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Aviation History
1913
1913 - 0160.PDF
« (/OlHfl spring and summer. High-speed machines are certainly less affected by gusts in strong winds. The Royal Flying Corps is now in possession of its second 120-h.p. Cody biplane with which some fine flights have been made, both by Col. Cody himself and Lieut. Rogers Harrison, who handles the machine in the same masterly style as its designer and constructor, which is certainly saying a good deal. The new type of Cody biplane is constructed with the rudders placed in the slip stream of the propeller. Its manoeuvring qualities on the ground have thus been considerably improved, in fact the machine is capable under its own power of turning in a circle of less radius than its span, as anyone can vouch for, who have witnessed Cody handle his machine on Farnborough Common. The elevators are now placed slightly higher than in his previous machine, which was used in the Military Competition, and a slight increase of the dihedral angle in the planes has improved and increased the natural lateral stability of the machine. Wednesday last week was misty, raw and cold. De Havilland, on BE 2, kept appearing and vanishing again and again in the mist which hung over the Common like smoke, and what glimpses one could occasionally get of the machine when at a low altitude showed that De Havilland was manoeuvring in his usual fine style. He also put one of the BE type of machine with staggered planes through some tricky turns during the morning. The Breguets belonging to No. 4 Squadron were also out, and Major Raleigh did some of the finest banked turns seen for some time on Farnborough Common. Taking things all round, however, there was not much flying last week, owing to weather conditions. Lieut. Herbert, on Maurice Farman 266, was out on Saturday morning for a 10-mins. trip round the aerodrome, and afterwards took up 1st Air Mechanic Baughan for a fine flight of about 30 mins., during which an altitude of 3,200 ft. odd was reached. The machine was out over Ewshott, and came over the Blenheim Barracks at a fast pace. Cody was out at a good altitude over the same district, and was flying well. Sergt. Hunter, of No. 4 Squadron, was out also last week, handling the 100-h.p. Breguets in his usual style, and, when flying with the monoplanes commence, will no doubt be much heard of in the future as a pilot of high-speed machines. An accident which took place on Saturday with two of the Breguets belonging to No. 4 Squadron was rather exaggerated in the daily Press, and somewhat inaccurate reports appeared in several papers. This is to be deplored, as a statement of the true facts in the case of an accident to aircraft is certainly not to be objected to, but highly varnished and inaccurate accounts produce a false impression in the public mind. The establishment and organisation of aviation from a military standpoint, will make rapid strides once the public becomes firmly convinced of the actual necessity of the Empire possessing a well-trained and efficient air corps. Wrong impressions born of inaccurate reports of slight accidents are therefore to be deprecated in the interests of national security. Airship Squadron.—Last week in misty weather the " Gamma " was out on Wednesday manoeuvring round the district. She was handled in a skilful manner and gives one the impression of being more useful than the exponents of " heavier-than-alr-machines " care to admit. Some of the disadvantages peculiar to this type of air craft appear to be, on second thoughts, overweighed by their better qualities, and the construction and equipment of small, handy dirigibles would by no means be a step in the wrong direction. Upavon (Central Flying School). Royal Flying Corps.—On Monday, January 27th, Maj. Gerrard, on Short biplane 401, up with Sergt. Spencer for tuition, 9 mins. Lieut. Bowhill then made flight of 12 mins. on same machine. Maj. Gerrard again took machine and gave tuition to Serjts. Spencer and Vagg, also instruction to Lieut. Oliver, Capt. Lithgow and Leading Seaman Ashton. On Short biplane 402, Lieut. Roupell made a flight of 20 mins., and Lieut. Bowhill two flights of 15 mins. each. On Maurice Farman 403, Lieut. Marix made a flight of 26 mins. and Lieut. Harvey one flight of 13 mins. On Maurice Farman 415, Maj. Trenchard made one flight of 19 mins., Lieut. Randall one flight of 22 mins. and Assistant-Paymaster Lidderdale a flight of 15 mins. Lieut. Harvey made three flights of 6, 9 and 11 mins. respectively on Maurice Farman 418. Then Lieuts. Marix, Warter, Boyle and Burroughs all made flights of 10 to 18 mins. duration on same machine. On Avro 404, Capt. Fulton made one flight of 8 mins. He then took over Avro 406 and made two flights of 8 mins. Lieut. Arthur made two flights of 17 and 30 mins. each on BE 416, Capt. Salmond a flight of 6 mins. on BE 417, and then Lieuts. Soames and Vernon flights of 17 mins. and 8 mins. with Capt. Salmond in the pilot's seat. On Tuesday the weather was altogether unsuitable for flying. Wednesday was a busy day, all machines doing a good amount of work. Maj. Gerrard took Capt. Lithgow on Short biplane 401 on to practice ground. Then Capr. Lithgow went for his brevet and in good style doing each series of eights and landing in exactly FEBRUARY 8, 1913. 18 mins. Serjt. Vagg received 5 mins. instruction from Maj. Gerrard on same machine. While Serjt. Vagg was practising landing his propeller hit a partridge, feathers being scattered in all directions. On Henry Farman 420 Maj. Gerrard made a flight of 6 mins. and Capt. Tucker one of 5 mins. Lieuts. Watkins, Unwin and Glanville each made a flight of 10 mins. duration on Short biplane 402, and then Capt. Tucker one flight of 10 mins. on same machine. On Maurice Farman 411 Lieut. Longmore gave tuition to Lieuts. Ross and Kennedy. Maj. Trenchard made a good flight of 25 mins. on Maurice Farman 415, and Assistant-Paymaster Lidderdale then took machine in the air for 13 mins. Master Mechanic O'Connor made a flight of 10 mins., and Lieut. Randall one of 18 mins. Air Mechanic Collis made a good flight of 40 mins. with Lieut. Kennedy as passenger. On Maurice Farman 425 Lieut. Longmore took a passenger for 12 mins. Capt. Millar made two flights of 10 and 11 mins. on Maurice Farman 418. Lieut. Conran two flights of 11 and 7 mins., Lieut. Boyle! two flights of 12 and 10 mins., Lieut. Marix two flights of 12 and 16 mins., Lieut. Warter two flights of 7 and 4 mins., and Lieut. Harvey one flight of 11 mins. On Avro 404 Air Mechanic Higginbottam took Leading Seaman Marchant for instruction, being 95 mins. in the air altogether. On same machine, Capt. Fulton took Lieuts. Rathboneand Marks, for 15 mins. each, and Capt. Mellor on practice ground for 40 mins. Capt. Fulton took Serjt. Goodchild for instruction for 30 mins., and then Lieuts. Reed and Holt. Air Mechanic Higginbottam took Leading Seaman Marchant for 20 mins. instruction. Capt. Fulton again took over machine and took Lieuts. Littleton and Small for 20 mins. each. Air Mechanic Higginbottam then took Serjt. Goodchild for instruction 25 mins. Lieut. Arthur made a flight of 25 mins. reaching a good height, and Lieut. Borroughs one flight of 15 mins., both flights on BE 416. On BE 417 Capt. Salmond was very busy giving instruction to Lieuts. McDonnell, Vernon, Poigsworth, Burroughs, Gibson, Soames, and Dawin. On Thursday and Friday there was no flying at all, a heavy mist hanging over the Plain on Thursday, and on Friday the wind was too strong. On Saturday all machines were out again, Maj. Gerrard on Short biplane testing the air for 3 mins., then giving instruction to Leading-Seaman Ashton for 30 mins., and with Lieut. Oliver in the passenger seat for 30 mins. Lieut. Bowhill and Lieut. Unwin each made a flight of 15 mins. duration. Maj. Gerrard on Henry Farman 420 took Lieuts. Yorkston and McDonald for 10 mins. each. Capt. Tucker made two flights of 12 and 10 mins. each on the same machine. On Short biplane 402 Maj. Gerrard 5 mins., and Lieuts. Roupell, Glanville, and Bowhill each for 10 mins. Maj. Trenchard on Maurice Farman 425 made a good flight of 30 mics., and Lieut. Randall one flight of 37 mins. On Maurice Farman 411 Lieut. Longmore, with Lieut. Ross as passenger, for 38 mins., and with Capt. Salmond for 20 mins. Lieuts. Conran, Kennedy, and Ross, all made good flights of 20 mins. on Maurice Farman 415. On Maurice Farman 418 Lieut. Harvey made two flights of 13 and 20 mins. Capt. Millar made two flights of 13 mins. and 21 mins. Lieuts. Boyle, Marix and Conran all made good flights of 12 mins. duration. On Avro 404 Air Mechanic Higginbottam giving instruction to Leading-Seaman Marchant for 30 mins., Capt. Fulton with Lieut. Small 20 mins. Then Lieut. Small took machine and made two flights of 5 and 8 mins. on practice ground ; Capt. Fulton with Lieut. Rathbone for 15 mins. Capt. Fulton with Serjt. Jar vis for 15 mins. Capt. Salmond on BE 417 tested air on Monday and found it too bumpy for instruction, so work confined to sheds. ® ® ® ® Another Cody for British Army. HAVING completed all the specified tests, including climbing 900 ft. in 3 mins., Col. S. F. Cody's new biplane has been taken over by the Army. Badge for Military Airmen. IN the February Army Orders it is announced that the King has been pleased to approve of a badge to be worn on the left breast above any medals or decorations by officers and men of the Royal Flying Corps. The badge will be of gilt metal, fastened with a brooch-pin for full dress and embroidered on blue cloth for service dress. It will be worn by military officers of the corps as long as they remain efficient pilots, and by non-commissioned officers and men as long as they remain efficient as first or second class pilots. Crossleys for Royal Flying Corps. AN order of which Crossley Motors, Ltd., are very proud, is that just received from the War Office for six 20-25-h.p. Crossley chassis which are to be fitted up for use with the Royal Flying Corps. Three Delahaye travelling workshops fitted with tools, &c.r for aeroplane repair have also been supplied by Messrs. H. M. Hobson, Ltd.
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