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Aviation History
1961
1961 - 0903.PDF
FLIGHT, 6 July 1961 3 FIRST PICTURE of a Soviet fighter carrying air-to-air guided weapons. Apparently derived from the Sukhoi prototype illustrated in our issue of June 29, 1956, the aircraft appears to be twin-engined, like the familiar Mig-19. When the FAI claim of 1,484 m.p.h. was filed for the "E-66," the engine type was given as "RS-7F, 13,1171b thrust," and it may be that this is the aircraft depicted, and that it has two of these engines. The circular, double-shock intake and moving-wing Sparrow-shaped guided weapons are noteworthy Minister Mr V. K.. Krishna Menon, who had journeyed there towitness the flight. Mr Menon saw the HF-24 rolled twice, and one report claims that Ml was exceeded. In the factory an embryonicproduction line is already taking shape, and later versions of the aircraft will have increased power—possibly Orpheus 801s or evenBOr.l2SRs. All details of the aircraft are restricted, beyond the fact that its length is about 50ft and that the seat is an automaticMartin-Baker design. US Military Aircraft THE following notes embrace some of the recent major decisionsand discussions on military aircraft emanating from the Pentagon:— US Air Force By far the largest single vote in the Fiscal Year1962 (beginning last Saturday) budget for military aircraft is $525m for strategic bombers. This sum would purchase andoperate for five years approximately 23 B-52Hs, 20 B-58s or 80 silo-based Minuteman missiles. Defense Secretary McNamara haspublicly expressed his opposition to substantial procurement of more manned bombers, and the money may, in fact, furtheraccelerate the deployment of the fixed-base Minuteman. The train- borne Minuteman suddenly appears less attractive, and, as alreadyreported, there is no money for it in FY62. Largest single vote for a named type of aircraft is $397.4m for the Republic RF/F-105D"($27.5m of this being for the RF), the unit price being 51,263,000. Next largest sums are $236.7m for 83 Lockheed C-130Es, ?23Omfor an undisclosed number (about 65) of Boeing KC-135As, and S218m for four additional B-70 test aircraft. The last-named figureshows that the massive lobby urging acceleration of the 2,000 m.p.h. bomber has been defeated. Total USAF procurement amounts to573 new aircraft, which will cost S3,547m including direct support facilities. US Navy After lengthy negotiations, it appears that the Navy islikely to ask for the Grumman Gulfstream, probably designated RF-1, as a replacement for approximately 200 Douglas R4D (DC-3)transports. Not only is Grumman a Navy plant but the Gulfstream flies San Francisco to Hawaii non-stop (a requirement) and itscapacity is more in line with that of the R4D. The competing Fairchild F-27 is more costly to operate over longer stages, and itschoice would mean re-opening a production line at a low rate of output; moreover, 40-seat requirements are already "adequatelymet" by the R4Y (Convair 340). Whichever aircraft is adopted, the Rolls-Royce Dart may be replaced by the General Electric T64(Flight, January 13), for the obvious political reasons of having a US source and helping to justify the heavy Navy investment inthis engine. There is no FY62 money for the A3J Vigilante, although North American's backlog of S296m for the 52 aircraft outstandingis exceeded only by McDonnell (S361.6m for 144 Phantom 2s) and Grumman ($391.2m for 113 aircraft, principally A2F Intruders andW2F Hawkeyes). US Army Way out in front is Bell Helicopter, with $67.6mfor no fewer than 242 of the improved HU-1B lroquois. The Grumman Mohawk (see pages 10-12 of this issue) accounts forS42.8m for 48 aircraft, $ 12.6m more than do the same number of de Havilland AC-1 Caribous. Last month it was stated at Ft Eustisthat 61 Caribous have so far been ordered from Downsview, and that "the Army would like to procure about 300." Joint Service The long-drawn-out negotiations for a V/STOLfighter programme appear to have resulted in the USAF being cleared to award a major study contract for an air-superioritydefensive machine (probably M2.5, and 2,500 n.m. ferry range) while the Navy go ahead in conjunction with the Army and MarineCorps on a tactical strike aircraft (not more than M2). Higher-powered Hovercraft SO that experience can be gained in operating the Hovercraft"at speeds more representative of those at which commercial hovercraft will be used," the SR.N1 is to be fitted with a BristolSiddeley Viper engine, loaned to Hovercraft Development Ltd by the Ministry of Aviation. Its 1,5001b thrust—an increase of7001b over the Marbore with which the Hovercraft was fitted in April last year—will give SR.N1 a maximum speed of 65kt. Originally it was propelled by air drawn from the central com-pressor and then expelled through propulsion ducts on each side of the craft. Total propulsive power then available was about 4001b,giving the craft a maximum still-air speed of 25kt and a hovering height of 13in. Replacement by the Marbore, with a thrust of8001b, increased the maximum speed to 45kt. Much operating experience has been gained at this higher speed. Beagle Finance Facilities DEMONSTRATING that in its commercial policy it is as vigorousand forward-looking as it is in the matters of aircraft design and manufacture, Beagle has jumped into the forefront of aviationcommercial practice by creating a financial subsidiary within the group. The new company. Beagle Aviation Finance Ltd, offersfacilities for leasing and hire-purchasing Beagle aircraft. Two basic schemes are available. The aircraft can be leased overa five-year period at an annual rental of one-quarter of the cash price, after which the lease is renewable annually at a rental of one-sixteenth of the cash price. During the period of the lease, all the costs of the aircraft are chargeable to the lessor's revenue account.Alternatively, those who wish to purchase the aircraft out of income can pay for it over a period of three years following aninitial down-payment of not less than one-fifth of the cash price. As with the leasing arrangements, the finance charge and runningcosts are chargeable to the purchaser's revenue account, but the instalments are, of course, chargeable to capital account. IN BRIEF The Australian order for Westland Wessex helicopters (this page, lastweek) is for 27 Mk 31s. Nine officers of the French Armee de L'Air and one officer of theAeronavale recently visited Martin-Baker Aircraft at Denham to familiarize themselves with the latest Martin-Baker ejection seats,particularly the AM4 and N4 as installed in the Mirage and Etendard. Flown by Walter Moody, a pilot in Max Conrad's aircraft-ferryorganization, the first Mooney Mark 21 to arrive in this country landed at London Airport on Saturday last, July 1. after a 7,000-mile non-stopflight from Kerrsville, Texas. Mr Roy E. LeLong, who as a fighter pilot shot down the first Germanaircraft on D-Day, is rejoining Armstrong Whitworth Aircraft at Coventry as general sales manager. He served with the RNZAF and theRAF in the Second World War and with the USAF in Korea, winning decorations with all three Forces. In 1953 he commanded No 43 Sqnand led the first RAF Hunter aerobatic team. He joined AWA in 1958. TWENTY Marcel Dassault Mirage Illcs for the French Air Force. These are now coming off the assembly line at Bordeaux-Mehgnac, and the first unit to receive them will be the Dijon Wing, the pilots of which are taking conversion courses at Mont-de-Marsan (Landes)
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