April 9, 1956

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MISSILE ENGINEERING

Effective Icbm Defense Possible Under Present State of Art

A major contributing factor to the urgency of the four projects now active in this field has been the knowledge that the Russians are firing an intermediate-range ballistic missile with some form of guidance over distances approaching 1,000 mi.

By David A. Anderton9 min

AVIONICS

Russian Hardware Lags Behind Theory

Here are some of Dr. Brandt’s observations: , Semiconductors. The Russians say they are “making progress in obtaining … steady characteristics” in their transistors. This suggests that they are going through the same troubles which plagued U. S. transistor makers before they developed improved manufacturing techniques and switched to hermetically sealed units several years ago.

By Philip J. Klass9 min

Usaf Ready to Carry ‘walking Army’ with C-123

Ardmore AFB, Okla.-USAF’s 309th Troop Carrier Group Assault (Fixed Wing) will leave this base for Dreux, France, later this month, ready to put the walking Army into the air. The group is part of the 463rd Troop Carrier Wing commanded by Brig. Gen. Cecil H. Childre.

By Claude Witze8 min

BUSINESS FLYING

Aerial Applicators Defy Crop Planners

College Station, Tex.—U. S. aerial applicators are rapidly gaining a technical skill in their “tactical warfare” against the farmer’s natural enemies. Their proficiency, in fact, has reached the point where it threatens to frustrate the best-laid efforts of government planners to control agricultural production.

By Erwin J. Bulban7 min

122

Letters

New Air Policy I have been a regular subscriber to your magazine for several years, and I genuinely feel that you are performing a literary service of inestimable value to the nationair age education. In this respect, I feel compelled to comment on a recent article contained in Washington Roundup (March 5, 1956) which forecast continuance of the present National Air Policy.

AERONAUTICAL ENGINEERING

Mit Probes ‘miles-per-gallon’ Problem

Two answers to the important problem of getting the most miles out of each pound of fuel carried by jet aircraft are being sought by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Instrumentation Laboratory. The first, called an “optimalizing” system, automatically tailors itself in flight to get the most miles per gallon from the particular engine-airframe it is monitoring.

By Robert H. Cushman5 min

MANAGEMENT

Washington Roundup

Snark Flight Last week’s disclosure that the Northrop Snark has flown 2,000 miles may have been made in response to some digs from Congress. Said one informed Washington observer: “They proved a jet engine can fly 2,000 miles. What else?” Possible explanation for the disclosure is found in the House budget hearings, where Rep. Daniel J. (D.-Pa.) questioned Reuben B. Robertson, Deputy Secretary of Defense.

By Washington staff4 min

EDITORIAL

Airpower Budget Issues Are Clear

The Fiscal 1957 airpower budget proposed to Congress falls short of meeting the real requirements of the 137 combat wing Air Force program by about $3.5 billion. The $16.5 billion USAF budget presented to Congress for Fiscal 1957 was achieved by Defense Department imposition of a wide variety of one-shot economies that do not represent any legitimate savings but simply postpone the real cost of the 137 wing program until Fiscal 1958.

By Robert Hotz4 min

April 21956

April 161956

April 9, 1956

April 9, 1956