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Aviation History
1963
1963 - 2052.PDF
852 FLIGHT International, 28 November 79<y "Hardly a mock-up?" The foregoing was the sole text accompanying this photograph when, together with the corresponding frame of 16mm film, it recently arrived anonymously at "Flight International's" editorial offices. The inscription evidently alludes to a remark in our November 7 issue that the missile now seen so vigorously in action was "possibly a mock-up." Readers will draw their own conclusions concerning the source of this picture, which is undoubtedly authentic and of recent origin. It is, moreover, the first ever published showing a Soviet intercepter launching its miss/7es WORLD E W S The BOAC Crisis The economic troubles of BOAC reached crisis point last week, culminating inter alia in the resignations of the chairman, Sir Matthew Slattery, and the managing direc tor, Sir Basil Smallpeice; the appointment of Sir Giles Guthrie as chairman and managing director; and the recruiting to the board of Mr A. H. Milward, who is also taking over the chairmanship of BEA on the retirement of Lord Douglas. These developments, and their back ground, are dealt with in detail on pages 854-855 and in a leading article. P.1154's Future Still Hazy Questioning of Ministers in the Commons last week failed to allay fears that the Hawker Siddeley P.l 154 project may be cancelled. The Minister of Defence said that the project study aimed at meeting both RAF and RN requirements with the P.l 154 "had run into difficulties. This study and its implications are under consideration by the Weapons Development Committee." Mr Thorneycroft said that he would not be able to make a statement until he had examined in detail the technical and financial con siderations involved. Two days earlier, in a campaign speech in Dundee, the Minister had denied that there was "a hell of a row" going on over the P.l 154, but said that there was "a good deal of damned hard talk." Referring to reports that the McDonnell Phantom II would be bought for the Navy, he said that no solution had been "forced" on him. Cer tainly the Navy is known to want the Phantom, with Rolls-Royce Spey engines. The Minister of Aviation was also ques tioned about the P. 1154. Its development was continuing under holding contracts, he said, pending a final decision. Its forerunner, the P.l 127, the first evaluation model of which would fly early next year, had "been put forward as a Fiat G.91 replacement." Asked what further R and D he intended to initiate in the multi-jet VTOL field, Mr Amery said that there was "no present requirement" for an aircraft using lift- engine principles, but he was considering with the West German Government the possibility of a joint experimental project directed towards a lift-jet transport (pre sumably the Hawker Siddeley D.H.I 29- Dornier Do31 collaboration). Belfast Flight Testing Imminent The first Short Belfast freighter for the RAF finished ground-resonance tests last week. Taxying trials are due to start in mid-December, with the first flight to follow almost immediately. Flight development of the Belfast will be undertaken with two aircraft in 850hr ex tending over 16 to 18 months, and will cover certification to both RAF and ARB require ments. The Belfast will be the world's first freighter to be certificated simul taneously to civil and military standards. One Voice for Private Flying? The urgent need for the various separate organizations now representing British pri vate and sporting powered flying to combine into a single effective body was emphasized by Mr Philip Wills in London on November 20. Addressing members of the Kronfeld Club, he disclosed that a Royal Aero Club sub-committee on which each of the other organizations were represented—and of which Mr Wills is chairman—had recom mended this in a recently completed report. Three main recommendations are put forward: (1) the full network of existing airfields in the United Kingdom should be made available, and new airfields should be constructed in order to complete a com prehensive network over the country; (2) common radio frequencies should be pro vided; and (3) import duty on certain light aircraft and light-aircraft radio equipment (those not available from UK sources) should be temporarily reduced or abolished. If these changes were made, and if the separate organizations could now get together, Mr Wills said, the British light- aircraft movement could begin to expand to a reasonable level. MoA representatives had indicated that they would welcome the formation of a single representative body, to whom the Ministry would delegate as much responsibility as possible. Mirage Setbacks The first flight of the Dassault Mirage HIV VTOL tactical aircraft, originally expected to take place next month, has been delayed and is now not likely until the spring. Primary causes of the delay are believed to be installation problems with the hit engines and development snags with the propulsion engine. M Pierre Messmer, the French Defeu# Minister, has been quoted as saying that the Mirage IITVs will cost $8m per aircran —six times more than that of the Mirage HIE strike fighter. "Therefore/' he added, "we will not be building many." NF-104 Reaches 22| Miles An unofficial world altitude record.w conventional aeroplanes (taking oft unu their own power) was established eariie this month-Lockheed Aircraft do not a the date-by Maj R. W. Smith, US A> Force, flying an NF-104A. Operating tron
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