MANNED ROCKETS FOR WAR

Press, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 27211, 1 December 1953, Page 11

MANNED ROCKETS FOR WAR

Forecast Of Use In Britain’s Defence LONDON, November 29. Rocket ships flying vertically into space with the pilot lying prone in the nose will be part, of Britain’s air defence in future, says an article in the current issue of the Royal Air Force “Flying Review,” which says the information does not come from official sources. It says rocket ships will travel at more than twice the speed of sound and will be able to reach an enemy bomber flying at 50,000 feet in less than a minute.

Once there, the pilot would only have another minute or so to make two attacks. But that would be enough, for the craft would be able to carry up to 32 radar-guided rockets which would be fired in salvoes of 16. In an emergency, the pilot could explode the ship and parachute to earth. The pressurised nose section could be driven away from the rocket motor section by an explosive cartridge.

The nose section would be lowered by parachute to a height where air pressure was safe, and the pilot could escape by another parachue through a special hatch. The article says a rocket ship is not a plane, as the air does not give lift. But it does have wings in which the explosive rockets are carried. The wings also allow it to glide, and give the pilot some measure of control.

A manned rocket has several advantages over a guided missile. Although it would be mostly radar-con-trolled, the pilot would be able to take over if the enemy interferred with the radio waves.

It could be used again and again and could make at least two attacks while in flight. It could be operated from mobile launches.

The military correspondent of the “Daily Herald” says: “So far, there is no indication that such a rocket has been built, but at Woomera a similar rocket without a human pilot has been launched successfully.”