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Aviation History
1922
1922 - 0302.PDF
MAY 25, 1932 AERIAL WARFARE AT FARNBOROUGH IN the presence of the King and Queen, who were accompanied by Lady May Cambridge, Lady Trefusis, Miss Morland, Gen, Lord Cavan, Gen, Sir T. L. M. Morland, Sq.-Ldr. C H. B. Blount, M.C., Sq.-Ldr. R. M. Hill, M.C., A.F.C., and 'Mr. Sydney Smith (Superintendent, R.A.E.), a magnificent military display by aircraft was carried out at Farnborough last Saturday. After inspecting the Tank Corps at Pine- hurst, and the R.A.F. aerodrome on Cove Common, their Majesties took their seats in the Royal enclosure on Cove Hill, from where they had an excellent view of the wonderful displays put up by a variety of types of aircraft. In the centre of the aerodrome—where in the early days S. F. Cody made his first flight—two lines of flags were set out, represent ing infantrv. Four Bristol Bombers, piloted by Fit.-Lieut. H. G. White and F.Os. B. R. Harris, J. F. McBain, and C. H. Harrison, first circled over the Royal party in diamond formation, and then, changing into column formation, swooped down upon the " infantry " and one by one dis charged their bombs. Nearly all the latter found their mark, and the remainder were sufficiently close to do con siderable damage. After this one of the latest tanks set out with the object of destroying a stronghold, the locality of which was unknown <e> <•> to the tank commander. Circling above, however, was an aeroplane, piloted by Fit.-Lieut. King, who spotted the stronghold and directed the tank on to its target by means of wireless telephone. Once found the tank " sat" on the stronghold to flatten it out, revolved several times upon.its own base just to grind things up a bit finer, and then returned to its base. Incidentally, some very interesting demonstra tions in wireless telephony in connection with aircraft were investigated by their Majesties, conversations being carried on with Fit.-Lieut. V. H. Tait piloting a machine several thousand feet above. Officers of the Experimental Section, R.A.E., then gave a remarkable and thrilling display of aerial manoeuvres vulgarly known as " stunts." An S.E. 5A and a Nieuport Nighthawk had a competition to see who could remain out of normal flying position the longest. Then a D.H.10 (two 400 h.p. Liberties), returning from a " raid," was very much worried by a swarm of smaller fry (or " fly ") which was doing its best to obstruct the " raider's " return. At the conclusion of the display the King and Queen passed down along the line of machines and congratulated and chatted with the pilots. They then inspected the anti aircraft guns on Cove Hill. <$> A BRITISH FLYING BOAT IN THE MEDITERRANEAN Fine Performance by Air-Commodore Samson and His Crew To those who, like ourselves, believe in the seaplane as a means for linking up the various parts of our far-flung Empire, the reports, meagre as they are, of the splendid performance of a British flying boat in the Mediterranean give a very welcome indication that active work is being done, although little enough is heard of it, by the sea-going sections of the R.A.F. Working with the Navy, much is done of which the outside world is not allowed to learn, but now and then a flight is made which, by its very nature, cannot well be kept a secret. A case in point is this flight of Air-Commodore Samson's. It appears that a flying boat, of which no particulars are available beyond the fact that it was built in this country, sent out to Malta and erected there, the Neptune, under Air- Commodore Samson, Chief Air Officer at Malta, who had with him Squadron-Leader Gordon, Lieut. Scriven and two engineers, left Malta on May 16 en route for Gibraltar. The Neptune left Malta at 6.35 a.m. on May 16, and arrived at Algiers at 9.45 p.m. Next morning, May 17, she left Algiers at 7 a.m. and arrived at Oran, Algeria, the same day. On May 19 she left Oran at 4.55 a.m., arriving at Gibraltar at 9.52 a.m. The average speed on the trip is stated to have been 60 knots. The return trip was started at 2.25 p.m. on May 20 against a strong easterly wind. When about 30 miles west of Oran she developed engine trouble and was obliged to descend. She is reported to have been towed into Oran, but no informa tion is available concerning her condition after being towed 30 miles against a strong easterly wind. The crew is, however, reported safe. Although thus being unable to complete her journey as planned, the flight of the Neptune is a very fine one, and gives an indication of what might be done with proper organisation in the way of speeding up mails to and from the East by means of seaplanes. It is to be hoped that more flights of a similar nature will be heard of in the near future. ROYAL AERONAUTICAL SOCIETY NOTICES Election of Members.—The following mem bers were elected at a Council Meeting held on Tuesday, May 16 :— Associate Members.—H. V. Bullbrook, E. C. Gaccon, F. W. Gaccon, P. Hoggins, P. E. Williams; James Hamilton (Scottish Branch). Student.—W. K. Mackenzie. Wilbur Wright Lecture.—The Annual Wilbur Wright Lecture will be delivered at 5.30 p.m. on June 15, at the Royal Society of Arts, John Street, Adelphi, when Lieut.-Col. A. Ogilvie, C.B.E., F.R.Ae.S., will read a paper on " Some Aspects of Aeronautical Research." Committees.—The following is the full list of Committees appointed for the year ending April, 1923 :— Candidates' Committee.—Prof. L. Bairstow, Prof. B. Melvill Jones, Wing Commander T. R. Cave-Browne-Cave, Sqdn.- Ldr. R. M. Hill, Prof. C. F. Jenkin, Mr. W. O. Manning, Dr. N. A. V. Piercy, Dr. A. J. Sutton Pippard. Finance Committee.—Mr. Griffith Brewer, Lieut.-Col. A. Ogilvie, Mr. A. E. Turner (Hon. Treasurer), Mr. F. P. Walsh. Publications and Library Committee.—Prof. L. Bairstow, Major F. M. Greer, Sqdn.-Ldr. R. M. Hill, Major A. R. Low, Mr. J. D. North, Lieut.-Col. H. W. S. Outram, Dr. A. J. Sutton Pippard, Mr. J. L. Pritchard (Editor), Maj. R. V. Southwell. The Chairman (Lieut.-Col. M. O'Gorman) and Vice-Chair man (Air Commodore H. R. M. Brooke-Popham) are ex-officio members of all the Society's Committees. W. LOCKWOOD MARSH, Secretary <$> <S> <$> <$> UNVEILING BRITISH FLYING SERVICES WINDOW IN WESTMINSTER ABBEY BY the generous gift of Mrs. Louis Bennett, of West Virginia, U.S.A., whose son, Lieut. Louis Bennett, was killed in 1918 while serving in France as a pilot with No. 40 Squadron, Royal Air Force, a window to the memory of all officers and airmen of the British Flying Services who fell in the Great War (1914 to 1918) has been erected in Westminster Abbey. The unveiling ceremony, which takes place in the Abbey at noon Friday, May 26, will be carried out by Capt. the Right Hon. F. E. Guest, C.B.E., Secretary of State for Air. The dedication service will be conducted by the Very Rev. the Dean of Westminster, assisted by the Abbey Staff. The Air Council and Air Officers Commanding R.A.F. Areas and. Commands will attend the ceremony, together with a repre sentative party of the Royal Air Force. Friends and relatives of members of the Flying Services who lost their lives during the War are invited, and are asked to regard this announcement as an official invitation. No tickets of admission are required, and entry to the Abbey can be made by any door except the Great West Door. The Central Band, Royal Air Force, under the Director of Music, Flying Officer J. H. Amers, will be in attendance. The window is the design of Mr. H. Grylls, of Messrs. Burlinson and Grylls. 302
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