FlightGlobal.com
Home
Premium
Archive
Video
Images
Forum
Atlas
Blogs
Jobs
Shop
RSS
Email Newsletters
You are in:
Home
Aviation History
1960
1960 - 1944.PDF
45t FLIGHT, 16 September 1960 A Sunshine Finale for the 21st SBAC Display ILLUSTRATED MAINLY WITH "FLIGHT" PHOTOGRAPHS FARNBOROUGH WEEK WITH the Society of British Aircraft Constructors' 21stflying display and exhibition finishing at Farnboroughlast weekend in a blaze of sunshine, there was an asso- ciated air of official optimism about similar occasions in succeed-ing years and about the future of the British aircraft industry. Sir George Dowty, the SBAC president, spoke on Sunday morningof the industry being "so full of work it can't find enough workers" —adding that he could see this situation continuing for the nexttwo or three years. (The case of Short Brothers & Harland, whose SC.l was the undoubted star of the 1960 show but whohave been laying off workpeople, was said by SBAC officials to be a "special" one.) As to the future of these shows, the SBACCouncil is to discuss whether to include overseas products incor- porating British components; but an international exhibition onthe lines of the Paris show was not contemplated. Not only did the sun shine physically at Farnborough lastweek—the weather getting better and better from Wednesday onwards—but it also shone financially for several manufacturersof transport aircraft, orders totalling about £20m being announced. Most of these have already been mentioned separately; collectively,they are as follows: 5 D.H. Comet 4Cs and 16 AW.660s for RAF Transport Command; 6 Heralds for Jersey Airlines; 3 Avro 748sfor BKS Air Transport; and "a substantial number" of Westland P.531/2 Mk 1 helicopters for the Army. In addition, Sir GeorgeDowry let it be knowr on Sunday that Sir Roy Dobson had told him of a Greek order for 12 Avro 748s, together with a licenceto manufacture; and during the week Rolls-Royce announced that the Tyne turboprop engine was to be built undei licence inFrance, by Hispano Suiza, for the Breguet Atlantic and Transall C.160. Attendances at this year's Show have continued an upwardtrend observable before 1959, when the long hot summer brought an artificial peak. There were 22,000 people at Farnborough last Friday, first of the three public days; then on Saturday the attend-ance climbed to 100,000, and on Sunday it climbed even more—as did the temperature (73 °F). Because this final da> was the biggestin point of crovvds, and because it marked two notable las' appear- ances, its highlights are described first. Sunday, September 11 What commentate Oliver Stewartdescribed as a "technical conjuring trick of the first class" was performed for the last time at a Farnborough Show by that highlyskilled conjuroi from Beltast, Tom Brooke-Smith, in the SC.l; for when he climbed out at the end of an impeccable demonstra-tion—translating from forward to vertical flight in front of the president's tent, like a well-bred racehorse being reined in—"Brookie" had concluded his test-flying career. His VTOL work has been an outstanding contribution to future developments,notably the Hawker P. 1127 which is to be test-flown shortly. The other final appearance at this year's Farnborough Showwas made by the "Black Arrows" of Treble-One Sqn, giving their last performance there as the Royal Air Force aerobatic team.With blue skies and high cirrus cloud, they could not have had a more perfect setting; and their manoeuvres showed how superblythey have developed the art of aerobatic flying by big formations, whether 18-strong for their initial Pterodactyl loop or in twoteams of nine. Rightly, Oliver Stewart (when he came back on the air after the RAF commentator had finished describing thedisplay) stressed that the skill and judgment needed for a stream landing by 18 Hunters was as great as that required in t^eirairborne manoeuvres. , On this final day, Valiants of No 148 Sqn did the V-bomDer "scramble," foui of them getting airborne in lmir) 43se.c-r-noi so fast as the Vulcans had been on the Friday afternoon, but tneir own second-best performance. The sound of the Valiants si^'rCj- Avons all being opened up at once had been preceded by HI
Sign up to
Flight Digital Magazine
Flight Print Magazine
Airline Business Magazine
E-newsletters
RSS
Events
