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A LINE FROM AUSTRALIA

A LINE FROM AUSTRALIA November, 1943 AIRCRAFT ENGINEERIN G 309 would derive interest and benefit from reading ; but, owing to its having been made to the Prime Minister of Australia and only published in Canberra, it is quite unknown in England. Indeed, the editor of AIRCRAFT ENGINEERING only owes his own acquaint­ ance with it to the courtesy of the author in sending him a personal copy when it originally appeared. We are perfectly prepared to afford space in these pages for the publication, in full or in sum­ marized form, of any reports on aeronautical matters that may be sent us from any British overseas authority, but this is not really what is needed. It is desirable that they should be available for purchase by interested individuals here. We have not, for example, in this instance been able to find space for the three appendices to the report laying down the specifications to which the suppliers of the complete wind-tunnel, motor and balance were to work, and HROUGH the courtesy of the Chief of the Division of Aero­ those who may wish to study these will be unable to do so, the report nautics, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, being unobtainable in England, unless they care to borrow our Commonwealth of Australia, we are enabled to publish in this copy, which we will most willingly lend them. issue the official report describing the 9 ft. by 7 ft. wind-tunnel recently put into operation at Fishermen's Bend. This is, in fact, the first news we have had 'of the activities of the Division since its Interchange of Information inauguration in 1939, though in a covering letter MR. L. P. COOMBES—late of Farnborough, which he left to take up the post of To revert to MR. WIMPERIS'S report, there were contained in it certain recommendations which may or may not have been imple­ Chief of the Division—informs us that practically all the equipment mented—we have not the knowledge to say. Among them were originally planned has now been installed. suggestions for the setting up of an Australian Aeronautical Re­ search Committee and for the establishment of a Chair and Depart­ The Original Recommendations ment of Aeronautics at one or other of the Universities—preferably This caused us to get out from our files the " Report on the Sydney, in order that interest in aeronautical matters should be Inauguration of Aeronautical Research in Australia", which was spread over the continent in view of the likely settling of the Re­ rendered to the Commonwealth Government by MR. H. E. search Establishment at Fishermen's Bend, near Melbourne ; as WIMPERIS (who had then lately retired from the position of Director has, in fact, been done. of Scientific Research at the Air-Ministry) in 1937. We there find that the equipment recommended to be provided was : (1) A Education and Research smaller 5 ft. circular open jet tunnel capable of a speed of 200 m.p.h.; (2) A larger 12 ft. by 8 ft. closed circuit tunnel capable of a speed Those who are influencing the Royal Aeronautical Society to press, of 200 f.p.s.; (3) Large engine testing plant and building; (4) Smaller through the Committee on Education it has been called upon to set engine testing plant and building; (5) Central laboratory; while up, for the formation of an Aeronautical University would do well the possibility of the eventual installation of a seaplane tank was to study the sections of this report dealing with the utilization envisaged. It was recommended that the central laboratory, of University resources for the carrying out of research investiga­ smaller wind-tunnel and smaller engine testing plant should be tions of a specialized character for which they may be suitably provided first; so we presume that these items are already estab­ equipped and the desirability of the Sydney aeronautical professor­ lished and that possibly the larger engine testing plant is also now ship—together with the details given in Appendix A to the report in operation in addition to the " larger " tunnel here described. It which gave, as we have already mentioned, details of the existing would be interesting to know whether we are right in these assump­ organizations in three countries, These two matters of education tions and we hope to be informed in these regards in due course, and research are very closely intertwined and it is impossible, and after these lines come to be read in Australia. certainly undesirable, to separate them. So far as education is concerned we are entirely unable to see what more is needed than an extension and increase in number of the existing chairs of aero­ Spreading the News nautics for students of university standard, providing the stream The report reproduced here is numbered "A6", which pre­ to feed the fountain head of the present post-graduate course at the sumably connotes the existence of five previous reports issued by Imperial College. What annual number of aeronautical students the Division. We confess to some slight feeling of chagrin that we those who press for a separate university envisage we have no have not been privileged to receive copies of these, on the assumption knowledge, but we would put this at 50 as the highest conceivable that they have been available to the public, but we hope that the average ; though what hope there would be of this number being precedent having now been set, we may be put on the " mailing absorbed into the peacetime aircraft industry we cannot imagine. list " for future publications. One of the few benefits of the war The conception of a University established to deal with an annual has been the growing realization of the importance of interchange inflow of 50, or less, students a year appears to us as ludicrous. of information between the units of the British Empire and, indeed, the Allied Powers. For the first time, for instance, an American Government report—that of the U.S. Army Chief of Staff—has A Suggestion recently been simultaneously published in England by H.M. We do not believe that too great a centralization of aeronautical Stationery Office. We cannot but think that it would be beneficial education would be a desirable feature of post-war development. if this principle could be extended and, for example, some of the We would far rather, as we have already said, see an increase in the reports issued in Australia be published over here ; as part , perhaps, number of aeronautical courses available for students in different of the Aeronautical Research Committee's R. & M. series. Com­ parts of the country. We would like to sec one in at any rate each munication between England and Australia takes time and it is not provincial university to which there is an aeroplane factory ad­ easy for those here to obtain documents published over there; jacent, and these should work in close co-operation with the firms whereas if they were also issued here they would be readily avail- concerned. There should certainly be at least one such course in able. Scotland and Wales—that facilities do not already exist in either A Case in Point of these countries is almost incredible. If the aircraft industry would devote some of its profits to the formation of a fund to endow MR. WIMPERIS'S 1937 report is a case in point of an extremely professorships in aeronautics at a number of provincial universities interesting survey of research organizations in Great Britain, the it would be doing good service indeed. United States and Canada which many in the aeronautical world http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology Emerald Publishing

A LINE FROM AUSTRALIA

Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology , Volume 15 (11): 1 – Nov 1, 1943
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Publisher
Emerald Publishing
Copyright
Copyright © Emerald Group Publishing Limited
ISSN
0002-2667
DOI
10.1108/eb031067
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Abstract

November, 1943 AIRCRAFT ENGINEERIN G 309 would derive interest and benefit from reading ; but, owing to its having been made to the Prime Minister of Australia and only published in Canberra, it is quite unknown in England. Indeed, the editor of AIRCRAFT ENGINEERING only owes his own acquaint­ ance with it to the courtesy of the author in sending him a personal copy when it originally appeared. We are perfectly prepared to afford space in these pages for the publication, in full or in sum­ marized form, of any reports on aeronautical matters that may be sent us from any British overseas authority, but this is not really what is needed. It is desirable that they should be available for purchase by interested individuals here. We have not, for example, in this instance been able to find space for the three appendices to the report laying down the specifications to which the suppliers of the complete wind-tunnel, motor and balance were to work, and HROUGH the courtesy of the Chief of the Division of Aero­ those who may wish to study these will be unable to do so, the report nautics, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, being unobtainable in England, unless they care to borrow our Commonwealth of Australia, we are enabled to publish in this copy, which we will most willingly lend them. issue the official report describing the 9 ft. by 7 ft. wind-tunnel recently put into operation at Fishermen's Bend. This is, in fact, the first news we have had 'of the activities of the Division since its Interchange of Information inauguration in 1939, though in a covering letter MR. L. P. COOMBES—late of Farnborough, which he left to take up the post of To revert to MR. WIMPERIS'S report, there were contained in it certain recommendations which may or may not have been imple­ Chief of the Division—informs us that practically all the equipment mented—we have not the knowledge to say. Among them were originally planned has now been installed. suggestions for the setting up of an Australian Aeronautical Re­ search Committee and for the establishment of a Chair and Depart­ The Original Recommendations ment of Aeronautics at one or other of the Universities—preferably This caused us to get out from our files the " Report on the Sydney, in order that interest in aeronautical matters should be Inauguration of Aeronautical Research in Australia", which was spread over the continent in view of the likely settling of the Re­ rendered to the Commonwealth Government by MR. H. E. search Establishment at Fishermen's Bend, near Melbourne ; as WIMPERIS (who had then lately retired from the position of Director has, in fact, been done. of Scientific Research at the Air-Ministry) in 1937. We there find that the equipment recommended to be provided was : (1) A Education and Research smaller 5 ft. circular open jet tunnel capable of a speed of 200 m.p.h.; (2) A larger 12 ft. by 8 ft. closed circuit tunnel capable of a speed Those who are influencing the Royal Aeronautical Society to press, of 200 f.p.s.; (3) Large engine testing plant and building; (4) Smaller through the Committee on Education it has been called upon to set engine testing plant and building; (5) Central laboratory; while up, for the formation of an Aeronautical University would do well the possibility of the eventual installation of a seaplane tank was to study the sections of this report dealing with the utilization envisaged. It was recommended that the central laboratory, of University resources for the carrying out of research investiga­ smaller wind-tunnel and smaller engine testing plant should be tions of a specialized character for which they may be suitably provided first; so we presume that these items are already estab­ equipped and the desirability of the Sydney aeronautical professor­ lished and that possibly the larger engine testing plant is also now ship—together with the details given in Appendix A to the report in operation in addition to the " larger " tunnel here described. It which gave, as we have already mentioned, details of the existing would be interesting to know whether we are right in these assump­ organizations in three countries, These two matters of education tions and we hope to be informed in these regards in due course, and research are very closely intertwined and it is impossible, and after these lines come to be read in Australia. certainly undesirable, to separate them. So far as education is concerned we are entirely unable to see what more is needed than an extension and increase in number of the existing chairs of aero­ Spreading the News nautics for students of university standard, providing the stream The report reproduced here is numbered "A6", which pre­ to feed the fountain head of the present post-graduate course at the sumably connotes the existence of five previous reports issued by Imperial College. What annual number of aeronautical students the Division. We confess to some slight feeling of chagrin that we those who press for a separate university envisage we have no have not been privileged to receive copies of these, on the assumption knowledge, but we would put this at 50 as the highest conceivable that they have been available to the public, but we hope that the average ; though what hope there would be of this number being precedent having now been set, we may be put on the " mailing absorbed into the peacetime aircraft industry we cannot imagine. list " for future publications. One of the few benefits of the war The conception of a University established to deal with an annual has been the growing realization of the importance of interchange inflow of 50, or less, students a year appears to us as ludicrous. of information between the units of the British Empire and, indeed, the Allied Powers. For the first time, for instance, an American Government report—that of the U.S. Army Chief of Staff—has A Suggestion recently been simultaneously published in England by H.M. We do not believe that too great a centralization of aeronautical Stationery Office. We cannot but think that it would be beneficial education would be a desirable feature of post-war development. if this principle could be extended and, for example, some of the We would far rather, as we have already said, see an increase in the reports issued in Australia be published over here ; as part , perhaps, number of aeronautical courses available for students in different of the Aeronautical Research Committee's R. & M. series. Com­ parts of the country. We would like to sec one in at any rate each munication between England and Australia takes time and it is not provincial university to which there is an aeroplane factory ad­ easy for those here to obtain documents published over there; jacent, and these should work in close co-operation with the firms whereas if they were also issued here they would be readily avail- concerned. There should certainly be at least one such course in able. Scotland and Wales—that facilities do not already exist in either A Case in Point of these countries is almost incredible. If the aircraft industry would devote some of its profits to the formation of a fund to endow MR. WIMPERIS'S 1937 report is a case in point of an extremely professorships in aeronautics at a number of provincial universities interesting survey of research organizations in Great Britain, the it would be doing good service indeed. United States and Canada which many in the aeronautical world

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Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology – Emerald Publishing

Published: Nov 1, 1943

There are no references for this article.