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Aviation History
1923
1923 - 0466.PDF
AUGUST 9. 1923 Once more the Aerial Derby has been Aerial flown, and once more it has been won Derby by a Gloucestershire Aircraft Company machine, with Napier " Lion " engine. Thus for three consecutive years this combination has gained the victory, performing the " hat trick," which must be considered a remarkable achievement, and of which those responsible for its successful termination may be justly elated. It is of consider- able interest to note the way in which the speeds have crept up. In 1921 Mr. J. H. James on his Napier- engined " Mars I " averaged 163-34 m.p.h. On the same machine, " cleaned up," the same pilot attained an average of 176-48 m.p.h. in last year's Derby, and this year the speed was increased, by Larry Carter, the Gloucestershire Aircraft Company's new test pilot, to 192-4 m.p.h. That the Napier "Lion" engine has been able to stand up to the gruelling test of running at full power for a distance of 200 miles without a hitch has probably not come as a surprise to those intimately acquainted with this engine, whose reputation has by now been firmly established, not only for service and racing purposes, but also, and what is, perhaps, even more remarkable and important, for commercial work. That the Gloucestershire machines have succeeded in keeping ahead of all competitors in point of speed, and have for more than three years been definitely proved the fastest possessed by Great Britain, is evidence of the designing skill of Mr. H. P. Folland, and is, moreover, a tribute to the very sporting spirit of those responsible for the policy of the Gloucester- shire Aircraft Company. To continue to build racing machines year after year, and to enter them for international events both at home and abroad, is necessarily a costly business, and it is, therefore, gratifying to think that at last some small direct reward will be reaped by this>enterprising firm through the purchase, by the Air Ministry, of the winning machine—sans engine—for £3,000. Not that this amount will compensate the firm for the money expended on full scale experiment on fast machines during the last few years. It will not. But it will go some little way towards it, and in placing orders with aircraft firms during the present financial year, the Air Ministry should, having regard to national interests, keep in mind the pioneer work that has been carried out. As we have repeatedly pointed out, in •America much more direct assistance is given by the Govern- ment to designers and constructors of fast aircraft, orders being definitely placed for such with the private firms that have proved themselves capable of producing really effective machines. So far that policy has not been imitated in this country, and the promise to purchase the British machines winning the Derby and Schneider Cup races goes but a short way towards ensuring adequate participation by Britain. There is, however, another way in which the Air Ministry can encourage the designers of high- performance machines. Very large sums were voted in this year's Air Estimates towards the purchase of new machines, and so far as can be gathered, the orders so far placed do not come anywhere near representing the amounts available. Surely, then, here would be an opportunity of supporting, in the most practical manner of all, firms which have done well in the production of fast machines, and we suggest that in the placing of orders due and immediate consideration should be given to the services to the country and to British technical supremacy which such firms have rendered. It is not yet too late to place orders for machines to be constructed during the present financial year, but if action is not taken at once, it will be too late, with consequences which may easily be serious. With regard to the Aerial Derby itself, it should be stated that the organisation was excellent. The method of keeping the spectators informed was effective, the " lines of communication " worked well, the catering facilities were, if not perfect, at any rate reasonably good, and, most important of all, we were lucky in having not a single accident of any kind to record, although some of the competitors had to land en route. Merely by way of countering the possible effect of one evening contemporary's action, which went off the deep end on the Air Derby day by placarding the town with " Mishap to Air Derby Pilot " (or words to that effect), we might mention this ghastly happening was a spill the day before on a motor-bicycle of one of the entered pilots, who had in consequence to " scratch." . THE BOULTON AND PAUL " BODMIN " : This machine has several very interesting features, chief of whichIs the central placing of the engines (Napier "Lions ") in the fuselage, with drive to four propellers mounted between the planes. 466 •"-••• "•-"••. ' '
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