier Force. Con- tinuous missions were flown throughout the day and there was always a "cab rank" of British and French aircraft overhead wait- ing to be called down on targets by troops on the ground. He pays special tribute to the Wyverns and Sea Hawks of the Fleet Air Arm for their "extremely accurate air strike" which demolished a particular centre of resistance without damage to surrounding buildings. In conclusion, Gen. Keightley says that "the skill and gallantry required, particularly of parachutists, commandos and pilots, was equal to that demanded in any operation of war and it is they more than anyone else who deserve praise." Rocket v. Rocket THAT it is possible for a missile travelling at nearly four milesa second to be located and destroyed when less than 190 miles from its target (i.e., about 50 sec before striking) has been sug- gested by Maj-Gen G. I. Pokrovsky, a Soviet rocket expert. The thesis he puts forward—writing in Soviet Patriot—is not an altogether new one; contemporary methods were considered at the time of the German V.2 offensive. Once the missile has been located by radar, he says, its course and speed can be almost instantly determined by electronic computers; intercepting rockets can then be fired to explode in its path. Owing to its high speed, even small fragments from a near miss would cause severe damage, probably followed by air-friction fire and detonation. Gen. Pokrovsky remarks that "of course, such methods require complicated design, technique and tactics." He does not indicate Soviet progress in this direction. 470 • FLIGHT SHOCK TREATMENT was given to runway photographers by f/ie,. smoke-trailing Super Sabres of the U.S.A.F. Skyblazers aenbati'r <eom The occasion was a recent display at Marignane, near Marseilles Poland's Aviation Week AN aviation week was observed throughout Poland from ** August 7 to 14. Speaking at its inauguration in Warsaw General Frey-Bielecki, C-in-C. of the Polish Air Force, said inter alia that the aim was to make the P.A.F. numerically strong While claiming great achievements for the Polish aircraft industry particularly after the "Polish October," i.e., after Gomulka came to power, the General admitted that it would take several years before the industry would be able to build Polish-designed combat jet aircraft. But, he added, a jet trainer designed and built in Poland was now undergoing flying tests. The central air display took place in Warsaw on September 8, when, according to a radio relay from the Bemowo Airport out- side Warsaw, "over 400 bombers and fighters took part in the flying programme." These included Mig-17s and Il-28s. The piece de resistance of the display was the airlifting by a helicopter of a high-performance glider, which, when released over the airport, performed aerobatics. This, claimed the commentator, was "a manoeuvre never performed anywhere else in the world." Three women members of the Polish Air Force—Maj. Irena Karpik-Sosnowska, Capt. Zofa Anrychowska and Lt. Halina Wieczorek—gave an aerobatic demonstration during the display. On the second day of aviation week the Air Force handed over to flying clubs—free of charge—52 light aircraft (mostly CSS-13 trainers) as well as eight grass airfields, 40 fuel tankers, four radio stations, over 300 parachutes, and much other flying equipment. During the week it was reported that a Polish-built SM-1 helicopter (Soviet licence) had climbed on September 5 to a height of 3,000 metres (9,843ft) in 7 min 41 sec. The pilot was Ryszard Witkowski. U.S. "Integrated Flying Suit" T TNDER the control of Convair San Diego's Human Engineer- *•' ing Group, which acts as the co-ordinating authority for i;;t American aircraft industry's Crew Escape System Committee, z new integrated flying suit has been developed. It is specifically designed to combine in one three-piece garment the functions previously performed by five different items, namely, survival suit, thermal liner, ventilated suit, partial-pressure suit and underwear. The final result, illustrated on page 472 of this issue, is a three-piece suit which is a combination of conventional tech- niques in partial pressurization, survival and ventilation and which offers in addition some ten seconds' longer protection from fire and greatly reduced drag for supersonic ejection. Special buoyant boots have been added, together with two-piece gloves. ON STAGE FOR AUDITION: The Short SCI on the gantry platform for engine runs preparatory to its first tethered-hovering trials. The cable leads upwards to the cross-member of the gantry.
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