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Aviation History
1959
1959 - 1169.PDF
564 FLIGHT GIVING AND RECEIVING R.A.F. Air-to-air Refuelling Techniques IN the early hours of April 16 two Vickers Valiants of No. 214Squadron, Bomber Command, made contact high above theNorth African coast near Tripoli. They flew eastwards on a common track to a rendezvous point at Misurata, then turnedsouthwards. On this course they began a refuelling operation which lasted roughly a quarter of an hour. Then the tanker air-craft returned to Idris, whence it had come, and the replenished receiver flew on to Salisbury in Southern Rhodesia. This Valiant (XD861, captained by the squadron commander,W/C. M. J. Beetham) had taken off from No. 214's base at Marham in Norfolk at 0230 hr G.M.T. It passed a timing-point at Salis-bury at 1242 hr, having thus flown 5,319 statute miles in 10 hr 12 min, giving an average speed of 521.4 m.p.h. This was the firstnon-stop flight from the U.K. to Southern Rhodesia, and as such a considerable feather in the squadron's cap. Not that No. 214 is unused to such honours. Nine days pre-viously one of its Valiants had set up an unofficial record by flying from Marham to Nairobi (4,350 miles) in 7 hr 40 min, represent-ing an average speed of 567 m.p.h. For that flight, the aircraft concerned was also refuelled by another of the squadron's Valiants,based temporarily at Luqa; and from No. 214's point of view the success of such a journey is measured more by the efficiency of therefuelling than by any records which may be achieved. Thus, though last week's flight by W/C. Beetham was some-thing of a pioneer journey, of more interest to his feelings as squadron commander would be his successful rendezvous with,and subsequent refuelling from, the tanker Valiant on the way out, and the double refuelling on the way back, by aircraft coming upfrom Nairobi and Idris. (This return flight was accomplished last Monday, the Valiant flying 5,555 st. miles, in head winds, in11 hr exactly—an average speed of 505 m.p.h.) When W/C. Beetham landed at Salisbury he is reported to havesaid that everything had gone smoothly, adding: "The purpose of these flights, which will continue to increase in range, is to perfectoperating procedures, especially rendezvous techniques and signals communications." This underlined what he had said at Marhamsome 24 hours previously, when Air Ministry invited the Press to hear about the work being done by the R.A.F. on air-to-airrefuelling. He stressed then that the two most important things on such flights were accurate navigation and signals communica-tions. What emerged, too, was the amount of versatility and team-work required and how No. 214 have achieved an efficientsynthesis of the various factors involved; their aircraft, in both the giving and receiving roles; the relevant crew techniques; and theequipment developed by Flight Refuelling Ltd. A.V-M. K. B. B. Cross, A.O.C. No. 3 Group and C-in-C-designate of Bomber Command, explained that air-refuelling trials which the squadron had been conducting were now completeand that the equipment was working "very satisfactorily." No. 214 were training to do air refuelling in any part of the world; it wouldbe a requirement for fighter aircraft such as the Lightning, though at the moment its use was confined to Bomber Command. Atpresent No. 214 had the dual function of being both a bomber and a tanker squadron. W/C. Beetham said that his squadron had been testing theValiant both in the tanker and receiver role, and all crews were W/C. Beetham's Valiant, XD861, refuelling from the tanker Valiant flown by S/L. J. H. Garstin (XD870): a photograph taken at 40,000ft over the Sahara by an Air Ministry photographer through the frosted canopy (outside air temperature —SO deg C.) of a Canberra of No. 58 Sqn. flown by F/L. P. Major. Contact was made at the first attempt trained in either capacity. Recently it had carried out a series ofnon-stop flights to Nairobi, with 7 hr 40 min (as already men- tioned) as the fastest time achieved. From W/C. Beetham'sremarks and from an excellent film that was subsequently shown, it was possible to gain a good idea of what is involved in planninga long-distance flight with refuelling, and in the actual procedure. Describing the Salisbury operation, he said that two tankeraircraft were positioned at Idris for the outward journey; there were also two Valiants ready at Marham, a primary receiver anda reserve aircraft. The operation was geared up to readiness 24 hr ahead. Signals were sent to Salisbury and Idris, stating the amountof fuel required and the aircraft callsign, and a reply would then come from the tanker aircraft agreeing to the operation. There was to be a weather check three hours before take-offthen confirmatory signals would be sent. According to the met. winds received and the consequent flight-plan, the time of take-offmight be adjusted. With a planned take-off time of 0200 hr (sub- sequently revised) the rendezvous time with the aircraft from Idriswould be 0526, the tanker Valiant having taken off from there at 0439. (Its take-off time is crucial in a hot climate, both fromthe point of view of aircraft performance and because the longer a tanker has to fly, the less fuel it can give.) The two aircraftwould have a "common point" overhead Idris, and fly on a common track (with a separation height of 1,000ft) to theixrendezvous at Misurata. At their first meeting, they might see each other at a distance of 80 miles, if the contrails were goodenough. By the time they reached the rendezvous point the tanker would have trailed his 90ft length of refuelling hose. Refuel-ling is controlled in the tanker by the radar navigator, and the receiver is hooked up for 10-15 minutes. The film shown had been made by No. 214 Sqn. last year and itdepicted brilliantly how a flight refuelling operation is carried out, dwelling on and illustrating what not to do as much as whatto do, for the benefit of crews under training. (A missed contact is marked by some fish-like meanderings, and a good one by asatisfying "clunk.") The tanker must be flown at a smooth attitude and speed, the receiver must position astern and slightly below,at a closing speed not in excess of 5 kt. The pilot should then aim to fly up the line of the hose. When the 8ft-long probe hasentered the drogue (which has a diameter of 31 in) and opened the fuel valve it "pushes back" some 30ft of hose on to the drumuntil an ideal refuelling position, marked by a yellow band, has been reached. The pilot watches the tanker to keep his positionsteady and for his guidance there are red, yellow and green "traffic lights" in the tanker aircraft's bomb-bay. When he gets ared, he must break off refuelling contact; green means that the main fuel line is open; the lights go to amber when the allottedfuel has been received. These lights also enable the operation to be carried out in radio silence. A captain of aircraft can develop his refuelling technique onlyby flying practice. Sometimes it may take him 20 minutes or more to make his first contact. As far as the radar navigator inthe tanker, and the co-pilot in the receiver, are concerned their parts can be simulated; and at Marham there are simulators (madeby Miles Electronics Ltd.) on which not only basic procedures but every kind of emergency can be practised. The cockpit layoutsfor the co-pilot in the receiver aircraft (who controls the intake of fuel and its disposition) include representations of each type ofV-bomber. So far, however, Bomber Command refuelling has been confined to Valiant-to-Valiant operations and No. 214 Sqn.has done some most important and useful work. CANBERRA NOSE FOR THE NATION ""THE complete nose section of the Canberra which made the first•*• double Atlantic crossing in one day—on August 26, 1952—is being preserved as an exhibit in the Science Museum in London.At an informal ceremony on Wednesday of last week the nose section, which has been restored to its original paint and equipmentlayout, was handed over by Viscount Caldecote, deputy managing director of English Electric Aviation Ltd., to Dr. T. C. S.Morrison-Scott, director of the Science Museum. It will be on exhibition next to the Vickers Vimy which made the first non-stopAtlantic crossing in 1919. The double Atlantic crossing was made by W/C. R. P.Beamont, with F/L. P. Hillwood as pilot for the return flight and S/L. D. A. Watson as navigator. The total duration of the flightswas lOhr 3|min, during which 4,145 miles were covered at an average speed of 412 m.p.h. The flights were made betweenAldergrove and Gander and the actual aircraft was the prototype of the Canberra B.5 which did not enter service. •!-••••
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