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Aviation History
1911
1911 - 0846.PDF
velocity of the wind amounted to more than 40 m.p.h., the daily average being nearly 20 m.p.h. Those of my readers who have had previous experience of model flying will realise that these high winds necessitated very severe winding of the motors in order to get the machine off at its relative flying speed. The total number of flights amounted to 350, the average flight being just under the quarter mile, and on the other hand the five best flights each exceeded half a mile. My expenses were :—(1) 2S. 6d. for a new rubber motor fitted during the second week ; and (2) id. for wire to replace a broken rubber hook. Thus 1 covered 84 miles with a repairs bill of 2s. yd., or about ^d. per mile, and this when winding each time to 800-1,000 turns. Needless to say, I employed assistants, some mounted on cycles, to recover the model and bring it back at a run to the starting point. Landing places were indicated by means of numbered pegs, and the distances measured at the close of each day's flying. I got the model off about once in every ten minutes, and the total number of hours occupied in flying was approximately 60. Thus the sport cost me roughly \d. per hour, and although the feat was rather a strenuous one, I hope I have disproved for once and all the absurd fallacy that model aeroplane flying is an expensive pastime. ® ® THE NAVAL AIRSHIP DISASTER. THE iears of the critics of the Naval Airship No. 1 have been realised, and the great rigid dirigible has not done even so well as her German prototypes, never having found her way into the upper atmosphere. After reposing in the safety of her shed for four months since she made her first brief appearance in the open, it was decided to bring the dirigible out early on Sunday morning last, it having been taken over on the previous evening by Capt. Murray Sueter on behalf of the Admiralty, after carrying out tests in the shed. Shortly after six o'clock, when there was a slight north-west breeze blowing, the men from H.M.S. " Hermione" were at their stations, and slowly the dirigible began to emerge tail first from the shed. Once outside the shed the dirigible began to cant over as an endeavour was made with the tug to turn the airship, and, at the same time, an ominous tearing sound was heard. This was followed by a series of sharp reports as the framework began to break at about the centre of the hull. The after part of the airship rose in an alarming fashion and threatened to float away, but fortunately the stays held, and with much difficulty the wrecked airship was got back into its shed. The officers and men who were in the gondolas at the time had a most exciting time, as they had to dive to get clear of the wreck, but fortunately the I hope this term to see enormous progress made as regards the school aero club movement. The long autumn evenings are upon us, and cricket, boating and swimming are no longer possible. This is the time for model making and I hope that hundreds of our members and thousands of those who unfortunately are not members will indulge in this fascinating hobby. I am always pleased to advise any member of the Federation if a stamped and directed envelope is enclosed for reply. Also I must again call attention to the competitions announced in FLIGHT of August 26th and which close on the last day of October. I hope between now and Christ mas to meet a great number of our members personally, as arrange ments have already been made to deliver my illustrated lecture, "The Work ol the School Aero Club," at quite a dozen centres in various parts of the country. During the last month we have had the pleasure of enrolling nearly fifty individual members in the ranks of the Federation and it is to be hoped that each one of these will form the nucleus of a future school aero club. I need not ask all our members and friends to do their best to extend our work, for upon us depends the future not only of aviation but of the world empire of which we are proud to be subjects. ® ® disaster was unattended by any loss of life or serious injury. The cause of the disaster has not been ascertained, but it would appear possible that one of the ballonettes had either burst or been pierced, so causing the gas to escape, and depriving the centre portion of the vessel of its proper support. We deal editorially elsewhere with the disaster. ® ® ® ® The "Adjutant Reau" Trials. DURING a two-hour speed trial on Monday, the French military dirigible " Adjutant Reau " was timed to attain a speed of 55 kiloms. an hour. During her long cruise of 21 hrs. 20 mins. at the beginning of last week the airship covered a distance of 9l7-4 kiloms. "Schwaben" Back at Baden-Baden. THE Zeppelin liner " Schwaben" arrived back at Baden-Baden from Dusseldorf on Saturday evening. She left Dusseldorf at a quarter to nine, and piloted by Dr. Eckener through wind and rain, reached Baden-Baden at half-past two, and was safely docked at Oos half an hour later. On the previous day a party of members of the Dusseldorf Chamber of Commerce were taken for a cruise, and on the 21st eight passengers made a trip to the.west, being up for two hours and a quarter. THE DISASTER TO THE BARROW NAVAL AIRSHIP.-General view of this leviathan aircraft after the breaking of her back. By degrees the two halves settled down on to the surface of the water. 848
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