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Aviation History
1922
1922 - 0562.PDF
the whole range of hills for three miles eastward as far as Firle Beacon, which reaches an altitude of over 700 ft. above sea levek Briefly these two points—Itford Hill and Firle Beacon—mark the western and eastern limits of the ground available. To the north the range drops fairly rapidly at first, then more slowly, reaching the meadows around Glynde Reach in a distance of about two miles. To the south also the slope is at first fairly steep, gradually flattening out, and ridges running roughly north and south divide the slopes into smaller separate gradients. To the west the slope from Itford Hill is fairly steep, terminating at the foot of the hill in the Ouse valley. Between the foot of the hill and river runs the Newhaven and Seaford line of the L.B. and S.C. railway, but the gradient here is so steep that machines should have no difficulty in clearing the railway and alighting beyond it in the meadows around the River Ouse. In strong westerly and south-westerly winds this side of the hill should produce suitable conditions for flights of considerable duration, while the southern slopes would probably be chosen for flights in which it was desired to cover greater distances. * * * As regards accessibility, the site is, as already "mentioned, particularly favourably placed. A frequent train service from London to the village of Glynde is available, and from Glynde to Itford Hill is only a distance of about 2 J miles. By road from Lewes the distance is about 4! miles. Tents will be provided for housing the machines, and competitors may succeed in getting accommodation in the inns at Glynde or West Firle. If not, the nearest hotels appear to be those INTER-CITY Colonel Spenser THE suggestion made by Lieut.-Col. Spenser Grey, as a result of his observation of the tremendous enthusiasm at the various controls during the race for the King's Cup, that an inter city championship race around Britain should be instituted for next year is one which has a great deal to recommend it. As we stated in our Editorial Comment on September 14, 1922, the King's Cup Race aroused widespread interest in and enthusiasm for aviation races, and an annual race between machines representing various cities could scarcely fail to increase greatly the enthusiasm of the population of the cities represented in the race. From interest in a particular air race to interest in aviation in general is but a short step, and if certain difficulties, which do undoubtedly exist, can be over come, we think that the scheme is an admirable one and one which should meet with general support. Briefly Col. Spenser Grey's suggestion is as follows :— (a) Each city or town desiring to enter for the race would open a subscription list for the building of an aeroplane to represent it. (6) The machines when built would be entered in the race by the town or city for which they were built. (c) All machines entered would be built to one or other of the Air Ministry's specifications for aeroplanes, and after the race would be placed at the disposal of the Royal Air Force, earmarked for the use of the new Auxiliary (or Territorial) Air Force, recruiting for which is to begin in April next year. d) A challenge cup to be presented to the entrants of the champion machine would be held year by year by the Aero Club, formed by the subscribers to the building of the winning machine. • (e) These machines would also be eligible to compete in the King's Cup Race, the Aerial Derby, and any other air races in which the proprietary city might wish them to compete. The advantages claimed by Col. Spenser Grey for a race of this nature are, briefly, as follows :— 1. It is useless for those who believe in air power to call for a big Air Force while the prevailing cry is for economy. By thus stirring up local patriotism and interest in flying a material addition may be made to our aerial strength by the people who are already believers in air power, and many others may be educated in that belief. H EI London's Air Peril SPEAKING last Thursday night at the monthly dinner of the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve (Auxiliary Patrol), Admiral Mark Kerr, referring to the possibility of an attack upon this country from the air, said that the one thing that would kill us at the commencement of a great war would be a great raid on London—the heart of the Empire. He spoke of the possibility of 500 'planes coming unexpectedly over London, each dropping 100-kilo. bombs, " I feel," he said, " we are at the mercy of a near country. Don't let us take SEPTEMBER 28, ICJZZ at Lewes. It seems probable that some enterprising firm at Lewes will run some sort of motor conveyance between Lewes and some point at the foot of Itford Hill. Altogether, the scene for the competition appears to be laid in very pleasant surroundings and if this year's experience proves the district suitable, it is to be hoped that arrangements may be made for retaining the rights to use it for future gliding meetings. V f * WE very much regret to have to record this week that the American pilot Allen, who took- part in the French gliding , competition at Combegrasse and later had his machine sent to Germany, has met with a serious accident while flying in the Rhon Hills. It appears that Allen took his machine out in a very gusty wind, and that on landing he crashed rather badly. He was taken to a hospital at Gersfeld, and is reported to be progressing favourably. * * * WE have been asked to publish the fact that, in response to numerous enquiries, the Engineering Works, Mill Hill, Appleby, Westmorland, are about to add an aviation branch to their works. This branch will be devoted solely to aero nautical work, and the services of a well-known pilot and designer have been obtained. The design and construction of gliders or light-powered machines will be undertaken, as will also construction to customers' own designs, The firm, is prepared to give free tuition to anyone purchasing a machine from them, and if the necessary number of pupils can be obtained it is intended to start a school for training pupils in gliding and soaring flight. n H AIR RACE Grey's Suggestion 2. The building of the machines will lead to improvements in design and construction, for, having fulfilled the Air Ministry requirements, designers will be encouraged to further efforts towards efficiency in.order to win the race. 3. Employment will be given to the design, experimental and constructional staffs of a number of aircraft factories at a time when there is grave danger of those staffs being dispersed owing to lack of employment. It appears that the first city likely to start the ball rolling by taking practical steps to put into practice Col. Grey's scheme may be Leeds, the home of the Blackburn Aeroplane and Motor Co., Ltd. At a dinner given in honour of Lieut.-Col. Spenser Grey and Mr. R. W. Kenworthy, pilots of the two Blackburn " Kangaroos " which took part in the race for the King's Cup, Mr. Stuart A. Hirst announced that he would undertake to guarantee a substantial prize to the pilot who, in next year's race, puts up the best performance on a Yorkshire- built machine, and expressed the hope that there would be an entry of a machine in the name of Leeds, coupled with a challenge to any other town or city. He could not, he said, conceive of any large centre declining such a challenge. &Sir Edwin Airey undertook to guarantee a prize for the pilot making the best time between the starting point and the city of Leeds, and Mr. David Little, President of the Leeds Chamber of Commerce, promised to bring the scheme to the early notice of that body with a view to launching it successfully. There is little doubt that many other towns will follow suit, and if a set of rules can be drafted which will ensure that all machines will stand an equal chance in such a race, there is every possibility that next year will see the most important air race ever held in this country. We cordially invite sugges tions from our readers, and shall be glad to open our columns to a discussion of the best lines upon which to work in order that the race may combine the greatest interest and the fullest participation with the greatest utility in connection with the new Auxiliary (or Territorial) Air Force which is to come into being during the spring and summer of next year. We understand that the Air Ministry takes a favourable attitude towards the scheme, especially if, as suggested, the machines entered are built to Air Ministry specifications. 13 m anything for granted. We have been the advanced people in the world as" far as truth, justice and honour are concerned. In the past we have played the game. At the present time we are getting a little shaky." A Scandinavian Altitude Record A NEW altitude record for Scandinavia was put up on Friday last, when Lieut. Gottenburg, of the Norwegian Army Air Service, accompanied by a passenger, reached an altitude of 23,293 ft. Both were provided with oxygen apparatus. The former record was 16,732 ft.
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