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Aviation History
1958
1958 - 0855.PDF
FLIGHT, 20 June 1958 871 Military Aircraft of the World . . . Right, Lockheed WV-2E. Below, Martin YP6M-1 Seamaster. Grumman AO-1 Mohawk or OF-1 One of the first STOL aircraftdesigned for front-line combat duties, the AO-1 is a remarkable machine now under development for the U.S. Army and (OF-1) Marine Corpsand Navy. Powered by two Lycoming T53-L-3 turboprops, each rated at 1,005 e.s.h.p., the Mohawk seats two in the nose, with exceptionalall-round view; great emphasis has been placed on speed and low-level performance, and the aircraft is designed for operation from short un-improved fields. Equipment includes cameras, resupply containers, flare pods, target-marking rockets or drop tanks, all attached to wing racks.For really adverse terrain, a ski-kit can be installed. The first flight is scheduled for early 1959. Span, 42/t; length, 42/r 9\in; height, 15ft Tin; wing area, 330 sq ft;empty weight, 7,772 Ib; gross weight, 10,423 Ib; max. speed, 350 m.p.h. Grumman WF Tracer The saucer-topped WF-2 Tracer is the suc-cessor to the AD-4W Skyraider as the U.S. Navy's carrier-based early- warning radar picket and fighter-control aircraft. Accommodation of thelargest scanner ever placed on a carrier-based machine has meant rede- signing the wings to fold sideways and changing to a twin-finned tailunit. The fuselage of the WF is actually that of the TF-1 Trader, described on page 873. Lockheed WV and EC-121 series These are the U.S. Navy and AirForce designations of the Super Constellations used for high-altitude, long-endurance picket duties, particularly at great distances from theAmerican coasts forming DEW-line extensions and fleet screens. Im- mense sums have been voted for the establishment and upkeep of thesemachines. Most of those in service—the WV-2 and EC-121D—have a ventral APS-20 radar and a dorsal APS-45 height-finder, both capableof "seeing" some 200 miles from 25,000ft. Operating crew totals 31 or 32; engines are four 3,250 h.p. Wright R-3350 Turbo-Compoundsand tankage totals 7,295 Imp. gal. The WV-3 is a special weather reconnaissance version. Now being intensively evaluated by the Navy Air Development Unitat South Weymouth is the "flying saucer" WV-2E. This retains the APS-45 but uses the surrounding structure to carry the mighty APS-70radar. The latter has a 37ft scanner integrally mounted with a 40ft dish radome; the entire arrangement—which generates lift but weighs ninetons—is driven by a Vickers hydraulic motor. Maximum reach is expected to be almost twice that of the APS-20. Span, 123ft Sin; length, 116/t 2tn; height, 27ft over scanner; grossweight, 145,000 Ib; max. speed, about 300 m.p.h.; endurance, about 18 hr at 25,000/r. Lockheed U-2 In service with the 4028th Strategic ReconnaissanceSquadron of the U.S.A.F., and possibly with other units (as well as the civilian N.A.C.A.), the U-2 was specially designed for extended flight atheights of the order of 60,000ft. Powered by a single Pratt and Whitney J57 turbojet, rated at 10,000 lb thrust, it has a wing of some 90ft spanand a stumpy fuselage about 45ft in length housing powerplant, tandem main undercarriage units and the pressurized cockpit (usually with asingle ejection seat). Extensive instrumentation is carried for research into such fields as nuclear fall-out, meteorology and upper-air gusts, andspecial reconnaissance can also be undertaken. Martin PSM Marlin Although no longer in production, the P5Mremains an important patrol flying-boat of the U.S. Navy. Powered by two Wright R-3350-32W Turbo-Compounds of 3,400 h.p. each, it isdistinguished by its high-mounted, cranked wing and T-tail. A very extensive assortment of weapons can be carried, including rockets underthe wings, heavy stores in the nacelles and twin 20 mm guns in the remote-controlled tail turret; search radar is carried in the nose, amagnetic anomaly detector in the tail and a 130m candlepower search- light under the starboard wing. Next year the P5Ms are to be givenboost turbojets—possibly Vipers. Span, 118/t; length, 98/t 10in; gross weight, 85,000 Ib; max. speed,250 m.p.h. Martin P6M-1 Seamaster Unique in being a large, jet-propelledflying-boat, the P6M is a multi-purpose minelayer and reconnaissance machine which can operate from the open ocean. Its history has beenclouded by the loss of both prototypes during development flying, but the programme is not seriously behind schedule.The prototypes and six pre-production YP6M-ls differ from the final product in having four Allison J71-A-4 turbojets, each rated at 13,000 lbthrust with short afterburners in use. The first YP6M flew on January 20 and all should be complete by the autumn. The production P6M-2, ofwhich 18 are at present on order, has Pratt and Whitney J75s, each rated Grumman WF-2 Tracer. Lockheed U-2 (of N.A.C.A.).
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