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Aviation History
1913
1913 - 0842.PDF
tfiJEl Gentlemen—The King: God Bless Him. I am, I hope, one of His Majesty's most loyal subjects. It was my pleasure and duty some years ago to attend many public dinners, and I have stood up, glass in hand, with the best of them. I have proposed the health of "Our Most Worthy Chairman," placed glass to lips to " Absent Friends," " The Army and Navy, and Auxiliary Forces," to " Our Noble Selves," and to anything else that happened to crop up as an excuse for toasting, and in addition, have on very many occasions responded for The Ladies ; always a great pleasure to me. I have seen the whole show through from hors tfatuvre to "Porder— caw me a four (hie) wheeler," and I have long since written it all down as silliness—alt but the part wishing good health to the King. It is the custom in this country to finish all entertainments by playing the National Anthem, and it is right to call for three times three for the first gentleman in the land on occasions of national importance or having a bearing that way, but I really do not see why ® ® SAND-YACHTS A PLEASURE vehicle of novel design which is rapidly becoming popular in France is the aeroplage or sand yacht, of which it will be remembered there were one or two examples on view at the last Paris Salon. An aeroplage is simply a light chassis somewhat on motor car, or, perhaps, one ought to say, cyclecar lines driven by a sail instead of a motor. Of course, it is not strictly speaking a new idea for it is really a adaption of the ice yacht, and several years ago we built one and carried out a lot of " sailing " on the South Downs, in the neighbour hood of Eastbourne. Just lately, however, the sport has been taken up in France, and several types of this vehicle are being built by various firms, and races have been held on the sands and others are being arranged at various seaside summer resorts. Those which have already taken place have demonstrated that the races afford great amusement for the spectators and provide excellent sport for the competitors. We have already given illustrations of examples of these machines and suggested their intro duction into this country. Most notable among the aeroplage constructors is M. Louis Bleriot, and our scale drawings this week represent one of his machines, several of which have been bought by the Daily Mail in order to introduce these vehicles or craft—one is not quite sure which term to use—into this country, where they should very quickly become as popular as they already are on the other side of '• la Manche." As the sand yacht is so simple in its construction that the scale drawings are almost self-explanatory, a very short description will suffice. Two planks of wood running fore and aft and placed very close together, form the " body " of the yacht. Running transversely and boited to the underside of this frame is the tubular front axle which is made unusually long in order to provide a ® ® THE ROYAL FLYING CORPS. THE following appointment was announced by the Admiralty on the 29th ult. :— ' Lieut. R. H. Clark-Hall, to the " Hermes," additional, as Squadron Commander for armament duties with aircraft, and as acting interpreter m German, to date July 29th. ROYAL FLYING CORPS (MILITARY WING). WAR OFFICE summary of work for week ending August 1st —' No, 1 (Airship) Squadron. Farnborough.—On Tuly 26th 28th, 39th and 31st, the "Beta" (1) made a number of traininc flights. Kiting was earned out on the 30th. No. 2 Squadron. Montrose.—Work with the AUGUST 9, 1913. this should be done anywhere and everywhere without reason or excuse. I see from a cutting of a London paper, that when Capt. Penfold came down with his parachute in a Fulham street, and a crowd gathered, he called for cheers for the King. I was not there so cannot say if this is so or not, but if he did, I really do not see what the King had got to do with it. Fancy a man slipping on a piece of orange peel in the Strand, and settling down a la pancake on the shock absorber provided by a far seeing providence, and then calling on the crowd for three cheers for the King. There is perhaps some little excuse for the man who unexpectedly runs up against another man's fist, and calls for the saving of His Majesty, because he most likely thought he saw quite a number of stars all over the man, which are difficult to distinguish with but one eye. Let's keep the name of the King for occasions where it is respectful to use it, otherwise it will lose its reverence. THE NEW SPORT. wide track—this, of course, being necessitated by the employment of a sail for the propulsive power. The rear axle, which is considerably shorter than the front axle, is pivoted in the centre, as the steering is done by the rear wheels, a feature which enables the sand yacht to be turned in a very small circle. Between the two planks, which form the chassis frame, are the driver's and passenger's seats arranged tandem fashion. A tubular steering column secured at its lower extremity to the mast socket and supported on a bearing situated on an arch formed by a piece of strip steel carries at its upper end a steering wheel of the usual type. From a drum on the lower end of the steering column cables pass round pulleys on the chassis frame to the back axle, which is, as previously said, centrally pivoted. Midway between the members of the chassis frame and immediately above the front axle, is the socket into which fits the lower end of the mast. Four short steel tubes bolted to the chassis frame and terminating at their upper ends in a ring in which the mast is a sliding fit, serve as stays for this member, further staying being provided by three cables running from the top of the mast to the members of the chassis frames. The sail is controlled by means of a cable running from a tubular extension of the back rest of the passenger's seat round a pulley on the outer end of the sail boom from where it runs parallel with the boom to another pulley in the inner end of that member whence it is'taken to a cleat on the chassis frame, close to the pilot's seat. Owing to the wide wheel track and the absence of any springing, the axles have been strengthened by means of trussing in the manner shown in the front elevation. ® ® manoeuvres at 868 Ayr was continued during the week. The flight returned to Montrose. The results of the reconnaissances on the manoeuvres were very satisfactory. No. 3 Squadron. Netheravon.—A large number of flights took place daily on BEs, Avros, and Henry Farmans. The detachment at Lydd completed their period of co-operation and training with the Artillery at that place, and proceeded to Head quarters. Total mileage for the week, 2,234 miles. No. 4 Squadron. Netheravon.—The Officer and N.C.O. pilots of this squadron were out throughout the week, training and carrying out reconnaissance flights on BEs and Maurice Farmans. Flying Depdt, Farnborough.—A considerable amount of experimental work was effected during the week.
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