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G0TEZ > TODAY 15.10.13 14:02l 39 Lines 1284 Bytes #999 (0) @ WW
BID : 910307G0TEZ
Read: GUEST
Subj: Re: Today in History - Oct 14
Path: IZ3LSV<I0OJJ<GB7CIP
Sent: 131015/1055Z @:GB7CIP.#32.GBR.EU #:40952 [Caterham Surrey GBR] $:910307G0
From: G0TEZ@GB7CIP.#32.GBR.EU
To : TODAY@WW
Chuck Yeager, 1st man to break the sound barrier, not quite.
In August 1944, the British government went to the firm of Miles Aviation
which had built the 1,000 mpg M52 and told them to stop research and send
their designs to Bell Avionics.
Miles did as they were told but kept the prototype airframe, it still exists.
However Frank Whittle who invented the first jet engine and also had a
company, Jet Power Ltd, had just invented the afterburner for the engine in
the M52 and refused to hand over his research so the Americans were forced to
drop the Bell X1 from a bomber and use rocket engines as they had not got a
suitable jet engine.
I saw this a few years ago on a TV programme and it also included an interview
with the designer of the M52, who wasn't very happy.
There is a website aimed at proffessional pilots and test pilots whic mentione
the above story.
As for the airframe, compare Bell's offering with the M52 and the MiG 15, 17
and upwards. A striking similarity. We gave the Russians 40 Rolls Royce Nene
jet engines which they copied and fitted into the MiG.
Great stuff this revisionist history.
73 - Ian, G0TEZ @ GB7CIP
Message timed: 11:55 on 2013-Oct-15 GMT+1
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