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Aviation History
1960
1960 - 0213.PDF
FLIGHT, 12 February 1960 213 THIRTY take-offs and landings wererecently completed by BlackburnNA.39s on HMS Victorious in 3£days' development flying. These trials were carried out—only 21 months after the first NA.39 flew—by two aircraft: XK523, the seventh to be built, and XK489, the fourth. Blackburn chief test pilot Lt Cdr Derek Whitehead flew XK523 direct from the company's test airfield at Holme-on- Spalding Moor to Victorious in the Channel, accompanied by Blackburn flight observer Mike Bailey. The other NA.39 was flown out from die A & AEE at Bos- combe Down by Cdr P. Price, who com- mands "C" Sqn, with Ernie Lack (of Blackburn) as flight observer. Other pilots taking part were Lt Cdr T. C. Evans, also of "C" Sqn at Boscombe Down, and NA.39 Lt Cdr E. R. Anson, RN, who is on loan to Blackburn. Lt Walsh of the Royal Navy flew as observer in the rear seat on some of the tests. The Blackburn technical team aboard Victorious numbered nearly 30 with Roy Boot, NA.39 development officer, in charge. During the trials a full assortment of weather conditions was experienced, from gales to flat calm. These photographs show a take-off, with the catapult strop falling away; an NA.39 on the hangar lift, with wings and nose folded and air brakes open; the two aircraft, and two Blackburn starter pods, on the flight deck; and an approach over the seething high-speed wake of Britain's most advanced carrier.
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