Airdrop

The "Hunchback of P40" aircraft that Randy Stiefer requested to be identified in "Airdrop" of the December 2000 issue is the post-WW II heavy fighter/attack aircraft SUD-EST SE 580. Its design was started in 1940 by the team that designed the Dewoitine D520-at that time, it was part of the Societe Nationale de Constructures Aeronautiques de Midi. That organization later became SUD-EST.

The SE 580 wing planform-with its near mid-chord single spar and its empennage surfaces planforms-was similar to the D520, albeit the horizontal planes had slightly greater aspect ratio. Initially designed to be powered by the 24-cylinder Hispano Suiza 24Z (H type) of 2,000hp, its postwar redesign accommodated the 24-cylinder arsenal 24 H of 3,400hp. This latter engine used the cylinder blocks of the German Junkers IV12 213 engine. Two 12.1-foot-diameter coaxial, counter-rotating propellers were to be utilized for propulsion.

It was to be armed with a 30mm cannon firing through the propeller axis, plus four 20mm cannon and either eight 7.Smm or six 12.7mm machine guns mounted in the wings outboard of the propeller arc. A 500kg (1,100 lb.) bomb could be carried beneath the fuselage. It is obvious that the after-cockpit buried radiator with top-mounted radiator intake was for protection from ground fire.

The aircraft never flew, as the program was abandoned before its completion. This aircraft was in competition with the L'arsenal VB 10, which did fly. A navalized version of the SE 580, the SE 582, was also studied and quickly abandoned.

This data is from the book, "Les Avions de Combat Francois 1944-1960, Chasse-Assaut" by Jean Cuny, which is part of the collection Docavia, Volume 28.

Nathan Kirschbaum Blacksburg, VA

Thanks for the answer, Nathan. Now Randy can stop losing sleep. RP

Reader's apreciation

My brothers and I certainly appreciated Corky Meyer's article on our Dad, Bob Hall. Not only was it well written, but it was also beautifully laid out. Since the article was published, it has been amazing how many people-known and unknown to us-have written, phoned, or otherwise tracked us down. It is a credit to Flight Journal that so many people of different backgrounds-aviators and others-have contacted us. No surprise, though: Flight Journal is a wonderful publication.

Corky, of course, is a fantastic writer. His memory for detail, and his superb articulation of it, has let us "civilians" in on the flying of hot airplanes and all the drama (and humor) that surrounds them. Corky's ability as a writer, though, pales in comparison to his ability as a test pilot. We were kids when Corky flew Grumman's early jets (but too young to remember anything earlier). He was our idol because we got to be around him and to listen to him. The effervescence and humor that liven up his articles are only a part of him. He was a serious test pilot who had that special ability to fly new aircraft and to know exactly how to interpret their performance. Probably the reason we idolized him most was because of the obvious respect and admiration our father had for him.

It is appropriate to say that Dad would not have been able to achieve what he did had he not worked with extraordinary people, especially those at Granville and at Grumman. The five Granville brothers were not only extremely gifted craftsmen but were also extremely hard workers. Their efforts to build superior-quality aircraft in such short periods of time are hard to believe today. It is amazing to me that the Model Z was built in eight weeks, test-flown without any particular taxi tests and raced hardly a week later!

We grew up as "Grumman kids," and as far as we are concerned, there never has been a better company. The reason was that Grumman's leaders-- Roy Grumman, Jake Swirbul, Bill Schwendler and all who followed-- understood and motivated people in a very natural and human way. Grumman was a special place where all kinds of talented people could spread their wings. And, as history has shown, they did. Keep up the great work. [email]

Eric Hall Bristol, RI

Eric, congratulations; you have succeeding in making Corky blush-not an easy thing to do! BD

Flight Journal is a wonderful magazine. With my 60 years in commercial and military aviation, I relate to every article. I am amazed at the detail, accuracy and overall presentation. Karl Polifka's article, "T-28 Sortie," in the December 2000 issue deserves special mention. It is a breakthrough in the publication of facts that concerned our air support for the Lao Royalists in their war against the Pathet Lao.

In 1967 and '68, it was my privilege to serve as Operations Officer of Detachment 1 at Udom RTAFB. The Lao student pilots came to us, essentially from the jungle, with little or no ability to speak English. Owing largely to their own dedication, we were able to train them in the T-28 from scratch to combat in six months. During my tour, no Lao students were "washed out," and there were no accidents involving Lao students.