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Aviation History
1921
1921 - 0360.PDF
MAY 20, 1921 CROYDON TERMINAL AERODROME Monday Evening, May 23 THE air-station—our " Charing Cross of flying "—is rapidlybecoming one of London's wonder-spots. Aeroplanes of many types and nationalities pass in and out daily. Thereis now even to be an airship, moored out at its mast, as a permanent institution. With the advent of Handley PageTransport, whose first machine is expected on Wednesday, we shall have at Croydon, an airship, twin-engined aero-planes, single-engined 8-seaters, monoplanes, and " am- phibian," and so on, down to the humble " Avros " vised bythe joy-ride firms. There are several constructional improvements beingcarried out on the 'drome. Roads are being widened. The tarmac, where the cars for passengers are parked, is to beextended. An enclosure to contain the notice-boards is also being built. At present weather reports are exhibitedon the prohibited side of the Customs' barrier, and are not available for the general public. The new enclosure will,however, put these at the disposal of everyone. The en- closure will, in addition, contain the boards notifying theprogress of machines in and out of the air-port. The concrete base for the airship mast is already in position.Pipe-lines are being run out rapidly to the mast from the shed. I understand that the mast is to be ready for use byJune 10, which will mean some hustle. The airship " R. 33 " is to make her home at Croydon, and is to be used for thetraining of airship crews. The two public enclosures are now thrown into one, whichis a great improvement. Work on the new stores and offices for Handley Page Transport is proceeding apace. Severallorry-loads of spares and stores have already arrived from Cricklewood, and everything should be ready for the firstmachine on Wednesday. The fourth D.H. 18 was tested at Stag Lane on Friday,and on Saturday, Mr. Barnard hired one of the Surrey Flying Service " Avros " and was flown over to Stag Lane by Capt.Muir to collect the " 18," flying it back that evening to Croydon. Several detailed modifications have been embodiedin this machine, which has the registration number G-EAWO. The emergency exits in the roof of the cabin have been im-proved, and attention is drawn to these by notices. Small luggage racks have been fitted, and a speaking-tube from thecabin to the pilot's cockpit is installed for use in emergency. Small boxes, with removable tin linings, are provided atthe side of each seat for holding paper bags after they have been used by passengers afflicted with air-sickness. The Instone Air Line have been approached as to thepossibility of carrying a racehorse in the Vickers " Vimy." But the owner of the horse had not thought, evidently, ofwhat would happen if the animal took fright while in the air and indulged in an orgy of kicking. Also the small size ofthe cabin-door would have necessitated the horse being introduced into the machine by instalments. On Saturday evening the B.A.T., piloted by Mr. Powell,made a special journey to Paris with a surgeon who had been called urgently to perform an operation. Leaving Croydon at 6.20 p.m., he arrived at the bedside of his patient in aboutthree hours. The K.L,M. have bought the last two D.H. g's from Air-craft Transport and Travel, and mechanics are overhauling these machines ready for service. One of the Fokker mono-planes is now fitted with a map of the London-Amsterdam route, and an indicator, worked from the pilot's seat, tellspassengers just what portion of the " airway " they are flying over.Capt. Leverton tells me that he is now getting full loads for his machines, and is even having to refuse both parcelsand passengers at times. The load from Amsterdam, however, still remains rather small, consisting almost entirelyof consignments of milk, boxes of cut flowers, and an occa- sional parcel of gut for tennis rackets. There are fewpassengers. The Messageries Aeriennes, and the Grands Express, arehaving a great deal of trouble with their engines. Several of the former company's 'planes have been strewn about thecountry-side during the week. A Goliath arrived the other day with one valve—to use Mr. Bouderie's own words—" entirely vanish." The pilot had been under the impression that the uneven running had been due to two plugs " missing."Engine trouble seems to come to all firms in turn. At one period of their existence Aircraft Transport & Travel hadtheir service seriously disorganised from this cause. For some reason joy-riding has been very quiet over theweek-end. In spite of the fine weather, only three passengers ventured into the air on Saturday. On Sunday, however,business was rather brighter. Capt. Muir tells me he is to take cinematograph picturesfrom the air of Derby day scenes of the crowds and traffic on the roads before and after the race.The " amphibian " is at Biggin Hill being fitted with wireless.—Edible frogs, neatly skewered, come over two orthree times a week from Paris by air.—There is talk of a wonderful new torpedo-plane, excelling in its performanceanything yet achieved.—It is rumoured that of the first two 1,000 h.p. Napier " Cubs," now ready for service, oneis to go to Farnborough to be fitted in a very secret and remarkable machine.—Mr. C. C. Walker, Capt. De. Havil-land's " right-hand man," flew over from Stag Lane the other morning on a D.H. 9 to watch the departure of the outgoingtraffic—For the first time since commercial flying began a business man, flying from Berlin on Friday, and haltingonce at Dortmund, came through to London in about eight hours, his "air taxi" fare being ^150.—Pilots who arehomeward bound, and who have a kindly thought for those on the aerodrome, are now bringing with them such luxuriesas Paris strawberries and Amsterdam cream.—-A D.H. 4, bound for Brussels, went off the other morning with a sparerudder fastened along the top of the fuselage.—The employes of the Instone Air Line have been supplied with house badgesto wear in the lapels of their coats.—Comdr. Deakon, one of the C.A.T. Officers at Lympne, visited Croydon on Friday,and told us that a waiting-room for passengers is being prepared at Lympne. R.A.F. MEMORIAL FUND THE meeting of the Executive Committee of the above Fundwas held at the offices, No. 7, Iddesleigh House, Caxton Street, on the 12th inst., Air Vice-Marshal Sir John Salmond inthe Chair. Members of the Committee present were : Lady Leighton, Dame Helen Gwynne-Vaughan, Mrs. Barrington-Kennett, Sir Charles McLeod, Sir Sefton Brancker, Air Vice-Marshal A. V. Vyvyan, H. E. Perrin, Esq., and W. S.Field, Esq. A list of grants made since the same date, which amounted to ^228 14s. id., was approved. Sir John Salmond, Chairman of the Vanbrugh Castle sub-committee, reported that the scheme was progressing satisfactorily. The play-room for the children had beenfurnished as a gift to the Fund by Messrs. Heals, and he hoped shortly to be in a position to report that some ofthe dormitories had been equally generously furnished by other firms. Spain Invites Tenders ACCORDING to the Gaceta de Madrid of May 12, tendersare invited up to June 4 next for the construction of a balloon The second list of subscriptions and donations to the Fundreceived between the dates July 21, 1920, and March 31, 1921, have recently been published in The Times, Daily Telegraph,the Aeroplane and FLIGHT.The distribution of the First Annual Report has been practically completed, but should any reader of this Journalhave been accidentally omitted, or would like a copy, the Secretary would be most happy to supply the same onapplication to the office above named. A letter was read from the Hon. Mrs. J. E. B. Seely,tendering her resignation of membership of the Executive Committee, owing to her frequent absence from London,and her inability to give sufficient time to her duties on the Committee. The resignation was accepted by the Committeewith the very greatest reluctance, and a letter to that effect was sent to Mrs. Seely. tions of tender can be seen at the " Comandancia de In-genieros, Calle de Serano, 49, 1st floor, Madrid." United Kingdom firms interested in contracts in Spain who are un-shed and workshop, for the " Parque Aerostatico de Guadala- represented in that country should apply to the Department '"^ " '""»•«—' *-•'•- j_ = -^i- •- of Overseas Trade, 35, Old Queen Street, Westminster, S.W. 1, for assistance in appointing a representative. jara." The maximum quotation admissible is 191,250 pese-tas. A deposit is required of 9,562.50 pesetas. The condi- 360
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