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Aviation History
1958
1958 - 0032.PDF
32 FLIGHT, 3 January 1958 THE INDUSTRY. continued) Napier prize-giving: Trade apprentice Peter Barnes receives his indentures from Mr. W. E. Lewis, works manager. training was 391. The number was smaller than last year but thiswas part of a deliberate policy to obtain the optimum number of 378, which would fulfil all the company's needs in the future. The guest speaker, Mr. H. M. Mathews, Director of Engineer-ing for the English Electric Co., Ltd., said in his speech that if he had one word of advice it was that much benefit could often bederived from a brief deviation from a man's chosen career. The principal awards of the evening were the company's trophyand prizes, which were presented by Napier's managing director, Mr. H. Sammons. A Film About Hydulignum A DOCUMENTARY film entitled The Hydulignum Story wasattended by more than 80 guests during its premiere at the British Council Film Theatre in London on December 3.As is well known in the aircraft industry, Hydulignum, which is made by Horden-Richmond, Ltd., is a laminated and densifiedwood manufactured by interleaving synthetic resin glue film between veneers of beech or birch, and then compressing theseunder great heat and pressure. The result is an extremely strong material, one-sixth the weight of steel and half the weight ofaluminium, and capable of being machined with ordinary wood- working tools. The Hydulignum Story describes the manufac-turing processes and illustrates some of the principal applications, among which are press tools and jigs, spinning chucks, propellerblades, and helicopter rotor blades. The film opens with shots of Spitfires in flight—their airscrew blades and those of many other World War 2 aeroplanes were theorigin of Hydulignum. Manufacturing processes are then described, beginning with theselection ot veneers. These are passed ihrough kilns to obtain uniform and correct moisture content, trimmed to size, andassembled into packs. Sheets of resin glue are then interleaved and the combined pack mechanically loaded into multi-daylighthydraulic presses and subjected to pressures of over 1 ton/sq in and temperatures up to 145 deg C. After cooling, samples fromeach batch are tested, trimmed, and either stored or passed to the machine shop for manufacture into components.Some applications of Hydulignum are then illustrated, begin- ning with press tools. A deep draw tool is shown being profiled,followed by the pressings made from it. Examples shown of Hydulignum tools used in the aircraftindustry include rubber press tools, drill and router templates, stretch-press tools and assembly jigs, as used in the manufactureof the Britannia, Viscount, Comet 4, and Sea Vixen aircraft. The first application of the material to blades to be shown is the40 fan blades for the new transonic wind tunnel of the Aircraft Research Association. Each blade, with its steel retention plates,weighs over 200 lb. The remainder of the film covers the production of helicopterrotor blades and the manufacturing techniques and tests required to rneet A.R.B. requirements, and a summary of the servicingfacilities offered by the manufacturers to helicopter operators. Thrust Cradle Test SOME figures have been given by Heenan and Froude, Ltd., ofWorcester, for the test performance of a large turbojet engine thrust cradle they have designed and manufactured for a Govern-ment department. The requirement was for measurement of very large thrustswith the highest possible degree of accuracy, and the method adopted was to mount the movable portion of the cradle on threeself-aligning oil-floated bearings. After the underlying bedplate had been set down it was foundthat this had a slope of 1:24,000—which, though fractional, proved sufficient to cause the moving part of the thrust cradle(weighing seven tons) to move from top to bottom of the slope in a few seconds. And as further evidence of the freedom of thismethod of suspension, it was discovered that a weight of 8 oz suspended from a piece of thin string over a pulley proved ampleto move the cradle from one end of its travel to the other. IN BRIEF Wayne Tank and Pump Co., Ltd., are now installed in their new premises at Western Road, Bracknell, Berks, to which address all communications should be sent. * * * Mr. Charles Bayley, A.M.I.S.E., has joined the technical sales staff of the Solderless Connectors Division of Hellermann, Ltd., Crawley, Sussex. * * * A booklet illustrating current products is being distributed bythe R.F.D. Co., Ltd., Godalming, makers of inflatable rafts and other life-saving equipment. The company also makes targetgliders and other training equipment. * * * Among products covered by pamphlets issued by ArmstrongPatents Co., Ltd., Beverley, Yorks, are the "Heli-Coil" insert- thread repairing kit, the Universal Stillage, and a simple hydraulicremote-control system for a wide variety of industrial applications. * * * Well known as specialists in the overhaul of aircraft engines ofup to 450 h.p., Hants and Sussex Aviation, Ltd., of Portsmouth Airport, have been granted United Kingdom distribution rightsof the series of engines manufactured by the Continental Motors Manager of the Aerad division o/ International Aeradio, Ltd., since its formation in 1948, Capt. E. Brook Williams has retired on reaching the age of 60. He remains available to I.A.L, as a consultant. His association with aviation began in 1937, when he joined British Airways as navigation instruc- tor. On the formation of B.O.A.C. in 1940 he was appointed super- intendent of navigation. He trans- ferred from B.O.A.C. to Inter- national Aeradio in 1948 and was largely responsible for the success of the "Aerad Flight Guide." A new aircraft tap by Baynes Air- craft Interiors, Ltd., of Langley Aerodrome, Slough. Bucks. The handle is spring-loaded to close automatically, and is operated by a quarter-turn in an anti-clockwise direction. Flow is 9 pints of 4ft head, 11 pints ot 6ft head, or 13V2 pints at 8ft head. The tap is made from brass alloy, chromium- plated, and weighs 75% oz. Height less the threaded portion is 2.6in, and maximum width just over 4in. Corporation. This, they state, should enable them to provide forusers of these well known American units a service comparable with that which they have offered operators of British enginesfor many years past. The service includes an exchange scheme. * * * A new catalogue giving details of their entire range of aircraftpneumatic components has been introduced by the Hymatic Engineering Co., Ltd. Information comprises an outline drawingof each item, details of its use and performance, an explanation of its functioning, and a brief specification. * * * The Hylite range of titanium alloys manufactured by WilliamJessop and Sons, Ltd., has now been extended to include Hylite 15, a commercially pure titanium supplied to D.T.D. Specifications5003 and 5023; and Hylite 45, containing 6 per cent aluminium and 4 per cent vanadium. This latter is a high-strength alloywhich responds to heat treatment. * * * Principal guest at the third annual dinner dance of FollandAircraft, Ltd., supplies department, held recently at Southamp- ton, was Mr. Godfrey Evans, Kent and England wicket-keeperAlso present were the company's three test pilots and Mr W. E. W. Petter, C.B.E., F.R.Ae.S., managing director and chiefengineer, who thanked the suppliers, many of whom were present for the help they had given in the production of the Gnat.
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