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Aviation History
1960
1960 - 0186.PDF
186 FLIGHT, 5 February 1960 shafts, with a dog-clutch at the wing fold.Chains drive each end of each flap section, and a cable run to the elevator counteractstrim change. Hydraulics. Ip all there are four systems:blue and yellow for flying controls and autopilot, and green and red for generalservices. The green and red are each sup- plied by a large-capacity Lucas pump at3,0001b/sq in. Services operated by the green system comprise the undercarriageand doors, wheelbrakes, arrester hook, flaps, and rocket-pack actuator; all of thesecan in emergency be operated by the red system. Also operated by the green systemare nosewheel steering, airbrake, and the wing-fold latch and folding jacks. Thered system feeds the parking brake, the radome opening and closing gear, the radarscanner—this component, which absorbs a considerable amount of power, is designedand made by de Havilland Propellers—and a hydraulic motor driving the alternatorsupplying the AI radar. Emergency power source for the bluesystem is the ram-air turbopump housed in the fairing between the tailpipes. Nor-mally it is locked in a retracted position, it can be released mechanically by the pilot,whereupon springs lift it into the airstream, Each engine drives a common accessorygearbox, on which are mounted two 28V d.c. generators, two Lucas and two Integralhydraulic pumps. One Lucas general-ser- vices pump and one generator are inde-pendently geared to each engine. The two Integral pumps for the blue and yellowsystems are geared together through a free- wheel, and driven from whichever enginehappens to be running faster. Electrics. The main 24V system is sup-plied by the two generators mentioned above. The system supplies four 115V,400c/s inverters, two of which supply three-phase and two single- phase a.c. supplies for the radio, instruments and autopilot.Hydraulically driven alternators provide close-frequency supplies for the guided weapons and AI radar. Other services fed from the general d.c. system include theflying-control trim motors and gear-change actuators, canopy actuation, stores jettisoning, cabin-temperature control, fuelbooster pumps and refuelling solenoid valves and float switches. The 24V system also serves a number of warning indicators,including the central warning panel on which are grouped 15 systems-failure indicators, plus a pair of flashing lights and anaudible warning. The two latter are triggered off if any of the 15 systems fail, and the individual warning indicator showswhich is faulty. The pilot can switch off the flashing lamps and audible warning, but not the individual indicator. The systemscoyered by the central warning panel include the generators, flying-control hydraulic pressure, fuel pressure, engine oil pres-sure, three warnings for the fire zones (operated by the Firewires), wing folding, ASI, oxygen reserve and cabin pressure. Fuel system. As described earlier, fuel is carried in bag tankson each side of the aircraft surrounding the air intake duct, and in integral tanks in each stub and in each outboard wing, as well asin the two drop tanks. The feed to the engines is used to cool the hydraulic fluiddriving the close-control alternators; this in turn heats the fuel and prevents the filters from icing up. All the integral tanks feedautomatically into the bag tanks, which feed the engines; the pilot has no worries about selection. All the tanks are pressurized,and to ensure feed during inverted flight, air accumulators (recuperators) are provided in each tank. All Vixens now being delivered are equipped to receive fuel by All Sea Vixen FAW.Is Aircraft. Other D.H. are being assembled at the Christchurch, Hants, factory of de Havilland plants, notably that at Portsmouth, contribute major sub-assemblies the Flight Refuelling probe/drogue method. In addition, a hose-reel pod which may be carried in place of the starboard drop tank converts the aircraft into a tanker. All tanks, including thosecarried externally, can be filled through the probe very quicklf, and trials have taken place both by day and night. Air-conditioning. Air bled from the final stages of the enginecompressors is used for pressurizing and conditioning the cockpit and the crew's ventilated suits, canopy demisting and windscreenheating, radar cooling, heating the guided weapons, and for charging the fuel recuperators. For the main conditioned air supply, air bled from the enginesis divided, part flowing through a ram-air heat exchanger and a cold-air unit, and thence into a water separator, and part flowingto the same unit via a by-pass valve. The amount of air by-passing the cold air unit is regulated thermostatically from the temperaturein the main cabin ducts. The conditioned air is then ducted into the cockpit, part being directed over the canopy and windscreenand part being discharged at the pilot's and navigator's head and feet. Cabin air is used to cool some of the radar and equipmentforward of the front pressure bulkhead before exhausting through the nosewheel bay. Another bleed direct from the engines isled to the light-store pylons for heating the guided weapons, its temperature being controlled by two leading-edge heatexchangers. Air rammed in under the wing roots is pumped by the fan onthe cold air unit to cool the engine-compressor zones. Tappings from the cold air unit provide for cooling portions of the weaponsystem and fire-control. For cooling the Firestreaks after they are armed high-pressure air is drawn from 3,0001b /sq in bottles,which also pressurize the hood and canopy seals. The engines are started by low-pressure air. left) was the fastest aircraft in Britain, and was the first British aeroplane known to have exceeded the speed of sound. Nevertheless, a long period of national Sea Vixen could emerge. Many superficial differences can be discerned in these photographs, the production aircraft being those of 892 Sqn RN "Flight" photograph
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