special ed
2nd Lieutenant
- 5,731
- May 13, 2018
What is the history & details of the privately entered D.H. Hornet & F-82?Righto then, time for more from the RAF Museum. We begin with a touch of exoticism that relates to a thread on the forum at the moment, that of combined propulsion, with the Napier double Scorpion bipropellant rocket motor. Developed as a family of rocket motors with HTP (High Test Peroxide, hydrogen peroxide H2O2) as an oxidiser and kerosene as fuel, Napier's Scorpions came in three varieties that were based on the number of thrust chambers each had. The individual Scorpion NSc.1 thrust chamber produced a thrust of 8,000 lbs, with the Double Scorpion being developed simultaneous to the single chamber variant, achieving double the output, naturally. A description of the workings of the motor:
"Fuel and oxidiser were pumped by a single shaft turbo-pump driven by super-heated steam, generated by catalysing HTP. Engine starting was achieved by an electric pump supplying HTP to the turbo-pump decomposition chamber. Once started, a bleed off the turbo-pump oxidiser outlet fed the turbo-pump decomposition chamber to maintain flow of fuel and oxidiser. Due to the single-shaft turbo-pump operating both fuel and oxidiser pumps, flow of fuel and oxidiser were automatically maintained at the correct ratio. The Kerosene fuel is ignited thermally by the super-heated steam from HTP, decomposed by passing over a catalyst in a decomposition chamber, which is injected simultaneously into the combustion chamber.
First run on 19 May 1956, the N.Sc.1 Scorpion was also fired in the air on the following day, mounted in the bomb-bay of an English Electric Canberra B.2."
From here: Napier Scorpion - Wikipedia
The Double Scorpion was also trialed aboard Canberras and on 28 August 1957 B.2 WK163, the Armstrong Siddeley Viper test aircraft reached an altitude of 70,310 feet with a Double Scorpion mounted in its bomb bay, achieving a world altitude record.
It's worth noting at this stage the use of HTP, or T-stoff to the Germans. As we know, the Walther Werke at Hamburg pioneered the use of this rather volatile liquid as a form of rocket propulsion, most notably in the Messerschmitt Me 163 Komet rocket powered fighter. After the war, Walther's research and scientists went to Britain in a mini version of Werner von Braun and his engineers heading to the USA, and work was begun in investigating the potential of T-stoff as a rocket propellant for future British rocketry projects. At the Rocket Research Establishment at RAF Westcott, Bucks a series of HTP fuelled engines were developed and given the Greek alphabet as code names, which were built by different companies and with different power outputs, such as the Armstrong Siddeley Gamma motors that powered the Black Knight sounding rocket. It's interesting to note that initially the British retained the use of T-stoff as a descriptive term for HTP and its motors' fuel conduit lines were labelled and colour coded as such. The work done at Westcott to other manufacturers such as de Havilland and Napier producing HTP powered motors, and so the Scorpion was born at Luton. Note in the picture the colour coding of the rigid conduits of red and yellow, the former kerosene and the latter HTP.
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Appropriately, the Double Scorpion is placed next to the museum's Canberra, PR.3 reconnaissance variant WE139. This particular aircraft won what has been billed as the "Last Great Air Race", the 1953 London to Christchurch International Air Race. Conceived in New Zealand by the Canterbury International Air Race Council as a means of commemorating Christchurch Airport's international status, the air race began at London Heathrow and initially there were 18 aircraft from six different countries that had entered, although by race day, 8 October 1953 only eight aircraft from four countries departed.
The object of the race was in the words of the official brochure for the race "to further the interests of international goodwill and understanding, by bringing all countries into closer relationship through friendly competition." We could definitely do with one of these right now, I reckon... Other objectives were to enable Britain to show its aeronautical prowess to the world and for New Zealanders' horizons to be broadened.
The race was divided into two sections, the Speed Section and the Handicap Section, of which the winner of the Speed Section was to receive the Harewood Gold Cup (Christchurch airport was formerly RNZAF Base Harewood), the trophy being made from New Zealand gold and pounamu (jade or greenstone as it's called here, coz we're simple, it's green and its stone) and native Rata wood. The winner of the Handicap Section received 10,000 pounds prize money.
On the side of the Canberra's nose is a marking depicting the route taken by the aircraft, London to Basra (Shaibah, to which the jet established a world speed record), then to Ratmalana, Ceylon, then the Cocos Islands in the Indian Ocean onto Perth, Western Australia before departing for Christchurch. The Canberra flew a distance of 12,720 miles, achieving that in 23 hours and 51 minutes. Its pilot was Flt Lt Roland 'Monty' Burton and the navigator was Flt Lt Don Gannon, whose names appear on the marking.
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The other race entrants were a motley lot, including the official, two RAAF Canberra B.20s, two RAF Canberra PR.3s and a PR.7 and a Vickers Valiant, Royal Danish Air Force F-84G Thunderjet and RNZAF Handley Page Hastings, through the adventurous, a British European Airways Vickers Viscount, a KLM Douglas DC-6, which was flying a load of migrants to New Zealand from the Netherlands, to the ambitious, two de Havilland Mosquitoes, a de Havilland Hornet, a P-51 Mustang and an F-82 Twin-Mustang, to name a few of the privately flown types.
Of those, three RAF and two RAAF Canberras, the RNZAF Hastings, the BEA Viscount and the KLM DC-6 were the only participants that took off from Heathrow. Of these, all but the RNZAF Hastings reached Christchurch, this suffered engine issues at Ceylon and retired from the race. Winner of the Handicap Section was the Viscount, completing the race in 44 hours, 29 minutes, with the DC-6 second. After the race, the five Canberras that took part flew around RNZAF bases and gave public demonstrations, then they left for Melbourne, Australia, where the RAAF Canberras were built, and did the same.
WE139 faithfully served with the RAF until 1969, with 39 and 69 Sqns, being retired in 1969, making its last flight to RAF Henlow, where it was placed in store. Henlow was of course the storehouse for the museum's exhibits before a site was found and once Hendon had been completed the aircraft was delivered by road in 1971, being on display on the museum's official opening a year later. It has sat in the Historic Hangars since then.
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Next, another post-war British classic, a Gloster Meteor, or to be precise, Armstrong Whitworth built Meteor F.8 WH301. The F.8 variant was the most prolific of the Meat Box variants, with 1,183 built and represented the premier day fighter of the marque. By the time it first entered service it was rendered passe by the likes of the MiG-15 and F-86 Sabre. This one led a relatively typical, hum drum service career. Built in late 1951 WH301 first went to the Day Fighter's Leader School at RAF West Raynham for four years before going to 609 (West Riding) Sqn, Royal Auxiliary Air Force based at RAF Church Fenton, Yorks. For the next three years it served with the RAF Flying College at RAF Manby, then went to 85 Sqn at RAF Binbrook in 1965. While it was at Manby it suffered two Cat 3R accidents, which warranted overhaul and repair by MUs. It made its final flight in November 1965 at RAF Kemble, where it was dismantled and sent by road to Henlow two years later. Remaining in store at Henlow, it wasn't transferred to Hendon until 1978 and has been, like the Canberra on constant display in the hangars since then. WH301 from the rear showing its 609 (West Riding) Sqn roundel bars. A Rolls-Royce Derwent, the aircraft's engine type is visible in the image.
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Directly opposite the Meat Box, an example of its comrade-in-arms, the de Havilland Vampire. Britain's second jet fighter, the Vampire was of mixed construction and while comprising all metal wings, rear fuselage and tail booms, the forward fuselage pod was made of wood in the same fashion as the de Havilland Mosquito. Although a very early example of a jet fighter, the Vampire was known as being very manoeuvrable and was an excellent close-in dog fighter, one of the finest of its generation. Its wartime heritage did mean that it was relatively unsophisticated, but it served for a long time, well after it had been overtaken in technology and performance, providing many smaller air forces around the world with their first experiences with jet propulsion.
Like the Meat Box we've just seen, this particular aircraft, F.3 VT812 led a common existence, being built by English Electric at Preston in late 1947. It began its service career with 32 Sqn at RAF Nicosia, Cyprus in 1948 before returning to the UK two years later. Over the following few years it served with 601 (County of London), 602 (City of Glasgow) and 604 (County of Glamorgan) Sqns, RAuxAF. It made its last flight in November 1953 with 602 Sqn to Hawarden, where it went into storage. Two years later it became a ground instructional airframe at RAF Cardington before being transferred to RAF Colerne as part of the station museum. When that station closed in 1976 it was moved to Cosford for display, before being brought to Hendon in July 1978. It has since undergone a major overhaul, as it was suffering corrosion, with its wooden pod being completely refurbished by Sky Sport Engineering. It wears the markings of 601 Sqn.
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Finally for today, one of the great World War Two fighters and a rare survivor, Hawker Tempest V NV778. The Tempest's lineage is well known and has its roots with the Hawker Fury biplane fighter of the early to mid 1930s, through the Hurricane, Tornado and Typhoon; the Hawker piston-engined fighter stable is one of the great marques in history. Built at Langley, Berks in late 1944, there's no record of NV778 serving with an RAF squadron as a fighter, being used as a test aircraft before being converted into a target tug. On rollout NV778 went to its engine manufacturer Napier at Luton with the Controller, Research and Development or CRD engine development establishment in January 1945 but no sooner had it arrived at Luton it suffered an accident, being returned to Napier in August. Four months later it went to its manufacturer and in February 1946 was promptly involved in another accident. By the next August it had been repaired and was collected on the 19th to be sent to RAF Kemble, where it sat with a host of other Tempests for storage with 5 MU. Its target tug colours are certainly distinctive in this front view.
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After four years in store at Kemble, in March 1950 NV778 went back tom its manufacturer at Langley for target tug conversion, one of 80 such conversions done on Tempests owing to the requirement for a faster tug than what could be provided by the Miles Martinet at the time. This work took eight months to complete and included the fitting of a Sabre IID engine. On 9 November 1950, the aircraft was test flown by Hawker test pilot Neville Duke, who had won his spurs in the war with a final tally of 27 victories, and who was to go on to be momentarily the world's fastest man, achieving a world speed record of 727.63 mph in modified bright red Hawker Hunter WB188. This aircraft is a part of the RAF Museum collection and is on display at the Tangmere Military Aviation Museum surrounded by the usual museum display detritus on the site of the former RAF Tangmere, West Sussex.
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Back to the Tempest, after a period swanning about at a couple of different MUs it arrived at RAF Pembry, Wales with 233 OCU, the unit receiving a total of 16 Tempests by March 1953. After two years of towing banners and being shot at, the Pembry Tempests were retired and in July 1955, NV778 went to Aston Down for withdrawal from service. It was allocated to the Ministry of Supply for disposal, with many of the former target tug Tempest being sent to Shoeburyness for weapons trials, a nasty fate that NV778 escaped. Sometime in 1957 it ended up derelict and in bits at North Weald, where over the next year it was reconstructed using parts from Shoeburyness Tempests until it was complete again.
In 1963 it went to become a gate guard at RAF Leeming, where it sat for two years before being sent to Henlow for storage. While there it was repainted in typical day fighter colours as it would have appeared on rollout from the factory, and went on display at various events and airshows until being sent to RAF Bicester for refurbishment in 1972. It was shifted to Hendon and went on display in the newly opened RAF Museum, where it remained until 1991, when it went to the RAF Museum store at Cardington for restoration. It remained away from display, ending up at the RAF Museum's new conservation centre at Cosford before being taken back to Hendon for suspension in the new Milestones of Flight Hall in May 2003.
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In the next installation, we take a look at some genuine Battle of Britain combatants...
