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Aviation History
1923
1923 - 0126.PDF
MARCH lrf 1923 LONDON TERMINAL AERODROME Monday evening, February 26, 1923 THE new service to Birmingham was commenced on Tuesday last, and • has been fairly successful, quite a number of passengers making use of the Daimler machines flying from Manchester to Birmingham. From London to Birmingham the service has not been particularly well patronised, owing to the small saving of time, and, of course, to the uncertainty of the weather at this time of the year. When the Duke of York visited the Industries Fair at Birmingham on Thursday, one of the Daimler machines was at Birmingham throughout the day, and took up the Right Hon. Neville Chamberlain, the Postmaster-General, and several Birmingham notabilities for short nights. A new D.H. 34, painted in the usual Instone blue, has been delivered to the Instone Air Line during the week, and will be put on the service shortly. In the meantime it is being housed in the Air Ministry sheds, as the Instone shed is full to overflowing with machines of all kinds—few of which ever take the air. This Air Line is, in fact* now relying entirely on its De Havilland flying stock for maintaining the London - Brussels - Cologne service, the rest of its miscellaneous fleet being, so to say, land-bound. Aircraft Disposal Company Busy '""' THERE has been considerable activity during the weekover at the Aircraft Disposal Company, several of their machines having been flying round the aerodrome andgiving exhibitions of stunting. I understand that they are still turning out machines in large numbers for various of thesmaller foreign powers throughout the world—there being no sign of any diminution in the demand for these rebuiltwar-type machines. On Thursday last, Mr. Alan J. Cobham left on another of his long flights, his programme this time being to fly to India by way of Monte Carlo and Cairo, and back again through Central Europe. I understand that the trip is by way of a propaganda flight for the De Havilland pro- ductions, and that Mr. Cobham will call on the various agents and give demonstrations. Night-flying has been chiefly conspicuous by its absence, and has apparently petered out. The aerodrome is occasion •ally illuminated, but each time appears to be a false alarm, and nothing further happens. One of the most violent thunderstorms in the history of the aerodrome broke on Wednesday just as the Handley Page machine for Paris was taking off, and the machine climbed straight into the storm. Hailstones of enormous size fell with such rapidity that the ground was quickly covered to a depth of two or three inches. So big were the hailstones that the noise of their fall on the roofs of the aerodrome buildings was like machine-gun fire, and fears were expressed for the fabric of the Handley Page and for the propellers. The pilot, however, managed to get out of the storm, and reached Paris in scheduled time. A Daimler machine flying from Manchester to Croydon encountered similar storms to the north of London, and flew out of its course for twenty minutes in order to work round them. A 14-Passenger Handley Page THE Handley Page Company are altering one of their W.8's in the sheds at Croydon, converting it to carry two extra passengers, which, with the addition of the pilot and mechanic, will make a total of sixteen people. The machine is nearly finished, and will be tested shortly, when it will be the biggest passenger 'plane on the airways. The three petrol companies are brightening up again. The Shell office has now a gaudy lamp at its entraace, with the words " Shell " and " In " painted on it. There is no corresponding lamp to show the way out, but, as this leads direct to the Trust House, it is perhaps unnecessary. The Anglo-American have now fixed curtains in the windows of the office which was built for them some months ago, and is still unoccupied. The British Petroleum Company have finished their bulk petrol installation at the side of the Handley Page shed in order that the H.P. machines can be filled before they are brought round to the departure platform. I am informed that the Surrey Flying Services have received an order from Spain for four D.H.9's, which they are erecting on the aerodrome, and which will be flown out to Spain, the first two being due to depart this week. HONOURS AT the Investiture held by H.M. the King at Buckingham Palace on February 22, amongst those in attendance was Air Chief Marshal Sir Hugh Trenchard, Bart. (Principal Air Aide-de-Camp). The following were investigated with the Insignia of the respective divisions of the Orders into which they have been admitted :— The Royal Victorian Order •-•'-.' _ • Knight Grand Cross: The Duke of Atholl. . - " The Most Honourable Order of the Bath Companions, Military Division : Air-Commodore Edward Masterman and Group-Captain Malcolm Bonham-Carter. - What is the use of a Battleship ? The above U.S. Navy official photo, shows the " Alabama " re- ceiving a couple of visiting cards from an aeroplane. m m m 126
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