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Aviation History
1963
1963 - 0331.PDF
FLIGHT International, 28 February 1963 315 1 >zzle(s); location of nozzle(s); and the type of control system employed to achieve the desired vehicle control with minimum expenditure of deflection power. It is the aim of the designer to B\ olve a system capable of producing a dense, concentrated stream having high momentum over the entire range of flows considered. As the main drawing indicates, the Bendix system involves the use of a master valve and a slave valve, mounted on opposite sides o( the nozzle. The two valves are linked both by fluid pressure and by an electrical feedback, and they provide proportional control of the injected flow while employing only a single control line and torque motor. Master and slave together combine to form an injection system which passes a flow of liquid proportional to an electrical command signal. The basic valve is an integrator, its output being a flow-rate proportional to a torque-motor input current. An electrical feedback signal completes the loop (see sketch). Valve power piston areas of the master and slave are arranged to provide differential control. An increase in servo pressure opens one valve, and a decrease opens the other; and while one valve is open, the other is held tightly closed. The pumping action of the power pistons assists in holding one valve in the closed position until the other has shut completely. A single open-centre flapper orifice is employed without any control bleeds, thus providing reliable operation with contaminated fluid. All these systems of Bendix design follow this concept, and provide control through a master valve and a slave valve mounted dia metrically opposite on the nozzle. The hydraulic interlock ensures that only one valve can be open (even partially) at a time, and in the event of loss of electrical signal, or upon initial starting, both valves will be shut. The system has been extensively tested with highly contaminated fluids at up to 200°C under random vibration of 21 g r.m.s. and shock of 160g. The accompanying sketch does not show any particular Bendix hardware, but serves to illustrate the principle of operation. The prototype flight-injector system was the P/L2700020, and this design formed the basis of the production system used in the second stage of the Polaris A3. The injectant is Freon 114B-2, and the maximum flow 40 US gal/min at 550 to 7501b/sq in. Maximum slew rate is from zero to full flow in 0.1 sec, and frequency response is flat to lOc/s at ±10 per cent of the maximum input signal. Both valves have three nozzles in parallel, giving individual concentrated streams with total momentum better than 80 per cent of theoretical. Total system weight is 5.71b. Phoenix for the US Navy Presumably because it is rising from the ashes of the defunct GAR-9 and Eagle, the air-to-air missile for the General Dynamics/Grumman F-111B (the TFX variable-sweep multi-mission aircraft of the US Navy) has been named the Phoe nix. Prime contractor is Hughes Aircraft, who are developing the new weapon at Culver City and Tucson, under an initial $12.5m contract. Q-2C Ground-launched In a recent test from the US Navy Missile Test Center at Point Mugu, California, a Ryan Q-2C Firebee was successfully launched from a ground ramp for the first time. Boosted by an 1 l,0001b-thrust rocket, the new model of the Firebee was controlled from San Nicholas Island, reached 45,000ft and was finally retrieved after 44min. Ground launching is expected to increase operational availability of these targets. NATO Polaris Force On February 20 the US State Department made a formal outline proposal for the establishment of a force of Polaris-carrying surface ships. US studies indicate that the relatively low cost and complexity of such vessels, in comparison with nuclear missile-firing submarines, would more than outweigh their greater vulnerability. The US is known to favour manning such ships —and any submarines which may succeed them—with multi lateral crews, while retaining US missile fire control. Skybolt Finally Stops The US Department of Defense reports that on February 2 the USAF ended all research and development effort on the Skybolt missile. Production work on Skybolt was discontinued on December 31, on orders from President Kennedy. Research and development projects connected with the weapon were permitted to continue, pending evaluation of components that "Flight International" drawing This simplified schematic diagram illustrates the method of operation of the Bendix secondary-injection method of providing TVC for rocket engines. The effect of such injection is depicted at the right might be used in other weapons. Later, Douglas Aircraft stated that a further 1,700 employees would be laid off, and that 4,500 to 5,000 might be discharged by the end of March. Blue Scout Secret Satellites Both the most recent "anonymous"" firings by the US Air Force have been achieved by Blue Scout vehicles from Point Arguello, California. This type of launch ve hicle suggests a relatively light payload (probably not more than 2001b). One such firing took place on February 1 as already reported. Another launch took place on February 19, at 16.08hr GMT, and this resulted in a satellite being placed in 565/303-mile orbit, at an inclination of 100.47° and with a period of 97.81min. No international designation has been assigned to the February 1 shot; the February 19 launch is 63-5. IR Research A $120,000 contract recently awarded Ford Motor Company's Aeronutronic Division by the Department of Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA) covers a one-year study of the infra-red energy radiated by rocket exhaust plumes, and how its transmission is affected by the atmosphere. "This is an experimental investigation of IR radiation from water vapour and carbon dioxide—the major rocket exhaust products—and the trans mission of this IR radiation through the atmosphere," announces Dr Darrell E. Burch, project manager. "We will study the process by which the energy of the exhaust-gas molecules is transferred into radiation," he said. "It is believed that this investigation will lead to improved designs for IR detection systems." Warheads from Orbit Marshal Biryuzov, C-in-C of Russian Strategic Rocket Forces, stated on February 21 that the Soviet Union can "launch rockets from satellites upon radio command from Earth." He said that this can be done "at any point in the trajectory of the satellite." This has never appeared a very attrac tive means of deterring or waging war, since the position of a satel lite in Earth orbit can be predicted in advance, and interception problems should not be severe. It is also worth noting that on February 20 the Marshal's deputy commander, Col-Gen Tol- bukho, said in the Red Army newspaper Red Star, "How can one compare the power of the biggest US warhead—that installed in Titan rockets, which is seven megatons—with the warheads of Russian rockets, which go up to 100,000,000 tons of TNT." RCAF Bomarcs Adopted to replace the Avro Arrow inter- cepter, the Boeing IM-99B Bomarc area-defence missile equips RCAF bases at -North Bay, Ontario, and La Macaza, Quebec. In the USAF this weapon has a nuclear warhead, but no warheads have been provided for those of the RCAF. Canadian resistance to nuclear weapons has this year finally drawn open criticism from the US Government, who have said that there is as a result a gap in the Norad defence network. In reply the Canadian Prime Minister and his newly appointed Defence Minister said last week that the Bomarc is obsolescent. It was, they say, adopted to intercept bombers, and is useless against ICBM attack.
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