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CSAR Presentation

CSAR Presentation. Monday 8th June, 2015 Rod Kirkby. The Saga of the M-52. Britain’s wartime Supersonic Project. Fastest Fighters of the Day. First Jet Aircraft. Specification.

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CSAR Presentation

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  1. CSAR Presentation Monday 8th June, 2015 Rod Kirkby

  2. The Saga of the M-52 Britain’s wartime Supersonic Project

  3. Fastest Fighters of the Day

  4. First Jet Aircraft

  5. Specification • Design and develop a new fast research aircraft powered by a W2/700 +No 4 Augmentor Whittle engine with by-pass heating • An All-up weight between 5000 and 6000lb • Target speed of 1000mph • Enough fuel to climb to 40,000ft PLUS half an hour at 700mph • Monoplane with large tailplane-the tailplane to be all moving-ie, no elevator • Target date 6 months hence

  6. Why Choose Miles? • Physically close to the RAE (Reading and Farnborough) • They designed and built aircraft very quickly • They were not averse to unusual and unconventional designs • They had no production commitments for front-line fighter or bomber aircraft

  7. Miles Libellula

  8. Miles 39B, (Libellula Development)

  9. Visits • RAE Mr Smelt • NPL Aero Dept Mr Relph & Dr Hilton • RARDE, Fort Halstead Dr MacColl • PowerJets Frank Whittle

  10. VenturiSubsonic and Supersonic Cases

  11. Drag CoefficientVariation with sweep angleand Mach number

  12. Miles M-523-view drawing

  13. F-15 and Bomarc missileshowing wing tip design

  14. Gillette Falcon

  15. Note by N.E.Rowe, M.A.P6th November 1943 • “The firm have evolved a very attractive layout. I think the firm has shown, by the way they have tackled the initial stages, that we could safely entrust this project to them.”

  16. Lockheed F-104Starfighter

  17. Wind tunnel drag estimates vs dive test drag measurements on a Spitfire • Mach No . .7 .75 .8 .85 .9 1+ • RAE wind tunnel 88% 425% • estimates as % of 110% 725% • RAE measured 270% flight drag ???

  18. WWII jet fighters

  19. US Requirements for a Supersonic Research Aircraft 1944 • Take off and climb to 35,000ft • Level flight at 800mph for 2 to 5 mins • To carry 500lb recording equipment • Bell responded, but with a Rocket engine and air launched

  20. Contract for Bell XS-1 • Signed 16th March 1945 • cf Miles M-52 contract signed 13th December 1943

  21. Whittle’s Engine for the M-52

  22. Bell X-1

  23. Sabre and Mig 15

  24. Supersonic Committee, 12th Feb 1946 • “The opinion of the committee was unanimous that there was no case for continuing on the grounds of obtaining information at transonic or supersonic speeds (the reason for placing the contract). A case was, however, put forward for the completion of the aircraft for use as a test bed for the engine.”

  25. Memo 22nd Jan 1946 D of C(P) to DGDT • Secret • (the contract)….was placed with Miles..on 13th December 1943 as a matter of urgency, but the progress so far made does not seem to have been very rapid…… • In these circumstances, you may wish to reconsider the project…..

  26. M-52 Cancellation • Memo DGSR(Sir Ben Lockspeiser) to DARD 20th February 1946 • “We must cut our losses and cancel this contract…. • The matter was fully discussed at the last meeting of the Supersonic Cte and I have subsequently discussed the matter with the firm. • There will be no tears anywhere except perhaps at PJ’s-but we are not paying £250,000 to test an engine.”

  27. Cancellation continued • “I believe the conception behind the decision to build this aircraft was to get supersonic information. We now know that was putting the cart before the horse. No more supersonic aircraft till our rocket-propelled models and wind tunnels have given us enough information to proceed on a reliable basis.”

  28. Costs • Total cost of the M-52 programme £250,000 • Cancellation costs £73,000 already spent, +£40,000 for work completed+£3000 to clear jigs etc+£25,000 for special materials unused but still in stores+£25,000 for outstanding sub-contractor liabilities • Saving, therefore, £84,000 compared to completing three airframes

  29. Costs of Model Programme • £400,000 to £500,000, for a programme which produced only one successful model launch, proving the M-52 concept, in terms of performance and stability • cf £250,000 for the M-52 programme, had it been completed • Huge loss of data and expertise as a result of cancellation

  30. De Havilland 108 Swallow

  31. “Why was the M-52 really cancelled?” • Bill Gunston’s Father asked this question and was “warned that he should forget it”

  32. “Had the M-52 become ‘apiece of dead research’ through having straight wings?” • Bill Gunston asked this himself of the Ministry. • The response was • “The Ministry are not prepared to comment”

  33. “What was the real reason for cancelling the M-52?” • This was the question posed by Bill Gunston in 1977 to Sir Ben Lockspeiser, by which time I presume he thought he might be told the truth. • The answer... • “Old Men Forget!” • to which I say, ‘Balderdash!’

  34. Final word by Ben Lockspeiser • At a Ministry of Supply Press Conference, 18th July 1946, he said • “The impression that supersonic aircraft are just around the corner is quite erroneous, but the difficulties will be tackled by the use of rocket-driven models.”

  35. M-52 Ultimate Performance

  36. Lessons • In unknown areas, consult as many as possible, but use your own judgement. • Seek practical results, not extrapolations. • Don’t put too much faith in ‘experts’ • Keep committees informed-nip false ideas in the bud.(difficult if they believe the ‘experts’!)

  37. Lessons contnd • If project takes longer than expected, have an advocate that can take your side against the ‘bean counters’ and champion your cause. • If you send many reports to a busy industry, devise a way of marking out the vital info from that which merely adds an extra decimal point to existing knowledge.

  38. M-52, what might have been #1

  39. M-52, plus chase planes“what might have been”#2

  40. The Supersonic Committee

  41. The Supersonic Committee

  42. Why was it cancelled so abruptly when the first prototype was only four months from roll-out?

  43. Why was it cancelled so abruptly? • German research on Swept Wings?

  44. Why was it cancelled so abruptly? • German research on Swept wings? • De Havilland Swallow quicker, cheaper and with swept wings?

  45. Why was it cancelled so abruptly? • German research on Swept wings? • De Havilland Swallow quicker, cheaper and with swept wings? • US wanting the kudos of being the first through 'The Sound Barrier'?

  46. Why was it cancelled so abruptly? • German research on Swept wings? • De Havilland Swallow quicker, cheaper and with swept wings? • US wanting the kudos of being the first through 'The Sound Barrier'? • US concerns about Britain's Labour Government?

  47. Why was it cancelled so abruptly? • German research on Swept wings? • De Havilland Swallow quicker, cheaper and with swept wings? • US wanting the kudos of being the first through 'The Sound Barrier'? • US concerns about Britain's Labour Government? • Britain's naivety in loaning RR Nene jet engines to Russia?

  48. Why was it cancelled so abruptly? • German research on Swept wings? • De Havilland Swallow quicker, cheaper and with swept wings? • US wanting the kudos of being the first through 'The Sound Barrier'? • US concerns about Britain's Labour Government? • Britain's naivety in loaning RR Nene jet engines to Russia? • Britain wishing to let Whittle quietly fade into the background?

  49. Why was it cancelled so abruptly? • German research on Swept wings? • De Havilland Swallow quicker, cheaper and with swept wings? • US wanting the kudos of being the first through 'The Sound Barrier'? • US concerns about Britain's Labour Government? • Britain's naivety in loaning RR Nene jet engines to Russia? • Britain wishing to let Whittle quietly fade into the background? • Britain really thinking it would save money that way?

  50. The End • Questions?

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