GIANT PLANE TAKES AIR

Chronicle (Levin), 5 September 1949, Page 5

GIANT PLANE TAKES AIR

(N.Z.P.A.-

-Reuter.

Brabazon Will Be Britain's "Flying Guinea Pig"

Copyright)

Received MOnday, 10.15 a.pi. LONDON, Sept. 4. The world's largest civil land plane took off from FFton, ne&r Bristol, today and made its 27minute mqiden fliglit, over Gloucestershire and Bristol. A tremendous cheer 'came from thousands of spectators surroimding the airfield as the piane, looking like a dirigible with wings, rose into the air and later when it touched down on its 10-whee.ed tricyele undercarriage. . Experts from e'even countries watched Chief Test Pilot Megg take the plane into the air. People two miles away heard the plane's engines as it gathered speed for the take off. The Bra^ bazon, after landing, stoppe'd Within 1000 yards. The Bristol Aviation Company said that the Brabazon is being used as a "flying guinea pig" for developing giant aircraft. S;r Miles Thomas, chairman of British Airways Corporation, said that with the Brabazon and Comet both making successful flights this summer — one the potential trans-wor d queen of the air and the other the world's fastes; inter-continental airliner — the British aircraft industry could take pride of place second to none. B.O.A.C. would eontinue to cooperate with the British Company in developing the commereia-. potentialities of the Brabazon, said Sir Miles. Although it wou'd be many years before fare-paying passengers could travel on such a plane, there was sd.l nmch developmental work to be done. The Brabaz -n weigbs 130 tons and the lotal cost so far, including a special hangar and a 11mi'e runway, is £12,000,000. Thc plane has 1000 ins ruments and every rhase of its tests was photographed so that the lessans learnt can be applied to future Brabazons. It is designed to fiy at 250 miles hourly at 25,000 feet.