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Aviation History
1951
1951 - 0884.PDF
PLIGHT, II May 1951 553 Britain's Turbine Aircraft Their Development and Present Status IN surveying the numerous types of British aircraft which,during the past ten years, have flown wholly or partlywith turbine power, it is expedient to segregate them under the headings of research, military and civil. This will facilitate the tracing of their progress and give a clearer view of the present scene. It will be noted that in the research and development field Britain has pursued a courageous course in constructing air- craft of unorthodox configurations, though with some regret it must be recorded that none of these has yet achieved sonic speed in level flight. Nevertheless, that we should already be flying three different aircraft of delta form is reassuring evidence of forward thinking. The military picture is to some degree clouded by the changeful conditions of rearmament. In certain classes we may be at some disadvantage (e.g. there is as yet no multi- seat, multi-jet, all-weather fighter in this country to match the Avro Canada Canuck); but there is no reason to doubt that secret types now under construction or development will render full value for the research effort which has paved their way. The English Electric Canberra—accorded the signal honour of-being adopted by the U.S. Air Force—gives a fore- taste of the qualities which'are being built into our new four-jet bombers. On the civil side the picture is especially bright. The de Havilland Comet is unchallenged and will continue so for a considerable period. It is the highest expression of British foresight, determination and technical skill. The qualities of the turboprop airliner—typified by the Vickers-Armstrongs Viscount, Armstrong Whitworth Apollo and Handley Page Hermes 5—are the envy of the world, and though hundreds of hours' flying have been amassed by these and similar air- craft in this country, the first American "Turbo-Liner" has only recently taken the air. The above facts are not set down in any spirit of bombast, or to belittle the efforts of other nations, but in token of the diligence with which the visions of F/Cdt. Frank Whittle have been transposed into reality by his own countrymen. Elsewhere in this issue some account is given of the tur- bine power plants of other nations and of aircraft in which they are installed. Among these machines is a swept-wing bomber, at present unique, but soon to be challenged by British four-jet machines designed for longer range and greater bomb capacity than the Canberra. Avro 7076 delta-wing research aircraft (Rolls-Royce Derwent), Comparative studies of Gloster £.28/39 (top) and Trent-Meteor. RESEARCH AIRCRAFT TOGICALLY under this heading (although the design was *-J based on intercepter requirements) comes the arche- type of all British turbine-powered aircraft—the Gloster- Whittle E.28/39. This historic little single-seater left the ground for short hops during taxying trials in April, 1941, but the first official flight was from Cranwell, at 7.40 p.m. on May 15th, 1941. The pilot was the late P. E. G. Sayer. Within a fortnight 10 hours' flying had been logged. Two E.28s were built and were flown with various power plants. The most powerful unit installed was the W.2/700, and with this a speed of 505 m.p.h. was recorded at 30,000ft. (Above) D.H.I08 and altitude-record Vampire. (Below) A.W.S2.
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