1132 MILES AN HOUR BY BRITISH PLANE

Press, Volume XCIII, Issue 27916, 13 March 1956, Page 13

1132 MILES AN HOUR BY BRITISH PLANE

(Rec. 11.30 p.m.)

LONDON, March 12.

Test pilot Peter Twiss broke the world’s air speed record yesterday in a dart-like British Fairey Delta II jet aircraft. He flew at an average speed of 1132 miles an hour over an official test course near Chichesterford, Sussex, at a height of 38,000 ft. His feat put Britain back in the lead for high-speed flying and was lauded in Britain’s national newspapers today, although the record must be officially confirmed. “It was a smooth ride. This is fairly routine stuff,” said Twiss afterwards. , “The Fairey Delta has been flying above 1000 miles an hour since January.’ Including Saturday’s submitted flight, I have done 16 flights in the Delta II at that sort of speed.”

Twiss said that for the recordbreaking flight he wore no special equipment—just an oxygen mask and overalls over flannel trousers. “I was sweating a bit, working quite hard to keep.the plane level. It was rather warm in the small cockpit. “It’s quite comfortable at more than 1000 miles an hour for only a few moments. But I think there would be problems if that speed were maintained for 20 minutes or more,” he said. The previous world air sneed record was 822.135 miles an hour (about mach 1.25) established by Colonel Horace A. Hanes, United States Air Force, in a North Atnerican F-100C Super Sabre, over an 11-mile course at Mojave Desert, California, flying at 40,000 feet, on AugUst 20, 1955. Twis flew twice over a 15 to 25 kilometre course at speeds of 1117 miles an hour and 1147 miles an hour. In October, 1954, he was the first man to fly the Fairey Delta 11, known as the “Droop Snoot.” Later the aircraft exceeded supersonic speed in level flight. The company then said that the

type was one of the most advanced research aircraft yet built in Britain. It has beep said to exceed the speed of sound when climbing. The aircraft has 60deg. swept-back wings and a hinged nose which can be lowered into a drooping position to give better landing and taxi-ing vision. The delta-shaped, needle-nosed F.D. II was the star attraction at last year’s Farnborough air show. Its large control surfaces and conventional upright rudder have been said to make a considerable contribution to the problems of keeping the aircraft in hand at great speed and height. The Delta 11, which looks like a slim dart —its wing span is only 26ft —was built under a Ministry of Supply contract to investigate the characteristics of flight and control at transsonic and supersonic speed in level flight. It is powered by a Rolls Royce Avon engine equipped with “reheat” system. The aircraft is a single-seater midwing Delta design with all-metal construction. Although the wing section is very thin, the three-wheel undercarriage can be completely retracted. Twiss, aged 35, holds the Distinguished Service Cross and bar. and is a former naval night fighter pilot. He

has been a test pilot for the Fairey Aviation Company since 1946. Twiss joined the Naval Air Arm in 1939 and served in catapult ships and aircraft-carriers. He was awarded the D.S.C. in June. 1942. for service in escorting a convoy to Malta; the bar was won in the invasion of North Africa.

The F.D. II is the first aircraft to exceed 1000 miles an hour over a measured course and in straight and level flight under conditions recognised by the Federation Aeronautique Internationale for a world speed record.

At the seventeenth-century inn in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, where he lives with his wife, Vera, and their 18-month-old daughter. Sarah, Twiss said: “This is fairly routine stuff.”

“From my experience. I would say that it is certainly practicable for passenger aircraft and fighters to fly at these great speeds. There is no reason why human beings should not fly even faster.” he said. Mrs Twiss was asked if she worried when her husband was in the air. “It is something you have to get used to. and now I don’t really worry at all.” she said. Britain last held the world air speed record in 1953. when Lieutenant-Com-mander Mike Lithgow flew a Supermarine Swift over the Libyan desert at 735.7 miles an hour.