FlightGlobal.com
Home
Premium
Archive
Video
Images
Forum
Atlas
Blogs
Jobs
Shop
RSS
Email Newsletters
You are in:
Home
Aviation History
1917
1917 - 1004.PDF
the first case, the sound waves reach the ear more frequently, as the source is approaching, and in the second less frequently as the source is retreating. It would be the same with the Gotha's A flat—if it is always that note, whatever the speed of the machine, which is highly improbable. DURING his recent tour of the great munition and other •works up North, the King took the opportunity of laying the foundation stone of an important new extension to the Works of Messrs. William Beardmore and Co., Ltd. IT would be intensely interesting if one Were able to get at the average view of the German public upon the effect of the night air-raids in which London—according to Hun " Woolfisms "—has been for the past three years, and still is, being wiped out, annihilated and done for regularly, about twice a Week. The following very true and unimpassioned risumt in the Times of Tuesday last upon the effect of the visit to London of the Gotha bombers on the Monday night, may help the Huns at home to arrive at a well-balanced judgment as to the worthiness of the Whole business, especially in view of the possibilities presently of return visits by our Flying Services to, as Mr. Joynson-Hicks, M.P. suggests, " lay Cologne flat." A few more interesting points may easily with advantage be included in the list, and we shall then look forward te producing, by way of contrast, the description of the effects upon the enemy's public, as set forth by such reflections- of the populace's views, as the Cologne Gazette, &c. It may come yet and before many more moons have passed. The Times' well-balanced report is as follows :— " The attack was one of the most resolute which has ever been directed against London. Star shells Were frequently employed in order to assist the searchlights, but save in rare instances the raiders remained undetected. The noise of aerial torpedoes could be plainly heard, and the explosions caused by some of the missiles were deafening. There was little panic or" confusion, and those Who preferred to be spectators viewed the visitation With equanimity. " Soon after 8 o'clock the majority of people in the West End of London knew that a raid was taking place, and people everywhere hurried to the tubes or to any other shelter near at hand. The warning reached the restaurants rather later, but caused very little excitement. People who were at dinner went on with their meal, and showed their interest only by asking waiters if the ' had any news of what was happening. " The tube stations were crowded with men, women, and children for fully two hours. There were hardly any signs of panic. Platforms and corridors were thronged, and women sat With their babies on the stairways, but they sat quietly and showed no fear. Newsboys who moved among the people told them that they Would be able to read all about the raid in the papers next morning. " The crowds were particularly -dense at Piccadilly Circus, Oxford Circus and Charing Cross. Some of the refugees, after sheltering for a time, were inclined to go up into the streets again, but as shrapnel was falling in the streets special constables advised them to stay below. THE MERCEDES HAS A COLD BATH.—A German seaplane after a rough "landing." SEPTEMBER 27, 1917. " Generally speaking, not many people stayed in the open while the raid was in progress. Those who did saw a sky criss-crossed with searchlights and heard the sound of many guns. Some declared that they heard the sound of aircraft overhead, but Whether of our own flying forces or those of the enemy they could not be sure. People in the suburbs had a good view of the raid and of the defensive measures taken. It was a still clear night, and a moon swelling towards the full had suggested the possibility of an enemy attack. Nobody seems actually to have caught a glimpse of the raiding machines." TEN YEARS AGO. Excerpts from the " Auto." (" FLIGHT'S " precursor and sister Journal) of September, 1907. " FLIGHT " was founded in 1908. THE BRITISH ARMY AEROPLANE. Very serious preparations for the constructon of an aeroplane are going on apace in the wilds of Scotland. At Glen Tilt, on the estates of the Duke of Atholl, there is an exceedingly remote encampment of the British Army busily engaged in erecting their machine while safe from prying eyes. It is an ideally secluded spot, which few could find unassisted, and, needless to say, none are allowed to approach ; moreover when the work is finished. Which may be in less than a month's time, the surroundings will provide a perfect testing ground. It is suggested that the King, when he goes to Ballater, may pay a visit to this little encampment, where Lieut. Westland. Mr; W. Dunne, and a few others are so busily engaged, and if so, he will again "demonstrate the keen interest he always has taken in any scientific development calculated to increase the efficiency either of his Navy or Army. THE PARSEVAL AIRSHIP. •-" During practically the whole of Saturday last Major von Parseval, who is such a keen worker among the organisers of the German Society for the study of Aerial Navigation, gave a public demonstration with his airship in the experi- mental grounds at Tegel. Many prominent personages Were invited, and several hundred people applied for permission to make ascents, although on this, the first occasion, it was only possible to take up a few of the more notable guests, among whom were General von Einem, Minister of War, and General von Moltke, of the General Staff. - Two passengers were carried at each ascent in addition to Capt. von Kehler and the two engineers. THE " VILLE DE PARIS." Success continues to attend the efforts of M. Deutsch de la Meurthe, whose airship the " Ville de-Paris," now that it has been repaired, seems to take very kindly indeed to its natural element. Recently it went up for slightly more than an hourj and is reported to have attained a speed of 40 kilometres per hour'during the course of the test; MM. Henri" Kapferer and Paulhan were on the board. MR. WELLMAN MAKES AN ASCENT. ' .:-->-. As a grand finale to his " season " at Spitzbergen, Mr. Wellman actually made an ascent in his airship " America." However serious it may have been as a start for the Pole, it must have been far more exciting than any of those who took part anticipated or probably desired ; for after being towed by a steamer towards Vogel Bay Island it was finally cut loose, and Mr. Wellman, Mr. F. Riesenberg (the aeronaut) and Mr. Vaniman (the engineer) forthwith proceeded to make their- way home alone. About this time however, the wind, which had been giving them so much trouble during the preliminary, operations, once more began to exert itself, and the airship " America " was driven ignominiously before it, until a hasty descent landed the Whole apparatus as an inert mass on a glacier. AEROPLANE TRIALS AT ISSY. Both M. B16riot and M. Henri Farman are exceedingly busy with their aeroplanes at Issy, where they are conducting their trials. M. Bteriot practices incessantly, and has made little flights of from 100 to 200 metres repeatedly, and for the most part has been successful in landing in a most satisfactory manner. THE BREGUET HELICOPTER. Another experiment recently carried out at Issy was conducted with a Helicopter devised by Messrs. Breguet and Richet—well-known names in the circles of science and medicine in France. The apparatus consists of four propel- lers in a nearly horizontal plane driven by a 40 h.p. engine, and as the-framework was incomplete, an armchair was har- nessed up for trial purposes. Although weighing about half a ton it is stated that the machine lifted itself and the aero naut easily into the air—" four men being required to hold it down." IOO4
Sign up to
Flight Digital Magazine
Flight Print Magazine
Airline Business Magazine
E-newsletters
RSS
Events
