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Aviation History
1920
1920 - 0423.PDF
APRIL 15, 1920 ism Air Brakes and the Sideslip Landing. [2012] I was very interested to see an article on side- slipping in a recent issue of your journal, and as you invite correspondence on the subject, may I hold forth ? I would first like to answer your remark that side-slipping when there is a high wind is dangerous. This is not so, as almost invariably one slips into wind, sometimes across wind, but never down wind. The higher the wind, therefore, the less the resulting drift from the sideslip, and drift is the cause of crashes from sideslips. In addition to this, the idea of a sideslip when landing is to cover as little ground as possible in the glide. When there is a high wind, one seldom finds it necessary to sideslip. Who has seen a pilot over- shoot on a windy day ? The idea of sideslips, cross wind landings, cross wind take- offs, etc., had become fairly general in our training of pupils since the beginning ef 1918, chiefly due to i;he enthusiastic efforts of a certain Lieut.-Colonel and his school. The diffi- culty has been to get any average pilot with his wings to ask " how to loop," " how to land cross wind," and how to do a hundred, and one other simple manoeuvres, which almost everyone could do—indifferently. ?; " R.A.F." [When we referred to the possible risk of the sideslip landing in a wind, we had in mind a gusty wind. A steady wind would not, of course, present any difficulties, but a wind is seldom steady, near the ground at any rate, and hence there is more likelihood of a machine getting caught in a gust on a windy than on a calm day.—ED.] FLYING RACES AND OPEN EVENTS. [2013] I see that, in Letter 2010, Mr. Thornburn asks that at least one of the races to be held at Hendon this season should be open to aircraft of the Allied Nations. This suggests the old question of whether the ex-enemy nations should be allowed to compete. I yieldjto none in my abhorrence of the Huns' deeds in the late War, but at the same time 1 do believe that at least one truly international event, open to aircraft of any country under the sun, should be held each year. I urge this, in our own interests, for I believe British— or, at any rate, Allied—aircraft can beat anything the Huns or neutrals could put in the field, whereas our present attitude of boycotting the Central Powers, though very pleasant from the sentimental point of view, suggests to neutral and other prospective buyers, that we are afraid to meet the Huns, and doubt our capacity to beat them. No one wants them to come over here, but in this case we should benefit if they did. So let 'em all come ! CHARLES H. N. MORRIS. PARACHUTES. [2014] The photographs in your issue, April 8, of the fallen Fokker are very interesting from every point of view. The machine apparently crashed from 6,000 ft., and if the pilot had been equipped with any good " free " parachute system, he should have had a fair chance of escape. But we are told that the upper plane broke away, leaving behind thestruts in the fuselage and lower wing, and it is permissible to speculate what, under the circumstances, the odds would have been against any " anchored " parachute, even one so good as the Salvus, getting clear and landing its passenger in safety. As Mr. Smith admirably defines it, " parachute efficiency (used in the larger sense) is synonymous with success- ful functioning under widely varying conditions." For my own part, I should be sorry to devote an hour to the design of a parachute for dropping from London Bridge, or even for regular demonstration descents at aerodromes, if only because existing parachute systems are good enough for this work. H. S. HOLT. Cavalry Club, Piccadilly, W. April 10. The Olympia Aero Show IT has now been announced that the sixth International Aero Exhibition, to be held under the joint management of the Society of British Aircraft Constructors, Ltd., and the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, Ltd., will be opened at Olympia on July 9 and will close on July 20. Entries will be received until May 3. On the opening day the exhibition will be on view to the public from 2 to 8 p.m., and afterwards on every week-day from 10 to 8. It was at one time suggested that the exhibition should be held at Hendon, but this was found to be impracticable, and now, by arrangement with Mr. Handley Page, Cricklewood Aerodrome has been secured for exhibition flights in con- nection with the show at Olympia. It is intended that the exhibition shall embrace aircraft of all types, aircraft engines, propellers, models, components, accessories and materials, and plant used in their construction . If space is available there will be a special historical section, in which machines used in famous flights will be shown, together with many specimens of early machines and aero- nautical souvenirs and relics. The allotment of space in the aircraft section will be made at the discretion of the com- mittee, consideration being given to the special requirements of each exhibit in matters such as minimum dimensions, head room, and so forth. Applicants will ballot for choice of position in the other sections. It is stated in the regulations that exhibits may be shown in motion generally operated by electric power, but no exhibits may be operated by petrol or other fuel having a lower flash-point than 73° F. Nor will any such fuel be allowed in the exhibition for any purposes. The Air Ministry is arranging to instal wireless telegraphy and telephony equipment for demonstration purposes. Efforts are being made to make the exhibition truly international in character, and many communications have been received from abroad relating to the exhibition of foreign aeronautical products. Officers' Full Dress, Royal Air Force. IT is notified that a pattern of Full Dress Uniform for Officers of theJRoyal Air Force has been approved by His Majesty the King. The provision of this uniform by any Officers of the Royal Air Force is entirely optional at the present time. The material of which this uniform is to be made is the same as that of the Mess Dress. Tunic.—Single-breasted, seven buttons (bottom button half inch below waist seam). Collar, i\ ins. high, square fronts, one row of \ in. gold lace, running up the fronts and round top of collar, traced \ in. below with \ in. gold lace. -One row of \ in. gold lace round bottom edge of collar. Ranks Pilot Officers to Flight Lieutenants have a device of five oak leaves in gold embroidery in front of each side of the collar. Ranks Squadron-Leader to Group-Captain have oak leaves and acorns of gold embroidery similarly placed and running 3^ ins. from front to back of collar. Air Officers have the latter device running all round the collar. The cuffs are plain in the case of all ranks. Rings denoting rank, as in the case of service dress, but of gold lace, will be worn on each sleeve. Trousers.—These are without " turn-ups " at bottom and without foot straps. The same pattern is worn with both full dress and mess dress. Boots.—Half. Wellingtons. Gloves.—White leather. Sword.—The sword is of the straight pattern with gilt hilt. The sword belt and slings-, as also the scabbard, are of black leather with gilt fittings. The fittings of the scabbard and slings differ in the case of air officers, being of somewhat more ornate design. Head Dress.—For the time being a dress cap of similar design to that approved with the old pattern blue service dress (including gold oak leaves denoting field and air rank) will be worn, the only difference in this cap being that the cloth will be similar to that used for the full dress. Cap badge as for service dress. This cap will also be worn with mess dress. Patterns can be seen on application to Room 177, Air Ministry, Empire House, Kingsway, W.C. 2. Submarine and Aerial Cruisers. LECTURING before the United Services Institution the other day on " Submarines and Future Naval Warfare," Lieut. King Hall, dealing with the cruiser, said that cruisers employed^on screening and scouting duties with a fleet would be of aerial and surface type, working in co-operation. Cruisers employed on guerre-de-course would be of submersible type and they would destroy shipping by gunfire. These craft would be particularly suited to our enemies and appeared to be the greatest future naval danger of the Empire. Cruisers employed against these raiders must be of aerial and submarine type, working in conjunction. If a potential enemy were known to be building these commerce-destroying submarine cruisers, we should lay down a special class of ship for convoy escort in time of war. Admiral Sir Doveton Sturdee, who presided, said that it was most important that submarines and aircraft should work together in absolute sympathy and co-operation. Aircraft had been of great assistance in the war, and would be of greater use in the future for reconnaissance as well as for convoy purposes. He thought kite balloons were a mistake because they marked a spot; sometimes they blew away ; and sometimes they could not be brought down. He thought the aeroplane that went off a battleship's deck and came back was better if we could have it. • •: •• • 423
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