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Aviation History
1919
1919 - 1520.PDF
NOVEMBER 27, 1919 off in the matter of the fuel tax than it is at the moment, but it should be remembered that the present tax of sixpence per gallon is a temporary one and that the time is now approaching when it will be • <s> Gen. Seely's Resignation AT the meeting of the Parliamentary Air Committee at the House of Commons on November 18, Maj.-Gen Seely made a statement of the reasons for his resignation, and the Committee passed the following resolution :— " That this Committee expresses its deep anxiety in regard to the present union of the Air Ministry and War Office and the consequent position of the Royal Air Force, and requests the Government to announce its air policy at the earliest possible moment and to provide a day for a full discussion." Sir W. Joynson Hicks presided. Lord Hugh Cecil was elected deputy-chairman of the Committee, Mr. Raper and Mr. T. C. Piatt were chosen as hon. secretaries, and Col. Burgoyne was elected hon. treasurer. Indian Frontier Air Work FROM messages to hand from Waziristan it appears that the air aids against the Waziris and Mahsuds have proved effective. The air operations commenced on November 13 when Kaniguram, Makin, and Marobi were bombed by 25 aeroplanes which dropped five tons of bombs. Operations continued daily, and although machines had been heavily fired at, all returned safely. The offending section of the Wazirs have accepted unreservedly the British terms, and against the Mahsuds air operations continue. Gen. Sykes's Visit to America No fresh date has yet been fixed for the postponed visit to the United States of Maj.-Gen. Sir Frederick Sykes, Controller-General of Civil Aviation. It is understood that the postponement of the visit is the direct outcome of Gen. Seely's resignation, Gen. Sykes remaining in London at the request of Mr. Churchill, it being considered undesirable that he should be abroad while the appointment vacated by Gen. Seely is unfilled. The Defence of London SIR PERCY SCOTT was the guest of the evening on November 18 at the first annual dinner of the Royal Naval Anti-Aircraft Corps Association, and in proposing the toast of " The Association," he said that at the outbreak of war the War Office thought that no aeroplane or Zeppelin could come to London, and the ' were just as convinced as was the Admiralty that a submarine could not sink a ship. Sir Percy went on to relate how in fifteen months only eight guns had been got together for the defence of London. On tile call of Mr. Balfour, he undertook the defence, and after a struggle to secure guns, he ultimately raised 150. He paid a warm tribute to the efficiency of the corps. The England-Australia Flight ALTHOUGH the telegrams from Capt. Ross-Smith, piloting the Vickers-Vimy-Rolls, only reach England after a delay of several days, it is evident that he is making splendid pro gress. In our last issue it was recorded that the machine had reached Pisa, whence he flew to Rome on November 15. The next day he went on to Taranto and Suda Bay. On November 18 he reached Cairo safely, taking 7 J hours for the trip, while on November 19 he was reported at Damascus. The Air Ministry announces that Maj.-Gen. Sir F. H. Sykes has received the following message from the Prime Minister of Australia, for transmission to Capt. Ross Smith :— " Desire congratulate you and party successful start, and wish you every success. Whilst Government and people of Australia hope Australian first fly Europe-Australia and achieve world's record in aerial navigation, urge you to take no unnecessary risks. Do your best, but nothing foolhardy. If you cannot make Australia in 35 days, never mind. Good luck. «• HUGHES." Another competitor—the Blackburn Kangaroo—left Hounslow at 10.37 a.m. on November 21. The Kangaroo is piloted by Lieut. Rendle and Lieut. B. R. Williams, the navigator is Capt. G. H. Wilkins, and Lieut. Potts is in charge of the engines. They received the following messages:— From Prince Albert: " May good luck go with you in your sporting attempt." From Mr. Winston Churchill: " I wish you the best of luck in your sporting journey." From Maj.-Gen. Sir F. H. Sykes : " Good luck and success to your venture." revised. Therefore, it will be well if the industry, and those who speak for it, should keep a careful watch on proceedings and be prepared to argue the case when the time comes. Notice to Airmen THE following notice to airmen has been issued by the Air Ministry. The Radio Telephony stations at the aero dromes at Hounslow and Lympne are now working on 900- metre wave length. The registration marks of aircraft should be used as the call signs in making or receiving signals by wireless tele graphy or other methods of communication, except when opening up communication by means of visual signals, when the usual methods will be employed. New Air Service to The Hague IT is announced by Aerial Transport and Travel, Ltd., that a daily air service between Hounslow and an aerodrome near The Hague is being organised This new " Airco" service will connect with express trains leaving The Hague for Rotterdam, Amsterdam, and other cities ; by next spring a business man will be able to breakfast in Amsterdam, lunch in Paris, and dine in London—all on the same day. American Crew for R 38 IT is anticipated that the airship R 38, which has been sold to the United States will not cross the Atlantic before next July or August. She is now being completed at the works of Messrs. Short Brothers at Bedford, and should be ready about the end of May. A crew, drawn from the United States Navy, will be trained by the R.A.F. in readiness to take the vessel to America. French Convention with Switzerland FRENCH delegates have practically concluded with Switzerland an Air Convention similar to that signed on behalf of Great Britain by Col. Beatty. As soon as the French Government has signed, the agreement with Great Britain comes into force. Death of M. Henri Deutsch de la Meurthe BY the death of M. Henri Deutsch de la Meurthe on November 24, French aviation has lost one of its staunchest patrons. Born in Paris in 1846, he early took an interest in the internal combustion motor, and was quick to recognise its possibilities for aeronautical work. He offered a prize of 100,000 francs for an airship flight round the Eiffel Tower and when this was won by M. Santos Dumont on October 19, 1901, he in conjunction with M. Archdeacon put up a new prize for an heavier-than-air machine which would fly more than 25 metres and another for a flight of one mile'in a closed circuit, which was won by M. Henri Farman on January 13, 1908. He built two airships, the second of which—the *' Ville de Paris "—he presented to the French Government after the disaster to the military dirigible " La Patrie." M. Deutsch in 1914 gave 5,000 francs to provide for a professor of practical and popular aeronautics at the Conservatoire des Arts et Metiers. M. Deutsch was a founder member of the Automobile Club of France, and later of the Aero Club of France ; he was elected President of the latter in 1913. Speed Record in Italy AT the Montecelio aerodrome near Rome on the morning of November 20, Lieut. Elia on a Marchetti areoplane flew 274^220 kilometres (171J miles) in one hour, which is claimed to be a world's record. After certain modifications have been made to the propeller it is hoped to improve on this speed. High Speed by the " Bodensee " HAVING been repaired after its recent mishap, the German passenger airship " Bodensee " on November 23 made its fastest voyage, attaining an average speed of over 100 miles an hour, making the trip from Berlin to Fried- richshafen in three and three-quarter hours. A Reversible Propeller SUCCESSFUL tests are reported to have been made at Dayton (Ohio) with a reversible aeroplane propeller by means of which aeroplanes can land and be stopped within 50 ft. Commercial Aviation in South Africa MAj. MILLER, who did such splendid work in recruiting for the R.A.F. in South Africa, is now helping on commercial aviation in the Colony. He has recently made a flight from Johannesburg to Durban, carrying a special edition of the Johannesburg Star. 1522
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