FlightGlobal.com
Home
Premium
Archive
Video
Images
Forum
Atlas
Blogs
Jobs
Shop
RSS
Email Newsletters
You are in:
Home
Aviation History
1916
1916 - 0490.PDF
i/yofia from the front said to him that he was " very much satisfied with the Flying Corps." Sir A. Mond said his next point had reference to the Fokker machinet which, he understood, was offered to the British Govern ment. The Under-Secretary said it was not the Fokker, but another machine invented by Mr. Fokker. His critic'sm was that it seemed a pity tbey could not keep in touch with the inventor of the Fokker or any other new type, and secure it for ourselves rather than let the Germans have it. General Sir David Henderson intimated thai he would call evidence at the proper time in regard to motor works not being employed in building engines, and asked Sir A. Mond whether he could state of his own knowledge, or could find any one who could state before the Committee, that outside designs of engines had been submitted to the Royal Aircraft Factory. Sir A. Mond : I dare say I could. I have heard of such a case. General Henderson : You say we have no power to spend money on inventions. Have you any knowledge yourself of the inventions we are trying ?—No ; but are you satisfied you can spend the money you want without being interfered with ? General Henderson : I have not been stopped yet. General Henderson : Do you really think the Fokker is better than our machine or the French one from which the Fokker was copied ?—I could not say. If it was not, why should it have surprised oar airmen so much ? General Henderson : It was dealt with as soon as it appeared and we found what was going on. General Henderson claimed that we had held military superiority over the Germans during the whole of the war, whatever improve ments they had made in their machines. Alluding to witness's suggestion that the Government should have kept in touch with Mr. Fokker, Sir David asked, "If a gentleman becomes a natural ised German subject, it is perhaps a little difficult to keep in touch with him ?" " Naturally," was the reply. Mr. A. Lynch, M.P., was next called, and he said he wished to char up two or three points in regard to the evidence he gave a ® ® The Society of British Aircraft Constructors, Ltd- IN "FLIGHT" for April 20th last a list was given of the members of the Society of British Aircraft Constructors, Ltd. Since then the following have been elected :— « Ordinary Members—W. H. Allen, Son and Co , Ltd. ; Sir W. G. Armstrong, Whitworth and Co., Ltd. ; Arrol-Johnston, Ltd. ; JUNK 8, 1916. fortnight ago. He supplied the addresses of two of his informants. Another one was unwilling to give his name. He handed to the Chairman a document containing a few suggestions which the com mittee might like to have. Mr. Lynch went on to say that he had a letter from an inventor who had submitted a new principle— or at any rate quite original details—to the War Office, and they told him that to obtain a hearing he must be in a position to say- that he had cons'ructed an aeroplane of that type and had actually flown it. That, said Mr. Lynch, was not the proper way to deal with constructors. He admitted, however, that he had recently come to the conclusion that inventors might be divided into three classes—(1) inspired men, or (2) inspired idiots, or (3) where the word " inspired " would not be in order. After his experience he had now more sympathy with the War Office in the matter of deal ing with inventors than he had previously. At the same time, though an invention might show an amount of ignorance of the principles of science, there was nearly always to be found the germ of some good idea. The Chairman : You ought to have something more than the germ of an idea before you spend public money. Mr. Francis Knight, a retired clergyman living at Putney, obtained permission of the Chairman to read a document to the Committee. He said he felt it his duty to emphasise the necess ty of increased means of aerial defence. Officers of the R.F.C. should be called to give evidence. The inquiry would be a farce unless private firms were called t> give evidence in camera. He com plained that the Government had not availed themselves of a per pendicular gun which he had invented. The Chairman : We are obliged to you for coming here, but we need not trouble you farther. Mr. Knight (addressing the Chairman) : May; I ask what nationality you belong to ? &<** «"!ij| una The Chairman : No, you may not; it is rather impertinent. Mr. Justice Bailhache announced that there were two more witnesses, Mr. Grey and Mr. Pemberton Billing, but as they wanted time in which to prepare their evidence, the Committee would adjourn till June 23rd. $ ® Brazil, Straker and Co., Ltd. ; Gwynnes, Ltd. ; PorthoJme Aero drome, Ltd. -"-4f . -HI,-- tH^JtSSr" Associate Memders—Accles and Pollock, Ltd. ; The Allied Air craft Varnish Co., Ltd. ; W. N. Brunton and Son ; Cellon Limited ; Samuel Cutler and Sons, Ltd. ; The Integral Propeller Co., Ltd. : Lang Propeller, Ltd. ; Arthur Lee and Sons, Ltd. ; Rubery Owen and Co. ; C. C. Wakefield and Co. ; Waring and Gillow, Ltd. EEEEEEEEEE E E E E E H E m s E E E E E E E E E E E E E EEEEEEEBEE The 8.cyl. 135 h p. Thomas motor.—We f understand that, as a result of minor improvements, the petrol consumption has been reduced from 14 to 13 gallons per hour or *58 lbs. per b.h.p. per hour. The consumption of lubri cating oil is given as 1 gallon per hour. 490
Sign up to
Flight Digital Magazine
Flight Print Magazine
Airline Business Magazine
E-newsletters
RSS
Events
