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Aviation History
1923
1923 - 0247.PDF
Flight, May 10, 1923 &NGINEEFL First Aero Weekly in the World. Founder and Editor: STANLEY SPOONER A Journal devoted to the Interests, Practice, aad Progress of Aerial Locomotion and Transport OFFICIAL ORGAN OF THE ROYAL AERO CLUB OF THE UNITED KINGDOM No. 7S0. (No. 19, Vol. XV.) MAY 10, 1923 reekly, Price 6d.Post free, 7d. The Aircraft Engineer and Airships EditorUl Offices: 36, GREAT QUEEN STREET, KINGSWAY, W.C. 2 Telegrams : Truditur, Westcent, London. Telephone : Gerrard 1828 Annual Subscription Rates, Post Free : United Kingdom .. 30s. id. Abroad .. .. 33s. 0d.* These rates are subject to any alteration found necessary under abnormal conditions and to increases in postage rates * European subscriptions must be remitted in British currency CONTENTS Editorial Comment PAGE Our Very Frank Air Minister.. .. 247 Central Engines.. 248 From Bleriot to Barbot 248 Across America.. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 248 Parnall " Possum " .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 249 Coupe Beaumont .. . 250 Air Force Expansion . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 251 Light 'Plane and Glider Notes 252 The "Turkey Buzzard" Glider 3 London Terminal Aerodrome .. .. .. .. .. .. 254 London-Continental Services .. .. .. .. .. .. 254 An Optical Altitude Indicator for Night Landing. By J. A. C. Warner 255 Notices to Airmen .. . .. .. .. 256 Personals .. .. .. .. .. .. 256 Royal Air Force 257 R.A.F. Intelligence 7 Iu Parliament .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 257 Society of Model Aeronautical Engineers .. .. 258 Power Plants for Model Aeroplanes. By A. F. Houlberg. (Continued) 258 DIARY OF FORTHCOMING EVEKTS Club Secretaries and others desirous of announcing the dales of important fixtures are invited to send particulars for inclusion in the following list :— Lecture, " Low Power Flying," by Maj. M. E. A. Wright, before I.Ae.E. Wilbur Wright Lecture, " The Relation between Aeronautical Research and Air- craft Design," by Dr. Joseph Ames, before R.Ae.Soc. Grosvenor Challenge Cap, Lympne International Air Congress, London R.AJ\ Aerial Pageant, Hendon Air Race for King's Cup Unveiling of R.A.F. Memorial by H.R.H. The Prince of Wales Gothenburg Exhibition Entries close from British Competitors tot Schneider Cup Rhon Gliding Competition Aerial Derby French Gliding Competition, near Cherbourg FI A. Conference, Gothenburg. Light 'Plane and Glider Competitions Gordon Bennett Balloon Race, Belgium Schneider Cup Seaplane Race at Cowes Beaumont Cup Race at Istres, France May May: 11 .... 31 June 23.... June 25-30 June July: July July Aug. Aug. Aug. Aug. Aug. Sept. Sept. Sept. Oct. 30... 20-21 16.... 20 .... 1 .... 8-14 6 .... e-27 8-12 23 28 ... 14 ... EDITORIAL COMMENT. PEAKING at the Constitutional Club on May 1, Sir Samuel Hoare, Secretary of State for Air, once more earned the gratitude of those concerned with aviation, and all who have the safety of the country and the Empire at heart, by making the perfectly frank, though somewhat unprecedented, admission that, " judged by every standard of defence, our Air Force at present is not strong enough." Coming from a Minister of O111" Very the Crown (although, unfortunately, Minister"" not as Yet a member of the Cabinet), such a frank admission could scarcely fail to cause a certain amount of consternation, and the natural retort that could be made to such a statement is the question, Why has not his Govern-' ment made it stronger ? Sir Samuel, in introducing the Air Estimates, told the country some very plain truths, and did not hesitate, in order to bring home to the public the urgency of the position, to compare our strength with that of France, at the same time pointing out that a mere comparison of figures did not give a true picture of the situation. The result was that the country at large began to take notice, and already a much greater appreciation of the position is beginning to make itself felt. By again emphasising that we are too weak in the air, Sir Samuel may have acted somewhat uncon- ventionally, but he has, we are sure, done a very real service to the nation. As to why the Govern- ment has not taken steps to make us stronger in the air, Sir Samuel has a reasonably good answer in the fact that the whole problem of defence is being discussed by the Committee of Imperial Defence, and that until the results of their deliberations are available little further can be done. In the meantime, Sir Samuel's frank remarks will not fail to awaken the nation to a realisation of the vital importance of the problem, and there is more than a modicum of truth in the statement of Admiral Mark Kerr at the Air Conference that the only way to get anything done is by scaring the people until they force the Government to take the necessary steps to remedy our shortcomings in the air.
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