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Aviation History
1911
1911 - 0946.PDF
I/O5"7 OCTOBER 28, 1911. Prizes at Brookiands. [1403] I notice that in your issue for October 14th Messrs. A. V. Roe and Co. advertise that the third prize at Brooklands on October 4th was won by an Avro pupil. I beg to point out to you that this is incorrect, as it was won by myself on a Spencer biplane, and I have never been connec:ed with the Avro School. HERBERT SPENCER. Brooklands Aviation Ground. The Aeroplane In War. 1404] You mu:t allow me to put rr.y case a little plainer in answer to your last editorial. I don't think anything 1 have written can be construed to mean that the aeroplane is to be the " destroyer of the air " in the near future. I expressly said that the gaining of intelligence is the first duty of an aeroplane, and your readers will doubtless realise without diffi culty that, if it is most important for a force to get information of the enemy, it is equally important for the enemy to prevent its doing so. Will the side which possesses 100 aeioplanes against its enemy's 50 be centent with a simple exchange of information across the front er, or will it devote 50 machines to counteract the enemy's while the other 50 gain information ? If the thing is worked out oh the basis of cost, I think you will fiad in a year or two that the cost of, say, five aeroplanes, will work out to about the same as 100 cavalry horses; and, say, ^4,000, their upkee,>, including replace ments, would be not more than that of 100 mounted men, probably less. Consequently, by reducing its cavalry force by 1,000 men any country could keep 50 aeroplanes on present expenditure. Now the present strength on mobilisation of the cavalry of the principal poweis is as follows :—Russia, 111,000 ; Germany, 76,000 ; Fiance, 66,000. Does it not appear from this that we are likely to have plenty of aeroplanes on both sides in the next European war ? I think so. Tfi; Franc>German frontier is, I think, something less than 150 rniles long. Suppose each power has 200 aeroplanes, surely there will be " wings on the green" at the outbreak of war before much info;mation is gained by either side. It is surely not possible to qu-stion the fact that machines run by men like Beaumont and Vedrines would be ordered to destroy as many of the enemy's airsiaft as possible—thai is, of course, if a satisfactory way of arming them has; been elaborated. But even taking your own analogy with cruisers, which I cannot admit to be very apposite, you must remember that armour and guns in a cruiser come next after speed. I am suggesting the armament of aeroplanes in the same way. The cruiser analogy seems to me weak for this reason. The cruiser ha> an advantage of, at most, a third more speed than its battleship squadron, and so cannot go far from it. An aeroplane can go 60 or 90 milts in an hour, while its infantry goes 3. The aeroplane is much more " on its own " than a cruiser, and I don't see how it can be expected to carry out its mission with the neces- saiy confidence and resolution unless it has means of defending itself and attacking its adversaries. I am quite with you that when told off to scout an airship of any kind should not fight unless absolutely necessary. Neither should cavalry. Now for bomb dropping. How else is an aeroplane ts destroy a dirigible in a safe and certain way?—and planes must destroy dirigibles, as they can send information back for hundreds of miles -with powerful wireless installations. Having once installed your bomb tube why not utilise it for general purposes? it is the "soul of artillery without the body " as Congreve claimed for his rockets, only rather more so. No powder charge entailing a strong and heavy gun to stand its explosion ; beneficent gravity provides the necessary impulse. " Take the g iod the gods provide ! " One more point, and that is the steady platform for a maxim that you ask for. The reason I suggested a maxim when others of your c ^respondents were talking of guns with chain shot, and other curiosities, was that the mixim is the only weapon that would be effective (of course, only at short ranges), on an unsteady platform. When you press the button on a maxim, a stream of bullets—ten every second—leaves its muzzle. If your gun is quite off the target <wh ch is, we will say, another aeroplane 600 ft. or 700 fc. away), you raise your thumb and the stream ceases ; as soon as you get on, or nearly on, you press again, and the unsteadiness of the platform giva such a spread to your bullets that som: are pretty sure to t ike effect. It must be remembered that the flame from the muzzle of any firearm means a certain danger when petrol is in the neighbourhood. Some silencer arrangement, with battle p ates, fixed on the muzzle would reduce this risk. An air-gun giving sufficient velocity would be the ideal weapon. R. A. (RETIRED). Aviation at the Scottish [National Exhibition. |I4°S] As a keen anient of aviation, and also a frequenter of the Eichibiuo.i, I have naturally spent a grea d^al of time in the aviation pavilion. My reason for writing to you is to take up the cudgels on behalf of the model exhibitors. On passing round the pavilion the other evening, I noticed, not without a feeling of great indignation, that not one of the scale models is in a whole condition. By this I mean to say that some are totally wrecked, others have had their propellers stolen, even one has had a most excellent copy of the Gnome motor and Chauviere tractor ruthlessly torn from its housing in an equally excellent scale Bleriot. Who. I ask, is really responsible for the safe-keeping of the models sent ? There is one attendant in the place, but he cannot be expected to keep his eyes all over the shop at once. Is it fair, I ask, that young enthusiasts should lay out the necessary cash to build a scale model and pay carriage and packing to the exhibition, and then wait for the model to be sent back to them—in pieces, perhaps ? There is a prize of five guineas for the best scale model, and one of two guineas for the second best. The judging has not yet taken place, notwithstanding the fact that several of the model exhibitors were informed that models must be forwarded at least three clear days before the exhibition opened in May. Now, how is anyone to judge a model which, though thoroughly well made, is devoid of propeller and engine, and with chassis looking sadly ill-used ? Might I suggest that the authorities, who have to do with the prize-money, make same up to ten guineas, and divide equally among the exhibitors who had entered for the scale-model competition? I trust you will forgive me taking up your valuable time, and that you will give this letter the publicity it deserves. Glasgow. MODEL EXHIBIIOR. ® ® ® ® Aeronautical Patents Published. Applied for in IQIO. Published October z6tk, 1911. 22,710. S. F. CODY. Aerial craft. 25,483. M. A. PARASINO. Flying machines and dirigibles. 25,544. J. J. LINZELL. Aeroplanes. 25,749. G. MKES. Automatic control and steadying of aeroplanes. Applied for la ion. Published Octoher -zbth, 1911. 2,029. G. H. CHALLENGER AND BRITISH AND COLONIAL AEROPLANE CO. Flying machines. 5,843. T. A. TANNER AND B. F. MILLER. Flying machines. 9,109. M. OUSCHKOFF. Aeroplanes. 11,139. A. J. A. DEPERDUSSIN. Aeroplanes. 12,099. J* J* DAY. Flying machines, 1 4)35°- ^f* GAARA. Aerial machines \^ith two or more motors. I4i937. M- A. FARMAN. Steering-gear for aeroplanes. PRINCIPAL CONTENTS, PAGH Editorial Comment .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 926 Millions for Aerial Defence. Our Home Policy. The French Leading. The Aeronautical Society. A Study of Bird Flight. By Dr. K. H. Hankin, M.A., D.Sc 927 Subsidized toheds .. .. 929 Flight Technology .. .. . .. .. 950 From the British Flyiug Grounds .. .. .. .. .. .. 931 Royal Aero Club Notes 933 Progress of Flight About the Country .. .. .. .. 933 Air Eddies. By " Oiseau P»leu " .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 935 " Flight' Prizes for Model-. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 936 How to Build a Model. By W. Buath 938 School Aero Club Notes .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 939 British Notes of tne Week .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 940 The Gyro Compass .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 941 The Rom nice of Aeronautics .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 941 Foreign Aviation News .. . .. 942 The French Military Competitions . .. .. .. .. .. .. 943 Airship News .. .. .. .. .. .. ..941. Interesting Experiments whh PiopeUers, and Spinning Models .. .. 94-, Correspondence . 947 FLIGHT. 44, ST. MARTIN'S LANE, LONDON, W.C. Telegraphic address: Truditur, London. Telephone: i8a8 Gerrard SUBSCRIPTION RATES. FLIGHT will be forwarded, post free, to any part of the world at the following rates:— UNITED KINGDOM. ABROAD. 3 Months, Post Free .. 6 „ „ 2 ,, >, s. 1 • 3 . 6 d. & 3 b 3 Months, Post Free .. 6 „ „ 12 „ „ s. 2 5 . 11 a. fl 6 0 Cheques and Post Office Orders should be made payable to the Proprietors of FLIGHT, 44, St. Martin's Lane, W.C., and crossed London and County Bank, otherwise no responsibility will be accepted Should any difficulty be experienced in procuring FLIGHT from j>cal newsvendors, intending readers can obtain each issue direct from the Publishing Office, by forwarding remittance as above. 948
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