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Aviation History
1920
1920 - 1176.PDF
NOVEMBER II, 1920 THE Missing Link is again to the fore, this time from America. Probably as a result of the putting up of a £50,000 fund, chiefly by the American Asiatic Association and some wealthy New York residents, this new interest has been created. The'only interest to readers of FLIGHT which this item of news may carry is attached to the fact that amongst the impedimenta which the would-be unravellers of the secrets of nature will carry with them upon their expedition will be some aeroplanes. Quite how these are to assist in the business does not transpire. Maybe it is hoped that when these fearsome " birds " are seen by Mr. Link " hovering " up above, he will at once wave a flag, and by calling for " Ellup " give away his hiding-place. Anyway, this new expedition hopes to unearth primitive human remains that will establish the link between man and the ape, and will shortly for that purpose leave the United States for Central Asia, where scientists believe man as distinct from the monkey species originated. In addition to aeroplanes, motor-cars, camels, mules, and all means of locomotion found suitable, will be used by the anthropologists, archaeologists,*and other scientists, who will start on the quest under the leadership of Mr. Roy Chapman Andrews, of the American Museum of Natural History. It is proposed to explore hitherto unpenetrated parts of Thibet, Turkestan, and the Mongolian Desert, among other regions. BUT £50,000 does not sound these days as an over-generous total to do all " them things." We fancy there'll be another missing link before they've finished. A SIGNIFICANT note comes from Germany. The extra charge for carrying letters by the aerial mail service in opera- tion between Berlin and the Rhine is only one-fifth of a penny \ TRUST the Bolshie to go—on paper-—one better than any- body else. His latest to impress is the twenty-four thousand horsepower airship to carry 1,000 passengers. This little toy is to have a freight-carrying capacity of 1,000 tons, will have several berth decks, a lift providing communication between them, will carry a motor-car, a motor-boat and an aeroplane, and will have a speed of sixty-six miles per hour. All this is according to the promise of its designer, M. Makhonin and May 1 next year is given as the date of the airship's comple- tion. As the whole scheme has been examined and approved by a special Committee—presumably also Bolshies-—of experts of the expert kind, and the above details disseminated via the Russian Wireless, why it must be true. Anyway, it sounds like some airship, and we hope it may be ready at the date fixed by its designer. The month, however, is significant. LONDON-PARIS looks like being a pattern air-route presently. According to the latest information published, including the aerial lighthouses at Croydon, Lympne and Calais, there are to be in all 15 of these " guides " for nightflying between the two capitals ; six in S.E. England and nine between the sea and Paris. Each lighthouse is to flash a distinctive Morse signal for the guidance of the pilots. PHOTOGRAPHS from the air of properties for sale are now quite an ordinary phase of business activity in connection with large estates. But apparently, in another although similar direction, an enterprising estate agent in Salem, Oregon, has got well ahead of us this side the herring-pond. Mr. Charles W. Niemeyer, writing upon the subj ect, states that whilst he has never published photographs of country properties for sale, he has for more than two years actually been selling farms after they have been viewed by his customers from a twin-seater De Havilland. But then, Oregon-way distances and farms are no doubt somewhat more extensive and extended than in the case of " compact little estates " in our bit of an island. AVIATION has already had to put up with a goodly measure of poetry, good, bad and indifferent. And now according to the Rome correspondent of the Observer the world has gotten its first aviation Opera. This is described as a work of futurist character and has been staged at Lugo. It is called " Airman Drd " and is by Signor Pratella, a futurist composer and great friend of Marinetti. The music, however, is not unduly eccentric, and the critics are agreed in allowing it considerable worth. The critic of the " Corriere della Sera " speaks of it as "a noble work." Touches of futurist theory introduce sometimes, however, the ridiculous element. The noise of the aeroplane's engines (represented by a motor- bicycle in the wings) is made to form a kind of additional new instrument for the orchestra in the last act, and in the fortissimo passages is allowed to " race " wildly. Airman Dro is a man who wishes to free himself from the tyranny of the senses and to purify a life of ease and luxury by some heroic action. He stakes his entire fortune with a friend, loses, and sets out to face a life of struggle. In aviation he finds the kind of action and danger his spirit had been seeking. In the end he meets death in the skies, and con- summates his wish for an heroic last act. MOUNT EVEREST is doomed. On Monday it was confirmed by Lieut.-Col. Sir Francis Younghusband, President of the Royal Geographical Society at a meeting of that body, when Brigadier-General the Hon. Charles Bruce read his paper upon the subject, that the conquest of this hitherto unclimbed peak is to be attempted with the help of the India Government and aeroplanes. But we've still got to bide a wee. as the Viceroy is of opinion that the present time is hardly a propitious moment in which to launch the attempt. Wonder if the " Missing Link " is skulking on the top ? And like Living- stone will refuse to be " rescued." THE LIGHTER SIDE : A good performance was put up by the Supermarine team in the Royal South HantsandJSouthampton Hospital carnival. On the left a "comic" effort—with a "decorated" lorry in the background—and on the right the hull and engine unit of the Supermarine " Sea King " % 1178
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