FlightGlobal.com
Home
Premium
Archive
Video
Images
Forum
Atlas
Blogs
Jobs
Shop
RSS
Email Newsletters
You are in:
Home
Aviation History
1917
1917 - 0229.PDF
MARCH 8, 1-917. GHT SOMEONE points out that the first item in the index to theYear Book issued by the Royal Aero Club is " Accidents, Fatal : British," and suggests that the well-known Armyformula, " Officers, for the use of," might be added. A gruesome jest, indeed, but every aviator is an optimist, andtrifles like this will not discourage him. IT is reported on good authority that a pilot of the R.N.A.S.recently climbed to a height of 26,000 ft. on a Sopwith biplane. He went up from an aerodrome " somewhere inthe South of England," and after a rapid descent was ex- tremely annoyed to find that, in his own words, " somebodyhad moved England." He cruised about for some time with- out being able to find his native land, and eventually camedown in the sea just off the French coast and was rescued. Unfortunately he was not carrying a recording barograph, andtherefore his flight does not constitute an official record, but it was a fine performance. THE King and Queen last week, attended by the Countess of Airlie and Commander Sir Charles Cust, Bart., R.N., paid a sympathetic visit to that admirable institution the Royal Flying Hospital, 37, Bryanston Square. A " STAR " flyer has disappeared, and we would urge anyreader who may hear of his whereabouts to at once com- municate with Flight-Commander Colmore, at 117, West-bourne Grove. We would explain that this particular " Star " is a very lovable wire-haired "mascot dog" much prized byits owner, and as Star's greatest recreation is to be with his master in the air—he having already made a dozen or moretrips up above—it is to be hoped Star will be speedily restored to his proper sphere. Needless to say a reward is awaitingthe restorer—and as we're not the owner, if desired, no questions asked. " IF Labour and Capital can die together, why the can't they live together ? " The foregoing rather pertinentquery was told by Mr. H. A. Gwynne, editor of the Morning Post, when speaking the other day at the Junior ConstitutionalClub, as an original criticism of the Capital v. Labour question, by a rabid Socialist wounded in France. And a good manywill say " Hear, hear " to so healthy a proposition. IT is none too early for British enterprise to move forward in new channels likely to be to the benefit of this Empire after the war. It is only by the most strenuous efforts that the Germans will be kept under in the future fight for trade. As might have been expected, Messrs. Vickers, Ltd., are 1< ok- ing well ahead, and one of the latest directions of their development is in the country of one of our Allies, Italy, in such a connection as is likely to be of vast consequence to all commercial undertakings. Sir Vincent Caillard and Mr. F. Barker, two of the directors, have been elected directors of the Societa per le Imprese Idrauliche ed Elettriche del Tirso and of the Society per le Forze Idrauliche della Sila, in which companies the Banca Commerciale Italiana and its industrial group are largely interested. The object of the two com- panies, to whom special concessions have been made by the Italian Government, is the development of hydro-electric power for industrial purposes, and also for agricultural irrigation in Sardinia and the southern provinces of Italy. Hydro-electric power stations will be erected to develop the power of the Rivers Tirso in Sardinia and Sila in Calabria. The two companies have already got to work on an ambitious programme, which, with the participation of British capital and enterprise, is expected to apply a great stimulus to industrial expansion in Southern Italy and Sardinia after the war. THE co-ordination of Naval and Military Aircraft Supplies has been even more firmly cemented under the Air Board by the appointment of Mr. Arthur E. Turner as Director of Aircraft Contracts, thus controlling contracts for both services. Mr. Turner is anything but new to the work, as for a long time past he has been at the head of this department so far as the War Office is concerned, and will under his new appointment control both War Office and Admiralty contracts for aircraft and their appurtenances. IT was a pretty emphatic lie direct to the assertion of The Press Photographers Association Council which Mr. Mac- pherson gave on February 28th in Parliament to the statementthat the photographs of the King's recent visit to the City secured by R.F.C. men were distributed to the newspapersfor publication—presumably for the usual consideration. WONDER what the explanation of the P.P.A.C. will be in reply. Also wonder whether the " special facilities " granted to R.F.C. men upon this—and other—occasions and refused professional photographers have anything behind them. IN view of the beating up of all General Service men,perhaps a little more light might usefully be let in upon the orders which necessitate the taking of very ordinary -every-day " snaps " by presumably young men suitable for more serviceable war w,ork. BY permission of the Commander-in-Chief of the SouthernCommand, the Bishop of Winchester will now be able to resume the ringing of Church bells in his diocese until 9 p.m.The residents should indeed have reason to rejoice. ANOTHER change in the Chairmanship of the Parliamentary Air Committee. Mr. Wilfred Ashley having been appointed Private Secretary to Mr. H. W. Forster, Financial Secretary to the War Office, Mr. Joynson-Hicks has accepted the vacant Chairmanship of the Air Committee. A LOADING of, bombs is an ugly freight with which to negotiate a forced landing, so perhaps it was only a recognised refinement of Hunnish Kultur when recently a German air squadron, attacked by British airmen on the Western front, in the heat of the fight, saw fit to release their bombs, although the scrap was well over the German lines. According to report there was " great havoc." We hope so. ONCE again a monthly analysis is made by the Times of the air losses in February, which appear to have been normal. Mist and fog have greatly hampered bombing raids and battery spotting, the fruitful occasions of air fights. Accord- ing to the daily official reports of British General He ad- quarters, the French Ministry of War, and German Main What a Gold Mine looks like from an aeroplane. Aphotograph taken near Johannesburg in South Africa. 229
Sign up to
Flight Digital Magazine
Flight Print Magazine
Airline Business Magazine
E-newsletters
RSS
Events
