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Aviation History
1962
1962 - 1288.PDF
136 Indonesian NU-25 Kunang ASIA'S AIRCRAFT INDUSTRIES tious programme to provide powerplants for as many as possible of the aircraft they design. It was developed in 4i months, using readily-available materials. Max take off r.p.m. were fixed at 2,600 to avoid the need for reduction gearing, and a compres sion ratio of 6.7 was chosen to permit the use of 73 octane fuel, which is the most easily-obtainable grade in India. About 95 per cent of the PE-90H can be manufactured in India at present and it is hoped eventually to produce locally the remaining components, such as magnetos and carburettors. The prototype has a bore of 4in, stroke of 3 in and swept volume of 3.15 litres (192.23 cu in), but these will be increased on the Mk 2 version, which is intended as the future power plant of the Hindustan Pushpak lightplane. 9 Length, 32in; height, 21^in; width, 31\in; dry weight, 1801b; rating, 90 h.p. at 2,600 r.p.m. Indian Air Force, Aircraft Manufacturing D«pot Kanpur The Indian Air Force can claim the dis tinction of being the only mijitary service in the world that is manufacturing its own aircraft, if we exclude conversion pro grammes of the kind that has produced the Belalang trainer in Indonesia. In 1960, when the Avro 748 was chosen to replace IAF Dakotas, it was intended to assemble the first aircraft from major components supplied by A. V. Roe. After a time, the decision was taken to do far more of the work in India. Four empty hangars at Kanpur Air Force Base became the Aircraft Manufacturing Depot. The first set of jigs was ready by mid-1960 and the first Indian 748 flew on November 1, 1961, just 18 months after the first rivet was inserted. Full production, on the scale necessary to re-equip IAF transport squadrons, and probably Indian Airlines Corporation, is unlikely to be achieved until 1964. Mean while, personnel of Headquarters, Main tenance Command at Kanpur are deve loping a four-seat general-purpose light aircraft designed by their A-O-C, Air Vice- Marshal Harjinder Singh. The prototype, built in 132 days and known as the Kanpur- I, is a fabric-covered all-metal aircraft of conventional high-wing monoplane con figuration and powered by a 190 h.p Ly coming engine. It has been followed by the more powerful Kanpur-II, which is likely to go into production shortly. Kanpur-II Construction of this little air craft is orthodox, with fabric-covered steel- tube fuselage and fabric-covered two-spar metal wings. It is fitted with a 250 h.p. Lycoming O-540-A1B5 engine, and the 40 gal of internal fuel can be supplemented by external tanks carried on the wing bracing struts. The basic version is a four-seat military AOP and liaison aircraft, but the Kanpur-II is suitable for a wide range of other duties, including agricultural work. The Kanpur-1 prototype has, in fact, been fitted with spray-bars. • Span 37ft Win; length, 26ft 6in; height, 7ft 6in; wing area, 200 sq ft; gross weight, 2,600lb; empty weight, l,700lb; max speed. 137 m.p.h.; econ cruising speed, 100 m.p.h.: max rate of climb at s.L, l,155ftlmin; service ceiling, 20,500ft; t.o. distance to 50ft, 750ft; landing distance from 50ft, 720ft; range with max payload, 460 miles. Technical Centre, Civil Aviation Department Civil Aviation Directorate, Talkatora Road, New Delhi Seven types of glider have been deve loped at this Technical Centre, which is the research and development establishment of the Indian Civil Aviation Department, since 1950. Some are based on well-known designs such as the Grunau Baby and Olympia; but the three latest types, the Ashvini, Rohini and Bharani, are of original design and are intended to use indigenous materials wherever possible. The Technical Centre does not under take quantity manufacture of sailplanes, but supplies sets of drawings to private concerns such as Aeronautical Services Ltd (q.v.), which is producing the Ashvini and Rohini. Bharani First flown on April 6 this year, the Bharani is a tandem two-seat sailplane of conventional high-wing layout. Con struction is of wood, with plywood-covered fuselage and fabric covering on the wings aft of the spar. Air-brakes are fitted above and below each wing. • Span, 62ft 4in; length, 27ft 4in; wing area, 225.7 sq ft; gross weight, l,210lb; empty weight, 7201b; max L/D, 31.5 at 51 m.p.h.; min sink, 2ft I sec at 42 m.p.h. FLIGHT International, 26 July 196: INDONESIA Departemen Angkatan Udara Reaublik Indonesia, Lembaga Persiapan Industn Penerbangan Husein Sastranegara Air Force Base Bandung In 1953, the Indonesian Air Force begai the development of a series of light comba: and training aircraft at its research, develop ment and production depot near Bandung The first was a single-seat light ground support aircraft named the Sikumbang. of which two prototypes were built. It has been followed by the Belalang. a major conversion of the Piper L-4J, and an ultra light single-seater called the Kunang. The Belalang is in production at the depot, which was renamed the Lembaga Persiapan Industri Penerbangan (Institute for the Preparation of an Aircraft In dustry) in August 1961. Approval has been obtained for licence manufacture of the Polish PZL-104 Wilga and it is hoped also to assemble DH Canada Otters at the In stitute. NU-90 Belalang This aircraft is a low- wing conversion of the Piper Cub L-4J. The prototype, designated NU-85, flew on April 17, 1958, and proved to be such an improvement over the original L-4J that the Indonesian Air Force is having all its L-4Js converted into Belalangs, with the production designation NU-90. The programme was started in 1959 and the NU-90 is now the standard primary trainer at the Air Force Flying School. It has a 90 h.p. Continental C90-12F engine. • Span, 31ft lin; length, 25ft 3\in; height, 6ft 8in; wing area, 161.5 sq ft; gross weight, l,500lb; empty weight, l,038lb; max speed, 115 m.p.h.; cruising speed, 90 m.p.h.; max rate of climb at s.l„ 600fl/min: service ceilmg, 12,000ft; t.o. run, 500ft: landing run, 400ft; range, 350 miles. NU-35 Kunang Development of the origi nal NU-25 Kunang was started in 1957, to provide Indonesian flying clubs with an economical single-seat ultra-light trainer. The original tapered wing, with fixed slots, has been replaced by a constant-chord wing of 25 per cent greater area during the past year. At the same time, the Volkswagen engine has been uprated from 25 to 35 h.p. and a cockpit canopy has been fitted. Now designated NU-35, the Kunang is of conventional wooden construction, with fabric covering. • Span, 23ft llin; height, 5ft Win; wing area, 102.6 sq ft; gross weight, 7431b; empty weight, 5041b; cruising speed, 80 m.p.h.; max rate of climb at s.L, 300ft I min. ISRAEL Israel Aircraft Industries Lod Airport Until June 1960 this company was known as Bedek Aircraft Ltd. It was established in 1950 as an aircraft and aero-engine over haul centre, and added the licence manu-
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