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Aviation History
1919
1919 - 1240.PDF
SEPTEMBER 18, 1919 Vaffaire Schneider of September 10 has Some not, after all, taught us much. Had from'tbe tne race ^een run *n Pr0Per fashion Schneider there would at least have been some " Race'' concrete proof of speeds attainable with modern seaplanes and flying boats. As it is, there are no official figures available of the speeds actually attained by the different machines. That great increases have been made since the last Schneider Cup Race in 1914 was obvious to all who saw last Wednesday's event and who had the oppor tunity of seeing the 1914 racers. When, however, it comes down to hard figures and facts, these are absent. The only machine which was timed at all was the Savoia flying boat, which did the laps in somewhere in the neighbourhood of 10 minutes. As the course was approximately 20 sea miles—or about 23 land miles—the speed would work out at close on 140 m.p.h., which is very fast for a machine of the flying boat type, fitted with an engine of 250 h.p. Since, however, the Savoia was not seen from the mark boat, it is really impossible to state what was her actual speed. If the view advanced from one quarter —that the Savoia flew wide so as to make sure of rounding the boat—is the correct one, then her speed would work out at considerably more than 140 m.p.h. If, on the other hand, the opposite view—that she rounded the wrong boat—is taken as being correct, then, according to whether this second boat was nearer or farther away from the starting point, the speed works out at more or less, respectively, than the 140 m.p.h. So, not even in this single instance have we the satisfaction of having reliable figures of the speed actually attained. In the case of some of the other competitors the only figures we have are those of the speeds indicated on the respective air speed indicators. Thus, the Sopwith Seaplane has reached an indicated level speed of 165 m.p.h.,, while the Supermarine "Sea Lion" has done close on 140 m.p.h., indicated. As the Sopwith was patently the fastest machine at Bournemouth, she may be taken as represent ing the high water mark of seaplane speed. As to the rest, it would be merely guess work to attempt to arrive at their speeds. Without being very wide of the mark it may, however, An Adventurous Voyage SETTING out from Hounslow on September 6 on a visit by air to Italy, with a view to arranging a settlement of cer tain outstanding points regarding civil aerial communication, Lieut.-Col. W. D. Beatty and Lieut.-Col. W. O. Raikes had an exciting termination to their trip. Their machine, a Bristol fighter adapted for commercial use, dropped its pro peller about 50 miles from Rome, but they made an excellent landing in the middle of the Campagna, north of Civita Vecchia. The machine left London at 11.30 a.m., reached Lyons at 5.50 p.m.. Starting again at 6.30 a.m. on the following day, it was at Frejus at 8.50, and arrived at Pisa at 1.50, leaving again at 3.15. After the machine had been anchored out all night and while awaiting the arrival of a car from Rome one of those sudden be assumed that with machines now in existence the seaplane type is capable of a speed of somewhere about 160 to 165 m.p.h., while the flying boat type can be assumed with fair certainty to be capable of 140 m.p.h. Both these figures snow an enormous increase on any hitherto obtained, and as pure speed figures may therefore be considered eminently satisfactory. When, however, the question arises of the utility of such speeds, last Wednesday s events tell a rather different story. Out of the four seaplanes that actually turned up at Bournemouth two were unable to start on account of their floats having sprung a leak, while a third, also with leaky floats, did start, although it landed again. It should be pointed out that its landing was not necessitated by the leaky floats, however, but by the fog. It is quite evident that at present it is not possible to attain these high speeds while at the same time retaining the seaplane as a seaworthy craft. A race like the Scheidner tends to produce, indeed is intended to produce, speed machines pure and simple, although the two ahghtings asked for in the first lap form in some measure a check on the speeds by insisting that the machines must at any rate be sufficiently far removed from the freak to be able to alight twice during the race. Now, the 10th of September brought an absolutely calm sea at Bournemouth, and if, in spite of this, three competitors of the seaplane type had float troubles, this is rather an indication that the makers had cut the limits too fine, leaving no margin whatever for a rough sea. On the other hand, the flying boats did well, as one would expect them to do, in such a calm sea. We are not taking into account the damage caused to the hull of the Supermarine boat through striking an object on the water. No hull structure at present known to man, and light enough to be lifted into the air, would stand up to hitting a solid object while' travelling at 80 m.p.h. or so. Up till that time, however, neither of the two flying boats had had any trouble from leaks. It therefore looks as if, for seaworthiness, the boat is the better type, especially since it has been demonstrated that it can be made quite reasonably fast, although possibly not quite so fast as the seaplane type. s m and rapid fires common after the drought of summer swept over the Campagna and caught and destroyed the machine. Launch of H.M.S. " Hermes " THE aeroplane-carrier, Hermes, was launched from the yard of Messrs. Sir W. G. Armstrong, Whitworth & Co., Ltd., on the Tyne on the nth inst., but it is stated that she will not be proceeded with at present. The Hermes has a length of 548 ft. and 70 ft. beam, with a displacement of 10,950 tons and a speed of 26 knots. The whole length of the flying deck of the Hermes will be avail able for starting and landing the planes, the funnels being arranged horizontally. The armament of the Hermes will consist of a number of light guns for anti-aircraft protection and several 6-in. guns for heavier work. FLIGHT "MILESTONES" IN AMERICAN NEWSPAPERS OUR " Milestones " are being reproduced in American aeronautical publications without a single word of acknowledg ment. We would say that these greatly lose the value of the originals in FLIGHT, as our scale drawings, prepared at great trouble and expense, are ALL of uniform scale, relatively to one another, whereas the copyists reproduce from our drawings at any old size, so that direct comparison is impossible. We issue this note of warning, as, irrespective of the discourtesy, if nothing worse, of annexing without acknowledgment the result of the work of FLIGHT'S technical staff, those to whom this series appeals, should understand they are unable through foreign publications to appreciate the full value which attaches to the original FLIGHT series..—ED. 1242
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