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Aviation History
1964
1964 - 0007.PDF
FLIGHT International, 2 January 1964 WORLD E W S Belfast First Might As these words went to press the first flight of the Short Belfast was being delayed only by a capricious wind. Slow-taxying trials were completed on Christmas Eve and fast runs during last Saturday and Sunday, the nosewheel being lifted off the runway for the first time. The aircraft was cleared and ready to fly, but an easterly wind was needed to allow take-off from Short's airfield at Queen's Island to be made clear of the City of Belfast. To avoid an approach across the city, the first flight was to terminate at Aldergrove. C-141 Makes First Flight Sixty years of aeronautical progress were fittingly, if coincidentally, marked on December 17, anniversary of the Wright brothers' first powered flight, by the maiden flight of the Lockheed C-141 StarLifter heavy logistic transport for the USAF. Latest four-jet leviathan to appear, the C-141, with an all-up weight of 316,6001b, is 422 times as heavy as the fully laden Wright Flyer; and its payload : range capa- bilities are such that, in terms of weight, it could lift about 42i fully-laden Flyers (some 32,OO01b) from a 6,000ft runway at San Francisco and deliver them direct to London in about 1 lhr. Both its span, 160ft, and length, 145ft, are greater than the dis- tance covered in the Wrights' first flight. Maximum payload capability of the C-141 is over 70,0001b and will be 96,0001b for the projected L-300 commercial version. It is indicative of Lockheed's hopes in the civil field that the aircraft is to be certifi- cated to both USAF and FAA require- ments. Civil certification is expected in 1965. Initial military orders are for 132 aircraft. Powered by four 21,0O0Ib-thrust P & W TF33-P-7 turbofans, the StarLifter is the work of the Lockheed-Georgia Co, of Marietta, from where chief engineering test pilot Leo Sullivan flew it for its 55min maiden flight. It is a state-of-the-art aero- plane involving no radical technical ad- vances, a fact reflected in its commendably short gestation period, only 32 months from go-ahead to first flight. BAC Rationalized A legal step towards the consolidation of British Aircraft Corporation Ltd—and the retirement of the famous names Bristol. English Electric, Hunting and Vickers- Armstrongs, as far as aircraft manufacture is concerned—was taken recently when Mr Justice Pennycuick in the Chancery Division confirmed reductions in the capital of these member or subsidiary companies of BAC. Yesterday, January 1, they emerged as (res- pectively) the Filton, Preston, Luton and Weybridge divisions of the Corporation. The Corporation has a separate Guided Weapons division. Australian Alouettes Three Sud Alouette Ills have been ordered by the Australian Government for communications work on the Woomera weapons range. This brings to 181 the number of Alouette Ills ordered and to 38 the number of countries using Alouettes of all types. - ,,; -. . v; . - Instrumentation for High-speed Flight "Instrumentation and Test Techniques for Manned High-speed Flight" is the subject of the third flight-test instrumenta- tion symposium to be held at the College of Aeronautics. Cranfield, during April 13-16, 1964. Contributions from six countries will include papers on the X-15 research aircraft and the Concorde super- sonic transport. Details are available from Mr M. A. Perry, Department of Flight, The College of Aeronautics, Cranfield, Bletchley, Bucks. Home for Christinas The two youngest pilots ever to make the England - Australia - England flight reached home for Christmas. Mr Charles Masefield, 23 years-old son of Mr Peter Masefield, managing director of Beagle, and Lord Trefgarne, also 23, landed at Gatwick on December 23. They had left Sydney on December 1, flying a 1936 D.H. Dragonfly which has recently been restored and was test flown at Sydney by Charles Masefield. The outward flight had been made in a Beagle Airedale they were de- livering. Evacuated from Djarkarta Decca Radar, Westland Aircraft and International Aeradio are the three British firms affected by the Government's request to suspend work on military contracts with Indonesia. About 50 employees and depen- dants of these companies were evacuated from Djarkarta just before Christmas. Decca engineers, together with others from International Aeradio, were setting up a defensive radar system. Most of the equipment had been delivered but it is reported that installation work was in- complete and the chain was not operational. Westland employees were concerned with the servicing of 18 Gannet ASW aircraft Second BAC One- Eleven is seen here making its first flight—on December (9, at Hum, as recorded last week. A number of subsequent flights have been made, and by the time this issue appears the air- craft should be based at Wisley, BAC's main flight test centre. Further de- tails of One-Eleven pro- gress are given on page 7
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