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Aviation History
1909
1909 - 0128.PDF
MARCH 6, 1909. NEWS OF THE The Aero Club's Flying Ground. IN many ways, the selection, announced in last week's issue of FLIGHT, which has been made by the Aero Club of the United Kingdom after a most careful search for a flying ground, appears to be an admirable one. It is situated at Shellbeach, on the Isle of Sheppey, and although at first sight it would appear to be somewhat inaccessible, it is not really so, as the boat express trains to Queenborough serve within easy reach of the ground. It is possible to get an uninterrupted flight of ten miles, and there is a considerable expanse of country available for circling operations. On one side the ground is bordered by the sea, and at low tide there is a spacious stretch of hard sand which may be utilised. With regard to club accommodation this is ample and good, for, besides an hotel quite close to the railway station, there is a charming old English house known as the Muscle Manor, which will be used as a club house, and where members will find excellent living and sleeping accommodation. Then, the old coast-guard station is being converted, and when the alterations are completed, will provide thirty additional bedrooms, while for those who wish to have a more or less permanent residence on SHEPPEY ISLAND, FROM AN OLD PRINT.—TheAero Club's flight grounds and Club House are at the extreme top of the Island comprising the land which is seenas a small island, but -which is now all flat ground joined to the main island, the sea having receded, leaving theClub House, which at one time was at the edge of the sea, inland. the spot, a number of bungalows are shortly to be erected. Messrs. Short Bros., the Club's engineers, are already erecting workshops, and steps are being taken to erect immediately sheds for the housing of aeroplanes, &c, and members will also be able to erect their own sheds. Our frontispiece this week presents views of the club house and of the hotel, whilst a series of photos appear elsewhere in this issue of FLIGHT, showing interior views of the Club, a panorama of a corner of the ground, and other interesting views. Airships at Olympia. AMONG the exhibits which will be seen at Olympia when it opens on the 19th inst., will be two full-sized airships, one—the "America "—which has been built for the Wellman Polar Expedition, and the other, a dirigible balloon built by Mr. Willows, of Cardiff. The envelope of the former is about 200 ft. in length, with a diameter of 50 ft., and it has been designed to carry not merely passengers but also sledges and dogs. It is fitted with a powerful Lorraine-Dietrich engine and a specially large petrol tank. Every detail has been thought out with the greatest care, and great hopes are entertained that by its aid the conquest of the North Pole will be an accom- plished fact during the summer. A Blower Wanted. IN connection with the exhibits of the above airships a difficulty has arisen with regard to the inflation of the envelopes. It is impossible, of course, to use gas, and it has therefore been decided to fill them with air. The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders therefore want to obtain the use of a rotary blower, giving a 7-in. flow of air, and a water pressure of 10 millimetres, and driven by an electric fan. It is estimated that this should fill the envelope of the Wellman airship, which contains 7,800 cubic metres, in from eight to ten hours. Moore-Brabazon's Broken Shaft. THE weather does not seem to affect Moore- Brabazon's enthusiasm for flying, for although the trial ground was under snow, he carried out several successful short flights on Sunday last, and would have continued with others but for the failure of a propeller-shaft. While the engine was running, the propeller-shaft broke off short and the propeller buried itself in the ground several yards away, happily without doing any damage. The propeller on the Voisin aeroplanes is, as our readers know, situated well behind the pilot, who is seated ire front of the engine, but an accident of i:his description is by no means pleasant all the same; it certainly gives point to remarks on the subject which appeared in an article on propellers published in FLIGHT of January 9th. The trials which preceded the mishap were remarkable more for the evidence of the ccntrol of the machine than for their extent, although the distances of from 3 to 4 kiloms. which were frequently accomplished are by no means insignificant. On the previous day, too,. Saturday, February 27th, a flight of quite 5 kiloms. was successfully accomplished by Mr. Moore-Brabazon. E.N.V. Engines in London. THE E.N.V. 8-cylinder aeroplane engines are now- represented in this country by the London and Parisian Motor Co., who control the interests of the Hotchkiss- cars. One of these engines is, as our readers knowv now 130
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