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Aviation History
1923
1923 - 0779.PDF
DECEMBER 27, 1923 LIGHT 'PLANE AND GLIDER NOTES Those wishing to get in touch with others interested in matters relatmg to gliding and the construction of gliders are invited to write to the Editor of FLIGHT, who will be pleased to publish such communications on this page, in order to bring together those who would like to co-operate, either in forming gliding clubs or in private collaboration. LIEUT. THORET, who is at present in Czecho-Slovakiademonstrating a Dewoitine light monoplane, made a flight over the Little Carpathian Mountains on November 30.Starting from the Vanihory aerodrome, near Bratislava, he flew along the tops of the mountains, looking for countrysuitable for gliding. On his return he found what was considered a favourable locality, near Bystrica, at the con-fluence of the Danube and Morava. During part of the time Thoret was flying along the sides and top of the ranges hisengine was missing on one cylinder, but he got back safely and landed at Bystrica. • * * ' THE Bystrica district has also been reconnoitred from theair by Thoret, who was accompanied by a Czecho-Slovak pilot, in a two-seater military aeroplane. On several occasionsit was found possible to throttle down the engine and glide in the up-currents. It is expected that Lieut. Thoret will nowtry the air in the district with his Dewoitine gliders, of which he has with him two examples, and it is hoped that conditionswill prove so favourable that performances equaling, or even exceeding, those put up in the Rhon may be obtained. * * * OWING to the fact that FLIGHT has had to go to press severaldays earlier than usual this week, on account of the Christmas holidays, it is impossible to include in this week's issue anyreference to Cobham's return flight from Brussels on the De Havilland 53 light monoplane, with Blackburne engine.on which he flew from London to Brussels a short time ago in just over 4 hours. At the time of writing these notes itwas just learnt that Cobham had had his machint; transported irom the Brussels show to the Haren aerodrome, where he wasto give some exhibitions of stunt flying preparatory to his return to England. It might be mentioned, although itreally goes without saying, that Cobham is lubricating his Blackburn with " Castrol." . " : THE Carley (Dutch) light monoplane described in our issueof November 29, 1923, is about to be flown over the route Rotterdam-Brussels-Paris-London-Rotterdam. On December18 the machine, piloted by Raparlier. left Rotterdam at 11.20 a.m., and arrived in Brussels at 12.05. After a stayof about 11 hour at Brussels, Raparlier left eti route for Paris He met with a strong head wind, which slowed down hisprogress considerably, and just as he was within sight of Le Bourget aerodrome he ran out of petrol and had to landoutside the aerodrome. After obtaining some fuel, he proceeded, and actually landed at Le Bourget at 4.35 p.m.,having taken, including the stop, 3 hours 18 rnins. for the flight from Brussels to Le Bourget. There he will giveexhibition flights before various French and foreign repre- sentatives, and will then proceed to London, where it is hopedmany of FLIGHT'S readers will take the opportunity ofinspecting the machine. The engine fitted is a 20 h.p. Anzani THE PEGNA "RONDINE" LIGHT MONOPLANE 400 c.c A.B.C. Engine GRADUALLY the light 'plane movement is spreading. Origin-ally the ball was started roiling by French constructors. Then England took up the subject, and showed by the excellenceof the machines gathered at Lympne last October that in this class, as well as in the more " serious " types, Britishconstructors can more than hold their own. In Belgium and Holland light 'planes are beginning to appear, some of whichhave put up very good performances. In Germany little has been done, although two or three light 'planes have beenbuilt. America is just beginning to be interested, although it should be pointed out that individual experimenters have,from time to time, produced low-power machines, without, however, the movement really spreading to wider circles.Now Italy has made a start, and, by the courtesy of our Italian contemporary Notiziario di Aeronautica, we are ablethis week to publish general arrangement drawings and photographs of the first Italian light 'plane, the Pegna" Rondinc " (Swallow). The " Rondine " was designed by Signor Giovanni Pegna.and built by Piaggio and Co., of Rome. In certain respects, it will be seen, the machine,is not unlike the Klemperer Aachenmonoplane glider, with its " trousered " undercarriage and fairly low wing position. The aspect ratio of the thick canti-lever wing is, however, fairly low, and as the machine is designed for low speeds and high power loading it may bequestioned whether the efficiency is all that it might be. It is stated that the best L/D ratio is 14, which is probablyapproximately correct, as the parasite resistance docs not oooooooo o •• . • • •• © o o o The Pegna " Ron- O dine." Photo- O graph shows undercarriage and engine mounting. Inset, the machine in flight. o fit o O o o o oV O OIO O O o o o o o o 779
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