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Aviation History
1913
1913 - 0120.PDF
1/jjGHTj new machines just received from the works at Filton. Friday was very windy, and flying was impossible all day. Jullerot was first out on Saturday for a trial of the conditions and found too bad for pupils. England was on a 50-h.p. monoplane for 15 mins., afterwards giving a pupil tuition in biplane. Mr. Smith- Barry was out for a fine solo, flying right over the "Plain, landing after lial fan hour's flight. Mr. Dacre made a flight in a biplane, and Harrison took Mr. Tower for a long tuition trip. Jullerot was afterwards out for his first flight in one of the 80-h.p. Bristol monoplanes, as also was England, and both made really good flights. Jullerot was out later on for a flight in a Bristol tractor biplane, his first, and made a good trip. Royal Flying Corps.—Owing to the unsettled weather there is practically nothing to record for the past week. The only machine which has been out is the factory-built biplane 203. In consequence of one of the machines catching fire at Farnborough, no flying is to be done on Maurice Farmans until further orders. Work on new sheds which are being erected near Netheravon is being pushed on rapidly, and the buildings are to be completed next month. South Farnborough. Royal Flying Corps.—The arrangements for No. 2 Squadron of the Royal Flying Corps to occupy the new base at Montrose in Forfarshire, Scotland, have been held in abeyance for the past few days. The squadron was to have moved last week, but for various sound reasons the movement has been postponed until this week. As far as possible the various flights, composing the squadron, have each adhered to one particular type of machine, and the squadron possessed a flight of Maurice Farmans, a flight of Breguets, and a flight of the B E type of machine. The Breguets, however, have been handed over to No. 4 Squadron, and only the Maurice Farmans and B E machines will make the long journey by air to the North. Nothing of the sensational will be attempted in the flight to Montrose. Non-stop runs or time records will not be aimed at, tor the pilots, weather permitting, will proceed with the object of accomplishing the journey as safely as possible, and as speedily as possible. Certain places indicated in orders will be called at on the way to replenish petrol and oil. The road party, proceeding in motors, will carry mechanics, tools and spares, in case they are needed in event of breakdown. A party of the Royal Flying Corps, belonging to No. 2 Squadron left Farnborough en route by train for Montrose on Monday evening. Monday indeed was a busy day for the men of the squadron, as all the equipment of stores, tools, spares, clothing, &c., were loaded bn trucks at South Farnborough sidings for rapid despatch to the new quarters. Under the able superin tendence of Sergt.-Major Fletcher the work was speedily carried out in a workman-like manner. Sergt.-Major Fletcher has the welfare of the squadron thoroughly at heart, and was here, there and everywhere directing the various detachments. The main body is expected to move this week-end and will no doubt do so, as all the stores, &c, have been despatched. Wednesday, January 22nd saw some fine flying in the district. The morning opened fine with a touch of hard frost in the air, and the weather being calm was ideal from a flying standpoint. No. 4 Squadron put in some good work with the Breguets, and the performances were of a similar nature to those of previous weeks. About dinner time a new Maurice Farman was brought over by Verrier from Hendon, and was afterwards sighted at a considerable height, about 6,500 ft. right over the Marlborough Lines. The small Caudron biplane with a 50-h. p. Gnome.and fitted with a Henry Farman type of undercarriage, made a fine flight in the hands of one of the Caudron brothers, who afterwards took up a passenger. In appear ance it is a pretty and compact little machine, with planes of a light . blue colour, and its behaviour in the hands of M. Caudron was all that could be desired. The new war plane, described in these notes ® ® Changes In Field Service Regulations. MANY alterations, directly due to the introduction of aircraft and the work of the Royal Flying Corps, are contained in the new " Field Service Regulations." A new chapter in the manual deals fully with the Air Service in regard to reconnaissance and the gaining of information, and the principles of aerial work are also specially dealt with. It is laid down that aircraft at an altitude of 5.000 to 6,000 ft. can detect, in good weather conditions, troops about six miles distant. Special reference is made to the vulner ability of aircraft against hostile fire, and it is considered that howitzers are most dangerous to dirigibles when the Llatter are at or under 4,500 ft. in altitude, while rifle fire is considered dangerous when at altitude of about 3,500 ft. Field artillery, it is mentioned, will not be effective against aeroplanes moving at a height of 4,000 to 5,000 ft., while it is considered that they are secure from FEBRUARY I, 1913. in a previous issue of FLIGHT also made several flights. The radiators of the water-cooled Chenu engine has been removed from the blunt nose of the short fuselage and are placed in a vertical position, grid fashion, further behind. They should certainly be more efficient thus arranged. Col. Cody also gave the public a fine display during the day, and flew at a good height. He passed over the Blenheim Barracks at an altitude of about 1,000 ft., his engine running well. Out on Farnborough Common, Cody demonstrated the handiness of his machine when on the ground, and did some tricky manoeuvring. He can practically keep the machine turning in its own length, and at one time seemed to turn it round like a top. One could easily note the advantage of having the wing tips fitted with small wheels, when turning or rolling. Thursday was a bad day for flying. The morning opened with heavy gusts from the south-west, which increased in frequency during the day. It was anything but a good day, and when the roar of an engine and propeller could be plainly heard, one naturally concluded at first that tests were being carried out at the Royal Aircraft Factory, as one little thought anyone would be venturesome enough to fly under such extremely trying conditions. However, it turned out to be De Haviland on BE 2 machine, and the exhibition, as a piece of rough weather fighting, was well worth going a considerable distance to see. Serjt. Hunter, of No. 4 Squadron, did some fine flying during the end of the week, and is certainly a very promising pilot, capable of handling the machines in bumpy weather, and this with a heavy load of fuel on board, as well as a passenger. Serjt. Hunter passed his tests last week-end with every credit, and fully deserves his pilot's badge. There were several machines being tested on Monday from the Royal Aircraft Factory, but the flying was of the usual order, some fine flights being put up by De Haviland. A new pilot for the Factory was also out several times. Cody made a fine flight over Farnborough late in the after noon, and was swinging along at a good height. No. I, the Airship Squadron, are justly proud of the fine performances of " Gamma on January 22nd, and the Naval members of the Corps are to be congratulated on their skilful handling of the airship. A party who are at present undergoing courses of instruction in the handling of aircraft at the Balloon Sheds, South Farnborough, made a splen did cruise during the middle of the day, as far as London and back. After some manoeuvring over the district during the morning, the "Gamma" was headed for London, the voyage occupying about four hours there and back. Commander Masterman, R.N., Chief of the Naval Wing, was in command; Lieut. Husband acted in the capacity of pilot, while Lieut. Woodcock had charge of the engines. Ascending in a very hazy atmosphere from Farnborough Common she disappeared from sight in a north-easterly direction. Somewhere about 3.15 p.m. she was again sighted returning from the north, and after being cleverly handled above Farnborough Common was safely housed in the big dirigible shed, being taken in under cover of the huge sail-cloth wind screen which protects the entrance of the shed from the wind. Although the journey to London was made at no great altitude it was most interesting and successful, and owing to the hazy atmosphere and low-lying clouds the courses were set and steered by compass. Crossing the Thames at Hampton Court, on arriving over Fulham and Chelsea, the " Gamma " was headed back home, as the weather was by this time beginning to look somewhat threatening, and about four o'clock it commenced to snow, by which time, however, the "Gamma" had been successfully grounded and docked. Some fine manoeuvring also took place round the district on Monday and Tuesday this week, particularly on Tuesday as it was foggy up above, and the " Gamma " could be more often heard than seen, which gave a somewhat weird effect. At times during the morning one could see her slipping along at a low altitude like a grey shadow, only to vanish away quickly in the mist. The conditions up above were such that steering could only be done by map and compass. ® ® damage against rifle fire when flying at about 3,000 ft. above the earth. Aircraft pilots are advised to use low lying clouds for con cealment when approaching an enemy. A pilot, on obtaining the desired information, is to transmit it by wireless, or other suitable means of communication to headquarters. Troops are also advised not to reveal their positions by opening fire on aircraft, without reasonable promise of result, as it is difficult to observe troops from above, if they lie quite still even in the open. Hedge cover or improvised cover in the open is recommended as a means of escaping observation by aircraft. An obvious inference from the paragraphs on aircraft, is that night operations will in future be frequently used as a foil to observation by air scouts, so that warfare in the future, will undergo still greater changes, in consequence of the use of aircraft as fighting units. 120
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