Aeroplane – June 2018

AEROPLANE JULY 2018 http://www.aeroplanemonthly.com 3

NEWS AND

COMMENT

4 FROM THE EDITOR

6 NEWS

• Spitfi re PL983 fl ies again at Duxford


• Buchón ‘Yellow 7’ airborne


• Salis Corsair back in the air
  ...and the month’s other top aircraft
  preservation news
  16 NEWS SPECIAL
  The return of a P-47 Thunderbolt to
  UK skies
  19 HANGAR TALK
  Steve Slater’s comment on the
  historic aircraft world
  21 FLIGHT LINE
  Refl ections on aviation history with
  Denis J. Calvert

REGULARS

22 SKYWRITERS

24 Q&A

Your questions asked and answered

82 BRIEFING FILE

Under the skin of aviation technology

and tactics — this month, examining

the innovations that made the

Douglas DC-3 so successful

Contents

July 2018

102 REVIEWS

The latest aviation books in the

spotlight, plus a look ahead to the

Guild of Aviation Artists’ annual

exhibition

104 EVENTS

Reports from La Ferté-Alais,

Shuttleworth and Duxford, plus July’s

show dates

114 NEXT MONTH

FEATURES

28 HANOVER STREET B-25s

In part one of a two-part feature,

the daring ferry fl ight that proved,

‘Mitchells do fl y in IMC’

36 HANGAR 10 Bf 109s

Two ‘Gustavs’ fl y together over

Germany for the fi rst time in years

42 TRANS-ATLANTIC VAMPIRES

Behind the scenes with No 54

Squadron on one of the early jet

age’s most trailblazing exploits

50 P-51 TRUSTY RUSTY

Profi ling what will hopefully be a

2018 Flying Legends star

54 FARNBOROUGH SHOW AT 70

1948’s SBAC show in retrospect —

and personal highlights from seven

decades of displays at the Hampshire

airfi eld

68 BATTLE OF FRANCE DIARY

A Potez 63.11 reconnaissance pilot’s

vivid recollections of 1940

74 AEROPLANE MEETS...

TIM DAVIES

The man who brought Spitfi re

MH434 back to Britain

85 DATABASE:

FAIREY

ROTODYNE

A lost

opportunity,

or a dead

end? Bruce

Hales-

Dutton

assesses this

remarkable

British machine

111 AEROPLANE ARCHIVE:

CHRISLEA SUPER ACE

A British light aeroplane that could

never hope to live up to its name, no

matter how unusual it was

COVER IMAGE: Vickers VC10 prototype

G-ARTA making its public debut at the 1962

SBAC show, with the Hunters of No 92 Squadron’s

Blue Diamonds and the Lightnings of No 74

Squadron’s Tigers lined up behind.

AIRTEAMIMAGES.COM COLLECTION

28

36

42

74

68

50

See pages

26-27 for a great

subscription

offer

See pages

86 http://www.aeroplanemonthly.com (^) AEROPLANE JULY 2018
DEVELOPMENT FAIREY ROTODYNE
in the world. But although the Fairey Rotodyne was the most Iwas probably fi ve years ahead of any comparable aircraft under development anywhere t was hailed as the world’s fi rst true vertical take-off and landing airliner, a machine so advanced it
innovative British airliner since the de Havilland Comet and had the potential to revolutionise short-haul air travel, the sole prototype ended up on the scrapheap
was a generic one which the Fairey Aviation Company — literally — after the government got cold feet and withdrew funding. At fi rst the name ‘Rotodyne’
applied to a new kind of helicopter it claimed to have invented. In January 1949 the company sent the Ministry of Supply a brochure outlining its ideas for an aircraft, “which we
helicopter though it has all the characteristics of a helicopter.”Bennett, head of Fairey’s have termed a ‘Rotodyne’.” Fairey explained, “It is not a In a covering letter, James
rotorcraft division, said the company had evolved what it considered to be, “a satisfactory confi guration for a heavy-duty single-rotor rotorcraft”. Bennett added, “It
is thought that a rotorcraft of the size proposed, with twin turbine engines, will fulfi l the growing demand for a rotary-wing air transport.”The idea of aircraft operating
invention of the helicopter advanced it. After the Second between city centres to provide previously undreamed-of levels of mobility had been around since the 1930s. The
World War the availability of reliable and practical rotorcraft suggested it was just a matter of time before city-centre heliports would be available to support the creation of a
northern Europe.Airways inaugurated the world’s fi rst regular passenger network of air services linking towns and cities in the UK and In 1951 British European
helicopter services, between Cardiff and Liverpool and later, between Birmingham and London. It used Westland-built Sikorsky S-51s. The airline wanted to build on this
bigger and more commercially viable, and this led it to issue a specifi cation for a 30-40-seat ‘BEALine Bus’.experience using something
predicted that a machine able to carry 48 passengers over 250-mile (400km) sectors and The airline’s visionary chief executive, Peter Masefi eld,
cruising at 160mph (256km/h) could replace fi xed-wing aircraft on all but the longest domestic trunk routes. Masefi eld’s vision, revealed in a lecture to the Helicopter
1960s being served by just two fi xed-wing airports. Heathrow and Gatwick, he believed, could provide all the necessary Association of Great Britain, was of London in the late
capacity. The crucial point was that commercial helicopters had to be allowed to operate into city centres. If operations were banned on grounds of excessive noise, Masefi eld
the transport helicopter falls to the ground”. It was to be a prophetic remark.warned, “most of the case for In March 1951 the British
public received its fi rst intimation of what the Manchester Guardian“the large amount of secret called,
heralded in the report of an interdepartmental committee led by the Ministry of Civil work that is being devoted by British designers to new kinds of helicopter”. This was
Aviation. Also revealed was the committee’s disappointment with the helicopters produced so far by British companies. Most were considered too small to be viable public
carrying fare-paying passengers. reported details of a proposal transport vehicles and only one had been certifi cated for But the newspaper also
which represented “a departure from all previous types of moving wing machines”. At this stage of its evolution it was envisaged as carrying 23 passengers and
cruising at 135mph (216km/h). According to the Guardianbeen authorised to proceed with the preliminary , “The company has Manchester
development work involved in constructing this entirely novel machine.”the Rotodyne. The reasoning behind its planned operating This “novel machine” was
model was that, although it would be slower than a
Fairey’s vision of the future
1958 witnessed the Association Garden Surrey, on 3 June Rotodyne’s public The Helicopter Party at Ripley, debut.
AEROPLANE
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Fairey Rotodyne was the most in the world. But although the in the world. But although the Fairey Rotodyne was the most Iunder development anywhere under development anywhere of any comparable aircraft of any comparable aircraft was probably fi ve years ahead was probably fi ve years ahead was probably fi ve years ahead was probably fi ve years ahead t was hailed as the world’s machine so advanced it machine so advanced it and landing airliner, a and landing airliner, a fi rst true vertical take-off fi rst true vertical take-off t was hailed as the world’s
innovative British airliner since revolutionise short-haul air the de Havilland Comet and the de Havilland Comet and had the potential to had the potential to revolutionise short-haul air innovative British airliner since travel, the sole prototype travel, the sole prototype ended up on the scrapheap ended up on the scrapheap ended up on the scrapheap ended up on the scrapheap
Fairey Aviation Company was a generic one which the Fairey Aviation Company was a generic one which the withdrew funding. withdrew funding. At fi rst the name ‘Rotodyne’ At fi rst the name ‘Rotodyne’ — literally — after the government got cold feet and government got cold feet and — literally — after the
applied to a new kind of company sent the Ministry of helicopter it claimed to have helicopter it claimed to have invented. In January 1949 the invented. In January 1949 the company sent the Ministry of applied to a new kind of company sent the Ministry of company sent the Ministry of Supply a brochure outlining its Supply a brochure outlining its ideas for an aircraft, “which we ideas for an aircraft, “which we
characteristics of a helicopter.”Bennett, head of Fairey’s characteristics of a helicopter.”helicopter though it has all the helicopter though it has all the Bennett, head of Fairey’s have termed a ‘Rotodyne’.” Fairey explained, “It is not a In a covering letter, James In a covering letter, James Fairey explained, “It is not a have termed a ‘Rotodyne’.”
rotorcraft division, said the satisfactory confi guration for a company had evolved what it company had evolved what it considered to be, “a considered to be, “a rotorcraft division, said the satisfactory confi guration for a heavy-duty single-rotor heavy-duty single-rotor rotorcraft”. Bennett added, “It rotorcraft”. Bennett added, “It
is thought that a rotorcraft of turbine engines, will fulfi l the is thought that a rotorcraft of is thought that a rotorcraft of the size proposed, with twin the size proposed, with twin turbine engines, will fulfi l the is thought that a rotorcraft of growing demand for a growing demand for a rotary-wing air transport.”rotary-wing air transport.”The idea of aircraft operating The idea of aircraft operating
advanced it. After the Second invention of the helicopter invention of the helicopter invention of the helicopter advanced it. After the Second invention of the helicopter around since the 1930s. The around since the 1930s. The between city centres to provide previously undreamed-provide previously undreamed-of levels of mobility had been of levels of mobility had been between city centres to
World War the availability of of time before city-centre reliable and practical rotorcraft reliable and practical rotorcraft suggested it was just a matter suggested it was just a matter World War the availability of of time before city-centre heliports would be available to heliports would be available to support the creation of a support the creation of a
Airways inaugurated the northern Europe.world’s fi rst regular passenger Airways inaugurated the northern Europe.northern Europe.northern Europe.world’s fi rst regular passenger In 1951 British European In 1951 British European network of air services linking towns and cities in the UK and towns and cities in the UK and network of air services linking
helicopter services, between London. It used Westland-built Cardiff and Liverpool and later, Cardiff and Liverpool and later, between Birmingham and between Birmingham and helicopter services, between London. It used Westland-built Sikorsky S-51s. The airline Sikorsky S-51s. The airline wanted to build on this wanted to build on this
bigger and more commercially bigger and more commercially viable, and this led it to issue a viable, and this led it to issue a specifi cation for a 30-40-seat specifi cation for a 30-40-seat ‘BEALine Bus’.‘BEALine Bus’.experience using something experience using something
Fairey’s vision of the futureFairey’s vision of the futureFairey’s vision of the futureFairey’s vision of the futureFairey’s vision of the futureFairey’s vision of the future
Development
Technical Details
Flight Testing
Cancellation
Insights
Development
Technical Details
Flight Testing
Cancellation
Insights
AEROPLANE JULY 2018 (^) http://www.aeroplanemonthly.com 85
DATADATABASEBASE
ROTODYNEFAIREY
●● ●Killed off before its time, or an inevitable demise?Fairey’s vision of the city-to-city transport future Test pilot Ron Gellatly on fl ying the Rotodyne
WORDS: BRUCE HALES-DUTTON
DATA (^16) IN-DEPTH PAGES BASE
FAIREY
(^16) IN-DPAGESEPTH
MAIN PICTURE: XE521 captured air-to-air during the 1959 SBAC TOP: The sole fl ying Fairey Rotodyne prototype, XE521.CHRIS SANDHAM-BAILEY
display at Farnborough. AEROPLANE
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