Convairiety, Volume 2, Number 17, August 17, 1949 Page: 3 of 8
8 p. : ill. ; 44 cm.View a full description of this periodical.
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August 17, 1949
CONVAIRIETy
Page 3
Navy's Super Flying Boat Moves to Ramp for Further Testing
'v\
XP-5yi MAKES A MOVE—Convair's new flying boat under construction for
the U. S. Navy made its first move July 20, traveling across Lindbergh Field and
Harbor Drive to the seaplane ramp on San Diego Bay. These pictures were taken
during the trip, which was made atop the plane's regular beaching cradle. The
plane was towed to the north end of the field and crossed Harbor Drive near the
Institute of Aeronautical Sciences Building. Currently, the ship is undergoing
static tests at the ramp. A test turbine engine has been installed and will be
ground tested in the plane. Dummy power plants and props have been installed
to simulate mass and weight during flutter tests. The latter are conducted by
means of electrical vibrators which simulate flight conditions. The plane will
remain at the ramp until its next major move, which will be into the water for
further tests which ultimately will be climaxed by its first flight.
PHOTOGRAPHING THE XF-92A IN FLIGHT —That's no easy job, as a
Convair cameraman and an Air Force pilot found out recently at Muroc. How-
ever, they got the picture at left, taken during a regular test flight with Convair
Pilot Bill Martin flying the delta wing plane. Photo at right shows Martin and
T. M. Hemphill, project engineer. Center photo is Cameraman Warren Kemmer
dressed as he was while flying in an Air Force jet trying to photograph the XF-92A.
Kemmer found the flight an exciting experience and describes his sensations in
accompanying article.
First Flight in Jet Plane
'Swonderful/ Says Photog
“Coasting along below cruising speed it is as quiet as a
ghost town. The sensation is out of this world, like a
second glass of champagne or the last day of school.”
Although it was 24 hours since
he had experienced what it feels
like to ride in an Air Force jet
(a TF-80C, Shooting Star trainer-
fighter, twin seat), Convair
cameraman Warren Kemmer still
glowed like a red manifold in the
dark. Kemmer’s assignment was
to photograph Convair’s XF-92A
(formerly the 7002), undergoing
flight tests at Muroc Dry Lake.
He rode in the chase plane which
accompanies the delta wing ship
on every hop. It was his first
ride in a jet.
Kemmer rode in the after cock-
pit of the TF-80. The pilot, Capt.
J. R. Phillips, USAF, was up
front. The same bubble canopy
covered them both.
“You don’t exactly climb into
a TF-80,” Kemmer explained.
“You insert yourself, like slip-
ping into a diving suit. I wore
a crash helmet, oxygen mask,
safety belt that buckled over
both shoulders and lap, tele-
phone equipment and para-
chute. There wasn’t much room
left for me and my Speed
Graphic. There was maybe a
couple of inches clearance be-
tween the top of my helmet
and the bubble. I could turn
only part way to right or left
and had to shoot my pictures
through the transparent can-
opy.”
The pilot taxied the TF-80 to
the strip and Kemmer described
the sound of the jet exhaust as
'High Old Time' Ahead for FW
Flyers on CRA Jaunt to Cisco
There’ll be a high time in Cisco,
Tex., Sunday, Aug. 28, when
about two dozen or more planes
owned by Convair FW CRA Fly-
ing Club members descend upon
the Eastland County airport for
a full day of activities.
Charles 0. Unfried, CRA fly-
ing commissioner, said the planes
will arrive at the airport 90 miles
southwest of Ft. Worth around
8:30 a.m., and the flyers will go
immediately to a special break-
fast in the Victor Hotel dining
room.
From there they will go for a
brief swimming session at Cisco
Lake, after which they will re-
turn to the airport for contests
and exhibitions beginning at 10
a.m.
They will be welcomed at
Cisco by Mayor G. C. Rosenthal
and members of the city coun-
More than 100 square dancers
from Convair SD turned out for
the second beginners session,
Aug. 9, more than enough to as-
sure an all-Convair class.
In view of the large response,
Claude Bissell (Dept. 28), was
appointed square dancing com-
missioner and regular classes
were scheduled for every other
Tuesday evening, 7:30 to 9:30 at
the Electric Building in Balboa
Park, starting Aug. 23.
“At the first opportunity we
yvill survey the interest and if
cil, who invited the group to
visit. The CRA members will
present the mayor with a large
photograph of the Convair
B-36.
The Cisco field will be controll-
ed for the day by two Civil Aero-
nautics Administration officials
sent there especially for the oc-
casion.
Sailplane rides and exhibitions
are being planned by B. A. Erick-
son and Gordon Graff, both mem-
bers of the Texas Soaring Asso-
ciation.
A non-denominational Sunday
service will be led by E. G. Cro-
sier, Convair FW Employee Serv-
ices supervisor who is also an
ordained minister, for members
of the group who wish to par-
ticipate.
Convair FW plane owners who
wish to join the group for
Cisco flight may register with
Unfried, or with other leaders.
sufficient we may have a class
every Tuesday,” Bissell said.
“Meanwhile, tentative plans call
for regular instruction for begin-
ners climaxed by a dance about
once a month.”
An instructor will have charge
of the class sessions with public
address system so that all may
benefit. The Electric Building is
the first one on the left when
traveling west on Laurel off Park
Boulevard. An orchestra and
caller will be retained for the
monthly dances.
Insurance Rebate
Blanks on the Way
Convair FW veterans may ob-
tain application blanks for Na-
tional Service Life Insurance divi-
dends from their department
clerks on Monday, Aug. 29, it
was announced by E. G. Crosier,
Employee Services Supervisor.
Each veteran will fill in his
name, serial number and insur-
ance policy number (if available),
and mail the application to the
Veterans Administration. The
VA states that mailing of the
checks will begin in Jan., 1950,
and is expected to be completed
by July, 1950. Application blanks
at Convair FW were arranged
through cooperation of the Peace-
maker Post of the American
Legion.
Secretary Scores
With $215 Idea
(Continued from Page 2)
made to employees for a total of
$4,286.
The number one department in
winning ESP awards thus far
is Inspection (27). Employees in
that department had won 41 cash
payments by June 30, and have
had four more since. Second in
number of award payments is
Bomb Bay (43) with 31, while
Final Assembly (50) and Metal
Forming (31) are third with 21.
Other departments in the order
of their rank are as follows:
Dept. 44, 19, Dept. 24, Dept. 47
and Dept. 61, 15, Dept. 22, 13,
Dept. 25, 9, Dept. 6, Dept. 46
and Dept. 73, 7, Dept. 82, 6,
Dept. 14, Dept. 30 and Dept. 45,
5, Dept. 81, Dept. 3, 4, Dept. 4,
Dept. 11, and Dept. 20, 3.
Regular Square Dance Lessons Arranged
For Convair SD, Beginning Aug. 23
not unpleasant, giving a sense of
terrific power. He noted there
was no pause at the end of the
taxi run to test engines as is cus-
tomary in conventional, propeller
planes. Capt. Phillips wheeled
and they were off down the run-
way, the fast acceleration press-
ing Kemmer’s back against the
seat. He was unaware when the
ship left the ground.
“The absence of sound is the
first thing you notice,” Kemmer
continued. “At low speeds you
hear neither engine nor wind. It
is wonderful! The only vibration
in my case was the thumping
of my heart. At higher speeds
you are conscious only of the
noise of wind rushing past out-
side the bubble.”
The ship had dual controls and
evidently responded quickly to
the pilot’s touch, for Kemmer
noted the stick in his cockpit
rarely more than wobbled as
Capt. Phillips maneuvered to get
in position near the XF-92A
which Convair Pilot Bill Martin
was flying on test runs.
“I was too intent on taking
pictures to be concerned about
safety,” Kemmer recalled. Ask-
ed what he would have done
had the pilot fainted, Kemmer
(who has never flown a plane)
replied: “Taught myself how to
fly a TF-80 in one concentrated
lesson.”
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Consolidated Vultee Aircraft Corporation. Convairiety, Volume 2, Number 17, August 17, 1949, periodical, August 17, 1949; Fort Worth, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1117979/m1/3/: accessed August 15, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company, Fort Worth.