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Aviation History
1912
1912 - 0464.PDF
JBGHTJ MAY 25, 1912. MILITARY AEROPLANE COMPETITION. U not necessarily be disqualified for failing to SUPPLEMENTING the preliminary announcement of the Military Aeroplane Competition which was issued just before Christmas last, the War Office have just published a cominunit/ue covering the rules and regulations of the competition. Both these documents we publish in full below. There has been some slight modification with regard to preliminary tests, but otherwise the geneial scheme of the competition is as iirst announced. It will be seen that entries have to be sent in by June 15th, while the machines have to be delivered at Lark Hill on or before July 15th, no date being given as to when the competitions will actually take place. There are also rules and regulations containing the usual clauses of detail relating to definitions, responsibilities, Stc, &c. In regard to the minor, although, nevertheless important, modifications in the main text, to which it is desirable to draw special attention. In ihe first place we would direct our reader^ notice to paragraph 3, which contains an important proviso that machines will not necessarily be disqualified merely because they fail to comply with some of the con ditions set forth in the original document was that published in our issue on December 23rd, 1911. This means, in other words, that the authorities responsible for the building up of the Koyal Flying Corps are to have an opportunity of exercising their discretion to a certain extent, instead of being bound hard and fast by conditions that, having once appeared in black and white, cannot be departed from. It is obviously a sensible clause, and finding it in a Government document like this leads us to feel a desire to congratulate those responsible for its inclusion. But it is obvious that the authorities must have some fixed signposts to go by, and, in consequence, the present conditions include a lcvised list of essential minimums, for the details of which we refer our readers to para. 6. Most of the clauses there recapitulated are the same as those in the original conditions, as, for instance, that the machine must be capable of accommodating a passenger, be capable of lifting a live load of 350 lbs., and be capable of a speed of not less than 55 m.p.h. In the original document the speed was specified as " in a calm," whereas what was evidently meant by the phrase was " air speed," which is the term now used ; the speed will of course be measured with and against the wind. Of ihe clauses thai have been recapitulated as essential minimums, only one has been altered materially. This relates to the necessity of attaining an altitude of 4,500 ft., which is still essential but no longer necessary to be maintained fox an hour. The height at which the machine must fly for an hour is now reduced to 1,500 ft. This, again, is a very sensible modification, liecause it is not every pilot who is so fond of high altitudes that he would stay aloft at 4,500 ft. for an hour without inconvenience, and there is no need to handicap the machine by imposing a condition that is primarily a strain upon the pilot. Indeed, we are a little inclined to question w hether some of the entrants would readily be able to find pilots willing to carry out this particular condition in its original form. With these remarks we now leave our readers to peruse the docu ments, as published Ijelow, for themselves. i. The Military Aeroplane Competition, 1912, will beheld by the Military authorities. The prizes to be competed for are as follows :— A. Prizes open to the world for aeroplanes made in any country.— 1st prize, £4,000 ; 2nd prize, .£2,000. B. Prizes open to British subjects for aeroplanes manufactured wholly in the United Kingdom, except the engines.—1st prize, £1,500 j two 2nd prizes, £1,000each ; three 3rd prizes, £500each. No competitor to take more than £5,000. The War Office to reserve the right to vary the proportions of totals under A and B between the various prizes if the merits of the machines warrant it, or to withhold any prize if there is no machine recommended for it by the Judges Committee. The War Office to have the option of purchasing for £1,000 any machine awarded a prize. The owners of 10 selected machines which are submitted to and pass all the flying tests and are not awarded a prize to receive £100 for each machine so tested. Oil and petrol will be supplied free for the tests. Those com- jietitors who desire to use their own fuel and lubricant shall state in writing the make and constituents of each fuel and lubricant. 2. The conditions required to be fulfilled by and the specification for a military aeroplane were published in December, 1911. [These two papers which were then published under the titles *' Conditions laid down and Prizes offered by the War Office for a competition to fulfil the requirements oi the accompanying specifi cation for a Military Aeroplane," and " Specification for a Military Aeroplane," are hereinafter referred to as M.A.C. Form A and M.A.C. Form B respectively.]* * See FutiHT December 23rd, 19x1, p. 1109. 464 comply with the conditions required to be fu filled by a,«ilitary aeroplane (M.A.C. Form A), but these conditions, as modified by ™ag aph 6 of this paper, and the "desirable attributes "mentioned m pLgraph 14 of the " Specification for a Military Aeroplane IMA C Form B), will form the main basis on which the Judges Committee will decide the relative merits of the competing machines. 4 Packing and date of delivery.-Ezch aeroplane entered is to be delivered packed in a strong case or crate suitable for distant tians- port by rail and sea. The aeroplane is to oe complete within the case (except for re-erection from the packed condition) and is to be delivered on or before 15th July, 1912, at the Army Aeroplane sheds at Lark Hill, near Amesbury, Wilts. Arrangements will be made by'at the expense of the War Office for the transport of aeroplanes from Amesbury Station to Lark Hill if desired and if notification is received by the Secretary, Judges Committee, on or before 1st July. 5. Standardization of parts.—The examination of aeroplanes for standardization of parts in accordance with paragraph 11 of the "Specification for a Military Aeroplane " (M.A.C. Form B), will be proceeded with immediately after delivery. The competitor shall be represented and shall afford all facilities for this examination. To this end the submission of drawings by the competitor is desired at the time of delivery of the aeroplane. 6. Preliminary tests.— Before permitting any machine to proceed further with the Competition, the Judges Committee will make a preliminary decision based upon the conditions contained in paragraphs 2, 3, 4 and 9 of the " Specification for a Military Aero plane " (M.A.C. Form B). For this purpose these conditions shall be modified to read as follows :— The aeroplane should satisfactorily and without being damaged in any important part in alighting or otherwise— a. Carry a live load of 350 lbs. in addition to its equipment of instruments, &c, with fuel and oil for 4J hours. b. Provide accommodation for a flyer and observer, and the controls should be capable of use by either flyer or observer. c. Fly for 3 hours loaded as in Clause (s) and attain an altitude of 4,500 feet. Maintain a height of at least 1,500 feet for 1 hour. d. The rate of climbing shall average not less than 200 feet a minute for the first 1,000 feet. e. Attain an air speed of not less than 55 m.p.h. loaded as in Clause (a). Competitors will notify the Judges Committee when they intend to demonstrate their compliance with c, d and e, stating in writing which test is contemplated. A reasonable period, based on the amount of suitable weather for flying experienced, will be allowed by the Judges Committee for carrying out these tests. The Judges Committee will display a signal at all times when, in their opinion, the weather is suitable for flying, but competitors will be in no way bound to fly in, or confine their flying to, hours so notified as " suitable." 7. Notices and communication with fudges Committee.—Any communication required to be made in connection with this com petition shall be addressed to the Secretary of the Judges Committee (Military Aeroplanes), The War Office, Whitehall, London, S.W., prior to 1st July, 1912, and thereafter at an address to be notified to the competitors by the War Office. All letters relating to the competition are to be marked on the envelope and on the letter in the left top cornerwith the words "Aeroplane Competition, 1912." 8. Entries.—Entries will be received by the Secretary of the Judges Committee on or before the 15th June, 1912. 9. F.ntries shall be made in writing, on the attached form issued for die purpose by the War Office, stating the name and address of the entrant, and the particulars of the aeroplane, engine, &c, in the spaces indicated for the purpose. A separate entry form shall be properly filled in for each aeroplane entered. 10. The entry shall be signed, in the case of a corporate body, by the secretary or other person fully empowered to sign the name and bind the corporate body concerned. 11. Deposits.—Each entrant shall forward with his entry or entries a deposit of £20, returnable after the Competition in the event of the aeroplane or aeroplanes entered by him being duly delivered to take part in the Competition. 12. Refusal of entry.—The Judges Committee may refuse any entry by sending notification of such refusal without reason given. 13. Vouchers.—A competitor entering for the United Kingdom Prize shall produce such vouchers, invoices and certified declarations as may be necessary to show that the whole of the various parts constituting the aeroplane, excepting only the engine, have been made and assembled in the United Kingdom. 14. Flyefs name and number to be declared.—Every entrant shall state in writing the name and certificate number of the person who is to fly his aeroplane, not less than five days before the date of
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