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Aviation History
1912
1912 - 0330.PDF
FROM THE BRITISH FLYING GROUNDS. Royal Aero Club Flying Ground, Eastchurch. WITH most of the Naval aviators away on leave, after the strenuous work of the last few weeks, the Ea5tchurch Aerodrome was unusually quiet during the holidays. On Tuesday, Commander Samson, R.N., put the new Short ioo-h.p. tractor biplane, which had been constructed for Naval purposes, through her first trials. The machine was stated to be excellent in every way, showing remarkable climbing powers with a very flat gliding angle, although her construction is unusually strong and solid. During the flight Commander Samson attained an altitude of about 2,000 ft. The speed of the machine was estimated at 60 miles per hour. In the afternoon Capt. Gerrard, R.M.L.I., and Lieut. Gregory, R.N., were also practising on the Naval School machines, although the wind was blowing strongly, flying over Sheerness together at an altitude of 1,000 ft., where they met with some very strong wind currents and had several vertical drops due to so-called air-pockets ; otherwise, the machines were exceptionally steady, and their behaviour in gusty weather is inspiring great confidence in this type of machine. On Saturday afternoon, Mr. Frank McClean and Professor Huntington were the only aviators flying, the former on his 70-h.p. Short tractor biplane, and the latter on his automatic stability machine of the early Dunne type. On both days the weather was very unsettled, Mr. McClean having a particularly rough time when flying near Harty Ferry on Sunday afternoon. Professor Huntington made several short flights at the height of some 30 or 40 ft. He has recently adopted the Short landing chassis to his machine, as being the most suitable he has found for landing on rough ground. On Tuesday evening, Mr. Frank McClean was out on the 70-h.p. Tractor, flying in a considerable wind, which showed over 20 miles per hour on the wind recorder. By 7 p.m., however, the wind dropped to a calm, and later McClean took up two passengers, viz., Miss Marion Spicer and Mr. Lancelot Spicer, giving them a fine flight round the aerodrome at an altitude of about 200 ft. Brooklands Aerodrome. WEATHER conditions are not yet all that could be desired. On Tuesday last week only a little flying took place. Pizey on the Bristol biplane took up Mackworth, after which the pupil made some straight solo flights. Major Bannerman on the same machine flew a few circuits. Raynham on the Burgess-Wright took up in turn Howard- Wright, Hedley, and a mechanic, while Sabelli performed a circuit or two on the Deperdussin brevet machine. Wednesday was rather better. At the Bristol school Mackworth reached the circuit stage, making very nice turns. Fleming and Pizey were both out with pupils during the day. Gill, on the Deperdussin, put up a good flight at an altitude of some seventy feet, and should soon be ready to take hi> certificate. C. C. Turner also on a Deperdussin, put in some rolling practice, his operations, being brought to a finish through a wheel buckling owing to a sharp turn. About eleven o'clock Pixton turned up from Salisbury on a two-seater Bristol monoplane, with Lieut. Ashton as passenger. The journey occupied about an hour, the air being very bumpy in places. Soon after Sopwith left for Hendon on his 70-h.p. Gnome-engined Bleriot, taking Hedley as passenger. He also found it a bit bumpy, but succeeded in reaching Hendon in 17 minutes. Fisher brought out the rebuilt Hanriot for a trial, and after an alteration had been made to the propeller flew for about five minutes. The machine handled very well, and showed much im provement in its climbing powers, rising at times almost like a Gnome-Bleriot. Raynham on the Wright gave instructions to Howard-Wright, Hedleyand Young. Thursday was a bad day. In the early morning Porte was up for 15 minutes on the Deperdussin racer. Capt. Broke-Smith on a Bristol biplane made several circuits in a tricky wind, and Pizey and Fleming were doing solos. The next day was a blank, and on Saturday only Bristol machines were in the air, Pixton testing a new engine in the two-seater monoplane. A vast improvement was experienced on Sunday, the morning being absolutely perfect for flying. Before breakfast 11 machines were out. One of the first was Spencer on the biplane he has constructed out of the old Macfie. The machine lifted at a remarkably low speed ; in fact, the chief difficulty seemed to be to bring her down, as when the engine was switched off the tail immediately commenced to drop, causing the machine to rise. In spite of this, Spencer made a short trip outside the aerodrome at a fair height. When she is tuned up, this biplane should be an excellent school machine. Another old friend out was the racing-type Barman, built by Blondeau some time back, and used by Lieut. Snowdon-Smith. Blondeau made a few circuits, and then Lieut. Hewlett took her for several straights, but found the engine missing too badly to continue, Fisher brought out the Flanders monoplane for the first time since Furbank's smash three weeks ago, and found everything all right, making a couple of flights of 5 and 10 minutes' duration. At the Bristol school, Capt. Broke-Smith passed for his certificate in excellent style, flying with great steadiness and precision. Fielding and Mackworth both put up good long flights, and Capt. Allen on the Anzani-engined monoplane flew several circuits at a height of about 150 ft., showing great improvement in his landing. Chinery on the Deperdussin made a good flight with right and left hand turns, and Young on the Wright was out doing straight solo flights. Later on in the day, Raynham flew over to Hendon on the Wright, taking Hedley as passenger, and returning with Young as passenger in the evening. The outward trip occupied 24 mins., while the return journey took 52 mins. In the neighbourhood of Ealing the machine stood practically stationary for some minutes, and it was only by descending to a lower level that progress could be made. In the afternoon, Pixton and Valentine were both out on their two-seater Bristol monoplanes tuning up. Both went outside the aerodrome, reaching a good height, and coming down in spiral vol plane's. Fleming took out the biplane, but found it too bumpy for pupils. The Flanders monoplane, piloted by Fisher, was out again, testing a new propeller, and flying very strongly. Petre and Sabelli both took trips on the Deperdussin racer, and Percival was doing straights on his rebuilt biplane. Eleven entries had been received for the cross country handicap race to Chobham and back on Easter Monday, but owing to the high wind, which occasionally reached 60 miles an hour, the race had to be cancelled. A new comer during the week was the Avro mono plane, which- is now in course of erection. This is a highly original machine, about which there is bound to be great divergence of opinion. The rectangular fuselage is very deep, the pilot being completely enclosed, and obtaining his view of the outside world through a number of windows covered with non-inflammable celluloid. The motor, a 50-h.p. Viale, is supported in front outside the covering. The pilot climbs in through a trap-door in the roof, and in the case of an upside down landing makes an emergency exit through the side with a pair of wire cutters. Colllndale Avenue, THE NEW AVRO MILITARY PATTERN ENCLOSED-TYPE MACHINE.—View of the chassis and front part of the fuselage. London Aerodrome, Hendon. Grahame-Wbite School.—Weather conditions were more favourable on Tuesday, last week, and 330
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