INCLUDING SUPPLEMENTARY PAPERS
SEPTEMBER 1969
J. Scanlon and LOOKING AHEAD IN AERONAUTICS—22: DEVELOPMENTS IN POLYMERIC M. E. B. Jones MATERIALS
EFFECTIVENESS IN R & D
CORRESPONDENCE
A. M. A. Majendie AIR TRANSPORT—THE MANNING OF AN EXPANDING INDUSTRY
Sir Francis Vallat THE OUTER SPACE TREATIES
J. Speechley A REVIEW OF ENGINEERING DEVELOPMENTS IN HELICOPTER DESIGN
J. W. Fozard THE HARRIER—AN ENGINEERING COMMENTARY
TECHNICAL NOTES F. J. Bayley and Aerodynamic Performance of Porous Gas Turbine Blades G. R. Wood
B. K. Rogers and Measurement of Three-Dimensional Boundary Layers M. R. Head
A. A. West The Air Cushion Performance of a Tracked Hovercraft Entering a Tunnel
THE LIBRARY Reviews Additions to the Library Reports
Air Vice-Marshal OPERATING AIRCRAFT ENGINES IN THE ROYAL AIR FORCE W. D. Disbrey P. F. Yaggy FUTURE ROTORCRAFT RESEARCH IN THE USA
THE ROYAL AERONAUTICAL SOCIETY
4 HAMILTON PLACE LONDON W1 Sometimes our achievement is the maintenance of a gap of one-millionth of an inch... In miniature high-precision gyros produced by BAC, separations between faces are often as little as a millionth of an inch
...sometimes the halvingofthe distances of the world
Concorde, designed and built by BAC and Sud-Aviation. will bring New York within 3 In British Aircraft Corporation, a talent for microscopic perfection of detail is combined with the broad sweep of thinking which advances the state of world technology. It is this depth of ability and resource which has brought BAC technical and commercial success across the whole range of aerospace activity. This extends from supersonic and subsonic airliners to intricate instru ments and from high-performance military aircraft to advanced missile systems and space satellites. Alone among Europe's aerospace companies, BAC is ac cepted beyond Europe's frontiers as one of the decisive influences on the patterns of development and the pace of progress. A BRITISH AIRCRAFT CORPORATION A A the most powerful aerospace company in Europe T??ri?5r 100 PALL MALL LONDON SW1 BAC 301 m Lh QJ MBffl THE ROYAL AERONAUTICAL SOCIETY Incorporating The Institution of Aeronautical Engineers and The Helicopter Association of Great Britain Telephone: 01-499 3515 Telegrams: Didaskalos, London, W1 Published Monthly at 4 HAMILTON PLACE, LONDON W1V OBQ Subscriptions: £15 15s. Od. per annum, post free Single Copies: 27s. 6d. VOLUME 73 NUMBER 705 SEPTEMBER 1969 CONTENTS Page J. Scanlon and LOOKING AHEAD IN AERONAUTICS—22: DEVELOPMENTS IN POLYMERIC 725 M. E. B. Jones MATERIALS EFFECTIVENESS IN R & D 734 CORRESPONDENCE 740 A. M. A. Majendie AIR TRANSPORT—THE MANNING OF AN EXPANDING INDUSTRY 741 Sir Francis Vallat THE OUTER SPACE TREATIES 751 J. Speechley A REVIEW OF ENGINEERING DEVELOPMENTS IN HELICOPTER DESIGN 759 J. W. Fozard THE HARRIER—AN ENGINEERING COMMENTARY 769 TECHNICAL NOTES F. J. Bayley and Aerodynamic Performance of Porous Gas Turbine Blades 789 G. R. Wood B. K. Rogers and Measurement of Three-Dimensional Boundary Layers 796 M. R. Head A. A. West The Air Cushion Performance of a Tracked Hovercraft Entering a Tunnel 798 THE LIBRARY Reviews Additions to the Library Reports 801 Air Vice-Marshal OPERATING AIRCRAFT ENGINES IN THE ROYAL AIR FORCE 807 W. D. Disbrey P. F. Yaggy FUTURE ROTORCRAFT RESEARCH IN THE USA 815 Editor: JOAN BRUCE, BSc, CEng, AFRAeS. Advertisements Only: Secretary of the Society: A. M. BALLANTYNE, OBE, TD, BSc, H. E. SOUTHON PhD, CEng, HonFCASI, FAIAA, FRAeS. Magazine Advertising Ltd, 184 Fleet Street, London, EC4. 4 HAMILTON PLACE, LONDON, W1V OBQ. Tel: 01-499 3515. Tel: 01-242 0434/5. Reproduction of any of the papers published in this journal is None of the papers or paragraphs must be taken as not permitted without the written consent of the Editor. expressing the opinion of the Council unless otherwise stated. PRINTED BY THE LEWES PRESS WIGHTMAN & CO. LTD., LEWES, SUSSEX, ENGLAND, AND PUBLISHED BY THE ROYAL AERONAUTICAL SOCIETY, 4 HAMILTON PLACE. LONDON, W1V OBQ, ENGLAND. DIVISIONS AND BRANCHES OF THE ROYAL AERONAUTICAL SOCIETY Australia Branches at: Canberra, Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide. President: P. S. LANGFORD, FRAeS. Acting Secretary: B. LOVETT, ARAeS, Science House, Gloucester and Essex Streets, Sydney 2000. Rhodesia Branches at: Bulawayo, Gwelo and Salisbury. Hon. President: Sir HUMPHREY GIBBS, KCMG, OBE. President: G. A. FORD, AFRAeS. Hon. Secretary: S. H. GUY, AFRAeS, 76 Bideford Road, Chadcombe, P.O. Hatfield, Salisbury, Rhodesia. New Zealand Branches at: Auckland, Wellington, Palmerston North and Christchurch. President: T. T. N. COLERIDGE, FRAeS. Hon. Secretary: A. A. HOFFMAN, ARAeS, New Zealand National Airways Corpn, P.O. Box 96, Wellington. Southern Africa Branches at: Johannesburg, Pretoria, Cape Western and Durban. President: M. S. HUNT, AFRAeS. Hon. Secretary: Cmdt. F. W. CARNELL, AFRAeS, 11 Staal Road, Valhalla, Pretoria Dist. Bedford Derby Manchester President: F. O'HARA, FRAeS. President: Sir DENNING PEARSON, President: C. E. FIELDING. OBE. FRAeS. Chairman: D. CLAYSON, AFRAeS. HonFRAeS. Chairman: G. A. WHITEHEAD, CBE, FRAeS. Hon. Secretary: J. B. BERRY, AFRAeS, Chairman: S. L. BRAGG, FRAeS. Hon. Secretary: J. A. E. WATERFALL, Aircraft Research Association, Manton Hon. Secretary: J. R. COWNIE, AFRAeS, 56 Manor Avenue, Ashton-on-Mersey, Lane, Bedford. Tel: Bedford 67701. Rolls-Royce Ltd, Derby, DE2 8BJ. Tel: Cheshire. Tel: Failsworth 2020. Derby 42424. Belfast President: P. F. FOREMAN, FRAeS. Merthyr and Treforest Chairman: J. H. McCLEAN. AFRAeS. Dublin President: G. W. MOORE. Hon. Secretary: T. E. MORRISON, AFRAeS, President: Capt. J. C. KELLY-ROGERS, OBE, Chairman: E. R. CHAYTOR, AFRAeS. Dept. of Mechanical Engineering College FRAeS. Hon. Secretary: Dr. G. O. FORESTER, of Technology, College Square East, Chairman: A. J. WALLS, FRAeS. AFRAeS, Chief of Research, Teddington Belfast BT1 6DJ. Tel: Belfast 27244. Hon. Secretary: Dr. K. J. HOLDEN, AFRAeS, Aircraft Controls Ltd, Cefn Coed, Merthyr Aer Lingus, PO Box 180, Dublin Airport. Tydfil, South Wales. Tel: Merthyr Tydfil Tel: Dublin 370011. 3261. Birmingham and Wolverhampton President: L. W. J. NEWMAN, FRAeS. Chairman: R. F. HOLDNALL, ARAeS. Glasgow Preston Hon. Secretary: I. B. CRIPPS, AFRAeS, President: Dr. A. W. BABISTER, AFRAeS. H. M. Hobson Ltd, Fordhouses, Wolver President: F. D. CROWE, FRAeS. Chairman: G. M. ADDISON, AFRAeS. Chairman: F. E. ROE, FRAeS. hampton, Staffs. Tel: Fordhouses 2381. Hon. Secretary: T. K. BLACK, 43 Partickhill Road, Glasgow, W.1. Hon Secretary: L. A. WILLOTT, AFRAeS, BAC Ltd, Preston Division, Warton Boscombe Down Aerodrome, Preston, Lancashire. Tel: President: Air Cdre. C. D. A. BROWNE, DFC. Freckleton 531. Chairman: G. MACLAREN HUMPHREYS, Gloucester and Cheltenham MBE, FRAeS. Hon. Secretary: Fit. Lt. A. A. CLARK, President: Sir GEORGE DOWTY, HonFRAeS. E. Squadron, A & AEE, Boscombe Down, Chairman: D. L. BROWN. FRAeS. Prestwick Amesbury, Salisbury, Wilts. Tel: Ames- Hon. Secretary: R. W. WHITE, AFRAeS, c/o President: R. MclNTYRE, FRAeS. bury 3331. Smiths Industries Ltd, Bishops Cleeve, Chairman: Dr. W. G. WATSON. Cheltenham, Glos. Tel: Bishops Cleeve FRAeS. 3333. Hon. Secretary: J. FISHER, Scottish Aviation Bristol Ltd, Design Office, Prestwick Airport, President: D. ROWLEY, FRAeS. Ayrshire. Tel: Prestwick 79888. Chairman: T. P. FROST, FRAeS. Hon. Secretary: R. HARDING, BAC Ltd, Halton Filton, Bristol. Bristol 693831. President: Air Vice-Marshal J. H. HUNTER- TOD, OBE, FRAeS. Reading Chairman: Gp. Capt. M. F. HATTON, OBE, President: E. N. MOBBS. Brought AFRAeS Chairman: J. T. APPLEBY, FRAeS. President: Capt. E. D. G. LEWIN. CB, CBE, Hon. Secretary: Fit. Lt. C. R. MILES, Hon. Secretary: K. O. SCOTT, AFRAeS, DSO, AFRAeS. Officers' Mess, RAF Halton, Bucks. Tel: M. L. Aviation Co. Ltd, White Waltham, Chairman: K. ESSEX-CROSBY, FRAeS. Wendover 2241. Maidenhead, Berks. Tel: Littlewick Hon. Secretary: A. D. HOWARTH, ARAeS. Green 3361. c/o Hawker Slddeley Aviation Ltd, Brough, Yorkshire. Te/: Brough 667121 Hatfield Southampton President: Sir HARRY BROADHURST. President: A. N. CLIFTON. FRAeS. Cambridge Chairman: G. R. WILKINSON. Chairman: D. C. EVANS, AFC. President: Professor W. A. MAIR, FRAeS. Hon. Secretary: G. B. EVANS, FRAeS, Hon. Secretary: P. W. FORTESCUE, AFRAeS, Chairman: R. 0. GATES, FRAeS. Drawing Office, Hawker Siddeley Aviation Dept. of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Hon. Secretary: D. J. COLE, Marshall oi Ltd, Hatfield, Herts. Tel: Hatfield 2345. The University, Southampton. Tel: South Cambridge (Engineering) Ltd, The Air ampton 56331. port, Cambridge. Tel: Cambridge 56291. Isle of Wight Chester President: L. BODDINGTON, CEB, FRAeS. Southend President: K. G. HANCOCK, FRAeS. Chairman- D J. HARDY, AFRAeS. President: J. R. BATT, ARAeS. Chairman: H. STRAWSON, AFRAeS. Hon. Secretary: H. A. POOK, AFRAeS. Chairman: K. A. COLE, AFRAeS. Hon. Secretary: V. W. CLARKSON, ARAeS. British Hovercraft Corporation Ltd, East Hon. Secretary: Wg. Cdr. E. F. PRICE, Hawker Siddeley Aviation Ltd, Broughton, Cowes. Isle of Wight. Tel: Cowes 4121. ARAeS, Aviation Traders (Eng) Ltd, Chester. Tel: Chester 24646. Southend Airport, Essex. Tel: Southend 49471. Christchurch London Airport President: E. W. J. GRAY, FRAeS. President. C. ABELL, OBE, FRAeS. Swindon Chairman: D. E. CAILES, AFRAeS. Chairman: F. J. LOW, ARAeS. President: W. GILLESPIE, AFRAeS. Hon. Secretary: A. L. RUCKLEY, AFRAeS, Hon. Secretary: N. BROWN, ARAeS, Tech Chairman: E. J. DAVIS, AFRAeS. BAC Ltd, Design Office, Bournemouth nical Publications, Technical Block A, Hon. Secretary: G. N. GINGELL, AFRAeS, (Hum) Airport, Christchurch, Hants. Tel: G.3, BOAC, PO Box 10, Hounslow, Middle Vickers Ltd, South Marston, Swindon, Northbourne 3201. sex. Tel: Skyport 5511. Wilts. Tel: Stratton St. Margaret 3241. Coventry President: R. W. F. FARTHING, FRAeS. Loughborough Weybridge Chairman: R. A. FIELD, ARAeS. President: Sir GEORGE EDWARDS, CBE, President: Professor K. L. C. LEGG, FRAeS. FRS, HonFRAeS. Hon. Secretary: J. KIRKLAND, ARAeS, Dunlop Chairman: Dr. K. B. AYERS, FRAeS. Aviation Division, Design Dept, Holbrook Chairman: E. S. ALLWRIGHT, FRAeS. Hon. Secretary: F. G. MACCABEE, AFRAeS, Hon. Secretary: A. M. DOBSON. AFRAeS, Lane, Foleshill, Coventry. Tel: Coventry 56 Holywell Drive, Loughborough, Leics. 88733. BAC Ltd, Weybridge Division, Weybridge, Surrey. Tel: Weybridge 45555. Cranwell Luton and Stevenage President: Air Vice-Marshal T. N. STACK, President: J. E. RIDGWAY. Yeovil CB CVO CBE AFC Chairman: Dr. W. F. HILTON, FRAeS. President: E. C. WHEELDON, CBE, FRAeS. Chairman: Wg. Cdr. J. SANDFORD, AFRAeS. Hon. Secretary: D. B. COLLINS, ARAeS, Chairman: Dr. G. S. HISLOP. FRAeS. Hon. Secretary: F. A. BRISTOW, AFRAeS. English Electric Co. Ltd, Special Pro Hon. Secretary: F. N. R. BALLAM, ARAeS. Dept of Engineering, RAF College, Cran ducts Group, The Airport, Luton, Beds. Westland Aircraft Ltd, Yeovil, Somerset. well, Sleatord, Lines. Tel: Cranwell 201. Tel: Luton 31441. Tel: Yeovil 5222. SEPTEMBER 1969 Atkins Computing Services offers time-sharing Our Scientific Data Systems SIGMA 5 system, the first of its kind in Britain has Jfc 65K word core; 850 nanosecond cycle time with interleaved instructions. •5fc 3 high speed discs; 17 ms access; 384 KB/s transfer rate 3fc 3 nine track industry compatible tapes; 60 KB/s transfer rate $fc 1 seven track industry compatible tape ^ 30 inch incremental plotter •5^- remote communications facilities offers concurrently •5K- Interactive time sharing in foreground (16 K words of core available to the user) •Sfc general purpose batch & remote batch processing in background -5K- batch job entry from time sharing consoles whilst the available software includes % Fortran IVH with conversational debugging •3K- SDS Fortran IV with many enhancements * Cobol * Basic •5K- File Handling Processors with team-sharing for problem solving Atkins Computing Services Limited offer experience over many years in engineering Jfc science -$}$- management controls and decision making jfr project planning jfc data processing jfc and by formally training and supplementing your own staff can provide problem solving teams $£ integrated systems jfc We would like you to see and try the SIGMA 5 system and meet our team. For further information and details of Open Days in September and October please contact Dennis Chandler Atkins Computing Services Limited Woodcote Grove, Ashley Road, Epsom, Surrey. Telephone EPSOM 24981 Telex 2-3497 THE AERONAUTICAL JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL AERONAUTICAL SOCIETY] 3 [ADVERTISEMENTS SEPTEMBER 1969 Sealing Rings Call on Cross the specialists in design and manufacture of sealing rings for normal and high temperature application from i" to 5' or even larger. Moving or static. Materials include Alloy Steels, Nimonic Alloys, Stellite, Aluminium and Plastics. Outspringers and inspringers. For further information and advice contact: A.I.D. and A.R.B.approved CROSS Mfg Co (19 38) Ltd Combe Down Bath BA2 5RR CROSS Phone: COMBE DOWN. 2355'8 GramsrCIRCLE' BATH. FABsil H.S,1ur the TridentTfiree! FABsil H.S. the new High Strength Silicone Siegrist's FABsil H.S. Cable markers have Heat Resis Elastomer has been approved and specified for Cable tance, Elasticity, Tensile Strength, Fire Retardence, and Identification Markers by Hawker Siddeley Aviation are proof against many fuels, particularly Skydrol 500A. Ltd. and British European Airways Ltd. for use on the They have many properties not found in any other type Trident Three Jet Airliner. of cable marker. Further particulars from: SIEGRIST-OREL LTD. STAR LANE, MARGATE, KENT Telephone: Thanet 63571 Telex: 96266 ADVERTISEMENTS SEPTEMBER 1969] 4 [THE AERONAUTICAL JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL AERONAUTICAL SOCIETY We're flying our own kite. This aircraft is flown by members of the Shell-Mex and B.P. Aviation Unit. They fly to places as far apart as Kirkwall in the Orkneys, to Jersey in the Channel Islands; from Ipswich to Shannon. In fact, to any airport or airfield in the British Isles; to ensure our high standard of quality control and service is maintained. Like any other aircraft, whether commercial or private, this aeroplane can never be far from Shell and BP Aviation Services. You'll find us at over seventy airfields. Which all goes to show that no matter what you fly, we can take care of you. So we feel justified in flying our own kite. Safety in the air — care of Shell-Mex and B.P. Operators in the United Kingdom of the Shell and the BP Aviation Services. THE AERONAUTICAL JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL AERONAUTICAL SOCIETY] 5 [ADVERTISEMENTS SEPTEMBER 1969 Rolls-Royce the power in the air Aircraft powered by Rolls-Royce turbofan, Some of these aircraft are shown below. turbojet, turboprop or turboshaft engines 1. Lockheed L.1011 TriStar—RB.211 are in service with or on order for more than 2. Concorde—Olympus 593. 3. McDonnell Douglas Phantom—Spey 180 airlines, 250 corporate operators and 4. VC10—Conway. 5. Westland Sea King—Gnome 60 armed forces all over the world. 6. Hawker Siddeley Harrier V/STOL—Pegasus. ^;^*sfcti^ ROYCE ROLLS-ROYCE LIMITED • DERBY • ENGLAND • Aero Engine Division • Bristol Engine Division • Small Engine Division ADVERTISEMENTS SEPTEMBER 1969] 6 [THE AERONAUTICAL JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL AERONAUTICAL SOCIETY