The Gisborne Herald IN WHICH IS INCORPORATED "THE TIMES". GISBORNE, FRIDAY, MARCH 24, 1950 BRITAIN’S JET AIRLINER PARADE

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23211, 24 March 1950, Page 4

The Gisborne Herald IN WHICH IS INCORPORATED "THE TIMES". GISBORNE, FRIDAY, MARCH 24, 1950 BRITAIN’S JET AIRLINER PARADE

r |''llE British aircraft industry, after years in the doldrums in the war’s aftermath, is lifting the world’s eyes skyward as the latest airliners burn up the air over Europe in a series of spectacular trial flights. The reward of years of intensive research and engineering triumph over disappointments, these straight jets, turbo-jets, giants and babies, represent Britain’s challenge to American predominance in Ihe Hold of eommcrcua! aircratt construction in the immediate post-war years. They are branding.the new air age of the jet airliner with the mark “-Made in Britain.” Soon many of these showroom models will be off to show the ting and themselves in almost every part of the world while they arc still supreme.

New Era In Air Travel

Star of Britain’s team of “flying salesmen” is the sleek Do Ilavilland four-jet Comet, the world’s fastest airliner and, still more important, the first jet passenger plane to prove itself. Its meteoric flights to Africa, Italy and Denmark are headline news that capture Hie imagination and open up a new era in air travel approaching sonic; speeds. The Comet’s dash to Australia in the near future may he even more startling, judging by the astonishing speeds in flights to date, halving the times of today’s planes on the same routes.

A fleet of 14 Comets, each costing £500,000, has been booked by British Overseas Airways Corporation for a London-Sydney express service, beginning in 1952. These 3(i-seatevs will speed over the 10,000-mile rente in 40 hours, including five hours for stops in Cairo. Karachi and Calcutta. Comets, too, will span the Pacific, British Pacific Airlines having ordered two 48-scater aircraft for its Vancouver-Hong Kong service.

Canada also is a contributor to the parade of jet .aircraft, making it a Commonwealth rather than just a British affair. The four-motor Jetliner, built by A. V. Roe, an offspring of the pioneer British company, is to be given trials in both the United States and Canada and later will cross the Atlantic for the September show of the Society of British Aircraft Constructors. It will fly to Australia, where Trans-Australia Airlines will test it. three months on freight routes. Several of these 450-milc-an-hour aircraft, have been already ordered and the line will probably be the first to operate a jet plane regularly on a commercial route.

Shadow That Runs Ahead

The second version of the Vickers Viscount, one of Britain’s new airliners powered by prop-jets, or airscrew-turbines, will also be given an outing over Europe this summer. This 40-seater medium range plane combines high speed with greater economy than can be gained by the straight jet. A smaller aircraft with airscrew turbines, which also joins the parade, is the Armstrong Whitworth Apollo. This is a 24-seater plane with four small turbine motors, and is rated as one of the most attractive planes in the European air today.

Among the orthodox piston motor planes on the wing is the Marathon, a 22-seater, for which the Handley Page Company lias an order for 40 on its books, and which is to fly to New Zealand. A new Marathon is soon to fly with prop-jet motors. Two oilier aircraft showing the British flag are the Hermes IV, due to take over 8.0.A.C.’s African services, and the sleek mediumrange Airspeed Ambassador. But the giant of the orthodox show planes of Britain is the Bristol Brabazon, the largest known civil land plane in the world. The big eight-motored Goliath is likely to fly the Atlantic this year. The Brabnzon is Ihe shadow that runs ahead. The real thing is the second version of the plane fitted with turbo-prop motors, which are already in an advanced stage of construction.