Ark's Royal Visitor Informal visits were paid by the Duke of Edinburgh to H.M.S. Albion and H.M.S. Ark Royal in the Mediterranean on Wednesday last week. From Albion, where he had learned of the ship's role in exercises then taking place, he flew by Whirlwind helicopter to Ark Royal, where he was entertained by Flag Officer Aircraft Carriers, Vice-Admiral M. L. Power. While aboard Ark Royal, the Duke watched landings, launches and firing exercises by Sea Hawks of 804 and 898 squadrons, Sea Venoms of 893, Gannets of 815, Wyverns of 831 and Skyraiders of 849 "B" Flight, and watched interceptions being directed from the aircraft direction room. Venezuelan orders Close on the heels of the £20m Indian Government contract for 68 English Electric Canberras came an announcement on February 13 that Venezuela had ordered Canberra Mk 8 bombers and Mk 4 dual-control trainers to the value, including spares, of $10m (over £3.5m). This is the second order by Venezuela (one of the "hard currency" countries) for Canberras their first, in 1953, was for Mk 2 bombers. Launch of a Skylark The Australian Supply Minister, Mr. Howard Beale, said in Canberra last week that, on February 13, the first Skylark upper-atmosphere research rocket was successfully fired at Woomera. Following a flat trajectory, and clearly with a very short burning-time, it hit ground 20 miles away after having reached some 50,000ft altitude. Ion propulsion Often featured in science-fiction, ion-propulsion (reaction obtained by ejecting a steady jet of high-potential ions) is gradually becoming fact. The U.S.A.F. Office of Scientific Research has placed two contracts-the contractors are not named-for research into the applicability of such propulsion to space-flight. Employment increase Employment figures for October and November last year showed a steady increase in the number of those employed in the "manufacture and repair" of aircraft. The previous highest monthly total, 257,300, was in September 1956 in October it rose to 257,600 and in November to 258,300. |
Source: Flight International
