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Aviation History
1922
1922 - 0140.PDF
lem in R.38 was of the order of double that required in R.33, whereas, in fact, the resistance to bending offered by the two ships was about the same. Prof. L. Bairstow, in Appendix VI, deals very fully with the question of the aerodynamic loading of R.38, from which it appears that the factor of safety of the ship under con ditions known to have existed was not above 2, and, under conditions which might easily have occurred, not above 1. <$> <$> THE "ROMA SINCE the brief reference in our last issue to the regrettable disaster which overtook the U.S. (ex-Italian) dirigible " Roma," on the 21st ult., some further particulars have come to hand. These, however, are still somewhat vague and uncertain as to the actual happenings during this fatal flight. The total number on board is given as 45, out of which there are only n survivors, the majority of whom are more or less severely injured or burned. Capt. Mabry, com mandant of the " Roma " and principal pilot, is among the dead, and it would seem that he stuck to his post to the end, as his charred body was found later with the hands still grasping the control wheel. Some of the survivors had most extraordinary escapes, one, Lieut. Burt, jumping out of the ship the moment after the explosion, landed in some soft mud 30 ft. below, and was practically unhurt. As to the cause of the accident, accounts vary somewhat in certain details, but the following report from The Times correspondent furnishes about the best explanation we have seen:— " It seems that the airship became unmanageable when at an elevation of about 1,500 ft. Observers below then saw a huge kitelike structure under the tail cone swing loose at an angle of 450. For a moment it seemed that the ' Roma' was about to capsize. It took a nose-dive and fell rapidly to the ground. Some of those watching the catastrophe declare that the flames burst from the gasbag, but this is not confirmed by survivors, though two of the dead were afterwards found grasping fire extinguishers. <S> <$> MARCH 2, 1922 The manoeuvres during the last half hour of flight are described in Appendix VII, and from this it appears that the tests which were in progress were necessary, and that the control movements employed were not unduly violent. The last Appendix, VIII, by R. A. Frazer, B.A., B.Sc, and H. Bateman, B.Sc., A.C.G.I., D.I.C., contains an estimate of the lateral force on the upper rudder of R.38, together with a diagram and curves. <» <•> " DISASTER " From various parts of the airship came hurtling to the ground a shower of sandbags, followed by two or three bodies of men who jumped. The airship skirted the chimney stacks of buildings at the Army base, and fell plump upon some high-tension wires. A terrific explosion followed and the mammoth gasbag turned over on the cabins, whose occupants were precipitated into the roaring flames." Thus it would appear that the breaking of the rudder was the original cause of the accident, and it is the opinion of many that had the " Roma " been a little higher when the control broke down, the dirigible would have cleared the buildings and come down in the water—Hampton Roads— off the station, and probably most, if not all, of the crew would have been saved. Others state that if the "Roma" had been filled with helium gas instead of hydrogen the contact with the electric wires would not have caused the outbreak of fire with its terrible results, and the " Roma" would only have crashed on to the buildings with nothing like such serious loss of life. However, full investigations into the disaster are being made by experts, and no doubt further light will be thrown on this unfortunate affair. The Secretary of State for Air has sent a telegram in the following terms to the United States Secretary for War, through the British Air Attache at Washington :— " On behalf of the Air Council I offer to you and to the United States Army our profound condolences on the deplorable loss of the airship " Roma," with so many valuable lives. (Signed) FREDERICK GUEST, Secretary of State for Air." <$> • METHODS OF AEROPLANE FLYING INSTRUCTION UNDER above title a paper was read before the Royal Aero nautical Society on February 16, 1922, by Squadron-Leader C. F. A. Portal, D.S.O., M.C. The lecturer commenced by outlining the two main methods of teaching which were in vogue in 1915. One of these consisted in using dual-control machines, in which the pupil was taken up, with his hands on the controls but not actually controlling the machine. After a number of flights of this nature, the pupil was sent up for his first solo flight, and it was not until he went into the air alone that he began to acquire any real knowledge. The second type of school started straight away with solo machines, but the power of the engines with which these were fitted was carefully graduated, commencing with one of such low power that the machine could not be coaxed into the air with it. From this machine, having got used to engine and machine controls (and incidentally the noise of the engine), the pupil was put on machines with higher power, doing " hops " " straights " and, finally, landings and turns. The lecturer then outlined the present system of tuition, which has resulted from the " Instructional Revolution " of 1916. One of the most important innovations is, perhaps, the introduction of the telephone, by means of which the instructor can tell the pupil of any mistake made in controlling a machine. The Avro was chosen as the standard elementary training machine, and the present system was devised for this machine, although it is applicable to almost any other single-engined tractor. Briefly, the procedure is as follows : The pupil is put into the back seat, the instructor occupying the front seat. A telephone connects the two. The machine is then taken up to a height of about 1,000 ft., and the instructor proceeds to explain the use of the controls, demonstrating their effect as he goes along. The next step is to give the pupil entire control, telling him to keep the top of- the engine cowl level with the horizon, the two wing tips level with one another, and the nose of the machine pointed to some land mark. At first, the pupil rarely manages to do all of these things, but gradually he acquires mastery to the extent of being able to fly straight and level. He is then shown the climbing and gliding angles of the machine, and told to note mentally the apparent distance between the top of the cowling and the horizon. The next lesson consists in teaching the pupil to do turns. Then follow flights, in which he is taught to do loops, rolls, spins, etc. Up to this point about five hours have been spent in the air. Finally, the pupil is taught to get off and land correctly, and not until he can do so is he sent up for his first solo flight, which, needless to say, is not nowadays the nerve-racking affair it used to be in the old days. After further practice solo, the pupil has to practice " forced " landings, and gradually he becomes proficient. 13 E THE ROYAL AIR FORCE MEMORIAL FUND A MEETING of the Executive Committee of the Fund was held at 7, Iddesleigh House, Caxton Street, on February 15. Lord Hugh Cecil in the chair. A draft statement of accounts was submitted by the Fund's auditors, Messrs. Blackburns, Barton, Mayhew and Co., for the year 1921. The Committee were unanimously of opinion that the accounts as presented were very satisfactory in so far as the evident use of the Fund in the relief of distress, and in the furtherance of the objects with which it was started, had been carried out during the year in question. All the objects with which the Fund started, with the exception of one, have been or are being carried out, the one exception being that the scholarships for the sons of officers who fell in the War have not yet materialised, in view of the fact that one of the two houses at Ascot so kindly presented to the Fund by Mrs. Salting has not yet been sold. Another point which the Committee regard as highly satisfactory is the fact that the activities of the Fund as regards the distribution of assistance to the needy of all ranks who fought with the Air Force during the War has very greatly increased, and is proof of the usefulness of the Fund. The grants made during five months of 1920 roughly amounted to £900, whereas during the year 1921 this sum rose to £4,500. As regards the War Memorial on the Thames Embankment, it was reported that active work had begun on the stonework in the contractor's yard, and that Mr. Redd Dick, selected by the architect, Sir Reginald Blomfield, R.A., was actively engaged on the modelling of the bronze eagle and globe. The architect hopes to keep the cost of the Monument within £7,000, which is considerably less than was first estimated. A proposal to hold an R.A.F. ball at some London hotel, as was done in 1920, was postponed for consideration later on in the season. 14a
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