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Aviation History
1964
1964 - 1027.PDF
580 LETTERS . . . much manhandling a second attempt, this time from a short stretch of beach, was successful. Thus, in the company of the Spitfires (its undercarriage was the only indication that it came from the same designer) the Walrus provided almost two years of flying for the ground crews before being sold again. Its flying career was then over and it passed into the hands of a scrap firm at Thame. Perhaps the scrap yield of the Walrus was low, or perhaps its spirit of survival was high, because it was never completely reduced. The fact that it was a metal Mk 1, and not a wooden-hulled Mk II, normally helped. At Thame, in the open, the Historic Aircraft Preservation Society found it last year. But the problems of restoration are many: the aircraft has virtually to be rebuilt, and spares are scarce; luckily, many of the components required have been traced, some as far away as New Guinea and Australia. Other parts have been specially fabricated. The actual rebuilding is being undertaken by apprentices at RNAS Arbroath in their spare time and, like the museum now being established at RNAS Yeovilton, from non-public funds. Given the support that such projects deserve, this much- travelled Shagbat will take its place next summer in the new museum, resplendent in the FAA colours originally intended for it 25 years ago. South Ruislip, Middx D. M. MACCARRON A Buzz About Numbers SIR,—Your recent investigation (March 12) of the Lock- heed A-ll was most interesting, but omitted a clue which I think is of interest. Although the designation is A-ll, which might be read as the eleventh attack type, the "buzz letters" "FX" indicate & fighter type and model. This buzz letter group is one that does not seem to have been used before (e.g., FE = F-47 and F-106A; FA = F-94 and F-5A; FW = F-100A; FY = F-95/-93A). A previous A-ll (Consolidated, 1935) was a two-seat tandem attack aircraft and had a performance "far advanced over its contemporaries." London, W3 PETER BERRY [The "buzz number" of the A-ll photographed on the ground, depicted in our March 12 issue, was FX-934, the US Air Force serial number being 60-06934. The aircraft in the air-to-air view, depicted in our March 5 issue, is not the same A-ll des- pite the fact that it was photographed bearing the same num- bers. The latter had apparently been applied in the form of light-coloured stick-on panels of the type used by airlines which share common aircraft. A-ll is a Lockheed company designation.—Ed] Small Airports and Town Planning: SIR,—Over the last two years I have been conducting re- search into the more efficient use of the small airport (i.e., with runways of up to 5,000ft) with a view to making the findings available in the form of a town planning study. So far, the information I have gained indicates that everything in the field is being sacrificed for the use of large jets at the intercontinental airports in Great Britain, and that there is a very great need for small airfields with navigational aids and all-weather runways near large centres of population. Research also indicates that with the population "explo- sion" taking place the call on land for new and expanded towns will be extremely high (vide the South-East Study) and that a very good case will have to be made out for any air- field if it is to survive with the urban framework. Yet it is very important that it should do so with the in- creasing amount of traffic on the roads, the diminishing rail- ways, and helicopters some way from economic operation. It would also appear that executive aircraft cannot be used to the full as the airfields that could be of use cannot be made operational to their full annual extent, owing to lack of navigational aids and hard runways. I would be very grateful if Flight International readers could help me in further research into this problem. FLIGHT International, 9 April 1964 I hope to be visiting New York during the first week in May and should be interested to contact anyone there who may have information as to how the small or "in-town" airport is run in the United States. The Tower, 9 Military Rd, Hilsea, Portsmouth DONALD S. DAWSON Peruvian 990A SIR,—Further to Mr Dennis Powell's letter (February 6 issue), the Convair 990A operated by Aerolineas Peruanas is leased from Frederick B. Ayer and Associates of New York. This organization purchased the aircraft from General Dynamics for $6.5m—including spares. The airline has an option to purchase the aircraft, registered OB-OAG, after seven years. Thus of the 37 Convair 990 aircraft completed—13 more were to have been built for Howard Hughes—two are still available, and according to reports appearing in Flight International, United Arab Airlines are negotiating for these. Dorval, Quebec PETER F. MARSHALL Hailing: from Hibernia SIR,—It's a terrible thing to read on St Patrick's Day that Lough and the prefix Me are Scottish ("Straight and Level," March 12). Let's settle for saying the US aircraft industry is in the hands of the Celts. Anyhow, after a few generations we're practically indistinguishable from the natives. Brough, E. Yorks J. G. BURNS, Hawker Blackburn Division, Hawker Siddeley Aviation Ltd I N BRI EF Mr J. F. Godwin, of 8 Argyll Way, Stamford, Lines, is writing the story of the Australian aviator Raymond Parer, and of Geoffrey Hemsworth, Parer's co-pilot in the Mel- bourne Centenary Air Race of 1934. He appeals for per- sonal reminiscences of these two men, together with any photographs readers may have. All letters, adds Mr Godwin, will be acknowledged and photographs returned. FORTHCOMING EVENTS RAeS: "Solid-propellant Rockets: Present Techniques and Problems," by Dr W. R. Maxwell. RAeS London Airport Branch: "Organization of World Championship Gliding," by Ann Welch. Aslib: Aeronautical and Chemical Groups'1 annual conference, College of Aeronautics, Cranfield. Tiger Club and McAully Flying Group: McAully Trophy aerobatic contest, Little Snoring. Herts and Essex Aero Club: Breakfast Patrol, Staple ford Tawney. RAeS Glasgow Branch: "Supersonic Transport," by A. L. Courtney; and a.g.m. College of Aeronautics: Third International Flight Test Instrumentation Symposium. RAeS Astronautics and Guided Flight Section: "Electrodynamics of the Sergeant Missile System," by M. D. Lock wood. RAeS Boscombe Down Branch: "The Invention of the Practical Aeroplane," by C. H. Gibbs-Smith. RAeS Luton Branch: "Tyres, Brakes and Suspension" by G. Jones; and film, " Your Petrol Today." RAeS Hatfield Branch: Main Lecture, Halford Memorial Lecture, "25 years of Development in Aircraft Structures" by R. Harper. Kronfeld Club: Official opening of new club. RAeS Coventry Branch: Discussion, "Reliability of Electronic Equipment." RAeS Merthyr and Treforest Branch: "Aviation Medicine," by Dr Buchanan. RAeS Prestwick Branch: a.g.m. Women's Engineering Society: "Air Traffic Control" by a London Airport traffic control officer. RAeS Test Pilots' Group: Inaugural lecture, "The Role of the Test Pilot," by A. W. Bedford. RAeS Gloucester and Cheltenham Branch: a.g.m. April April 9 9 April 9-11 April 11-12 April April 12 13 April 13-16 April April April April April April April April April April April 14 14 14 15 15 15 15 15 16 16 16
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