FlightGlobal.com
Home
Premium
Archive
Video
Images
Forum
Atlas
Blogs
Jobs
Shop
RSS
Email Newsletters
You are in:
Home
Aviation History
1921
1921 - 0721.PDF
NOVEMBER 3, 1921 Airship "R.38 " REAR-ADMIRAL SUETER asked whether in the preliminary trials of " R. 38 " any girders buckled ; was any additional stiffening worked into the duralumin framework of the hull; if so, is it known whether the fracture to the girders that caused the lamentable accidentto^this airship took place in the vicinity of this additional stiffening ; and in the report on the preliminary trials was the design criticised in any way by a competent air officer ? Capt. Guest : It is true that in one of the preliminary trials of " R. 38 " a girder buckled, and that this part was subsequently strengthened. It is not, however, the case that the failure of this part had any connection with the accident to the vessel. The girder in question bore'little relation to the strength of the ship, but was merely one of those which was used to preservethe rounded surface of the outer envelope. The answer to the last part of the question is in the negative. Rear-Admiral Sueter asked the Secretary of State for Air what was thetotal cost of " R. 38," and who bears this expenditure ? Capt. Guest: It would be difficult to ascertain the total actual expenditureon the airship, but the purchase price agreed with the United States authorities and based on the estimated cost was 2,000,000 dollars. The agree-ment provides that in the event of total loss of the airship prior to delivery the cost shall be shared equally by the two Governments, and steps are atpresent being taken to adjust the accounts on this basis. THE LONDON-CONTINENTAL SERVICES FLIGHTS BETWEEN OCTOBER 23 AND OCTOBER 29, INCLUSIVE RouteJ igh t No . enger s No . No. of nights carrying Mail s ods of journey s omplete d f com Averag e flyin g tim e Fastest time made by Type and (in brackets)Number of each type flying Croydon-Paris ... Paris-Croydon ... Croydon-Amsterdam Amsterdam-Croydon 25 26 67 61 4 3 23 24 5 3 25 24 5 4 h. m. 2 17 3 29 4 7 H.P. G-EAPJ (2h. 2m.) ... D.H.18 G-EAWO (2h. 34m.) Fokker H-NABT (2h. 58m.) Fokker H-NABT (3h. 33m.) B.(i),D.H.i8 2), G. (3) H.P. (4), Sp. (5),V. (i).B. (2),D.H. 18 (2), G. (3), H.P. ( 5),Sp.( 5), V. (i).F. (4). F- (4). . . / Totals for week ... 6i 135 28 55 58 * Not including "private" flights. f Including certain journeys when stops were made en route. % Including certain diverted journeys. Av. =Avro. B. = Breguet. Br. = Bristol. Bt. = B.A.T. D.H.4 — De Havilland 4, D.H.9 (etc.). K = Fokker. Fa. = Farman F.50. G. = Goliath Farman. H.P. = Handley Page. M. => Martinsyde. N. = Nieuport. P. «. Potez. R. = Rumpler. Sa. = Saimson. Se. = S.E.5. Sp. = Spad. V. = Vickers Vimy. W. = Westland. The following is a list of firms running services between London and Paris, Brussels, etc., etc.:—Co. des Grandes Expresses Aeriennes • Haadley Page Transport, Ltd.; Instone Air Line; Koninklijkie Luchtvaart Maatschappij; Messagerie« A6rienaes; Syndicat National pour l*fitude des Transports A6riens; Co. Transaerienne. 8,700 MILES BY FLYING BOAT A REMARKABLE aerial demonstration tour was completed recently in America by the Aeromarine 11 -passenger flying boat (F-5-L type), '' Santa Maria." Starting from Key West—the most southerly point of the U.S.A.—the " Santa Maria " proceeded up the Atlantic Seaboard to Washington and New York City, calling at various places en route, where demonstration and passenger flights were made. From New York the boat flew up the Hudson River to Newburgh, from Newburgh to Albany—encountering unpleasant side winds from the Catskill Mountains on the way—thence to Lake George. The following day the " Santa Maria " proceeded to Plattsburg, via Lake Champlain and the Adiron- dacks, thence to Montreal, and from here over the St. Lawrence River and its Rapids, across Lake Ontario to Toronto. Fron; Toronto the journey was continued, above the Niagara Falls, to Buffalo where a stop was made for the night. The next day the boat flew on to Detroit, and after a stay at this place proceeded along the shores of Lake Huron and Lake Michigan to Chicago, calling at several towns in between. From Chicago the " Santa Maria " followed the Illinois and Mississippi Rivers to New Orleans, thence back to Key West, thus having completely circumnavigated the Eastern section of the United States. Although the total distance of this tour is about 6,000 miles as the crow flies, the " Santa Maria " made a large number of passenger flights at each of the cities she visited-r-about 2,000 passengers were taken up—and in this way actually covered over 8,700 miles. A representa- tive of the U.S. Navy was carried throughout the tour, first in the person of Admiral C. J. Peoples, and then Commander Bellinger of N.C.I fame. Capt. Tibbs acted as pilot. The British Deutsch Cup Challenger : The Mars I, designed by Mr. H. P. Folland and built by the Gloucestershire Aircraft Co. of Cheltenham, was fitted while at Etampes with Lamblin radiators. The result was an increase in speed of several miles per hour, and but for the fabric stitching failing, this machine would un- doubtedly have given an excellent account of itself in the race. Incidentally, what about adapting this type of machine for military purposes ? With slightly larger wings, so as to improve the climb and reduce the landing speed, it should prove a formidable rival to exist- ing types.
Sign up to
Flight Digital Magazine
Flight Print Magazine
Airline Business Magazine
E-newsletters
RSS
Events
