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Aviation History
1959
1959 - 2063.PDF
New shapes at Avro are the mock-up, the first prototype and the demonstration fuselage sections of the Avro 748. The metal-covered mock-up is in the foreground and the first aircraft to fly is being skinned alongside it. (Left) A stylist has been used by A. V. Roe to advise on the well- engineered cockpit. Among the points to be noticed are the individual ashtrays for each piht and the position-indicating trim wheels The 748 Takes Shape PROGRESS REPORT ON A. V. ROE'S TWIN-DART TRANSPORT WITH five months to go until February, original first-flighttarget for the Avro 748 (though the date is now given as"early 1960"), the prototype is taking shape at Manchester. The first fuselage is largely skinned, the majority of the wingstructure is assembled and the skins are in place, and systems trial installations are proceeding within the metal-covered mock-up. There will be twelve aircraft in the first batch, not counting twoincomplete specimens that will be used for structural and fatigue testing. The first two of the twelve are prototypes and will bedistinguished from production models—apart from any modifica- tions introduced as a result of flight testing—by the position oftheir forward freight doors. These are on the starboard side, i.e., on the side opposite to the passenger entrance door at the rear.The change will be made so that the forward door can be used for loading and unloading passengers or freight in quick turn-rounds,for which purpose a port propeller brake, and air steps, can be provided at customer's request, Also, for Indian Air Force air-craft, the two-crew layout will be supplemented by a radio officer's position opposite the forward door and a parachute door(large enough for a jeep) replacing the passenger entry door aft. The second aircraft—instrumented and furnished—should flyin August next year, and the fourth production model in Novem- ber 1960. The first three aircraft, plus the second productionmachine, will be used for certification flying. About 1,000 hr (the aeroplane is simple and most of the systems have already beenproved on the Viscount) will have to be completed before certifica- tion can be obtained; this should be by March 1961 and will beto both A.R.B. and F.A.A. requirements. By this time a number of aircraft should be ready for immediate delivery, and productioncould conceivably have reached two per month. Plans for production of the 748 in India are as yet uncertain; anIndian mission is at present visiting A. V. Roe in order to settle outstanding questions. For example, it is not yet known howmany complete aircraft, sub-assemblies or component parts would be supplied by Avro. Nor is it quite clear what arrangements areto be made by the Indian Defence Ministry (with whom Avro signed the licence-to-build agreement) for manufacture in India.It is confirmed that the factory will be at the I.A.F. Maintenance Command H.Q. at Kanpur but, contrary to expectations, it seemsthat Hindustan Aircraft will not necessarily be involved. If they are not, fresh sources of skilled and semi-ski'led labour will haveto be tapped and a new organization started from little more than some large hangars and numbers of I.A.F. engineering officers.The production of Dart engines in India is also under discussion. Undoubtedly this Indian Defence Ministry order is a tall featherin Avro's caD. The instigator was largely Mr. Krishna Menon, the Indian Defence Minister, but Hawker Siddeley acknowledgewith gratitude the Ministry of Supply assistance which they received, particularly in the later stages of negotiation. Thereasons for the selection of the 748 appear to be (1) Indian con- fidence in the technical expertise and financial status of theHawker Siddelev Group, with whom they have been dealing for some years in connection with Hunters, and (2) the adaptabilityof the simp'e and re'atively inexpensive 748 design to manufacture in India. Handley Paffe, Fokker and Lockheed (the last-namedoffered to design a special aircraft for Indian conditions in 90 days) could hardly offer these advantages in such full measure. Avrohave capped their argument by offering the 748 for £170,000 less radio or optional equipment—a price which just undercuts bothcompetitors which have aircraft flying. The break-even figure at this price is said by Hawker Siddeley to be "75 to 100 aircraft." Distinctions between F-27, Herald and 748 performance arefine ones, particularly when the different power units (Friendship and 748 have Rolls-Royce Dan RDa.6s, the Herald Dart RDa.7s)are taken into account. The 748 could be equipped with the more powerful engines, and design studies to this end have been under-taken. Significantly perhaps, the RDa.6 design is thought by the I.A.F. to be quite satisfactory for their needs; only whenextremely high-temperature and high-altitude conditions are encountered is the extra power likely to be really important.When it is required, dihedral and fin area should remain adequate to take it, although slight stiffening of the wing will be necessary. Some £2|m is being invested in the 748 project, and productionis being tackled with vigour. Three fuselage and wing jigs are being set up (one of each is already employed in construction ofthe prototype) while tail units are being sub-contracted to A.W.A. and ground equipment to Gloster. (This is typical of Groupinterchange; the A.W.650 wings, for example, are built by Avro.) The Avro 748 is a modern exercise in fail-safe design, very muchto its makers' own ideas although Bristol and Vickers have been generous in their help and advice. Component manufacturershave been pressed to take the same commercial risks that the Group themselves must take in embarking on the project, andequipment for the first two prototypes is in general being delivered without charge. Admittedly, specially developed equipment isbeing avoided wherever possible, but this does not apply to the unusual Messier undercarriage; and "special arrangements" havebeen made with Rolls-Royce about the supply of engines. It is a sign of the times that competition for the supply of accessorieshas been keen. One question that is asked of the 748 is, "How much of thedesign can be attributed to the Aviation Traders Accountant?" Some will claim that there is a good deal of Account influence inthe 748; A. V. Roe state categoricallv, "There is no connection with it at all." There are obvious similarities, of course, and whileAvro concede that the Accountant was a design they studied, they point out that any twin Dart, low-wing aircraft designed to give2ft clearance for a 12ft propeller and having an unbroken wing torsion box will bear that superficial resemblance. Their argumentis certainly borne out by the shape of the Grumman Gulfstream and the Japanese YS-11, and in any case the 748 stemmed fromearlier studies (some of them high-wing designs) for twin Dart and twin 1,000 h.p. turboprop projects. Decisions on the finalconfiguration were taken only after market research by a semi- independent team within the Hawker Siddeley Group. <••* * * Asked in the Indian Parliament to disclose details of the 748agreement, Mr. Krishna Menon, Defence Minister, replied this would "not be in the public interest." "But," he said, "the termsare the most favourable which we could get from anv aircraft manufacturer." The broad terms were that India would oav alicence fee spread ovr eight annual insta'ments, the first oavabie "onlv after the aircraft is certified and we are satisfied that it meetsthe Indian Air Force reouirements." No rnva'T would be pavable on the first 100 aircraft manufactured. The Indian Governmentwould have the rieht to sell the aircraft to other countries "subject to agreed conditions." Mr. Menon said that the aircraft would be ready "in the middleof 1960." The capital commitment was expected to be just over Rs.lOm (i.c, less than £lm).
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