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Aviation History
1960
1960 - 1444.PDF
288 FLIGHT,26 August 1960 FORMULA FOR THE FUTURE? In model form is seen the newest version of the Griffith supersonic VTO airliner, with shock-body in the extenaed nose. Dr A. A. Griffith—whose retirement from Rolls-Royce is announced below—originally conceived the project ten years ago Dr A. A. Griffith v-. FROM ALL QUARTERS . Dr Griffith Retires AFTER 21 years' service with Rolls-Royce Ltd, Dr A. A. Griffith,CBE, DEng, FRS, chief scientist to the company, has retired. He will continue as a consultant.The following are extracts from an appreciation written by Dr Griffith's colleague, Mr A. A. Rubbra, technical director ofRolls-Royce (the two men have more in common than their initials): "Fromvery early in his career Dr Griffith was an advocate of the gas turbine enginefor aircraft. At the Royal Aircraft Establishment, while still in histwenties, he studied the then new science of aerofoils and formulated newtheories of compressor and turbine design. In 1926, on the basis of thesetheories, he proposed a gas turbine engine which he claimed would belighter, smaller and more efficient than piston engines for aircraft. "Dr Griffith's proposal—unlike thatof Sir Frank Whittle, whose work on jet propulsion began in 1928—wasbased on the axial type of compressor. Both men were right; Whittle's simpler centrifugal compressorenabled quicker development of the jet engine in the short run, but Griffith's belief in the superior efficiency of the axial type isvindicated by its subsequent adoption throughout the world. "Dr Griffith's best-known proposals have stemmed from hisbelief in the possibilities of the axial engine. He led the company's first investigations of gas turbines—then known as 'internal com-bustion turbines'—during the early years of the Second World War. It was a technical memorandum prepared by him in 1945which was the basis of the Avon engine, the first Rolls-Royce jet with an axial compressor. . . . "In 1941—before the first British jet aircraft had even flown—he had foretold the development of vertical take-off based on the high power-to-weight ratios which he knew were possible withthe axial engine. The Flying Bedstead and the Short SC.l are successive stages in the development of his idea. The company'spresent unique experience of lightweight engines for jet lift, in which an increasing interest is being shown all over the world, owesmuch to Dr Griffith's initiative. The supersonic jet-lift airliner which he first proposed nearly ten years ago now seems far lessincredible than it did to many then. ... "Dr Griffith has always avoided any sort of public recognitionof his work. He is of a naturally retiring disposition, although with those who know him well he has a dry sense of humourwhich finds the weak point in an argument with unerring accur- acy. He talks about his work very little. There are very fewpeople able to keep up with his reasoning, and nearly all his work has been secret, precluding public discussion. This is why hegave no lectures or papers. By the time a subject could be aired publicly it was—by his standards—out of date and of little furtherinterest. Despite his avoidance of publicity, his work was recog- nized by Fellowship of the Royal Society in 1941, by a CBE in1948, and by the award of the Silver Medal of the Royal Aero- nautical Society in 1955." U-2 Trial Evidence AS recorded on page 286, the American U-2 pilot Francis Powerswas sentenced in Moscow on August 19 to ten years' imprison- ment. Below are given various points of technical interest whichemerged during his trial. In his answers to the Public Prosecutor, Powers said he setout from Peshawar at about 0630hr on May 1. He flew at his maximum height, which was about 68,000ft. Before he wasshot down near Sverdlovsk, he had flown about 1,200 miles above Soviet territory for three or three-and-a-half hours. "I was toldit was absolutely safe and at such an altitude I would not be shot down." His machine carried equipment in the tail which dis-torted radar signals. It had a downward-pointing periscope which enabled the pilot to see aircraft beneath him. Describing the route, Powers said that one of the points overwhich he had to fly was east of the Aral Sea; another, nonh-west of Chelyabinsk; others, before and after the city of Kirov. Hewas to land at Bod0 in Norway. Powers said that after training in the US he had been sentto Detachment 10-10 at Adana. Its task was primarily to collect information along the borders of the Soviet Union, and alsoto carry out weather research and take samples of air radio- activity. The detachment was under military command but mostof its personnel were civilians. He said he could not say whether NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) hadany relation to "10-10." His flight on May 1 had been undertaken in accordance witha contract he had signed with the US Central Intelligence Agency. He gave his altitude when the aircraft was hit as 68,000ft,though he said he had no idea what had shot him down. A report from the rocket commander near Sverdlovsk was read, statingthat a rocket had been launched and had destroyed its target. Powers said he attempted to eject, but the ejection seat failed.At 30,000ft he released the canopy; g forces threw him half out of the aircraft, but he had forgotten to disconnect his oxygenequipment. He got out at 14,000ft, his parachute opening automatically. Points from evidence by Soviet experts revealed that (a) therewere no identification markings on the aircraft; (b) from an examination of negatives, it was estimated that photographs hadbeen taken from a height of between 65,600ft and 68,900ft and covered an area from the north of the Soviet border withAfghanistan to the vicinity of Sverdlovsk; (c) aerials on the air- craft were capable of picking up four different wavebands andthe receivers could pick up various sorts of radar signals, an analysis of signals registered by a tape recorder in the U-2 show-ing that they belonged to Soviet anti-aircraft radar stations, long- range spotting and fighter direction radars; and (d) the U-2contained enough explosive—about 31b of hexogen—to destroy the aircraft and its equipment. A photographic expert said theU-2 had a special wide-angle camera of the 73-B type. It could photograph a strip of territory about 100-125 miles wide. Other specialist witnesses referred to documents whichincluded (a) pans of the map on which were marked the route from Peshawar to Norway, and points over the Soviet Unionwhere Powers was to switch on his reconnaissance equipment (the flight was to be made at an average speed of 470 m.p.h.);and (b) Powers' logbook, with entries made during the flight, a chart with a weather forecast, and reserve charts in case ofdeviation from the route or a forced landing. "FLIGHT" AND THE FARNBOROUGH SHOW ; Next Friday onwards—three special numbers. Demand for these Show issues is always heavy, so advanced orders to newsagents are advised. The greatly enlarged Septem- ber 2 issue will sell at 2s 6d, the other two at the normal price of Is 6d. September 2: "Britain's Aircraft Industry." A detailed, speciallyillustrated review of British aircraft, missiles, engines and components, including a quick-reference directory to the products of several hundredfirms. September 9: "Farnborough Report." A first-hand report on *•* aircraft and flying demonstrations at the opening of the Show. September 16: "Farnborough Review." The rest of the Show-week news and pictures, with a detailed survey of technical progress. Regular features will appear in this and the other two issues.
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