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Aviation History
1962
1962 - 1405.PDF
FLIGHT International, 9 August 1962 215 Sunderland on View SIR,—Enclosed is a photograph (reproduced here—Ed.) of Britain's last flying-boat, Short Sunderland ML824, in her final resting-place beside the old church at the former RAF Station, Pembroke Dock. After a two-year campaign, with strong public support, aimed at acquiring one of these famous aircraft for preser vation and exhibition, ML824 was flown in to Pembroke Dock by a French crew on March 24, 1961. The following day, she was ceremonially presented by Cdr Paul Lutheraeu, of the French Navy, to Mr Oswald Short, pioneer aircraft designer and president of the Short Sunderland Trust. After a year of work preparing her for exhibition, most of it performed voluntarily by members of the Sunderland Trust and others, ML824 is on view to members of the public at specified hours, three days a week. The Sunderland is resplendent in the colours she wore when serving in the spring of 1945, with No 201 Sqn of Coastal Command. She operated from Castle Archdale in Northern Ireland, protecting Atlantic shipping. This Sunderland also served with No 330 (Norwegian) Sqn of Coastal Command during the closing weeks of the war. Later on, she went to the French Navy, and the badge of No. 59 Sqn, French Naval Air Service, has been retained, as a tribute to the generous gesture whereby our Allies handed her over as a gift. ML824 is the only Sunderland left in the Northern Hemisphere. Gwbert-on-Sea, Cardigan PETER F. M. THOMAS Youngest PPL Holder ? SIR,—1 am now 17 years and 2 months and have a private pilot's licence. I have trained on my own private funds and did in fact obtain my licence a month ago, at 17 years 1 month. Could any reader disprove or confirm that I am the youngest PPL holder in the British Isles? Pangbourne, Berks J. R. CHERRY-DOWNES Safety Without Penalty SIR,—Aeroplanes which cannot be stalled and which can be flown safely at low speed have not been popular. One good reason, invariably, is they have had a poor performance for their power. The aeroplane to be described is, however, not inferior to the conventional aeroplane in speed, climb, or manoeuvrability. The particulars are as follows:— (1) Stall eliminated, even at angles of attack two to three times the normal critical angle. (2) Cannot be made to spin. (3) The approach path is near-vertical, with stability maintained and controls effective, the speed being well below the minimum level flying speed of the aeroplane. The touch-down speed is less than half that of the conventional aeroplane designed to a similar specification. The Warren-Young Skycar project, designed for a 30-118 m.p.h. speed range (see letter from Mr N. Hall-Warren) Sunderland ML824 in her final resting-place at Pembroke Dock (see letter from Mr Peter F. M. Thomas) (4) Is just as efficient as the conventional aeroplane with the same power, having a similar top speed and rate of climb. The contributory factors are that the wing geometry permits an economic structure of great rigidity and high specific strength (i.e., low weight) and that there is no tailplane contributing parasitic drag and weight. (5) Has a steep-path angle of climb, compared with a conventional aeroplane with the same power. (6) Requires less hangarage space, as the span is reduced by at least 25 per cent compared with the conventional aeroplane in the same category. (7) Is not sensitive to movement of the centre ol gravity, and the permissible range is very wide compared with all other types of aeroplanes. This aeroplane, known as the Warren-Young, has a wing consisting of sweptback and sweptforward planes, joined together by semi-circular tip surfaces. The wing has inherent boundary-layer control which is responsible for the excep tional low-speed performance. Flights with a large diesel- powered model have repeatedly demonstrated the stability at speeds well below the normal limit. It has proved impos sible to stall or to spin this model. The Warren-Young wing was originated by the writer over thirty years ago (Patent No 508022) but, due to official obstruction, a full-scale aeroplane was not built in this country. The unconventional shape was not acceptable at a time when designers were bemused by the theoretical con ception of the ideal aeroplane and, worse still, swept wings were in disrepute—a state of mind which continued until after the war. Now that the private-owner market is reviving and there is a growing demand for executive aircraft, does not the Warren-Young deserve consideration? Torcross, South Devon NORMAN HALL-WARREN FORTHCOMING EVENTS Aug 11 HMS "Ariel," Lee-on-Solent: At Home. Aug 11-Sept 3 National Aeronautic Association: 6th World Para chute Championships, Orange. Mass. Aug 15 Kronfeld Club: Film Evening. Aug 19 Tiger Club: Display, Shoreham. Aug 22 Kronfeld Club: "The Guild of Air Pilots and Air Navigators." Aug 16-18 Royal Aero Club: National Air Races, Coventry. Aug 15 Kronfeld Club: Film Evening. Aug 26 Waveney Flying Group: Fly-in, Seething. Sept 3-9 SBAC Flying Display and Exhibition. Farnborough. Sept 15 RAF "At Home" Day. Sept 17-23 Grand Prix International de Bourges. Sept 19-22 Second International Agricultural Aviation Con gress, Crignon, France. Sept 27 RAeS Halton: "Operations of Special Duties Squadrons," by A. Firth. Oct 2-4 International Symposium on Batteries, Bourne mouth. Oct 7-13 International Rally, Genoa. Oct 9-11 Guild of Air Traffic Control Officers: Convention. Bournemouth.
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