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Aviation History
1921
1921 - 0463.PDF
JULY 7, 1921 LONDON TERMINAL AERODROME ^ . Monday evening, Tuly 4 THE mooring-mast will be finished this week-end andairship 'R-33" should be moored there on Friday'next. On iuesday last the iron foundation for the revolving head London to Paris, and vice versa. Even now, in fact, they byno means confine themselves to three machines daily. As many as six or seven of their Spads and Breguets often leave 6 t0 a shortage -,. - -—jr being fixed in position. Work had of rivete/s. the mast appeared alive have appeared from Pulham. They tested the water ^pifmp' on Saturday, and raised steam in " George Stevenson." To-day the petrol pumps are to be tested. Three 200-gallon portable petrol tanks have been provided to ensure the fuel supply for the airships.Major Scott, of Atlantic flight fame, visited the aerodrome on Saturday to inspect progress.The inside staircase does not run completely to the top of the mast. About no ft. from the base it is carried outsideand the remainder of the climb is accomplished on flights of steps hanging over space. They are, however, adequatelyrailed in. Shilling-a-mile "Air Taxis " MR. ST. BARBE, of the De Havilland Aircraft Co., Stag Lane, tells me that he finds the majority of those who hire special machines prefer that they should be open, rather than closed-in cabins. His Company, working on these lines, are converting D.H.cj's into three-seater open machines with most comfortable accommodation. They are now prepared to take three passengers for special flights anywhere, in one of these machines, at a charge as low as is. per mile per passenger. Chickens and dogs are becoming quite a feature of the goods traffic. A consignment of chickens for Brussels arrived by train from Skipton in Yorkshire the other day, while the K.L.M. get regular consignments between Orpington and Amsterdam. Handley Page Transport are again dispatching their machines fully-loaded from Croydon. The wireless gear and all superfluous " gadgets " have been removed, and on Saturday two 0-400's, with 10 passengers in each, took off and rose before getting half-way across the aerodrome. There have been rumours throughout the week of the expected arrival at Croydon of an Italian five-seater com- as tccarried, are supplied by the Messageries Company. Calculating that 120 lbs. weight of goods equal in revenueone passenger, these figures show that 96 per cent, of their traffic is passengers and only 4 per cent, goods—whichshows plainly that it is passengers who count. Saturday's traffic was again heavy, 21 machines beingneeded to cope with the flow of passengers in and out. The K.L.M. sent two machines to Amsterdam. One of thesehad " Aircraft Transport and Travel " painted on the side of the fuselage, and was, indeed, the first of the two D.H.q'swhich have been purchased from the liquidator of that defunct company by the K.L.M. A Problem in NationalityAN interesting point arose in the Customs House so far as this machine was concerned. Although it has beenbought, and is now owned, by a Dutch company, it retains its British nationality until such time that it actually landsin Holland. If, by any chance, it had returned to Croydon without landing in Holland it would still have been British ;but, as it duly reached Amsterdam on Saturday, it auto- matically changes its nationality and becomes Dutch. The Vickers Viking " amphibian," which has been at BigginHill for some time being equipped with wireless, returned to Croydon on Tuesday, and flew over to the Pageant on Satur-day morning. I understand that Messrs. Vickers have received orders fora number of these amphibious machines from both the French and Spanish Governments. Wireless 'Phone ProgressALL the Instone " air liners " which are used regularly on the London-Paris service are now equipped with wirelesstelephones, and continuous practice in direction-finding, and the general use of the telephones, is being carried out. On several occasions, lately, communication has been keptup between a machine and Croydon until the former—flying on its journey to Paris—has reached as far as Abbeville. It is, however, already becoming apparent that, as more andmore machines are equipped with wireless 'phones, a special mercial machine which has been acquired by S.N.E.T.A., ground station will have to be provided at Croydon to dealbut up to the present it has not put in an appearance. Flights to see the Airship THE " R.33" was over the aerodrome on Thursday, moving slowly, and Capt. Muir, who was just about to takeU P joy-riders, flew over to the airship and circled round it, affording his passengers a close-up view of it from the air. Mr. Milnes, who was one of the Aircraft Transport and Travel pilots, visited the aerodrome on Tuesday. He told me that he was going to Bristol on the following day to arrange to fly a Bristol " tourer " to Madrid. The Bristol people appear to be selling quite a number of these machines. Mr. Uwins was over with one during the week, which I understand had been purchased as a private " air-car." Advertising the Aerodrome THE South Metropolitan Tramway Co. are now popular- ising Croydon. They have posters on all their cars and notice-boards drawing attention to the flying at the aero- drome, and stating that admission is free. As these trams cover districts as far apart as Sutton, Tooting, Penge and the Crystal Palace, this should not only bring them extra passengers, but augment also the crowds in the public enclosures here and, incidentally, add to the number of aeroplane joy-riders. Capt. Greig, of the Messageries Aeriennes, flew over to Ostendon Friday, and will go on from there to Paris. It is expected that some new development, as regards a service to Ostend, will shortly be announced, as Capt. Greig is also London manager for the S.N.E.T.A. In addition to the 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. services to Paris, run by the Messageries Aenennes, they endeavour still further to accommodate their passengers as regards times of departure. solely with messages from aeroplanes. At present it is impossible to keep in continuous touch with the machines owing to the number of routine messages the wireless opera- tors have to deal with. The Spoits' Club is becoming the institution at Croydon. Notice-boards have been erected, at various parts of the aerodrome, containing all the latest information. The matting wicket has been laid down. This necessitated over 100 barrow-loads of earth being moved. Screens have been made of old aeroplane wings, and answer their purpose admirably. The ground is suffering from the general lack of rain, and the pitch is so hard that holes for the wickets had to be made on Saturday with a hammer and chisel. Owing to the number of applications for membership received from friends of the aerodrome staff, it has been decided, regretfully, that member- ship must be limited to those actually employed on the 'drome. The Shell-Mex bulk storage petrol plant is now completed, but is still dry, and the Anglo-American are still doing all the business. Indian Potentate Flies from Paris THE Grands Express have had another successful week. On Saturday the " Goliath " in from Paris carried among its passengers the Gaekwar of Baroda and two members of his retinue. Mr. Bouderie still continues, single-handed, to do all the work that other firms have staffs of anything up to half-a-dozen to accomplish. The Surrey Flying Services are having a busy time. Joy- riding is very popular, and the Avros are kept busy at the week-ends, while quite a number of passengers are now forth- coming during the week. On Saturday morning Capt. Muir returned in one of his As they have three services from Paris, as against the two joy-ride Avros from a little village near East Grinstead where from London, there is always an extra machine at this end, and Capt. Greig sends this away at any time convenient to passengers. Hourly Air Service THIS frequency in flying is a good way to encourage air travel, and I understand that the Messageries Aeriennes hope ultimately to start off a machine every hour from there had been a coming-of-age celebration and village fSte. He had been engaged there, by the organisers, to give exhibi- tion flights. During the day he flew several people over to Hendon for the Pageant. On Monday training commenced for the 'Varsity air race, and a number of strange young men invaded the aerodrome and Trust House, whilst S.E.s's began to dart about overhead, 463
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