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Aviation History
1921
1921 - 0276.PDF
APRIL 21, 1921 THE MONACO SEAPLANE MEETING No British Machines Entered LAST year's seaplane meeting at Monaco was a bit of a fiasco. It had, however, one advantage over this year's meeting in that a whole British machine—and a very fine one at that— was entered. It is true that this machine, the Fairey sea- plane, did not arrive, owing to the sudden and urgent call to America of the Fairey pilot Nicholl, but at any rate there was enough kick left in the British aircraft industry to enter one machine. This year we do not appear to have got even as far as to enter a machine. For the sake of British prestige abroad this is much to be regretted, although from a practical point of view it probably does not matter greatly. From the list of entries published below, it would appear that there are several British machines in existence which would be pretty certain of doing well in the various competitions, and one would very much have liked to see them among the competing machines. The rules governing the various competitions during the Monaco meeting were published in the Official Notices of the Royal Aero Club in our issue of February 3, 1921, and we do not, therefore, propose to give more than the briefest reference to them here. The meeting is taking place over the period April 13-April 20, and the various contests include :=- (1) Flight from Monaco to Ajaccio (Corsica) and back, under conditions which are intended to represent those of an aerial mail service. Each machine must carry at least 440 lbs. of ballast to represent the weight of mails. The winner will be the competitor who completes the journey out and back (305 miles) in the shortest time. (2) Speed and weight-carrying competition ; Monaco-Cannes- San Remo-Monaco (two circuits—176 miles), In this contest the weight-carrying machines have to carry a useful load of at least 440 lbs. The speed machines apparently need carry the pilot only and enough fuel to see them through. The weight-carrying contest will be held in the morning, that for the speed machines in the afternoon. (3) Speed contest. Monaco-Cannes-Monaco-Mentone-Monaco (about 78 miles) for pure speed machines. In addition to these main competitions there are scheduled various side-shows, such as daily flights between 11 a.m. and noon for establishing the greatest speed over a nautical mile, altitude contests, alighting contests, and balloon " strafing," which latter with luck should provide quite a good deal of sport. The following is a list of the entrants for the various competitions :— Monaco-Ajaccio-Monaco Flight : 1, Nieuport; 2, Breguet 14 A/2 ; 3, Caudron C. 39 ; 4, Farman, type G.L. ; 5, Savoia S. 12 ; 6, Savoia S. 22. Speed and weight carrying contest : 1, Nieuport; 2, Breguet 14 A/2 ; 3, Caudron C. 39 ; 4, Caudron C. 31 ; 5, Savoia S. 12 ; 6, Savoia S. 22 ; 7, Savoia S. 21 ; 8, Farman, type G.L. ; 9, Spad. Speed Race : 1, Spad ; 2, Breguet 14 A/2 ; 3, Farman, type G.L. ; 4, Caudron C. 51 ; 5, Savoia S. 12 ; 6, Savoia S. 22 ; 7, Savoia S. 21. Altitude Competition ; 1, Spad ; 2, Breguet 14 A/2 ; 3, Farman, type G.L. ; 4, Caudron C. 51 ; 5, Savoia S. 12. Alighting Tests.—1, Spad ; 2, Breguet 14 A/2 ; 3, Farman, type G.L. ; 4, Caudron C. 51 ; 5, Savoia S. 12 ; 6, Farman. Balloon destruction : 1, Spad; 2, Breguet 14 A/2 ; 3, Farman, type G.L. ; 4, Caudron C. 51 ; 5, Farman. Speed over nautical mile : 1, Spad ; 2, Farman, type G.L. ; 3, Savoia S. 22 ; 4, Savoia S. 21 ; 5, Savoia S. 12. The Breguet 14 A/2, it will be seen, figures in the entire series of contests, except the speed over a nautical mile. Why the good old " Bray-gu-ett" funks that particular stunt one does not profess to know. Progress of the Meeting The first of the competitions was the Monaco-Ajaccio-Monaco flight. Few of the machines entered for this com- petition were ready to pass their eliminating trials at the prescribed time. Why is it, one wonders, that such an event as this, the time and conditions of which are known many months beforehand, invariably finds the competitors un- prepared at the last moment ? In this case two machines only were ready. One of these, the Breguet flown by Roget, who had with him as passenger a kinematograph operator from Path6 Freires, had engine trouble during a test flight, and in alighting broke a float, and the machine gradually heeled over and was on the point of sinking when a motor- boat rescued Roget and his passenger. The Breguet was towed into Monaco harbour, where the faithful old salvage vessel " Polypheme," which is " assisting " again this year, soon hoisted her on to the quay. The accident thus fortu- nately had no serious consequences other than disabling the Breguet. As this machine was entered for all the com- petitions one hopes that the firm will have a spare machine available. At the moment this does not appear to be the case, as Roget is stated to be hors de combat for the Corsica flight. The Italians had not arrived on April 14, but four of the flying boats from the Naval Air Station at St. Raphael arrived in great style, much to the gratification of the local inhabitants. On April 13 Maicon, the well-known CaudfOii pilot, successfully passed his climbing test, getting to a height of 2,000 metres in 32 minutes with a total load of 1,125 kilos. Maicon's Caudron is of the three-engined type twin-float seaplane, The engines are 130 Clergets. On April 15 the flight to Ajaccio was to have started. Maicon was ready, but the weather was considered unfavourable, wireless messages from Corsica reporting showers and a rough sea. Janello oa the 450 h.p. Savoia S. 12, and Madda- lena on the 300 h.p. Savoia S. 22, left Sesta-Calenda on Lake Maggiore together in very thick weather, but soon got separated. After cruising about for a considerable time, and sometimes being very far out of his course, Maddalena finally managed to get his bearings, and arrived safely at Monaco. Janello was reported to have alighted at an Italian port, nobody seemed to know which. Although the weather was very rough, and with very low visibility, Maicon succeeded in making the out-and-home journey to Corsica on April 16. Leaving Monaco at six minutes past seven in the morning, on his Caudron C. 39, he arrived at Ajaccio 8.58, his flying speed working out at 83 m.p.h. The return journey was started at 12.53, and Maicon arrived back at Monaco 3.18, averaging 62 m.p.h. only on this journey, owing to the vrind. Maicon is thus the winner of the first prize of 40,000 francs. It looked at one time as if he would never make the return journey in that particular machine. About twenty minutes after his arrival at Ajaccio, Maicon had de- livered his mail bag to the official at Ajaccio, and had received a similar one to take back to Monaco. A start was made at once, but after getting away Maicon discovered that it was doubtful whether he would have enough petrol for the return journey. He therefore returned to Ajaccio, and mechanics hurriedly commenced to fill up his tanks. In doing so they slopped the petrol carelessly over the engine cowls, etc., with the consequence that when the engines were started a spark from the starboard wing engine set the petrol on fire. Maicon and his mechanic succeeded in getting the fire under control by means of the fire extinguishers carried on board, and a very nasty ending was thus avoided. This little episode, however, delayed the start for the return journey, but as Maicon was the only competitor this did not bother him much. On April 17 the first speed contest, Monaco-Mentone-Cannes- Mentone-Monaco (78 miles), was won by Poiret on a Caudron. He first made the flight in 39 minutes 50 seconds, but as he had crossed the starting line in flight instead of taxying he was disqualified. After about an hour's rest he made another start, and completed the course without incident in 45 minutes, 27J seconds, thereby winning the first prize of 12,000 francs. Lalouette on a Spad passed his climbing test, but damaged his- machine in alighting. The second speed contest is to take place on April 20. AVIATION IN PARLIAMENT Territorial Air ForceBRIG.-GEN. COLVIN, on April 13, asked the Secretary of State for Air whether, in order to encourage aviation, he will consider the advisability ofenrolling volunteers in the Air Force to be administered by Territorial associa- tions, and to receive free instructions in flying and a grant for uniform onattaining a certain standard of proficiency ? Mr. McCurdy (Joint Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury) : A draft of ascheme for the formation of a Territorial Air Force is now under discussion with the various authorities concerned, and I hope that it may be possible toinaugurate it during the course of the present year. Brig.-Gen. Colvin : Is there any intention of forming a civilian Air Forcereserve ?—Mr. McCurdy : I must ask for notice of that question. R.A.F. and Supplementary EstimatesON April 18, following the proposal : " That an additional number of Air Forces, not exceeding 10,000, all ranks, be maintained for the Service ofthe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland at home and abroad, exclusive of those serving in India, during the year ending on the 31st dayof March, 1922," , Capt. Guest (the Secretary of State for Air) said the services performedby the Air Force'during these times would not be large, but would be technical and vitally important. Other portions of the Reserve called up underthe same Proclamation would be for the assistance of the military and also for the protection of the material, which is extremely vulnerable anavaluable. 276
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