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Aviation History
1914
1914 - 0961.PDF
SEPTEMBER 18, 1914. British Caudron School.—Monday, last week, school was out at 6 a.m. under the instruction of R. Desoutter and R. M. Murray. Mr. Legh rolling, R. Desoutter en 60 with pupils, 20 mins. flight. Evening, Messrs. Henderson, Burke and Ivermee rolling practice. Tuesday, school at 5.30 a.m. Instructors R. Desoutter and R. M. Murray. Messrs. Henderson, Legh, Burke, Abbott, and Dr. Christie rolling practice. Evening,' Dr. Christie and Messrs. Johnston, Henderson, Barfield' Legh, Ivermee and Moon rolling practice. Wednesday, at 5.30 a.m., R. Desoutter 20 mins. flight on 60. Pupils rolling: Messrs. Legh, Henderson, Christie, Moon, Ivermee, Johnston and Baiifield. Mr. Abbott doing straights. Evening, Messrs. Ivermee, Leigh, Johnston, Christie and Barfield rolling practice. Thursday, at 5.30 a.m., pupils rolling : Messrs. Legh, Ivermee, Johnston, Barfield, Dr. Christie and Henderson. ® ® [/JJGHT] SHOULD the story told about Lieut. Norman Spratt by the Daily Sketch be founded on fact, this well-known British pilot, who will be remembered as a very fine pilot of the Deperdussin monoplanes and Breguet biplanes, and later was entrusted with the work of testing new machines at the Royal Aircraft Factory, has distinguished himself in a highly original manner. According to the Daily Sketch, Mr. Spratt was recon noitring at Montmorency, and, sighting a German ' airman, gave chase and rose above the enemy, making him understand that he was covered by a gun. The German pilot, whose name is given as Heisden, offered (probably by means of one of those undescribable German gestures) to surrender, and planed downwards, but as he neared the ground he accelerated, and made a dash for liberty. Spratt promptly dropped on him at a height of 100 ft. The report adds that the German was taken to hospital (small wonder !), and that Spratt sustained slight injuries to his right arm. Of course, we are all confident that the Germans will be " sat on " ultimately, and it is inspiring to know that some of them are already being so, literally. Whether the story be true or not, those of us who knew Spratt cannot help saying that it is ' Just the sort of thing ' Jack' Spratt would do." As recorded in "Eddies" some time ago, Mr. Beatty has been busily engaged on the design of an engine, or more correctly speaking of two engines, one 40 h.p. vertical four-cylinder, and an 80 h.p. eight-cylinder Vee type. The drawings are completed, the various parts are now being manufactured, and it is expected that the first engine will be in a machine and ready to fly in about three weeks' time. From the drawings it appears that the new engine has been designed from an aviator's point of view, so to speak; that is to say, it has evidently been thought out by a practical man to meet the require ments of an aviator, and all parts that are likely to cause trouble have received careful attention, and an effort made to obviate, by suitable design, any trouble due to the coming adrift of minor parts. Although Mr. Beatty's reason for building his own engines is chiefly that of being independent of other makers, he has not, of course, any very deeply rooted objection to selling his product, and as there would seem to be a great demand for suitable British-built engines at present, and Beatty proposes to sell his at what appears to be a reasonable figure, he Mr. Abbott doing straights. Mr. Legh making excep tional progress. Evening, Messrs. Legh, ivermee, Johnston, Dr. Christie and Henderson rolling practice. Mr. Abbott doing straights. R. Desoutter, 60, reaching to a height of 1,500 ft., afterwards passenger flights to Messrs. Abbott and Ivermee. Friday and Saturday. Weather too bad for school work. Hall School.—Tuesday, last week J. L. Hall in charge ; E. Brynildsen (Norwegian pupil) four straights. Wednesday, J. L. Hall instructing; E. Brynildsen four straights and one short flight. Thursday, Mr. Clappen instructing; J. Rose out on No. 2 Caudron, four straights and two flights at 10 feet; E. Brynildsen six straights, improving. In evening, Amelie Cini in charge ; E. Brynildsen four straight flights with improved landings. Friday and Saturday, wind and rain. ® ® IES. should be doing good trade with them shortly. Provided always, of course, that they prove as successful as an inspection of the drawings for them leads one to expect. Practical man that he is, Beatty proposes to test his engines in actual flight on the Wright machines, as he contends that this is a better method than to try them out on a test bench, where the conditions are not and cannot be the same as those obtaining in actual flight. One of the points which has been studied in the design of these engines is the standardisation of the cylinders, which are made interchangeable, so that it is possible to take a cylinder out of one engine and replace it with a 961 Lieut. Norman Spratt, R.F.C.
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