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Aviation History
1916
1916 - 0613.PDF
JtJLY 20, I9l6. technical evidence regarding the stability oT aeroplanes. Asked if the B.E. 2 C was an efficient and satiffactory machine, the witness Teplied, "Thoroughly." It was not easy, he said, to combine all the qualities that were required in an aeroplane in one design, and the B.E. 2 C was a compromise in the matter of climb, speed, and engine power. The "R.A.F." designs were the result of careful scientific study of the problems of aviation. The evolution of the B.E. 2 C would have been impossible without the assistance obtained through the experimental work at the National Physical Laboratory. Professor Petaval, professor of engineering at Manchester and member of the Advisory Committee for Aeronautics, stated that the B.E. 2 C. was more easily controlled than many others, and had many advantages. General Arbuthnot, chairman of the Aerial League, and formerly superintendent of the Small Arms Factory at Enfield, expressed the opinion that it would be better to fight Zeppelins with aero planes than by building Zeppelins for the purpose. Second Lieutenant W. T. Blake, assistant adjutant at Farn- borough when Lieutenant Littlewood started to fly to France on June 1st, on a new machine, which eventually landed in the German lines at Lille, said that they were instructed that two officers would report, Capt. Archer and another pilot, name not mentioned. The witness had selected an experienced mechanic who had flown across half a dozen times to go as an observer, when a telephone message came either from the War Office or the 6th Brigade that Capt. Grant, a Staff officer, was to go over to France on that day, if possible, in an F.E. machine. When Capt. Grant arrived Capt. Archer had gone, and he was allotted to Lieut. Little- wood, who had to take him to St. Omer. The adjutant who took the message was seriously ill, and the witness did not know where it actually came from. It was a frequent occurrence, after an observer had been selected, for a staff officer to be sent down to go across to France in an aeroplane. Colonel O'Gorman, Superintendent of the Royal Aircraft Factory, explained in detail many technical points in connection with engines and designs, and afterwards stated that it was not true that a large number of engines that had been ordered were not tested. Witness asked permission to reply to the statement that cricket was played in Government time at the factory. There was a piece of ground on which men played in their own time, and on one Saturday four men who had not signed on were playing cricket. Two men who had signed on, and were in the Government's pay at the time, joined them. They were dismissed. That was the only occasion he knew of on which cricket had been played at improper times. It might often happen that men were playing in their own time, while others close by were at work. Replying to Mr. Bright, Colonel O'Gorman denied absolutely that any design of any sort had been copied at any time from private firms by the R.A.F. He did not know the witness whom Lord Montagu had called in regard to waste at the factory and other matters. He did not know what work he did in the factory j he had seen him strolling about occasionally. He accepted the state ment respecting 23 percent, of the workmen being " duds," and took credit for his scheme of the dilution of labour in time of war. He was letting every fit man go out that he could spare, and was making shift with the best operatives he could get. Colonel O'Gorman referred to the other " curious charges," but was reminded that the evidence had been ruled out. As to the alleged " window-dressing," he explained that the King's visit took place shortly after His Majesty's accident, and in order that he should not have too much walking, certain aeroplanes were moved out. A few things were arranged to make it a little more easy for Royalty to see. Mr. Balfour Browne : That is all the window-dressing that took place ? Witness : Yes. The same thing was done when General Sir H. Smith-Dorrien came down. With regard to the statement that scrapped parts were buried, he said that one of his predecessors was " a great magpie," and buried old material, such as old wheels, gun slides, and lumps of iron, to remedy the boggy state of the ground. The Committee then continued taking Col. O'Gorman's evidence in camera. On the following morning Major Dawes was called to give evidence in reference to No. 29 squadron of aeroplanes, which left Gosport for France in March last, and to which an accident happened. Major Dawes said that ten of the twelve machines left Gosport and six had a forced landing in this country owing to a snowstorm which they encountered. In four cases the machines were broken, and two officers were injured. Two machines left from Hendon, and these arrived at Dover and Folkestone. The Chairman : It is suggested that the pilots asked to be allowed to test the machines, and they were refused. Do you know anything 6l l/HCHT] about that ?—No, I know nothing about it. I cannot imagine the request being made. This was rather a disaster, was it not ?—It was. The sort of thing one would not expect to happen ?—No, The kind of thing that ought not to happen?—It should not happen. Can you give any explanation of why it did happen ?—I do not think that it would have happened JT they had not run into this very heavy snowstorm. Is a snowstorm sufficient to account for it in .your opinion ?—Not altogether. It should not have had such a disastrous effect, should it ?—No. Making full allowance for the snowstorm, what do you think, in addition, was the cause of this disaster ?—Really the fault was that the pilots had not sufficient experience to meet what they had to meet on that journey. Had the weather held up they would have been quite all right; but, meeting this heavy snowstorm, they had not sufficient experience to compete with it. A snowstorm is a very- nasty thing to meet on this type of machine. Two pilots who had had a considerable amount of experience and had been to France, came to grief. There was one case of engine trouble, and the pilot came down between Shoreham and Hastings. I do not think the two machines from Hendon which arrived safely at Dover and Folkestone passed through the snowstorm. Witness said that altar as he was aware no inquiry was held. He could not say whether the pilots were examined as to the causes of their accidents. The Chairman pointed out that the reports spoke of 26 or 27 machines being " consumed," that is, rendered unserviceable or damaged ; what became of the remainder ? Witness replied that he knew that five machines were collected to replace those broken, and he believed that one or two of these were broken at Dover. The Chairman : I should have thought that a happening of that kind would have created considerable stir in the Flying Corps, and that some inquiry would have been held. That strikes me as rather strange. You don't know of any inquiry ?—Not as far as I am aware. The occurrence took place in March of this year. Mr. H. Franklin, chief examiner at Hendon, gave evidence regarding the allegations made by Mr. R. F. Curtis, an inspector, of the falsification of time-sheets. He said that up to January 23rd the hours of inspectors were from 8.30 a.m. to 7.30 p.m., but they did not arrive at the stated hour, and they were allowed to go when they had finished the work they had in hand. Their wages were £2 10s. per week. Then from January 24th the hours were fixed at 48 for £2 10s., and the men were paid overtime.' The Chairman: That was a pure gift from somebody unasked and without agitation.—Yes. Somebody you did not know suddenly gave a present of a con siderable sum of money to these people ?—Yes, sir. Do you think that sounds very likely ? How does it strike you ? —Well, it was so. We were told that overtime was to be paid from January 24th. And they all said : " Thank Heaven for that" ?—Yes, it was nice to have it. Can you account for the fact that after this alteration the men worked regularly from 8.30 to 7.30?—I cannot understand it. Does it not seem rather suspicious ?—On the face of it, yes. The Chairman: Then if Curtis signed his time-sheet for the actual hours he worked the time-sheets of the other men would look very suspicious ?—I do not know about that at all. Why didn't you ascertain what the other men signed for?—I thought it was so trifling that I did not take any trouble to find out. Witness denied that he saw Curtis and said to him, " Cannot you see that you are letting the other chaps down?" At the request of the Chief Examiner, Curtis was removed from the station. He afttrwards became ill, and a draft letter was found on him. Colonel Bagnall-Wild, Chief of the Aeronautical Inspection Department, explained in detail the method of timekeeping at Hendon, and said the change was made because he could not get men at £2 10s. per week, and he could not compel them to work more than 48 hours a week, as it was a condition of their engage ment. AH overtime after 48 hours was voluntarily undertaken. The 8.30 to 7.30 day merely represented the length of day fixed upon as being necessary to get through the work. It varied at different stages, according to the amount of work coming through. The overtime rate was granted because it was difficult to get men at the old rate, and he felt he could not ask them to do overtime on a voluntary basis. The step also conformed to the trade custom. At first there were about fifty inspectors, and now there were 2,000 at all the controlled works. Several examiners, Curtis amongst them, refused to work overtime, saying there was no justification for it. The witness considered Curtis's allegations were totally unfounded, and he denied that the inspection was bad.
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