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Aviation History
1958
1958 - 0488.PDF
504 FLIGHT, 18 April 1958 SPACE-AGE THEME was developed by the Duke of Edinburgh in his introductory talk to the Air League's conference, reported on this page. In the background are Sir Arnold Hall and Mr. A. C. Clarke. FROM ALL QUARTERS Rotodyne Hurdle Crossed ON April 10, the prototype Fairey Rotodyne successfullyachieved conversion from helicopter to autogyro flight, thus marking the completion of the first—and possibly most difficult—phase in its flight development. Conversion involves switching the power from the rotor to the propellers, the aircraft thereafterproceeding undei the thrust of the latter, supported by its wing and free-wheeling rotor. Fairey comment that in cruising flightin this condition the aircraft is extremely quiet. Pilot on the first fully-representative translational flight wasRon Gellatly, chief helicopter test pilot to the company. The Rotodyne first flew on November 6, 1957, and conversion tookplace on the 71st flight, at an altitude of 4,000ft. Throughout these tests the aircraft has been based at White Waltham, and ithas previously made numerous cross-country flights operating in the helicopter regime. Polaris Progress TT was disclosed by the U.S. Navy on April 11 that the sub-•*• marine-launched IRBM Polaris (for which the system man- ager is Lockheed Aircraft's Missile Systems Division) has maderemarkable progress in recent months. Cme films were publicly screened showing trials with a "pop-up" launcher—apparently akind of buoyant cylinder—which fires the missile out of the water so that the rocket sustainer can be ignited in the air. The testvehicles used were not fitted with sustainers and so fell back after reaching about 100ft. Below are pictured a mock-up Polaris anda test with a land-based launcher. Space-Age Discussion /ORGANIZED by the Air League of the British Empire, a^ discussion under the title Britain Enters the Space Age was held at the Royal Festival Hall, London, on Monday last, April 14.In his opening address the Duke of Edinburgh, patron of the Air League, said that the object of the meeting was to establish justwhat were the iacts of space-flight, and to hear expert opinion on how space travel might develop in the future. "To inquire,to find out, to have a look round the next corner, has always been a characteristic of the human race," Prince Philip said, "andthis characteristic is most unlikely to wither just at this moment of history, when the first steps into another unknown have justbeen taken." Specialist speakers were next introduced by Marshal of theR.A.F. Sir Dermot Boyle, Chief of the Air Staff and chairman of the meeting. Prof. W. H. McCrea of London University dis-cussed the place of space travel in current scientific and technologi- cal developments; Mr. J. E. Pateman of Elliott Brothers (London),Ltd., spoke on the problems of navigation in outer space; Mr. D. G. King-Hele of R.A.E. Farnborough described the existing satellites,their observation and the information gained from them; and Mr. A. C. Clarke commented on the future cultural and socialaspects of space travel. The final item consisted of answers from a panel of experts (comprising the above speakers and Prof.H. S. W.Massey of University College, London, with Sir Arnold Hall as chairman) to a variety of questions from the audience. Proteus at 1,300 Hours ON March 19, Bristol Aero-Engines, Ltd., were authorized bythe A.R.B. to increase allowable overhaul life of the Proteus 705 turboprop from 1,050 to 1,300 hr. The free-turbine Proteus isthe most powerful engine in airline service in the Western world, with ratings between 3,900 and 4,150 e.h.p. It entered service onFebruary 1 last year on a 500-hr basis, and accumulated 175,000 engine flight hours between then and the introduction of the latestschedule. Last month 16,000 hr were flown on B.O.A.C. routes, and the six premature removals experienced represent one in2,700 hr. The F8U-2 TTWO development versions of the Chance Vought F8U-2•*• Crusader are now flying. Powered by the more powerful Pratt and Whitney J57-P-16 turbojet, this version has improved firecontrol and radar and can be distinguished by a pair of small ventral stabilizing fins and air scoops for afterburner and nozzlecooling. Production deliveries will start in September. The F8U-2 should not be confused with the largely redesignedF8U-3, which is in competition with the McDonnell F4H. Reported to cost—in its development versions at least—theremarkable sum of $9m (£3,535,000) each, the -3 version has a J75 engine supplemented by an inbuilt rocket motor. All-weather firecontrol is expected to account for half the cost of each -3 machine. R.A.F. Scorpion Canberras AT least two R.A.F. Canberras have been fitted with Napier• Double Scorpion rocket motors to allow them to take cloud samples at extreme altitudes in connection with nuclear weapontests at Christmas Island. Canberras of No. 76 Sqn., based at Hemswell, provided cloud-sampling and courier services forChristmas Island tests last November; and one of the Scorpion Canberras was destroyed during a test flight from this airfieldlast week. The two-man crew, consisting of F/L. J. P. F. De Salis and F/O. P. Lowe, used their ejection seats at 56,000ft aftertrouble developed; and they survived the subsequent descent, though both were detained in hospital for a time. They have thus gained the doubtful distinction of having made the highest-ever emergency escape from an aircraft. (The Russian parachutist Nikotin made a delayed-opening jump from 50,469ft FOR SUPER-SUBS: This is the first photograph to give an indication of the shape of the U.S. Navy's Polaris (see news item on this page). The mock-up on the left shows what appears to be a small, separable warhead. On the right is a firing (of a redwood mock-up) from a Westinghouse launcher, one of several launching systems studied.
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