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Aviation History
1922
1922 - 0136.PDF
.'"' LONDON TERMINAL AERODROME Monday Evening, February 27, 1922. UNABATED activity prevails in the erection of new offices. Grands Express have got the roof on their new waiting-room, and the Daimler Hire offices are rapidly taking shape. In the Instone Air Line's premises interior work is being hurried forward, now that the outside is finished and receiving its final coat of varnish. The Bristol 10-seater made its -maiden trip to Paris on Saturday with five passengers and a heavy load of parcels and mail. Mr. Olley was the pilot, and, owing to the strong wind, which reached gale force at times, the journey occupied 3 hours 25 minutes. In spite of this, and the bad " bumps," the passengers were very pleased with their journey, and spoke highly of the comfort of the machine. This machine is, of course, operated by the Handley Page Transport. Mr. Cogni informs me that the Handley Page torpedo- carrier was successfully tested at Cricklewood yesterday, and further tests have been made today. Mr. Wilcockson, who piloted this machine, is, I understand, very pleased with it. Business on the " airways " is becoming quite brisk, and Handley Page Transport are getting as much traffic as, at present, they are able to cope with. They are looking forward to the time when they will have the four new W.8.b's., with Rolls-Royce engines, which are now building at Cricklewood. A Fleet of Vickers " Vulcans " THE Instone Air Line are, I understand, to have a fleet of new machines built by Vickers, which are to be known as the Vickers " Vulcans." These will be of two distinct kinds, one equipped for goods only, and the other for passengers. Mr. Didier tells me that the S.N.E.T.A. are opening up the London-Brussels service again on April 1, and will have a fleet of half-a-dozen " Goliaths " with Maybach engines. The " Goliath " is, apparently, appealing to the foreign firms. With the exception of the Napier-engined Vickers " Vimy," the entire fleet of the Grands Express—some twelve in number—consists of " Goliaths." The Messageries Aeriennes have also bought some " Goliaths " which are to be fitted with Renault engines ; and now comes the news that the Belgians are to run " Goliaths." It is probable that there will be more " Goliaths " than any other type of 'plane on the continental " airways " this year. The Messageries Aeriennes' " Goliath," fitted with the Aveline stability device, has been making demonstration flights «.t Croydon again this week. On one occasion repre sentatives from the Air Ministry went for a flight, and were much interested and impressed by the steadiness of the aeroplane when controlled by this " mechanical brain." Still talking of " Goliaths," the Grands Express have now named their machines. " Londres," " Paris " and " Verdun " have all been seen at Croydon this week. An "Air Special's " Struggle with the Wind A SPECIAL F.2 left Amsterdam for Croydon on Saturday with Mr. Duke as pilot. There was a very strong head-wind. In fact, at the height the monoplane was flying, it would be somewhere in the region of 50 miles-an-hour, and Mr. Duke was four hours flying from Amsterdam to Lympne—where he was forced to stay the night owing to darkness. He left for Croydon on Sunday morning, and again had a stiff head-wind, taking 50 minutes to do the journey. After arriving at Croydon, and while " taxying " the mono plane round to the sheds, a sudden gust of wind caught the machine and tipped it over on its nose, the wing being rather badly damaged. The new weather display board is now in full working order, and is a distinct improvement on the old idea, the reports being easy to read, while they give a better idea of the general weather. Further details of the unfortunate ending to Mr. Alan J. Cobham's air-taxi tour of Europe and northern Africa are now to hand. After flying for nearly 7,000 miles on the same D.H.9, and with the same " Puma " engine—acting as his own mechanic and landing in all sorts of unknown places—Mr. Cobham was approaching Venice at a low altitude in foggy weather, and was actually in sight of the aerodrome, with which he was familiar, when a dense fog-bank, accom panied by drizzle and rain, dropped suddenly on the machine and blotted everything out. About 100 yards ahead was a stone embankment, while high trees surrounded the aero drome. There were ships and buoys in the harbour, and high piles out at sea, but, just as the fog dropped, Mr. Cobham noticed that the sea was clear for a few hundred yards on his right. Turning to the right, and seeing nothing at all, Mr. Cobham flattened out and "felt his way " down on to the water, making a successful " landing." All the baggage was lifted on to the top plane, and the passenger and pilot then clambered up beside it, and quietly waited for a boat to take them off. To be Married A marriage has been' arranged, and will shortly take place, between Flying Officer DENYS A. Cox, R.A.F., seventh son of the Rev. W. E. Cox and Mrs. Cox, of Bishopsteignton, and JANE, elder daughter of the late Major JOHN HALL BROWN, of Ceylon, and Mrs. Hall Brown, of Bishopsteignton. The engagement is announced in Shanghai of Capt. REGI NALD E. GREENSMITH, R.A.F., son of Mr. George Greensmith and Mrs. Greensmith, of 155, Sloane Street, S.W. 1, and LUCY, youngest daughter of Mr. THOMAS CRAVEN and Mrs. CRAVEN, of Shanghai. The engagement is announced of V. TOPPING, M.SC, Lieut. R.A.F., of Toronto, and AGNES HELEN, eldest daughter <3> <2> Death of Levavasseur IT is with sincere regret that we have to announce this week the death, on February 23, of Monsieur Levavasseur at the age of 58, after a brief illness. M. Levavasseur was interested in aviation from the earliest days, and it was his designing genius which created the beautiful Antoinette monoplane with Antoinette engine on which the late M. Latham won fame in and after 1907. Recently M. Le vavasseur came prominently before the public in connection with his variable area aeroplane, which was acquired by the French Government. It is stated that, like so many of the late ARTHUR F. WHITE and Mrs. WHITE, Cookham Dene, Chislehurst. Killed FREDERICK JOHN ORTWEILER, M.C., B.A., who died at Madrid on February 14 as the result of a flying accident, aged 23, was the eldest son of Mr. and Mrs. S. ORTWEILER, 13, Cavendish Road, Brondesbury. Date of interment will be announced later. Item Air Vice-Marshal Sir E. L. ELLINGTON left London on February 23 for Marseilles, there to join the S.S. Kaisar-i- Hind for Port Said. <a> <$> pioneers, M. Levavasseur died a poor man, having spent his whole fortune on experiments in connection with flying. Honours IN the London Gazette of February 21, the Air Ministry announces that H.M. the King has granted unrestricted permission for the wearing of the undermentioned decoration conferred by the King of Italy on the following officer for valuable service in connection with the War :— The Order of the Crown (Officer) :—Maj. G. de Lacy Wooldridge, O.B.E.
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