Air Pictorial 1956-12
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An excellent close-up of the tail gun position of a Polish air force Ilyushin IL-28 (N.A.T.O. code name "Butcher"). Normal armament is two power-operated 20-mm. cannon but this view suggests a single cannon mounting.
FOR THE FRENCH NAVY. Prototype Air-Fouga CM 170 M Magister is one of two ordered by the French naval air arm for deck-landing training evaluation. The air force CM 170 R is used for jet training - the original order for 195 has now been increased to 325.
WHILE attending the Battle of Britain display at R.A.F. Little Rissington, I saw a two-seat Fw 190 (writes our correspondent, J. Meadow, of Cheltenham). The R.A.F. officer in charge of the machine at the display informed me that it had been stored at Wroughton, an R.A.F. aerodrome near Swindon, since the war.
PODS AND PODDED. A McDonnell F3H-2N Demon powered by an afterburning-rated, 15,000-Ib. s.t. Allison J71 turbojet illustrates the extensive podding required to extend the range and fire power of this carrier-borne, U.S. Navy night fighter. Central cluster consists of two "king-size" drop tanks. Under each wing are two rocket-container pods. Under air intakes are four 20-mm. cannon.
DASSAULT ETENDARD IV, lightweight tactical fighter·bombers and "one-shot" bomber interceptors are growing in profusion and importance and to Avions Marcel Dassault goes the distinction of leading the field with half-a-dozen swept-wing and delta variations on a lightweight theme. In each case the fore part of the fuselage is basically the same. There are three deltas. the M.D.550-01, -02 and -03 or Mirage I, II and III (formerly called the Mystere Delta) and three swept-wing versions formerly called the Mystere XXII, XXIV and XXVI now renamed Etendard II, IV and VI. Each variant differs in powerplant and for basic role. The latest of the French lightweights to take to the air is the Etendard IV which is described as an interceptor and/or ground support fighter/bomber. The first of three prototypes, Etendard IV had its initial test flight at Melun-Villaroche on 24th July. The day previously the first Etendard II (side-by-side 2.425-lb. s.t. Turbomeca Gazibo turbojets) was test flown. Three prototypes each of the II (for French air force evaluation) and the yet-to-be-completed VI (N.A.T.O. trials) will be built. The VI will have two 4.250 Bristol Orpheus B.Or.2 turbojets.
First prototype Breguet Br. 1050 Alize (Trade-wind) is a three-seat, carrier-based anti-submarine "hunter-killer" in the same category as the Fairey Gannet. Developed from the Br. 960 Vultur, the Alize is now ready for initial flight trials. Power is a Rolls-Royce Dart RDa.6 (Mk. 510). Five pre-production and 100 Br. 1050s are on order. Radar is contained in the leading-edge bulges.
FLYGVAPNET J35 DRAKEN. Two of the three flight-prototype SAAB J35 Draken (Dragon) Single-seat jet interceptor "double-deltas" show external modifications including ventral wing fences on the outer panels and vertical surfaces forward of the fins. This triangular mounting contains radio antenna. In about three years' time the J35 will replace the British-built Hawker Hunters now used for metropolitan defence.
MYSTERIOUS "MADGE". First illustration of the elusive two-motor Soviet flying-boat N.A.T.O. code-named "Madge" and believed to be the Ber'yev Be-6. Several of these 2.000-h.p. ASh.73.powered flying-boats have been observed in civilian markings alongside Soviet-built GST licence-built Catalanas on Moscow's Khimki Reservoir. Estimated max. speed is 240 m.p.h. for an a.u.w. of 60,000 lb. A version with two Klimov VK-1 (Nene-type) turbojets Is reported to be the Be-8.
BIG BOOST for XB259, the first production Blackburn & General Aircraft Beverley C. Mk. I, (c/n. B. & G. 1002) during recent R.A.T.O.G. trials at Brough, E. Yorks, is supplied by ten Napier Scarab solid-fuel rocket units. Depending on load carried, the Beverley can be rocket-assisted by two, six or ten Scarabs. Using the maximum ten, with an a.u.w. of 135,000 lb. the unstick run is reduced to a mere 400 yards.
ORPHEUS-POWERED FIAT G.91. Resembling the F-86K Sabre which is being built at Fiat's Turin factory, the Flat G.91 is designed to the N.A.T.O. specification for a tactical light fighter - of the type pioneered by W. E. W. Petter's Folland Gnat. First flight of the G.91, with Capt. R. Bignamini at the controls, took place at Turin/Caselle on 9th August. Note the ribbon tail 'chute and the amidships, ventral air brake.
The 150th Vickers Viscount production model a Series 742 V.I.P. version, one of two (FAB-2100 and FAB-2101) destined for the Brazilian air force .
Этот XD823 использовался в операции "Grapple": в третьей части испытаний для сброса ядерного боеприпаса "Purple Granite", а в первых двух - для мониторинга.
As with all the R.A.F.'s V-bombers, the Vickers Valiant is finished a glossy white overall. The bomb aimer's cupola, flight-refuelling probe (in the nose) and fuel-jettisoning outlets (at wingtips) can be clearly seen in this photograph.
NORD 1405 GERFAUT II. Essentially a research delta the single-seat Nord 1405 Gerfaut II (Gerfalcon or Northern Falcon) has much in common with the Nord 1500 Griffon which was described in the April issue of Air Pictorial. They are complementary to one another, being designed to perfect the "one-shot" bomber interception theme. As evidence of the attempt to "get upstairs" quickly a recent unconfirmed report states that the Gerfaut II prototype reached 36,500 ft. from a standing start in 3 min. 2 sec. Designed by Jean Galtier, the Nord 1405 Gerfaut II is the progressive development of the Nord-SFECMAS 1402A Gerfaut IA which new for the first time on 15th January 1954. The Gerfaut lA became the first European jet aircraft to exceed Mach 1.0 in level flight on 3rd August of the same year. In its current form the Gerfaut II has been developed from the Nord 1402B Gerfaut IB. The present external shape differs particularly in respect of the wing plan form and the tailplane ; the former having blunt tips, and the latter likewise bul with the leading edge now extending to the fin leading edge. Also noticeable are the reheat vanes extending beyond the tail cone .
S.S. CONNIE. This helicopter's eye-view of the new Lockheed Model 1649A Super Star Constellation (N 1649) compared with an Australian QANTAS Model 1049H (VHEAM), one of the new convertible passenger/cargo Super Constellations. Note the "V" is missing in the wing registration.
EAST & WEST training types. The Tachihi R-52, also known as the Tachikawa R-52 appears with a new cowling shape. The original uncowled 130-h.p. Shinphu 2 radial is replaced by a 140-h.p. Lycoming O-290D flat-four which permits a cruising speed of 84 m.p.h. at an a.u.w. of 1.920 lb.
JORDAN VARSITY. Recently flown to Amman for the personal use of King Hussein and Queen Dina is this ex-R.A.F. Training Command Vickers Varsity T. Mk. 1 (ex-WF416). The ?80,000 worth of conversion to create VK-501 was undertaken at Blackbushe by Eagle Aviation Services, Ltd. Immediate external differences include the disposal of the ventral pannier, wing fences and twin D/F loops. The Royal Jordanian Air Force standard on the fin is new. Power is two Bristol Hercules 264s and crew in specially designed flight deck total four. The Varsity VK-501 replaces the severely damaged R.J.A.F. Marathon (also VK-501).
A photograph of the Carma VT-1 Weejet which was featured in silhouette form in the November issue.
Mock-up of the new Fairchild M-185, ten-seat, business executive jet transport. Three of these four-jet transports have been ordered for 1960 by the U.S. Continental Can Company. The M-185 will cruise at 550 m.p.h. up to 45,000 ft. altitude.
PIPER PA-24 COMANCHE. Following the lead set by naming the two-motor, four-seat PA-23 the Apache, the latest in the long line of Piper light aircraft is also named after a famous Red Indian tribe. Like the PA-23 the new PA-24 Comanche Is of all-metal construction and is intended to supersede the strut-braced, high-wing PA-21 Tri-Pacer - offering improved all-round performance and greater room for the pilot and three passengers. Some idea of the market which the PA-24 Comanche will share with the twln-engined PA·23 Apache can be gauged from last year's production figures. No fewer than 974 PA-20/PA-22 Pacer/Tri-Pacer and 291 Apaches were constructed and the turn-over this year is expected to be In the region of $20.000.000 - more than a million sterling. The first flight of the Comanche was on 23rd May 1956 some five years after the Tri-Pacer which the PA-24 is replacing on the Lock Haven, Penn. production lines. No performance figures or a detailed specification are available for publication. The power plant is the latest Lycoming flat-four to go into production, the 180-h.p . O-360. This four-cylinder, air-cooled engine also powers the new Beechcraft Model 95 which is now to be called the Travel Air.