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NATIONAL AEROSPACE LIBRARY
Aircraft Company
Publications
The National Aerospace Library at Farnborough
holds an extensive collection of aircraft company
publications (brochures, reports, manuals and
journals) which have been donated over the
decades, mainly by individuals who either worked
for, or did business, with those companies.
The Librarians wish to acknowledge the latest
additions to its holdings as detailed below which
have been catalogued from the collections of Frank
Henry Robertson AFRAeS (1912-1995) [presented
by his son Malcolm Robertson CEng FRAeS] and
Michael F Eacock (1928-2013) [presented by his
sons Roger, Michael and Graham Eacock].
These publications are often a unique source
of information and record of the evolution of that
particular company’s products (including numerous
unbuilt aircraft project designs), for the National
Aerospace Library’s evolving collection being of
particular importance as a historical record as the
postwar rationalisation of the aircraft industry led
to numerous aerospace company archives being
broken up or disposed of.
Phillips & Powis Aircraft
(Reading) Ltd/Miles
Aircraft Limited
F H Robertson. Phillips &
Powis Aircraft (Reading) Ltd,
Reading. 1942.
Report on Design,
Construction and Testing
of Small Aircraft Designed
on Miles X Principle.
F H Robertson. Phillips &
Powis Aircraft (Reading) Ltd,
Reading. 1941. 14pp + 55pp
of diagrams/plates. Illustrated.
HL18: Report on Design
and Construction of
Special M.18 with High-Lift
Wings for the RAE. Phillips
& Powis Aircraft Ltd, Reading.
1942.
Includes Royal Aircraft
Establishment RAE Aero
Report 1760 ‘Wind Tunnel
Tests on the Experimental
High Lift M.18’ (R Hills, E C
Brown, M A Morrison and H V
Becker) June 1942.
X7 — Report on
Preliminary Design for
Large Transport Aeroplane.
F H Robertson. Phillips &
Powis Aircraft (Reading)
Ltd, Reading. 1942. 15pp.
Illustrated.
Describes eight-engined
aircraft project design of
transatlantic range.
Preliminary Design
Specification Miles X9.
Phillips & Powis Aircraft
(Reading) Ltd, Reading.
c.1942.
Describes the Miles X.9
all-metal laminar flow longrange transport aircraft project
design. Includes a number
of detailed line arrangement
diagrams and sectional views.
M.19 Mk.II — Report
on Conversion from
Day Trainer to Day and
Night Trainer for RAF.
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AEROSPACE / MAY 2014
‘High Lift’ — M.18 — JN.703
(Cirrus Major). P. & P. 18/14.
Phillips & Powis Aircraft Ltd,
Reading. 1943. 14pp.
A.28 — Report on
Conversion of M.28 I
Aircraft to AOP Machine
(M.38/28). F H Robertson.
Phillips & Powis Aircraft
(Reading) Ltd, Reading. 1943.
36pp + 16 pull-out diagrams.
Illustrated.
Includes Aeroplane and
Armament Experimental
Establishment Report No.
A&AEE 802 on the Phillips &
Powis M.38/28.
T.18 — Report on Design
of Tricycle Undercarriage
Conversion Set for M.18
The Miles X7 could carry up to 500 troops over short ranges. RAeS (NAL).
Aircraft. F H Robertson.
Phillips & Powis Aircraft
(Reading) Ltd, Reading. 1943.
3pp + 4 pull-out diagrams.
Illustrated.
Report on Preliminary
Design Specification for
M.26 (X.11) Transport. Miles
Aircraft Limited, Reading.
1945.
R.T. — Report on
Preliminary Design for
Glider Tug. F H Robertson.
Miles Aircraft Limited, Reading.
1945. 9pp. Illustrated.
The HDM.106 Light
Transport Aircraft: Two
Lycoming GO-480 or
GSO-480B Engines 8,000
LB AUW (Provisional
Specification). H D et M
(Aviation) Ltd, F G Miles Ltd
and Avions Hurel-Dubois,
Shoreham. May 1957. 23pp.
Illustrated.
A development of the
HDM.105 Experimental
Aerovan, describes short-haul
freighter concept, including
general dimensions, internal
layout arrangements and
estimated performance graphs.
Saunders-Roe Limited
Saunders-Roe Limited
SR-A1/P.121 and their
variants dimensions/
weight estimate/
performance estimate.
Saunders-Roe Limited. c.1946.
30pp. Illustrated.
Describes the
P.121.00.3/P.121.00.5
(a)/P.121.00.5 (b) variants
and includes line arrangement
diagrams.
Design Study of a
Reconnaissance FlyingBoat for Tender to MOS
Specification R2/48
(‘Secret’). Saunders-Roe
Limited. March 1949. 141pp.
Illustrated.
Describes in detail
the Saunders-Roe P.104
project, including the aircraft’s
aerodynamic design, estimated
weight/performance,
production breakdown,
structural strength and
stiffness.
Addendum No.1 (As
requested by MOS letter
Ref.6/aircraft/3120/
CB9(b)) to Design Study
of a Reconnaissance
Flying-Boat for Tender to
MOS Specification R2/48
(‘Secret’). Saunders-Roe
Limited. June 1949. 47pp +
blueprint arrangement diagram.
Illustrated.
Describes the SaundersRoe P.104 project.
Saunders-Roe Duchess.
Saunders-Roe Limited. c.1950.
14pp. Illustrated.
Includes technical
details of hull characteristics,
beaching gear, performance,
operating costs and other
data/dimensions.
Preliminary Report on
Design Study of a Small
Twin-Engined Helicopter.
F H Robertson. Saunders-Roe
Ltd, East Cowes. August 1951.
14pp. Illustrated.
Includes line arrangement
diagrams, weight breakdown
and performance graphs of the
P.500 project design intended
to be larger than the Skeeter.
Design Study of a Naval
Two-Seat All-Weather
Fighter Landplane
for Tender to MOS
Specification N.114.T
(‘Secret’). Saunders-Roe
Limited. July 1951. 145pp.
Illustrated.
Describes in detail
the Saunders-Roe P.148
project, including the aircraft’s
aerodynamic design, estimated
weight/performance,
production breakdown,
structural strength and
stiffness.
Design Study of a
Single-Seat Interceptor
Fighter having Variable
Wing Sweep to MOS
Specification ER.110.T.
Saunders-Roe Limited.
November 1951. 103pp
+ 3 blueprint arrangement
diagrams. Illustrated.
Describes in detail
the Saunders-Roe P.149
project, including the
aircraft’s aerodynamic
design, estimated weight/
performance, production
breakdown, structural strength
and stiffness. Concludes with
an analysis of the advantages
and disadvantages of variable
sweep in comparison with
fixed wing designs.
Saunders-Roe
Princess: Compilation
of dimensions/weight
estimates/range and
take-off performance
summary and various
photographs. SaundersRoe Limited. c.1952. 7pp +
photographs.
Notes on Visit to USA
in Connection with
Helicopters and Seaplanes
during March, April and
May 1952 (‘Guard — Secret’).
F H Robertson. Saunders-Roe
Limited. 1952.
Illustrated throughout
by numerous photographs,
this report reviews the latest
designs of Hiller Helicopters,
Hughes Aircraft Company, Los
Angeles Airways, McMulloch
Motors Corp, American
Flight 26 March 1954. pp
365-371.
Includes sectional
diagrams of the aircraft’s
cockpit, interior arrangements
and cutaway by John Marsden.
Hunting Percival P.105
Helicopter. Hunting Percival
Aircraft Limited. August 1955.
Describes the rotorgenerator unit, dimensions,
performance, payload and the
helicopter’s potential use as an
aerial crane.
Percival Prentice T1, VR190. RAeS (NAL).
Helicopter Co, Rotorcraft Corp,
Cessna Aircraft Company,
McDonnell Aircraft Corp,
Helicopter Air Service Inc,
Doman Helicopters Inc.,
Sikorsky Aircraft Inc, Kaman
Aircraft Corp, Piasecki
Helicopter Corp, Kellett
Aircraft Corp, Bell Aircraft
Corp, Convair Ltd, Grumman
Aircraft Engineering Corp
and The Glenn L Martin
Co. Also summarises visits
to the Boeing Airplane Co,
United Air Lines Maintenance
Base at San Francisco,
Fairchild Aircraft Division,
Bendix Aviation Corp, the
US Bureau of Aeronautics,
Naval Experimental Station at
Patuxent, NACA Langley Field
and Wright Field at Dayton,
Ohio.
Some Notes on the
Operational Advantages
of a Flying Boat as
an Anti-Submarine
Reconnaissance Aircraft
(‘Secret’). Saunders-Roe
Limited. July 1953. 83pp.
Illustrated.
Percival Aircraft Limited/
Hunting Aircraft
Ltd/British Aircraft
Corporation (BAC)
Percival Prentice: a New
Basic Trainer to AM
Specification T23/43.
Percival Aircraft Limited.
c.1946. 9pp. Illustrated.
The Percival Prentice
Basic Trainer: in
Production for the Royal
Air Force. The Principles
which led to its adoption
as the modern Basic
Trainer. Percival Aircraft
Limited. c.1947. 4pp.
Includes review of military
flying training policy and
techniques.
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The New Basic Trainer
— Structural Analysis
of the Percival Prentice:
Simplicity, Inherent
Strength and Ease of
Production are Keynotes
of Design. Reprinted from
Flight 18 December 1947.
Includes cutaway and
other sectional diagrams.
The History of Percival
Aircraft Ltd. Reprinted from
The Aeroplane Spotter Vol IX
No. 206 7 February 1948.
Concludes with detailed
Percival Type Number list.
Manufacturing the Percival
Prentice: an Account by
the Technical Editor of the
Production of the New AllMetal Basic Trainer for the
Royal Air Force. Extract from
Aircraft Engineering May 1948.
J H Stevens. pp 137-147.
Illustrated.
Aerial Survey from
Camera to Map: the
Comprehensive Service of
Hunting AeroSurveys Ltd.
Supplement to the Hunting
Aviation Review. c.1948. 8pp.
Illustrated.
The Percival Prince:
Britain’s 8-10 Passenger Air
Liner. Percival Aircraft Limited.
September 1948. 4pp.
by J H Clark of Percival P.56.
Percival Provost in the Air:
Flying Experience with
the RAF’s Latest Trainer.
Reprinted from Flight 14
September 1951.
Includes performance
data for the P.56 Mk.1/Mk.2
and cockpit arrangement
diagram.
The Percival “Provost”
Basic Trainer: in quantity
production for the Royal
Air Force. Percival Aircraft
Limited. October 1951. 8pp.
Illustrated.
A Proven Combination.
Reprinted from The Aeroplane
25 January 1952. 6pp.
Illustrated.
Describes the evolution
of the Percival P.50 Prince
and its variants including the
Sea Prince TMk1. Includes a
number of sectional diagrams.
Percival Pembroke: HighWing Versatility — Design
and Construction of a
“Prince-plus”. Extract from
Napier’s Oryx Gas
Generator and Helicopters
by Hunting Percival.
Reprinted from The Aeroplane.
5 August 1955. D Napier and
Son Limited, Luton. 12pp.
Illustrated.
Includes cutaway
diagrams of the Napier Oryx
N.Or.I 750ghp Gas Generator
and the Hunting Percival P.105
helicopter project powered by
the Napier Oryx N.Or.4 825
gas horse-power generator.
Agricultural Aircraft
Studies. Hunting Aircraft
Limited. British Aircraft
Corporation Ltd, Luton.
September 1961. 37pp.
Illustrated.
Describes the Hunting
H.137/H.137R/H.142 project
designs, their economics and
loading sequences.
H145 Jet Trainer. P/51/W-3.
British Aircraft Corporation —
Hunting Aircraft Ltd, Luton.
c.1962.
H145 Jet Trainer. TSL 033.
British Aircraft Corporation
— Hunting Aircraft Ltd,
Luton.c.1963. 33pp. Illustrated.
A development of the Jet
Provost T.Mk.4, this brochure
presented basic performance
data (including rate of climb,
stalling speeds and landing
distances), range, nose
compartment equipment,
fatigue life, weight breakdown
and armament.
H145 Jet Trainer: South
African Air Force. TSL052.
British Aircraft Corporation,
Luton. April 1964. 38pp.
Illustrated.
H.145 Jet Trainer
Engineering Appraisal.
TSL053. British Aircraft
Corporation (Operating) Ltd,
Luton. October 1964. Irregular
pagination. Illustrated.
H145 Jet Trainer Viper
20: RAAF. TSL061.
British Aircraft Corporation
(Operating) Ltd, Luton. October
1964. 67pp. Illustrated.
BAC.145 Jet Trainer.
145/1/RB. British Aircraft
Corporation, London. January
1965. 50pp. Illustrated.
Describes the aircraft’s
dimensions, range, flight
envelope (including stalling
speeds and landing distances),
typical training sortie, cockpit,
armament, structure, fatigue
life and other data.
BAC 164 Viper 20 Mk 522:
Royal Malaysian Air Force.
TSL074. British Aircraft
Corporation (Operating) Ltd,
Luton. February 1965. 50pp.
Illustrated.
Describes the
aircraft’s dimensions, range,
performance, flight envelope
(including stalling speeds
and landing distances),
typical training sortie, cockpit,
armament, stores, weapon
loads, fatigue life and other
data.
BAC 167 Viper 20 Mk 522:
Royal Malaysian Air Force.
TSL073. British Aircraft
Corporation (Operating) Ltd,
Luton. February 1965. 56pp.
Illustrated.
The Saunders-Roe P104 was designed to Spec R2/48
for a reconnaissance and anti-submarine flying boat.
RAeS (NAL).
The Percival P.56
(Provost): Design Analysis
of the New Basic Trainer
Adopted for the Royal Air
Force. Reprinted from Flight 4
May 1951.
Includes cutaway and
other sectional diagrams.
The Percival “Provost”
New Basic Trainer for the
Royal Air Force. Reprinted
from The Aeroplane 4 May
1951.
Includes cutaway diagram
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Developed from the BAC
145, describes the aircraft’s
aerodynamic data, range,
weight breakdown, flight
envelope (including stalling
speeds and landing distances),
stores, weapon loads, fatigue
life, cabin pressurisation
systems and other data.
Evolved into the Strikemaster.
BAC 167 Jet Trainer Viper
20. TSL081. British Aircraft
Corporation (Operating) Ltd,
Luton. May 1965. 60pp.
Illustrated.
BAC 167 Jet Trainer Viper
20: Royal Saudi Air Force.
TSL092. British Aircraft
Corporation (Operating) Ltd,
Luton. October 1965. 50pp.
Illustrated.
Shorts
Various Possible
approaches to the Design
of a Two Seater Helicopter.
S.P.H.100/1. F Robertson.
Short Brothers and Harland
Limited, Belfast. February
1953. 64pp. Illustrated.
Compares various
contemporary hub driven/
tip driven helicopters and the
potential for ramjet and pulse
jet propulsion, incorporating
design analyses of the Hiller
Hornet, American Helicopter
XH26, McDonnell 79A, Sud
Ouest So1120 Aeriel III, Bell
47, Saro Skeeter and the
Hafner AR III gyroplane.
Design for an Ultra
Light Weight Helicopter
Tendered to Specification
H.R.144T (R.D.T.2 Ref: 7/
Aircraft/11791). SPH.100/4.
Short Brothers and Harland
Limited, Belfast. December
1953. 55pp. Illustrated.
Includes a number of
sectional diagrams of the
helicopter’s rotor hub, gearbox,
main rotor blade, tail rotor and
engine installation.
Preliminary Report on
Design Study of VTOL
Strike Aircraft to GOR.339.
PD.17/2. Short Brothers and
Harland Limited, Belfast. April
1958. 65pp. Illustrated.
Describes the Shorts
PD17 jet-lift aircraft design
developed from an English
Electric concept.
Preliminary Report on
Design Study of General
Purpose VTOL/STOL
Lightweight Strike/Fighter.
PD.25/4. Short Brothers and
Harland Limited, Belfast. June
1958. 14pp. Illustrated.
Describes the Shorts
PD25/4 single-seat deltawinged fighter design which
was to be powered by eight
Rolls-Royce RB108 engines
mounted amidships to provide
vertical lift and a Bristol
Orpheus 12R mounted in the
rear of the fuselage to provide
horizontal thrust.
Report on the Design of
the Short Skyvan Light
General Purpose Transport
Aeroplane. PD.36/3. Short
Brothers and Harland Limited
— Light Aircraft Division,
Belfast. February 1961.
104pp. Illustrated.
Describes the Shorts SC7
Skyvan and records the design
philosophy which led to the
decision to proceed with the
project.
Report on the Preliminary
Design of a 40 Seat/4
Ton Feeder Line Aircraft.
PD.65/4. Short Brothers
and Harland Limited, Belfast.
February 1966. 54pp.
Illustrated.
Describes the Shorts
Short PD25/4 V/STOL light strike/fighter. RAeS (NAL).
PD65 jet-powered design
considered as a replacement
for the DC-3 (including
general arrangement diagrams,
aerodynamics, wing/fuselage
structure, performance,
passenger accomodation,
flap system, air conditioning/
hydraulic/fuel systems,
operating costs).
Report on the Preliminary
Design of a 29 Seat/3
Ton Feeder Line Aircraft.
PD.80/2. Short Brothers
and Harland Limited, Belfast.
October 1967. 44pp.
Illustrated.
Describes the Shorts
PD80 low-wing turboprop
design (including general
arrangement diagrams,
aerodynamics, aerofoil
geometry, wing/fuselage
structure, performance,
passenger accomodation,
slotted Fowler flap system,
Lycoming T53-L-15 engine
installation, air conditioning/
hydraulic/electrical/fuel
systems, operating costs).
Proposal for a programme
of work aimed at securing
for Shorts a position
in the world market for
Rotary-Winged Aircraft,
particularly in the private
sector. PD.66/1. Short
Brothers and Harland Limited,
Belfast. September 1967.
47pp. Illustrated.
Includes as appendices
descriptions of the F H
Robertson ‘Rotacoupe’, the
McCandless single-seat
gyroplane, Short PD66.00.11
4-5 seat autogiro design, Short
PD59 Rotobus (a 29-seat
autogiro design with fuselage
accommodation identical to
the PD80) and a report on
autogiros compiled by Arthur D
Little for Shorts.
Other Papers
Short PD17/2 a fully VTOL tactical strike bomber designed to
Spec GOR339 (as was TSR2). RAeS (NAL).
2-Seat Glider Type R.11.
F H Robertson. Robertson
Aircraft, Isle of Wight. 1947.
Irregular pagination.
British Civil Transports: a
History — an Inquest —
and a Plan (‘Confidential’). F
Robertson. September 1956.
A detailed analysis of the
comparative performance of
the Avro York/Tudor 1/2/4,
Handley Page Hermes
1/2/4, Bristol Brabazon
Britannia 100/250/300/310,
Saunders-Roe Princess,
Short ‘C’ Class Empire flying
boats/G-Class/Sandringham/
Shetland, Armstrong
Whitworth Apollo/Ensign,
Airspeed Ambassador, Vickers
Viscount, de Havilland Comet
1/1a/2/3/4, comparing them
to the Lockheed Constellation,
Douglas DC-3/DC-4/DC-6/
DC-8, Sikorsky S.42, Boeing
314A/Stratocruiser and
Convair 240/340/440.
Light and Executive
Aircraft and their Future
Prospects in the United
Kingdom: Lecture delivered
to the Royal Aeronautical
Society — Christchurch Branch
12 December 1962. F H
Robertson. 67pp. Illustrated.
The Robertson
“Rotacoupe”. F H Robertson.
c.1965. 23pp. Illustrated.
Describes a two-seat
autogiro design powered by a
210hp piston engine and fixed
pitch propeller.
Autorotating Wings
— Theory, History and
Future Possibilities: Short
Brothers Commemorative
Lecture delivered to the Royal
Aeronautical Society — Belfast
Branch 1966. F H Robertson.
79pp. Illustrated.
For enquiries regarding this material please contact
the librarians at the National Aerospace Library:
T +44 (0)1252 701038 or 701060;
E hublibrary@aerosociety.com
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AEROSPACE / MAY 2014