BRITISH “FLYING WING” TESTS POINTS WAY TO FUTURE AIRCRAFT DESIGN

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22513, 17 December 1947, Page 7

BRITISH “FLYING WING” TESTS POINTS WAY TO FUTURE AIRCRAFT DESIGN

(11 a.m.) LONDON, Dec. 16. Although designers until now have relied principally on wind tunnels to carry out tests on new aircraft designs, the Ministry of Supply in future intended to build research aircraft of whatever design it wanted to provide new knowledge, said the Ministry’s chief scientist, Sir Ben Lockspeiser.

He was speaking after a demonstration flight by the new Armstrong Whitworth “Flying Wing” which, he said, was the first fruit of this policy. “There are several other aeroplanes being built of very novel types which will be seen in due course,” he said. “We think we can put British aeronautical development and research right in the forefront.” The “Flying Wing” which has two Rolls Royce jet engines, Is reported to be capable of a cruising speed of 400 miles an hour and a maximum speed of 500 miles an hour.

Both the joint Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Supply, Mr. J. Freeman and the chief Sir Ben Lockspeiser, predicted at the demonstration flight of the “Flying Wing” that the plane brought the aeronautical industry to the verge of great developments and heralded a radical departure in the future design of aircraft, military and civil. The chief designer of Armstrong Whitworth Aircraft, Limited, Mr. J. Lloyd, said the all-wing aircraft, with its reduced “drag” and structure weight indicated the obvious direction oC tire development in high-speed economical air transport.

One objection of large all-wing aircraft was the absence of view for the passengers. For that reason, large flyingTvings would probably be used for long-range night services or as mail carriers and express freighters. The plane in flight belies its unwieldly appearance on the ground. Its pilot, Squadron Leader E. G. Franlding, described it as . easy to

handle. The “Flying Wing” in a demonstration flight, needed only a short take-off and climbed quickly. A comparison with an orthodox fourengined aircraft which was in the air at the same time emphasised the grace of the “Flying Wing” which, during two steep banking turns, looked like a gull floating into the wind. It landed with the same ease as it took off.