Armstrong Siddeley Motors: Visit to RNAS Ford

Par 2: At present , the Wyvern is rather in the doldrums following the accident that occurred when the undercarriage broke during a recent deck landing on the Eagle. Lt/Comdr Price hopes to continue deck trials Monday next, but the position is anything but satisfactory. Apparently when the 'cut' is given, the Wyvern descends with a high rate of sink - much too near the design maximum permissible. Price is reported to have done three near-perfect landings on, and the rated of descent were 11, 12 and 13 feet respectively. The design limit is 14 feet/sec., so if ideal deck landings approach so closely to design limits. Commr. Orr of Naval C Squadron A & AEE Boscombe Down, registered a sink rate of 17.5 feet/sec without apparent damage to the aircraft, and LT Sear of Westland registered 19.5 feet/sec., this landing caused the undercarriage to collapse. Naval opinion is that Comdr Orr was lucky not to have broken his aircraft when he landed