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Aviation History
1922
1922 - 0527.PDF
•"^ -1 I -• " " " -" ' - • - ^^^"' , Line-up of the machines on the morning of the start. A BITTERLY cold wind was blowing across Waddon Aerodrome when, in the early morning of Friday, September 8, the machines began to line up for the start of the race around Britain (more or less) for the Cup presented by His Majesty the King. The visibility did not promise to be very good over the first part of the course, but wireless reports promised better conditions on the other side of London. It had been hoped that the weather would not be too favourable, as it was desired to make the race a real test of the pilots' skill as well as a test of the machines, and in this respect the race was favoured. The weather conditions, although far from being ideal, were not so bad as to cause very serious trouble, yet sufficiently difficult to render careful piloting and navigation necessary. By 8.30 a.m. most of the machines were on the starting line, and shortly afterwards the little Green engine of the Avro Baby was started for its preliminary warm-up, the Baby being the limit machine. Promptly on the stroke of nine our old friend Reynolds dropped his red flag, and Squadron-Leader Payn got away in fine style, the Green humming merrily. Next on the list for getting away was Bert Hinkler on the racing Avro Baby, but owing to an unfortunate accident a couple of days previously he was a non-starter. It appears that Hinkler had just taken off from the Avro aerodrome at Hamble, and that, just as he was some little distance out over Southampton Water, his engine cut out suddenly and without warning. Hinkler at once commenced a sharp turn in an attempt to reach the beach, but his altitude was too low, and the machine struck the sea while still on the turn. Hinkler was somewhat cut about the face, but otherwise none the worse for his experience, in spite of a very cold ducking in Southampton Water. The machine, however, was a total write-off, and no other Baby was ready, otherwise Hinkler, would have started in the race on that. Knowing how very keen Hinkler is on his flying, we can imagine how he must have taken the accident to heart, and we sincerely sympathise with him. He goes into these races heart and soul, and his disappointment at being unable to start in the race was shared by many. The cause of the engine stopping has not been definitely ascertained, but it is thought that magneto trouble may have been responsible. Having seen Payn off we wander about among the machines, chatting to pilots, entrants and visitors, the latter having turned up in considerable numbers in spite of the early hour. One of the machines, the Bristol ten-seater, is reported to have alighted at Netheravon with engine trouble, and there is some doubt as to whether it will arrive in time to take part in the race. In the meantime the hour of Flight- Lieut. Longton's start on the Sopwith " Gnu " approaches, but the engine appears to beobstinate. Mechanics work like SOME OF THE STARTS FOR^iTHE KING'S CUP RACE : 1, The Avro Baby gets away ; 2, Capt. Cockerell off on the Vickers Vulcan ; 3, Capt. Muir starting on the D.H.9 ; 4, Perry gets off on the D.H.9A ; 5, Courtney zooms off in a left-hand turn on the Siddeley Siskin. 527 C 2
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