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Aviation History
1922
1922 - 0528.PDF
heroes " swinging the prop.," but nothing happens. Repeated attempts succeed in coaxing a consumptive cough from the engine, but in the meantime the minutes and seconds are being frittered away, and finally Reynolds drops his flag. Officially the " Gnu " has started, and any further time spent in getting the engine going counts as flying time. However, Longton keeps smiling, remarking that it is a Gen. Sir Sefton Brancker, D. of C.A., discussing the prospects with Comdr. James Bird. long race, and that much may happen before the finish. Capt. Gockerell volunteers for a spell of prop, swinging, and the engine begins to fire, spitting flames out of its exhaust ports and setting some petrol on the ground on fire. This necessitates wheeling the " Gnu " back a few paces to avoid fire on board. Major Carr, while this little incident is taking place, has got his Bristol " Lucifer " engine going, and is warming-up preparatory to his -start. In spite of its three cylinders the " Lucifer" ticks over very slowly, and when being opened out on the drop of the flag it runs wonderfully smoothly as Carr soars off on the Avro. Whether it is the cowling or due to some other cause, the " Lucifer " does not appear to have that " tinny " sound which is so often heard in air-cooled engines, although with but three cylinders it naturally has a more staccato exhaust than the multi- cylinder engines. Lieut.-Col. Spenser Grey is due to start next on one of the Blackburn " Kangaroos," and his Rolls-Royce engines are being warmed-up. In spite of a bandaged foot Col. Grey hopes to put up a good show, and awaits the drop of the flag, while Longton, his engine at last having come to life, gets away some 25 minutes late, A few minutes later the " Kangaroo " receives the signal and follows Longton into the haze. The Boulton and Paul P.9, entered by Gen. Weir and piloted by Holmes, gets away next. Although not very fast the P.g comes in for favourable comment on account of its sensible and business-like design, and many express the opinion that it should be a very useful machine for economical and safe flying by private owners. With an engine of but 90 h.p. the running costs should be low, A D.H.6 is seen to circle the aerodrome, and finally alights behind the line-up of racing machines. The pilot turns out to be Capt. de Havilland, who has flown over from Stag Lane, accompanied by one of his sons, who objects to crossing through London by motor-car. We learn that on the return journey a younger edition will take his place in the D.H.6. Capt. de Havilland does quite a good deal of flying on his old " 6," which, fitted with wings of somewhat less " Clutching hand " propensities, is reasonably fast and yet can be landed almost anywhere. A machine is seen to approach the aerodrome from the west. This turns out to be the Bristol ten-seater, whose engine trouble has been temporarily remedied at Netheravon during the night, and it now looks as if it will be able to start after all. The second Blackburn " Kangaroo" by now has its engines running and soon takes the air with a good comple ment of passengers, Kenworthy making quite a zoom as he leaves the aerodrome. Although de.->igned a good many years ago, the " Kangaroo " still seems able to put up a very respectable climb. The second Boulton and Paul P.9, piloted by Col. Tennant, gets away a couple of minutes behind Kenworthy, and soon both machines are lost in the haze. In the meantime Capt. Cockerell has started the Rolls-Royce " Eagle " of his Vickers " Vulcan," and as he waits for ±he engine to warm-up he finishes a cigarette. Through the cabin windows may be seen the faces of his several passengers, wTho, protected fi'om the icy wind, appear to look forward to a comfortable journey. On the drop of the fla^ the " Vulcan " slowly gathers way, and, after a very short run, she is in the air and passing over the (enclosures. As one of the most recent commercial machines, her behaviour is watched with interest. Capts. Cockerell and Broome, the two Vickers pilots, who are affectionately known as the " heavenly twins," are not usually very far separated, and, possibly bearing this fact in mind, the handicappers have placed them next to one another in order of starting, Capt. Broome getting away on the Avro " Viper " about two minutes after Cockerell has' left. The pretty little Bristol monoplane gets away very cleanly, piloted by Haig, and is followed a minute later by Raynham on his Martinsyde F.6. This machine has been considerably renovated since its appearance in the Aerial Derby, and now appears in bright yellow, with the edges of the wings and fuselage painted in black. Raynham has been working like a Trojan on the machine, and has done all the doping and painting, as well as tuning-up of the engine, himself. As one of our few owner-pilots, and one of our oldest pilots, Raynham, who is popular everywhere, carries with him the good wishes of everybody, and not least of his rivals in the race. He gets away in his usual irreproachable style, and many think highly of his chances in the race. The Bristol ten-seater is on the line with its engine running, and Uwins in the pilot's cockpit. The engine does not sound quite as smooth as is its wont, and when Uwins opens out to take off it is noticed that the " Jupiter ' is missing badly. However, Uwins manages to take off, although not at his usual angle, and as the machine fades into the haze we are not without misgivings as to its chances of completing the course. Attention is now devoted to the D.H.9C, which is being piloted by Flying Officer Leslie Hamilton, and which will Lady Anne Savile in the cabin of her D.H.9C, piloted by Flying Officer Leslie Hamilton. carry as passenger its entrant, Lady Anne Savile (Princess Loewenstein-Wertheim), who, very sportingly, has decided to make the flight in the cabin of the 9C. This machine is of interest on account of the fact that it is fitted with one of the new Aveline stabilisers, which are a great improvement on the older model, especially in the matter of weight, which has been reduced to about 50 lbs., complete. The machine is also provided with telephone so that the passenger can be
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