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Aviation History
1920
1920 - 0553.PDF
MAY 20, 19ZO ONE of the many allegations made against aircraft is thattheir life is very short, a year of flying being often put as the limit of the useful life of an aeroplane. A good instanceof the fallacy of this argument is furnished by the famous L. and P. biplane, designed for that firm by Mr. A. A.Fletcher, who is now chief designer to the Central Aircraft Co., and built in 1916. The machine was fully described in FLIGHT of July 27, 1916. The accompanying photographshows the machine as she looks today after having been thoroughly overhauled and fitted with a 100 h.p. Anzaniengine instead of the 60 h.p. Anzani originally fitted. This BORN 1916—STILL GOING STRONG of all she did, but out of the many a few may be mentioned.It would probably give aerodynamic experts furiously to think when it is stated that this machine has flown with aset of S.F.. 5 wings strapped to the under side of her bottom plane, without this appearing to interfere with her flyingto any appreciable extent. It does not seem unlikely that, although the original purpose of these tests was to find outwhether or not it was possible to carry wings in this manner, the aerodynamical proof of the feasibility of this may beput to some other purpose in designs of the future commercial ?,eroplane. A FRISKY FOUR-YEAR-OLD : Our photograph shows the famous L. and P.looper on which Mr. Smilesset up a series of looping records at Hendon in 1916. The machine has been overhauled, and is now as good as ever •machine, which is now advertised for sale (see Adv. pages),lias had a most interesting career, and the fact that she is still in first-class condition speaks volumes for the soundness of"the design and for the quality of the workmanship put into her by the original builders. While owned by the Londonand Provincial Co. the machine did a tremendous amount •of stunt flying in the hands of such pilots as Smiles, Warrenand pothers. She has made goodness only knows how many loops, not to mention other stunts. During the War the machine was used for experimental•purposes, the uses to which she was put being many and varied. There is no space here to give a detailed account Later on this machine was used for experimenting withparachute descents, of which a great many were made by the experts of Messrs. Calthrop's Aerial Patents, and jt isprobable that there is not another machine in existence in England today from which so many parachute jumps havebeen made. One might go on recounting the experiments carried out with this machine, but sufficient has been in-dicated to show that hers has been no life of leisure. Yet here she is, as good as ever, ready to show that, givenreasonable care, a machine will last for years, even when being used for experimental work of a varied and strenuousnature. THE LONDON-AMSTERDAM AIR SERVICE 'ON Monday last the first regular Air Service between this •country and Holland started, when two Airco machines left Croydon for Amsterdam. Machines will leave London •on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, "and return on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. The aerodrome in Holland is 20 minutes by car from Amsterdam. From this side the following time-table is to be worked to :—London (Croydon), dep., 10 a.m. ; Amsterdam, arr. 12.45 p.m. Train connections permit of arrival at The Hague at 3.5 p.m., and at Rotterdam at 3.21 p.m. The journey is one of considerable interest, as the route followed is Folkestone, Calais, Dunkirk, Nieuport, Ostend, Zeebrugge, The Hague, Amsterdam, and passengers get a "wonderful survey of the Belgian battlefields between Dunkirk and Ostend, the complete devastation of the country and the terrible effect of heavy gunfire being brought out vividly. North of Ostend batteries of heavy German guns in their emplacements can be clearly seen pointing to the sea, and a view is obtained of the Vindictive lying across the canal mouth of Zeebrugge. The machines used are of the same type as those operating the two services daily between London and Paris, the famous Airco 16 four-passenger limousine aeroplanes. Special arrangements have been made for the rapid con- veyance of goods, and all parcels leaving in the 10 a.m. machine consigned to Amsterdam, Rotterdam or The Hague, will be delivered during the same day. Parcels for this service should be handed in to the usual booking agents, or to Air- craft and Travel, Ltd., 27, Pall Mall ; Telephone ; Regent 930. The charge per passenger is 15 guineas single, and 25. bd. per lb. for small consignments of- goods down to i«. td. per lb. for larger loads. . , • ; •. The Olympia Show ,< THE Secretary and Under-Secretary of State for Air and the Air Council have consented to become patrons to the Aero Exhibition, which will be held at Olympia from July 9 to July 20. .-* The "Daily Express " £10,000 Indian Flight ^IT had been intended that the Handley Page-Napier, piloted by Major A. Stuart Maclaren, should have startedfrom Croydon on Saturday for India, but, as stated in the Royal Aero Club Notesjonp. 549, owing to the unsettled stateof affairs in Arabia, the Air Ministry put a ban on flying «ast of Cairo. Two entrants now await official permis- sion to start, Major Maclaren on the Handley Page-Napier. Old Carthusian II, who will have Capt. J. A. Barton with him as navigator, and Mr. R. W. Kenworthy on the Black- burn Kangaroo-Rolls-Royce, who will have Capt. G. H. Wilkins as navigator. The Air League of the British Empire AT a meeting of the Executive Committee of the Air League of the British Empire it was decided that a Mansion House Meeting should be arranged for June 8, at 12 noon, when the Lord Mayor will take the Chair. It is hoped tjiat many prominent members of the Stock Exchange and of the Baltic will be present. 553
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