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Aviation History
1911
1911 - 0410.PDF
THE ENDON SEEMINGLY the present week is likely to become historic in the annals of aeronautics—even if not also in those of the War Office and of Great Britain—as the date of the great awakening of civil and military officialdom to the arrival of a new arm, a new weapon of defence as well as of offence, and a new vehicle of speedy transport, ready to hand in the service of the world's greatest Empire. It is not that any very remarkable or sensational per formance has suddenly opened the eyes of those in authority to the progress that has so rapidly and for so many months been going on all around them. No single achievement of the past few weeks has thrown any entirely new light upon the situation. True the London to Paris excursion of M. Prier, the exploits of Mr. Gilmour on boat race day, the Hendon to Brooklands contests for speed, last Saturday's Brooklands to Brighton race, and numberless other like long-distance nights have each added their quota to the magnificent edifice that is being built up as an inheritance to all future generations ; but it is only in a general way that recent exploits and recent conquests can be said radically to have changed the out look from the viewpoint of British officialdom. Nevertheless, the long-hoped-for softening of the official heart seems at length to have shown signs of having begun. Utterly deaf ears are no longer turned to the urgent protestations of those who would at least have the Government of the day and the War Office evince some slight measure of undisguised curiosity— even if nothing more—in the alleged potentialities of the aeroplane as a danger to the country in the hands of an enemy, and conversely as a fresh guarantee of security in their own hands. No less a personage than Lord Haldane himself is witnessing a series of practical demonstrations, and with him are to be members of the Army Council and some couple of hundred members of Parliament, who, irrespective of party, will thus be able to see for themselves the wisdom of voting adequate monetary supplies when occasion arises. An altogether admirable and comprehensive programme has moreover been arranged with some fourteen of the leading flying men of the country lending their aid. Weather conditions being in any sense reasonable for open-air manoeuvres, proofs are to be afforded of the value of the aeroplane in numerous ways, as also of its utility in actual warfare by virtue of the small space into which it may be packed for transport, and the restricted space in which it is able to rise, solely under its own power. Thus, for example, some of the machines will be despatched on reconnoitring work to locate the positions MAY 13, 1911. >EMONSTRATIOMo of troops specially sent out into the country in advance, others will be called upon to take messages to distant points, and some even are to demonstrate their capability of carrying a machine gun from one place to another. Bomb-dropping constitutes yet a further manoeuvre that is to be demonstrated, special targets representing battle ships and fortresses being erected for the purpose, while similarly experiments are contemplated to represent the relief of a besieged town by means of aeroplanes, food supplies being delivered from above by parachutes. Already, it must be remembered, the Under Secretary for War has personally made an experimental trip under conditions far from perfect to ensure a smooth passage aloft, and is thus well aware of what an aeroplane can be made to do in expert hands such as those of Mr. Grahame-White. It is only reasonable to suppose that his report must have gone a very long way to bring about the present demonstration ; and it is equally reasonable to suppose that what impressed him will inevitably impress Lord Haldane and most of his colleagues. Possibly it may be very difficult indeed to foresee precisely what will be the immediate result of such an occasion; but that after all is not a point that needs to be thrust very forcibly into prominence just at the moment. The main triumph of the Parliamentary Aerial Defence Committee is that they have drawn the authorities out from their official shells. And it is to the Parliamentary Committee that this apparent great awakening is unquestionably due. Theirs indeed has been one of the most valuable pieces of work hitherto achieved in the interests of the cause in Great Britain. To add to the debt which the movement owes to their skilful diplomacy and their foresight, their stage management of the Hendon demonstration has been admirable in every way, the thoroughly official character of the occasion having been maintained by extending the invitations only to all naval and military officers on the active list. Thus has the full attention of the services been publicly focussed upon the aeroplane in a manner that cannot fail permanently to alter the official attitude as from the present week. Of a truth the labours of Mr. Arthur Lee, M.P. as chairman, and of Mr. Arthur Du Cros as honorary secretary—only to mention two of the Parliamentary Committee stalwarts—is bearing excel lent fruit. As showing the completeness of the arrangements and the comprehensive character of the trials that are included, we give in full below the complete pro gramme that has been drawn up. COMPLETE PROGRAMME FOR THE HENDON DEMONSTRATION. Reconnaissance test, with officers as observers. The officers observing m these tests will be Major Evelyn Wood, D.S.O., Captain Sykes, and Captain Twiss. The reconnaissance would include map-drawing and photography, as well as locating of troops and fortifications. Machine gun and ammunition carrying—transport of machine gun and operator to a given point. Attacking an airship. Weather permitting the Army airship Beta will arrive from Aldershot and be attacked. Passenger carrying, in which members of the Board of Admiralty, the Army Council, and the Members of Parliament are invited to participate. The members of the Parliamentary Aerial Defence Committee desire to acknowledge their special indebtedness to Mr. Claude Grahame-White for Ins kindness in placing at their disposal his aerodrome and aeroplanes for the purposes of the demonstration and for the valuable assistance which he has rendered them generally. 3.30 p.m.—Inspection of aeroplanes by members of the Board of Admiralty, the Army Council, and members of Parliament. 4.0 p.m.—Speed of erecting and dismantling aeroplane—(a) from transport wagon to actual flight; (6) from time of landing after flight to time of loading upon wagon ready for transport. Two Bleriot monoplanes will be used in this demonstration. Despatch carrying and reliability test across country—(a) carrying despatch to Aldershot; (6) bringing back reply. Tests of distance required for rising and alighting. Both mono planes and biplanes will be used in these tests. p—Comparison of speed between monoplane and biplane, monoplanes and biplanes circling the aerodrome simultaneously. Bomb-throwing—(a) by aeroplanes at high speed (at moderate height) ; />) from aeroplanes hovering in circles at greater height; <:) Mr. Grahame-White will drop a missile weighing 100 lbs. from 1 biplane. 412
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