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Aviation History
1924
1924 - 0261.PDF
MAY 8, 1924 BRISTOL "JUPITER" WITHIN THE ARCTIC CIRCLE 1,300 Kilometres in 6\ Hours on a Bristol Fighter " EVERYTHING went off as well as possible. The engine worked like the mechanism of a clock." These are the remarks made by Lieut. Gardin of the Swedish Army at the conclusion of a flight of 1,300 kilo metres made by him between Kiruna and Malmslatt in Sweden in 6J flying hours. The machine used was a Bristol Fighter fitted with the 400 h.p. Bristol "Jupiter" radial air-cooled engine. The machine had been specially sent to Kiruna, which The first start was made inside the hangar, the temperature of which was —8° C. The engine was doped in the usual manner, and a start was made in 1J mins. A full throttle run was made to test carburation, oiling, etc., and every thing was proved to be thoroughly satisfactory. Skis were then fitted to the machine to enable it to land upon the deep snow with which the countryside was covered, and an initial test flight was made. As one of the chief concerns of the authorities was in SJ^-^MWtoS ^T7 . *:^^P|^ A "Bristol " within the Arctic Circle : The Bristol Fighter, with Bristol " Jupiter " en gine, starting for a flight at Kir una aerodrome, Sweden. Note the ski under carriage. * is well within the Arctic Circle, by the Swedish military authorities in order to test out the air-cooled " Jupiter " engine under the most rigorous Arctic conditions. Con siderable trouble had been encountered under similar con ditions when water-cooled engines were used ; both water and oil had to be heated before a flight was possible, and both had to be immediatelv drawn from the engine after regard to the starting of the engine, the machine was left in an unheated hangar all night, with cold oil in the tank. The doors were thrown open at an early hour the next morning, and at 9.30 a.m., when the thermometer stood at — 12° C, the engine was started quickly and without trouble. With their previous experience with other types of engines the officials in charge of the test expressed amaze- •:• •:• •:• * Landing on the Snow: The Bristol Fighter alighting at Kiruna after a trial flight. •:• •> use. Air-cooled rotary engines had been found unsatis factory in the low temperatures encountered, and with a static air-cooled engine which had been tried it had been necessary to drain the oil after flight and refill with oil at a high temperature before starting in the morning. In the tests with the Bristol " Jupiter " engine Vacuum " A " oil was used for lubrication with pure Shell spirit. ment at the ease of starting. During the day a duration flight of 1J hours was made, and other flying undertaken to test out and demonstrate both engine and machine. It was then deckled to make a further test under the most searching conditions possible as to the suitability of the engine for easy starting under the Arctic conditions encountered. Throughout the night the hangar was left 261 c 2
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