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Aviation History
1958
1958 - 0864.PDF
880 FLIGHT FROM ALL QUARTERS London-Malta Record Claimed A NEW London - Valetta (Malta) air speed record has been setup (subject to confirmation) by a Vickers-Supermarine Scimitar, flown by Lt-Cdr. D. F. Robbins of the R.N. TestSquadron at Boscombe Down, whose time for the official distance (1,298 miles) was 2 hr 12 min 27.2 sec—an average speed of588 m.p.h. The previous best time was set up in 1949 by four F.A.A. Sea Furies, which took 3 hr 20 min 49 sec. Wessex Takes the AirT HE first pre-production Westland Wessex, completed fivemonths ahead of schedule, began its flight trials last Friday, June 20. Three days later Press representatives were invited toYeovil to see it demonstrated by W. H. ("Slim") Sear, chief test pilot, with Gerry Smallridge as flight observer. The Wessex wasput through the full repertoire, leaving no doubt that it is a heli- copter of the liveliest disposition, particularly in the matter ofsteep climbs, steep turns and startling mid-air decelerations. Sear rounded off his show by driving the aircraft 200 yd or more alongthe ground—backwards and, without pausing, taking off back- wards. Altogether it was a most convincing demonstration of thecapabilities of the Wessex and its Napier Gazelle free-turbine powerplant. Bell VTOL Progress TT was announced by the Bell Aircraft Corporation on June 19*- that the X-14 VTO research aircraft has become the first American jet aeroplane of conventional configuration (i.e., nota tail-sitter) to rise and descend horizontally. It is powered by two Armstrong Siddeley Viper turbojets, the efflux from whichis deflected downwards during take-off and landing (picture, Flight, July 5, 1957). The Nuclear Princess THREE representatives of Saunders-Roe, Ltd., are going to Prattand Whitney Aircraft to continue the investigation of the possibility of installing a nuclear propulsion system in a SaroPrincess flying-boat. They are Mr. W. T. Peters, chief draughts- man, and Mr. C. Gaar and Mr. E. Timmins, two of his colleagues.An American team has just returned to the U.S.A. after visiting Saunders-Roe. The investigation is being carried out under astudy contract from the U.S. Navy. Aero-engine Exports DURING the first four months of this year aero-engine exportsearned, on average, £900,000 a week in overseas currency. Comparable weekly rates for similar periods in 1955, 1956 andlast year were respectively £376,000, £511,000 and £688,000. Total exports of aero-engines from January to April amountedto £15.5m, which represents an annual rate of £46.5m—compared with last year's record figure of £40.6m. If the total of £46.5mis attained, it will be more than double the annual totals for 1953-55 inclusive and five times the 1951 and 1952 totals. Commonwealth IRBM TOURING a recent visit to Port Hedland—the point where theU line of the extended Woomera missile range crosses the north-west coast of Australia—Mr. Athol Townley, the AustralianMinister of Supply, made a brief statement regarding the IRBM "Flight" photograph NEW RECORD tor the London - Malta run, 2 hr 12 min 27 sec (588 m.p.h.), was established by Lt- Cdr. D. F. Robbins, R.N. (right), on June 18. He flew a Vickers- Supermarine Scimitar F.I (see first item). being developed under the management of de Havilland Propellers,Ltd. Referred to as "the British Blue Streak," the weapon was stated to have a range of 2,000 miles, a speed of 10,000 m.p.h. andto be designed for launching against targets with a diameter of 30 miles. Mr. Townley said that Woomera would handle all thetests of the IRBM, which would last four to five years. Bloodhound Abroad 'THE Bristol/Ferranti Bloodhound will shortly make its first-•- appearance abroad, at the NATO air displays to be held at Liege, Belgium, and at Soesterberg in Holland. With the collabora-tion of the Ministry of Supply and the Air Ministry, the weapon, together with its transporting and loading trolley, will be air-liftedfrom Filton to Royal Air Force station Wildenrath, Germany, and from there to the displays, where it will appear among the R.A.F.exhibits in the guided weapons sections. Cyprus Airlifts TPWO large-scale airlifts of troops to Cyprus from Lyneham and-*• Abingdon R.A.F. stations have taken place during the past two weekends. Comets, Hastings and Beverleys of R.A.F. TransportCommand and Shackletons of Coastal Command were engaged in the first, transporting over 2,600 men of the 16th IndependentParachute Brigade Group and associated Army units. In the second, which started on June 20 and ended last Monday, about2,000 men of the 1st Guards Brigade and their equipment were transported. The same four types of aircraft were employed. Round the States in 18 hr A DEMONSTRATION flight around the United States in•**• what is believed to be a record total time of 18 hr and a flying time of only 15 hr was completed on June 18 by a Bristol-Orpheus-powered Lockheed Jetstar. Taking off from Edwards A.F.B., Cal, it flew north over thewestern States to make its first stop in Washington, headed east to make a second in Massachusetts, then south over the easternseaboard to make its third in Florida. The Jetstar returned to Edwards A.F.B. from Florida, havingmade its circuit of the U.S.A. at an average speed of 385 kt (440 m.p.h.). Lord Kindersley's Review TN his statement to shareholders of Rolls-Royce, Ltd. (published-*• in advance of the a.g.m. on July 15), the chairman, Lord Kindersley says that the increase of £llm in total trading revenuefor 1957—to a record figure of £91m—was almost entirely attributable to deliveries of aero-engines for civil airlines and over-seas Governments, these being the result of orders taken in prior years and of research and development originating many yearsago. He stresses the need for future Government support for the aero-engine industry, so that its share of the overseas market canbe sustained. Lord Kindersley emphasises the importance to the exportingindustry as a whole of the Government's efforts to bring stability to our national economic scene; but since the Defence WhitePaper "finally defined the change of emphasis from the provision of equipment for the fighting services to the fiercely competitivebusiness of selling aircraft and engines in international markets," the output of British civil aircraft must be encouraged to growconsiderably if it is to provide the turnover to sustain an adequate programme of engine development: "Even with our military pro-grammes today we are dependent upon exports for more than 50 per cent of our total engine production, and a substantial partof this is represented by sales of military equipment to foreign Governments. If the domestic effort on military types is to decline,this market will inevitably go to the U.S.A." BEFORE THE PARTY: Sir Arnold Hall and Lady Hall rece/ve Maj. G. P. Bulman (left) and Mrs. Bulman at the Royal Aeronautical Society garden party (see p. 884). Maj. Bulman is a former R.Ae.S. president.
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