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Aviation History
1962
1962 - 2170.PDF
FLIGHT International, 20 September 1962 505 Straight and Level A COLLEAGUE whose Farnborough stint included a daily dose of company Press conferences noticed a certain similarity in theme this year. To cover all future occasions, and save the time and effort of both public relations officers and journalists, he offers the following as a standardized, rationalized story suitable for all occasions:— BRITAIN MAY LOSE SPACE ELECTRONICS SUPERSONIC- TRANSPORT / BOMBER / FIGHTER MISSILE / LAMINAR - FLOW THROCKLE-FLANGE / G00FLE- SWITCH ACTUATOR - PIN* LEAD "delete where inapplicable) Speaking at a Press luncheon at the Farn borough Air Show today, Sir/Mr/Dr/Air Marshal** , technical director of ** said that, unless immediate Government assistance were forthcoming, Britain would be in danger of losing her lead in electronics/space/supersonic-trans ports / bombers / fighters / missiles / lami nar flow throckle-flanges / goofle-switch actuator-pins to the USA. "Industry has played its part," Sir/Mr/ Dr/Air Marshal ** told me. "Now it is up to the Government to give a clear indication that we mean business in this highly important field of electronics/ space / supersonic-transports / bombers fighters / missiles / lamininar-flow throckle- flanges / goofie-switch actuator-pins." "If this is not done within the next two weeks," Sir/Mr/Dr/Air Marshal ** added, "the Americans, using their typically nasty, unfair, ruthless, unethical, appalling, profitable, high-pressure tactics, will take the lead. Typical of these tactics is the tendency to sell a good product." **Insert appropriate name • Whilst partaking of a cooked-goose sandwich and a glass of Chateau Brochure 1949 in the Scruggs chalet at Farnborough, I suddenly caught sight of the Daily Clanger's air staff, led by handlebar- This study in black and white has been sent by Dr Ulrich Holler, of Lu cerne, who tells me that the picture was taken a few weeks ago on the Tschierva glacier in the Engadine Alps. "Glacier pilot Fredy Wissel, a pio neer of glacier-landing in Switzerland," says Dr Hol ler, "had to fly the chimney-sweeper Peter Roth to the Tschierva refuge hut of the Swiss alpine club. Height: about 2,700 metres. Aircraft: Czech L-60 Brigadyr owned by Wissel, powered by a modified 240 h.p. Praga Doris engine" moustached PRO Julian Washbrain, coming in from the Laffan's Plain end in diamond- nine formation, trailing pink-gin fumes and lilac-coloured cigar smoke. Washbrain broke to port and made a beeline for me, and 1 could see at once that he had the look of one who had dined. "Pan American's going to order 40 Blue Streaks," he said, stabbing me in the chest with his forefinger. "Nonsense," I said. "Whatever for?" "Oh, you know. Harmonization of military and civil requirements. Interde pendence and all that jazz," he said dis consolately. "Surely you must know that ordering aeroplanes on commercial or technical merit is very old hat these days." "But Blue Streak's a missile" I said. Old Washers didn't answer that one, but suddenly pointed to the other end of the airfield. "Look," he said hoarsely. "Coming in over the black sheds. With everything down. It's slowing down now— slowing down to transitional flight. Now it's demonstrating this amazing new principle of VTOL in which this country leads the world—" "Where is it? / can't see anything coming over the black sheds," I said. "Neither can I," said a Daily Clanger "She was a shade nose- heavy . . ." man. "But it's obviously a British super wonder plane—a jumping jet." "It's a pink elephant powered by a lift/ thrust engine," said old Washers sadly. "There—it's accelerating to Mach one. It's retracted its undercarriage. Now it's van ished." He turned to me glassy-eyed. "Bacon, why is this chalet going round ?" • "A new Joint Steering Space Advisory Committee is to be formed to co-ordinate the work of the 73 existing space committees in the UK . . ."—Might (Christmas supple ment to Flight), December 21, 1961. Viscount Hailsham: "A Space Research Management Group was set up under the Office of the Minister for Science with effect from May 1, 1962. It has assumed the responsibilities for management of the programme of experiments in rockets and satellites previously discharged, under ad hoc arrangements, by two scientists and one engineer on loan to the Royal Society from the public service . . . This is again an ad hoc arrangement... The British National Committee on Space Research . .. will con tinue to advise on the scientific content of the programme and the Steering Group on Space Research will continue to advise me on policy matters in its field."—Hansard, August 2, 1962. • Several newcomers to the ranks of Britain's test pilots are named in a caption to a photograph recently printed in a national newspaper. Described as "First view of Britain's top flying talent," the picture portrays, among others, Godfrey Pike (de Havilland), Wing Commander Wallace (Beagle), Dick Rombelow (Hunt ing), Jock Brice (Vickers-Armstrongs), Roly Beaumont (English Electric), Harry Goodinge and Group Captain Harrafin. I am sorry that Flight Commander Hew Merryweather of the Hawker Aircraft Corporation appears to be absent. ROGER BACON
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