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Aviation History
1921
1921 - 0661.PDF
OCTOBER 6, 1921 TOURING EUROPE BY AIR A Fine Performance by the D.H. Hire Department [THE following brief account of the tour of Europe made by a machine hired from the de Havilland Hire Department is of considerable interest, not only on account of a very good performance, but equally because of the information.concern- ing the various landing grounds, etc., of which the travellers had experience. When it is remembered that the total dis- tance covered was about 4,500 miles, and that not a wire was broken or a mishap of any kind occurred, this brief and modest account by the pilot, Mr. A. J. Cobham, throws a strong light on the reliability of modern"air travel.—En.] This trip was carried out on a standard D.H. 9 four-seater machine (piloted by Mr. A. J. Cobham) hired by two business men as the best and cheapest method-of visiting the principal towns of Europe. In all 17 towns were visited and 4,500 miles covered in three weeks, or 56 hours' flying time, the programme being so arranged that the flying was usually done between lunch and dinner, leaving the evenings free for social engagements and the mornings for business purposes. On a journey of this magnitude many interesting and amusing episodes naturally occurred, but it has been thought best to confine this account to an itinerary of the ground covered, with such details added as are likely to be of use to those covering the same ground, or which are of general aeronautical interest. August 24.—Stag Lane-Lympnc, 80 miles. Time, 1 hr. It was impossible to get further that day, owing to dense fog in the Channel. August 25.—Lympne-Paris, 170 miles. Time, 2 hrs. August 26.—Paris-Brussels, 170 miles. Time, 2 hrs. 5 mitts. Brussels-Amsterdam, 120 miles. Time, 1 hr. 20 mins. At Brussels the Aerodrome is just north-east of the town, and quite close in. The approach is good, but the surface poor. The Amsterdam Aerodrome is good, with plenty of accommodation and a lirst-class hotel. The K.L.M. Co. are evidently anticipating some big business, and are ably assisted by the Dutch Government, which has even given them a plot of land in the centre of the town to erect a booking office. August 27.—Amsterdam-Bremen, 180 miles. Time, 2 hrs. 30 mins. Bremen-Hamburg, 70 miles. Time, 1 hr. The stop at Bremen was for customs only. At Hamburg the landing ground i.s the old Zeppelin Aerodrome. The surface is bad at present, but the authorities talk of making this the finest aerodrome in Germany when the programme they have in contemplation materialises. The only petrol obtainable was of poor quality, and the engine revs, suffered m consequence. August 28,—Hamburg-Copenhagen, 200 miles. Time, 2 hrs. 30 mins. Here the aerodrome is right in the centre of the town, but BBfortunately there is a prospect of it being changed, as the present site is required for building purposes. By reason of its position as the Scandinavian link with the Continent, Copenhagen should become a big commercial aviation centre connecting both Stockholm and Christiania with Hamburg and Rotterdam, and thence by sea or air with London. September 1.—Copenhagen-Stockholm, 350 miles. Time, 3 hrs. 55 mins. Three days were spent in Copenhagen, and then the journey was resumed to Stockholm. Owing to the hilly and moun- tainous nature of this region, it is very difficult flying country, though extremely picturesque seen from above. The first half of the journey offers no possible landing place, but after that, the lakes would afford a landing place for seaplanes, or in winter, when they are frozen over, to aero- planes fitted with skis. At Stockholm a landing was made at Hagerstahand Aerodrome, about 15 km. north-west of the town. No accommodation exists at present, and the surface is not very good, but work is in hand to put this right. September 3.—Stockhohn-'jrcbro, no miles. Time, 1 hr. 45 mins. Orebro-Christiania, 180 miles. Time, 2 hrs. 20 mins. The next stage was to Christiania, but en route a stop wasmade at Orebro, where Capt. Saunders, who has been flying in Sweden for the last two years, was giving an exhibition onan Avro. After a short stay the journey was continued against a strong head wind, following the" railway track toManger, and thence on a compass course due west to Keller, over a mountainous trackless waste, with no possibility oilanding, and no sign of any habitation. The landing "was made at Keller Military Aerodrome, in the heart of the hills.This Aerodrome is quite large and level, but the surface is a bit heavy. September 4.—Christiania-Copenhageti, 350 miles. Time,3 hrs. 40 mins. From Chnstiania to Gottenburg there are no landinggrounds, but at the latter place what looks to be a fairly good landing ground exists. A landing was made in a field atHelsingborg owing to low cloud, storm and rain, but after a 50-min. wait, conditions improved sufficiently to enable theflight to be continued over the sea to Copenhagen at about 50 ft. above the water. September 5.—Copenhagen-Berlin, 240 miles. Time, 3 hrs. 20 mins. The short sea route, via Schwerin, was followed, and a landing made at the Aerodrome (now quite good) due west of Berlin in the fork of the main lines. Every courtesy was extended by the aviation authorities, but the only petrol obtainable was very poor and heavy, and again the engine revs, suffered. September 7.—Berlin-Warsaw, 350 miles. Time, 3 hrs. 40 mins. The Aerodrome at Warsaw is good and close to the town, but as no sort of accommodation was procurable, the party had to spend the night in the Turkish Baths ! Here a delay occurred in the resumption of the flight owing to the Aero- drome Commandant being en fete, and until his return on the next morning the machine was not allowed to proceed, being guarded meanwhile by a cordon of Polish troops. September 9.—Warsaw-Prague, 350 miles. Time, 3 hrs. 40 mins. The Aerodrome at Prague is both military and civil, and every accommodation exists, and all help was gladly given. September 10.—Prague-Vienna, 180 miles. Time, 2 hrs. .-. .40 mins. The Aerodrome at Vienna is good, but runs in ridges fromnorth to south. The travellers were very well treated, but found the petrol dirty and mixed with water. September 11.— Vienna-Klagenfurt, 140 miles. Time, 2 hrs. Owing to the Austria-Hungary hostilities it was decided to go to Venice not via Gratz, but down the valley to Klagenfurt. This involved flying down a narrow valley at a height of 5,000 ft. with mountains towering 8,ooo ft. above. As soon after leaving Vienna, one magneto cut out, it was decided to land at Klagenfurt. The Aerodrome is quite good and very large, with a fair surface except near the hangars. September 12.—Klagenfurt-Venice, 160 miles. Time, 2 hrs. '-'< 20 mins. As the Aerodrome at Klagenfurt is 2,000 ft. above sea level, the start planned for 11 a.m. had to be postponed till the \ 66l
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