COMBAT AND COMPETITION.pdf - Lakes Gliding Club

CHAPTER TWELVE ELONGATED BALLS
supported by the MoS, Vickers had to pay half the costs. Funding was
problematical, our contribution must be on a private venture basis, but
success would bring enormous benefits.
Jack Pateman looked decidedly unimpressed. Private venture,
almost a dirty word in our language, and the high risk 'Swallow 1 were
not an attractive combination. Jack was unwilling to take it further,
but Sir Victor had the chairman s ear and clearly wished otherwise. It
was advisable to go through the motions.
By the entrance to the wooden hut at Brooklands, a Tallboy' stood
erect, its nose a matter of inches from the ground, as if demonstrating
the moment of impact. Like the section of racing circuit, which
disappeared into the undergrowth towards the members' banking, it
seemed to be guarding a host of memories. Inside, surrounded by other
memorabilia, were the workshops and laboratory where Barnes Wallis
held sway. It was a sad little place. The fading ivory tower of a
brilliant and innovative engineer who was difficult to control and had
been discarded too soon.
In the low speed tunnel a variable sweep controlled model of the
'Swallow could be 'flown' manually using a remote control column
which functioned in pitch only. None of the Vickers test pilots could
manage it and my own efforts, when encouraged to have a go, were
disastrous. Yet a contract had been placed with Heston Aircraft to
build an experimental, variable sweep controlled, glider - the JC 9.
We were told that one of the technicians on the project could fly
the wind tunnel model without difficulty. This hapless man was to be
given flying lessons and would qualify for his PPL6 . When the JC 9
was ready he would make a few low hops, until he got the feel of it,
and would then conduct a test programme from a series of 10,000 feet
aerotows. It was madness.
When I reminded Jack about my glider test flying experience, and
suggested that Elliott's might offer my services to Vickers on the JC
9, he did not take kindly to the idea. He looked me up and down, and
paused as he stuffed more tobacco into his evil smelling pipe:
"Look David, you've got more sense than that. Its not on. You're
more valuable to us in other ways than messing around and risking
your neck in such a damn fool device."
He was right of course but I objected to being defeated by that
wind tunnel model and, for the sake of a man who had given so much
to aviation, the first manned flights deserved a better chance of
success.
205