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Aviation History
1920
1920 - 0289.PDF
MARCH II, 1920 THE FLIGHT TO THE CAPE AFTER covering four-fifths of the total distance from Cairoto the Cape, the " Silver Queen II " met the fate of all the other competitors for the honour of being the first to fly from Cairoto the Cape, and crashed. The machine was detained at Livingstone by exceptionally heavy rains for several days,but a start was finally made at 8,30 a.m. on March 5, and Bulawayo, 237 miles off, was reached at 12.55 p.m. Laterin the day an attempt was made to start on a non-stop flight to Pretoria, but the machine crashed, and Col. van Ryneveldand Capt. Brand were slightly injured. From a telegram sent by Col. van Ryneveld to Messrs. Rolls-Royce, Ltd.,it appears that the accident was due to taking-oil with an overload at the high altitude of the aerodrome. The engineswere working perfectly, and even after this second crash, they are still capable of completing the journey if a machinecan be obtained to take them. The Union of South Africa has placed a D.H. 9 at the disposal of Col. van Ryneveld,and it is due to arrive at Bulawayo on Saturday next. Of the other competitors, there is no further news to record,but the following summary by Dr. Chalmers Mitchell of the flight of The Time'; aeroplane will be found most interesting :—Our actual flying time from Heliopolis to Tabora was 36J hours for nearly 2,700 miles, which gives an average of about75 m.p.h. With engines in normal condition this is an easy five days' journey, flying only from 6 a.m. until noon, withfull comforts for travellers at night. The motion at worst is much better than at sea ; when normal it is better thanin a train. Writing, reading, and eating are more pleasant and the journey less tiring and quite suitable for privatetravellers. The risk to life is extremely small with good pilots, evenin case of a forced landing, but the risk to the machine is considerable, hence relays of machines are necessary for apassenger or commercial service. The risks of ascents are much greater, hence the enlargement of all elevated tropicalaerodromes is imperative. A detailed survey of certain portions of the route is advisable for the purpose of fixingintermediate landmarks on account of varying winds and bad visibility due to bush fires. The Vickers-Vimy planes, propellers, and controls gaveno trouble. The passenger's seating, the position of the windows, and the accommodation of spare parts and foodsupplies require reconsideration. The morning cold makes a rug for the feet requisite, otherwise extra clothing is un-necessary. The existing arrangements for ventilation arc sufficient, even during the great heat. On our actual journey it was different. Success wasachieved only by the skill of the pilots, the endurance of the mechanics, and the good fellowship of all five, coupled withthe untiring aid of the Royal Air Force, British civilians, and natives. In our forced descent near Luxor the pilot wasmisled by the markings of a discarded aerodrome. The crash smashed my seat, but fortunately did no other damage.Our first night was spent in the luxurious Cataract Hotel at Assuan, the future first stage of the permanent air route,but it is probable that a motor trolly will be required for transport to and from the aerodrome. Sleeping in bags on the desert sand was comfortable.There were no mosquitoes, but the jackals were unneces- sarily vocal. In the chilly morning we had breakfast offa billy of tea, toasted ham, and hard-boiled eggs. Our forced descent at the good emergency aerodromeat Station Six for repairs necessitated a long wait in great heat. We saw our first mirage, and lunched off biscuitsand tea out of a thermos flask. Our second forced descent that day was in a desert area which the pilots only found afteran anxious search. The heat was extreme, and we had to wait hours while a native fetched water on a camel. Khartum was reached after a most anxious trip (through-out which the water was leaking) just as the sun was setting. We enjoyed luxurious hospitality at Khartum, which is thenormal second stop. After two nights at Khartum we had a forced descent on a good aerodrome at Jebelein for tem-porary repairs, then a second forced landing on dangerous ground near Renk. We were unable to reach water throughthe bush and swamps, so lunched on sandwiches and tea while obliging natives fetched water from the Nile. We still hoped to continue our journey safely when thetemporary repairs had been made. The engines, on starting, leaked so badly that we resolvedto return to Jebelein, and possibly to Khartum. During our stay of three nights at Jebelein, we experienced greatkindness from District Inspector Bethel, and our short supplies were improved by shooting guinea fowl, while welcome drink was sent from Kosti. We should probably have abandonedthe trip for lack of new engines, but knowing that none were to be had either in Khartum or Cairo, we resolved to persevereon the strength of my water-pumping invention. We cer- tainly took an enormous risk in crossing the sudd, wherea forced descent meant disaster. A change of wind and bad visibility caused us to lose ourway, and we had a forced descent on most dangerous ground in a burnt stretch of dry swamp in hostile Dinka territory.We ate a miserable meal of biscuits and tea amid terrific heat and the stench of dry swamp, which was nauseating. Armed natives, hiding in the bush, did not approach us,and we could find no water, so made a flight in search of it. At last we found a creek near a similar burnt landing-ground,and had some amusing business with the armed Dinkas. We gambled on our direction, but when leaving Capt. Cockerellwas unable to ascend from the bad ground, even after a run across the longest possible space available. On this thenatives returned with bows, but our second attempt was happily successful after a further leak had been patched. As daylight and petrol were both short, Capt. Cockerell,after a search, contrived to descend on a dry swamp at the edge of a Nile backwater, but the direction and distance ofMongalla were alike still uncertain. This was a pestilential landing-ground, abounding with mosquitoes, centipedes,crocodiles, and large bellowing animals. When it was dark natives brought firewood, milk and water. Either the stewwas too much for us or our appetites failed us, and we supped on milk, quinine, and gin. We dispatched a native with a note, hoping to acquaintMongalla with our position, and fired rockets, but they only made a smoke. We tried to sleep on the planes, but in themorning there was no news, so after a breakfast of tea and biscuits, Capt. Broome and I started on a six hours' trampthrough bush and swamp. WTe reached Mongalla quite exhausted, and found that our message had been receivedand that petrol had been sent by motor-launch. We spent five nights at Mongalla, benefiting from kinfihospitality, but all five of us were rather unwell, and the weather was most oppressive. Our first attempt at flightwas a failure, and the return to the aerodrome was extremely dangerous. A magneto contact-breaker was broken and aradiator shutter jammed. Our second attempt, after repairs and after the radiator shutter had been fixed open, wassuccessful. We had a good trip to Nimule, where we had to descendon a rough aerodrome because of leakage, a damaged tail- control, and punctured tyres. Here lime-juice, milk, andfirewood were kindly sent by a Syrian doctor. Cockerell said that his flying nerve was in danger for the first timein five years of flying, but we were all cheered by the mountain air and a luncheon of eggs and tea. For dinner we had a stew of rice and bully beef, and tinnedpeaches. We spent a good night, although lions came roaring very close. In an attempt to start in the terrific heat we could not riseabove the Nile, but kept dropping almost to water level, and were forced to return to the aerodrome. There werecolumns of dust all round the horizon thousands of feet in height. At dusk we visited Nimule for dinner and a bathat the doctor's, and on returning to the aerodrome after dark every one had a good night. After breakfast on tea and biscuits we had a good run toJinja, where we slept in sleeping-bags in a temporary straw pavilion on the aerodrome for two nights in order to be readyfor an early start. We experienced generous hospitality, and had motor drives to the club and some beautiful houses.Our first attempt to start-revealed fresh magneto trouble, and temporary repairs were effected in hopes that new engineswould be awaiting us at Kisumu, to which we made a slow flight. The expected engines, however, turned out to be useless,as they had been left at Mombasa after a long immersion in salt water. After two nights of luxurious hospitality we made a slowflight to Mwanza and Tabora, where we had further mechanical trouble, but every physical comfort The final crash was due to leakage into the induction coils.This crash completed my confidence in the coolness, judg- ment, and skill of the pilots. Cockerell says the art of flyingis to know how to crash. The occurrence is too rapid for alarm, but gives a great impression of the inevitable.fragility of a costly machine, also a greater chance of safety for the passengers than a corresponding smash by road orrail. t8o E 2
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