80. Weight Problems in British to American Design Conversion

Paper

Abstract

The decision to build a British plan in America and the selection of The Glen L. Martin Company, under license to the English Electric Company to make the conversion a now a matter of history. The English Electric Canberra, design as a high altitude light bomber for the Royal Air Force has been converted into a effective night intruder airplane capable of being produced in larger quantities in American aircraft plants. The speed, high maneuverability and general configuration of the Canberra madi it very adaptable to its new role. This couple with the fact that it was an existing design capable of being put into mass production at a relatively early date caused the USAF to regard it with favor. Naturally, many problems are anticipated in a transition of this type and many arise which result in design changes to the aircraft. As in the design of any aircraft, a goal must be defined and a philosophy of design established at a very early date in order to produce the desired product. The targets set before the Martin Engineering staff were; (1) to make the Canberra effective as a night intruder; (2) to retain the characteristics of the Canberra which made it producible in quantity by our methods and (4) to accomplish the conversion as economically as possible.