FlightGlobal.com
Home
Premium
Archive
Video
Images
Forum
Atlas
Blogs
Jobs
Shop
RSS
Email Newsletters
You are in:
Home
Aviation History
1920
1920 - 1054.PDF
fields, who are represented by Messrs. Woods-Mason and Rene Lapray. Tait-Cox, who is ruled out, owing tcr having failed to have his machine on the aerodrome on the morning before the race, is awaiting Mr. J. H. James, who is flying the machine over from Le Bourget. A machine is seen in the mist, which proves to be the British Nieuport. After making a few turns, during which it is seen that one of the tyres is dangling loose from the axle, James makes a perfect landing and brings the " Goshawk " to rest a few feet from the enclosures. We go out to meet him, and are informed that he damaged the tyre when making a landing in a small field a few miles from Villesauvage in order to get his bearings. Cruising about over unknown country on a misty day in a racing machine ! Truly a marvellous performance. How- ever, James does not appear to think it is anything out of the ordinary. He has made in all nine landings, several of which have been in small fields, since leaving Hendon, and is now getting so used to it that he expresses his confidence in being able to " put her down " almost anywhere. Several of the machines are on the starting line, but until about 13 o'clock there does not appear to be any probability >of them starting. The sun, which breaks through occa- sionally, is obscured again. However, just after 1 o'clock things seem to improve. There is " a certain liveliness " around the machines at the far end of the aerodrome, and at 1.25 No. 11, the Nieuport piloted by Kirch, comes racing toward us, gets unstuck, and cruises around for a few minutes. It really looks as if a start is to be made at last. Having got his engine warmed up, Kirch approaches the OCTOBER 7, 1920 Wright is seen approaching the aerodrome, looking, with its wheels tucked away, more like a small monoplane flying-boat. As she approaches the aerodrome, the wheels begin to emerge, for all the world like the legs of a bird just before it alights. Rinehart informs us that he was unable to turn to the left. An examination shows that the port rudder cable is broken. In spite of this he managed to make a good landing, but to continue in the race was obviously impossible. Soon after- ward the Verville-Packard heaves in sight, its engine evi- dently being run throttled down. It later appears that when . Major Schroeder attempted to run the engine all-out she overheated, and flames poured out of the exhaust pipes. Under the circumstances the danger of fire was too great, and £he pilot did the only wise thing. It would appear that the danger of fire was suspected, for during a test run of the engine one noticed quite a circle of fire-extinguishers around the machine. The compression ratio of the Packard is, one understands, over 6 to 1, so that unless the machine were flying very high there would probably be a great tendency to overheating. On returning from his second lap, de Romanet alighted, and it looked as if Lecointe was to be left in solitary state, • but after making some adjustment to his oiling system, de Romanet took off again, although by then the delay was such that unless something happened to Sadi there was little, prospect of winning. Good little sportsman that he is, de Romanet stuck to his guns and actually finished the course, although his time was 1 hour 39 mins. 6| sees. Deducting his stop for repairs, his actual flying time was. The Gordon- Bennett Race: Taking Rayn- ham's Martin- syde "Semi- quaver " out to the starting line m m* m m starting-line, and with a dip of his port wings by way of a salute, he is off. He is followed about 20 minutes later by Bernard de Romanet, on the Spad. Sadi Lecointe crosses the starting-line about 10 minutes past 2, and a few minutes later the little Dayton-Wright monoplane gets off. After making a circuit of the aerodrome, during which the wheels are raised and disappear into the fuselage, this machine crosses the starting-line and disappears in what appears to be a direction several degrees off the proper course. Someone suggests that the pilot has to turn off his course every time he wants to look ahead, as he can see nothing straight ahead, but only sideways out through the windows. At about 2.35 Major Schroeder comes rumbling along on the Verville-Packard. The engine has a lusty note, which seems to speak of high compression. The speed does not appear to be extraordinary, but one is under the impression that the engine is not running all-out. The Martinsyde " Semiquaver " is still in its shed. Raynham is in no hurry. _ By waiting till the evening he is more likely to get calm weather coupled with good visibility. Also the air will be cooler, which is an advantage, the radiator of the " Semiquaver " being on the small side. In the meantime Kirch completes his first lap, which he has covered in 21 mins. 29 sees., which as a matter of fact proves to be the fastest time of the day. On returning after the second lap, he alights, and one learns that he has had trouble with his plugs, which, owing to overoiling, have sooted up. Kirch retires to his shed, naturally very " fed up." De Romanet, on the Spad, also returns after his first trip, and crosses the finishing line 22 mins. 52 sees, after starting, He is off again on his second lap, and in the meantime the Dayton- such as to give him a speed of 161 m.p.h. Even apart fron* the broken oil-gauge, he would have been slower than Lecointe. One rarely remembers having seen anybody quite- so dirty as was de Romanet on landing. During the last lap an oil leak developed, with the result that the pilot was- absolutely smothered in oil. He had to raise his goggles, and was absolutely blinded by the oil. How he managed to make a safe landing is a mystery, but he did not break as much as a wire. When Lecointe began to pile up his laps his times were found to be as follows : 100 km. 21 mins. 36J sees., 200 km- 43 mins. 42$ sees., 300 km. 1 hour, 6 mins. 17$ sees. On alighting after the last lap. Lecointe was carried shoulder high to his- hangar, apparently finding this perch somewhat unstable without ailerons or elevator to help him. Although Raynham had not yet started, the public acclaimed Lecointe as the- winner, and as things turned out this proved to be correct.. It was not until about 4.30 that Raynham had the Martin- syde " Semiquaver " brought out of its hangar and wheeled out to the starting-line. Without any fuss whatever Rayn- ham got off, circled around and crossed the starting-line.. Watch in hand, the British contingent awaited his return. As the minutes ticked away one began to realise that unless Raynham hove in sight soon he would stand little chance of beating Lecointe. When the first 21 minutes passed without sight of the " little red devil " (meaning the " Semi- quaver " and not Raynham), one began to become anxious, and when, finally, he did come into view, the time taken was- already considerably in excess of that taken by Lecointe in his first lap. It goon became apparent that Raynham 1056
Sign up to
Flight Digital Magazine
Flight Print Magazine
Airline Business Magazine
E-newsletters
RSS
Events
