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Aviation History
1913
1913 - 0910.PDF
, Meteorological Work. 20. The meteorological officer, Mr. G. Dobson, joined the school on February ioth, 1913. 2T' Sjocc that date over 70 pilot balloons have been sent up and traced by theodolites with the object of ascertaining the velocity and direction of winds above the surface. The results are being collected, and when more data are obtained they will be worked up thoroughly. Those of the anemograph are also being worked up. 2S. The anemometer head is to be raised to a height of 85 ft. when the new station is ready. This should be completed by the beginning of the next course. 29- _ In the immediate future it is intended to carry out thorough experiments (already begun), with the object of investigating the nature and structure of gusts; and also the effects produced by valleys and trees. When sufficient records are obtained, the average gustiness of the wind from each direction, and the average velocity at each hour of the^ day will be calculated, besides other facts concerning meteoro logical and flying conditions. 30. Daily weather charts are drawn each day, and a forecast for the next day is issued. THE NAVAL WING OF THE ROYAL FLYING CORPS. General Progress. 31. The organisation of the Naval Wing has proceeded satisfac torily. Some slight alteration of pay is found to be necessary owing to the pay of some of the higher naval ratings who are not trained as pilots being less than it would be if the men were serving in other branches of the Navy. This matter is receiving consideration. Questions as to the risk pay to be paid to men who are not pilots, out who are taken up in machines for observation, wireless telegraphy gunnery, and other duties, are under consideration. 32. 1 he Naval Flying School at Eastchurch has been utilised for training most of the personnel for the Naval Wing, both in elementary and advanced flying. It is also used as a depot for the trained pilots, pending their disposal to the various air stations which are being established round ' lit: ( I MSI. v 33'i J^e t?tal„of the numbers trained for all branches of the JMaval \\ing ls ,84, and 114 more are now under training. 34- 1 he staff originally recommended has been found sufficient to carry out the training at Eastchurch. .K35'..uCapta,yl has been aPPointed to command His Majesty's +k ,f\?es and for Naval Air Service dut'es. -vl • \le.rmes " has been fitted to carry hydro-aeroplanes for experimental purposes. tjtaF^l lar§e .double aeroplane sheds have been erected at Uastchurch, and, in addition, some sheds have been rented from Eft .rnMrS" , ]'e,rm!l™nt residential quarters have also been built at the Naval Flying School. h-cLP^"5 !? the increasing importance of hydro-aeroplanes, it the Irff l°r nfces u sary t0 establish a hydro-aeroplane station on tne isle of Oram in the Medway. Of^e'ree.irn'11'/0^1?^5^011' sheds are erected or are in course ne^tn •CllSh0t' Harwich> Yarmouth and Rosyth, and otherlocalities6 ^^ ** establishment of further sheds in tra3n9stJrJVw(T0r ""V"1 ?"e motor lorry has **<« Purchased for \'lrtlml7h LT" ha,VC *?* Sent to the Naval Mo'°r School at 1 ortMnouth to be trained as drivers. Steps are also being taken to acquire a number of motor boats for use at toe various hy^ltpl^ connecirST V e*Perimental w°rk »»s been carried out in 2? TK rhe offenslv« and defensive qualities of aeroplanes cartfulj waTchneU/aCtUHre- °f a"°plane and airshiP ^™* ?"*tog naval en Jneeroffio^ 1™*?*°°* made from ,iine * time" F°- I2 Auention h-, S,haVe be-e,n ^ciaX]y seIected for tnfe work. JtJS^Z^SS ifrcraft0 ^1™°/ f* "W8 gj. under tV^^t^g^^ ST£ THE AIRSHIPS OF THE ROYAL FLYING CORPS cubic feet So a'rShiPu VaryiDg in sUe from ^°°° t0 28o,ooo T**!T- caPacit> v n,?,W ln the P°ss^sion of the Royal Flying ConV wifh "heSsa^ctfonUof 5^^^- Steps nave CI 5*5 THE MILITARY WING OF THE ROYAL FLYING C-OR.PS, •M. .»••• Organisation. 44. The Military Wing of the Royal Flying Corps came into existence on May 13th, 1912, on which d«e thfeS T Battalion and its Reserve were absorbed into it ^ 45. The Headquarters and the Flying Depot Line of Communica tion were established at Farnborough. The squadrons composing the Military Wing are being formed and distributed as shown in the table below:— Unit- Fetation. Peace Station. Wing Headquarters 1912 South Farnborough 1st Squadron (airships and kites). 1912 „ 2nd ,, (aeroplanes) 1912 Montrose 3rd ,, ,, 1912 Netheravon 4th ,, ,, 1912 South Farnborough 5* ,. .. IQ,3 Transport. 46. Forty cars and lorries to provide the necessary transport for these squadrons have already been delivered, and 70 more are on order. Personnel. 47. Of the 182 flyers proposed in the original scheme as the establishment for the Military Wing, 68 officers have qualified, and I officer and 26 men are under training. 48. The position in regard to the recruiting of the Military Wing is as follows :— Transferred from Air Battalion ... ... ... 88 Transferred from the Regular Army exclusive of the Air Battalion ... ... ... ... ... ... 207 Directly enlisted 38 Total 682 936 Training. 49. Owing to the Central Flying School being unable to under take all the elementary training at present see paragraph 16 above), a certain number of officers have been trained with the Military Wing, and have gone to the Central Flying School for examination. 50. A large amount of experimental work has been carried out in connection with the offensive and defensive qualities of aeroplanes. 51. An account of the work done by the Royal Flying Corps during Army Manoeuvres, 1912, will be found in paragraph 63 etseqq. The Military Aeroplane Competition. 52. The Military Aeroplane Competition took place at Larkhill, Salisbury Plain, during August, 1912. A report on this has already been published. [Cd-6826.] THE ROYAL AIRCRAFT FACTORY. 53. The Army Aircraft Factory, which was already in existence at Farnborough, was re-named the Royal Aircraft Factory on the establishment of the Royal Flying Corps. Experimental Work at the Royal Aircraft Factory. 54. The part of the work at Farnborough, which is essentially of an experimental character, is carried on in close relation with the testing of models at the National Physical Laboratory. The technical work carried out at the factory may be classified under the following heads :— i. Design, relating to a) airships and equipment, (b) aeroplanes, (c) propellers. ii. Physical investigation, instrument design, stability, and gun measurement, aeroplane gun trials. iii. Researches on fabrics, dopes, fuel, and oil. iv. Researches on metals. v, Experiments on engines and design of engines, vi. Inspection of Royal Aircraft Factory's and private firms' construction, vii. Testing all aircraft except those bought under aeroplane competition, viii. Flying, bomb dropping, photography, and trials with machine guns, ix. Keeping the main aeronautical and engineering store. x. The measurements of gliding angle, speed, &c, at the military aeroplane trials. Airships. 55. Considerable progress has been made in connection with the designing of Airships. 56. The airship " Delta," of 160,000 cubic feet capacity, was completed in 1912. This shows a great advance in size since 1909, when the airship " Baby," of 23,000 cubic feet, was enlarged to the " Beta "of 33,000 cubic feet, the " Gamma," of 80,000 cubic feet, being also in process of construction at that time. Aeroplanes. 57- A special study has been made at the Royal Aircraft Factory of the design of aeroplanes having a wide range of speed. 58. The designs have been worked out to meet the requirements of the different classes of aeroplane suitable for warlike Dtirnnsps.
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