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Aviation History
1915
1915 - 0356.PDF
2 ft. 6 ins. by 2 ft. 11 ins., and is provided with a turtle deck. The whole of the body is fabric covered, and the nose, in which the engine is mounted, is almost totally enclosed by a round aluminium cowl, thus presenting a good streamline form. The engine is an 80 h.p. rotary Gyro, supported by special ball-bearing brackets. The landing carriage is of the four-wheeled type, con sisting of two skids connected to the body at their rear extremities, and by a vertical strut at each axle mounting. The larger pair of disc wheels are situated under the front spar of the lower plane, and the smaller pair come under the engine. Both axles are attached to the skids by rubber shock absorbers. We believe a modified chassis consisting of two pairs of V struts carrying a pair ® ® FLYING AT RAIN, rain, and nowt but rain all Thursday afternoon of last week, so flying had to go by the board, but on Saturday things improved, when it was decently fine, with just a moving breeze. The proceedings opened with a few practice flights by some of the pupils of the Grahame-White school, and an exhibition Wight by M. Osipenko on one of the 50 h.p. school 'buses. A some what exciting incident then came along, a pilot of the R.F.C. having a narrow escape when starting for a flight on a new Morane-Saulnier monoplane. The machine had barely left the ground, when it took to trying a bit of banking on its own, and turned to the right, the wing tip on that side eventually striking the ground. This caused the machine to heel over to the left, bringing the other wing tip and left-hand running wheel into contact with the ground until the wheel, unable to stand the strain any longer, just buckled. The mono, then took charge, did a semi-cartwheel, and finally landed on its back, a piece of the tractor screw flying into the air to a height of quite 100 ft. We could just discern the pilot under the wings, but as he did not immediately make a move visions of a nasty mess began to rise up. However, with help quickly on the spot, the machine was turned over on its chassis again, and the pilot emerged perfectly safe and sound to everybody's relief. After this E. Baumann went up on the 60 h.p. Ruffy-Baumann Caudron and made a high flight. W. Roche-Kelly then put up an exhibition of steep banking on the 50 h.p. (Gnome) Beatty biplane, whilst J. S. B, Winter ® ® The Last Raid on the Kent Coast. THERE seems to be some doubt as to the actual number of German airships which took part in the raid on the Kent coast on Monday, as while one was sighted at Deal at 1.30 a.m., another was at the same time raining bombs on Ramsgate and the vicinity. The visitor to the Deal district dropped between 30 and 40 incendiary bombs while over St. Margaret's Bay, about a score falling at Oxley, three miles from Deal. Except for the tearing of large holes in the ground, no damage appears to have been done. The airship went away in the direction of Dover, and was driven off by the guns. About so bombs were dropped at Kamsgate, and several houses and shops were damaged. One bomb which fell on the Bull and George Hotel in the High Street passed right through the premises to the cellar before exploding. Two guests, Mr. and Mrs. J. Smith, were seriously injured, the former so badly that he died from the shock on Tuesday. A barmaid at the hotel also had to be taken to hospital. There were no serious fires resulting from the incendiary bombs. In the German " wireless " news sent out from Berlin on Monday there was the following:— "Our airships have made successful attacks on the Straits of Dover." The Admiralty announcement regarding the aeroplane attack on one of these hostile aircraft will be found on p. 35a. MAY 21, 1915. of disc wheels with axle, and a small wheel mounted well forward, will be fitted. The tail is supported by a " hockey-stick " ash skid sprung by means of rubber shock absorbers. A Deperdussin type of control is fitted consisting of a wheel, operating the balancing flaps, mounted, on a column, a fore-and-aft movement of which actuates the elevators, and a foot bar operating the rudder. The control wires for the rudder and elevator are taken through the body. If required dual control can be fitted. The speed range of this machine, which is known as type E-2, is said to be 40 to 70 m.p.h., whilst a climbing speed of 4,000 ft. in 10 mins., with full load, is guaranteed. It can also be readily adapted for use as a seaplane. ® ® HENDON. took up a passenger on the 50 h.p. G.-W. 'bus. Both the last-named pilot and Osipenko carried many pas sengers during the afternoon. J. L. Hall, now recovered from his recent illness, made one of his usual high flights on the 45 h.p. (Anzani) Caudron, finishing up with a pretty spiral glide to earth with the engine stopped. Baumann also got away on another high flight on the 60 h.p. Caudron, and afterwards G. Virgilio made a trip on the other 60 h.p. Ruffy-Baumann biplane. Kelly next took up a lady passenger on the 50 h.p. Beatty biplane, following which Geo. W. Beatty put up some stunts on the 60 h.p. Beatty biplane which were brought to an abrupt conclusion by the breaking of a wire Fortunately Beatty noticed immediately what had happened, and without ado switched off, making a prompt but never theless excellent landing—quite one of the best examples of coolness it has been our lot to witness. Congratula tions, Mr. Beatty. W. T. Warren, of the London and Provincial School, also made a flight on the 45 h.p. L. and P. biplane. A fine flight by] an unknown pilot on a B.E.2 C. was the only other incident (worth recording, for the rest of the afternoon was devoted to school work. On Sunday most of the previous day's pilots were in the air. M. Osipenko and J. S. B. Winter were very busy throughout the afternoon with passengers on the 50 h.p. G.-W. school 'buses. W. Roche-Kelly gave another demonstration of banking on the 50 h.p. Beatty biplane, and both E. Baumann and G. Virgilio were up on the two 60 h.p. Ruffy-Baumann Caudrons. ® ® At the inquest on Mr. J. Smith on Wednesday, the jury returned a verdict of " Wilful Murder " against the Kaiser, the third time a verdict in these terms has been recorded. Alien Enemies and Aircraft Raids. IN the debate in the House of Lords on Tuesday on the Alien Enemy question the Marquis of Ctewe stated it had been said that in the event of an aircraft attack being made on London it would be possible for uninterned enemy aliens, in pursuance of some secret organisation, to combine for purposes of incendiarism or some form of attack. That was not an argument to which the military authorities had attached great importance. The Air Raid on Southend. REPLYING to question put in the House of Commons by Mr. Pennefather, Dr. Macnamara (Secretary to the Admiralty) stated that the Zeppelin which bombarded Southend was first seen at 2.45 a.m. and last seen at 4.30 a.m. News of its arrival was received at the Admiralty in a few minutes. A number of aero planes ascended from the various air stations in the regions affected. A thick belt of clouds baffled the pursuers. Mr. Pennefather asked whether the coast look-outs were in direct connection with the aerial base, and whether delay was caused through inability to get connection through the telephone exchange. Dr. Macnamara asked for notice of the question. 356
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