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Aviation History
1925
1925 - 0080.PDF
FEBRUARY 12, 1925 was fitted with a Blackburne " Tomtit " engine, and was generally regarded as a very fine piece of work. Our photo- graph does not give a very good idea of the machine, but it may be seen that the fuselage was of excellent streamline form, although perhaps somewhat " stumpy," and that the single- bay biplane wings had vee inter-plane struts, the lower plane being smaller in span and chord than the top plane. The Blackburne engine was mounted " upside down " after the fashion set by Mr. Shackleton with his A.N.E.C. mono- plane. * * * Two machines had been designed for the competitions by Mr. Broadsmith, once associated with the Avro firm in AUSTRALIAN LIGHT 'PLANES : No. 2, the Reid biplane, with Blackburne " Tomtit " engine, on her first and only flight. England. These were identified by the design numbers, B.2 and B.4. What happened to B.3 we do not know. The type B.2 was designed for Mr. H. \V. Ross, who flew it in the competitions. This machine was a cantilever biplane in so far as it had no bracing of the usual form. The top plane was mounted on centre-section struts rising from the fuselage, while the bottom plane was braced by inverted vee struts after the fashion of the D.H. 53 light 'plane. The engine fitted was an Anzani, and is stated to have given endless trouble. Our correspondent is very enthusiastic about the B.2, and says : " This machine was the winner of the speed prize at a little over 70 m.p.h. Mv personal estimate of its maximum speed is about 85 m.p.h. The discrepancy is explained by the fact that, at an air speed greater than 75 m.p.h. Ross was blinded with petrol and that he went at least a mile out of his course, this being his first lap. After fixing the defective fuel tank cap he started out to show what the 'bus would do, but the engine—the second one to be fitted—cracked up. The first engine broke its reduction gearing before the machine had been in the air ten minutes. If the engines had not given out Ross un- doubtedly would have sained the majority of the prizes. His take-ofl and climb were phenomenal, speed ai lepst 10 A D.H.53 IN AUSTRALIA : In the cockpit," Capt. F. W. Follett, Superintendent of Aircraft, Civil Aviation Branch of the Department of Defence. Our photograph also shows Capt. Reid, Mr E. J. Hart, Editor of "Aircraft" (in the sweater1, Mr. McArthur Onslow (in front of Follett:. Capt. Jones. M.C., D.F.C., Superin- tendent of Flying Operations and pilot of the G-AUAB round-Australia D.H.50, is talking to Col. Brinsmead, O.B.E., M.C., Controller of Civil Aviation. m.p.h. better than anyone else, and landing speed quite moderate." * * * THE second Broadsmith-designed machine, the B.4, designed for the owner-entrant, Mr, McArthur Ouslow. was fitifil with an A.B.C. " Scorpion " engine, wh'cr. appeals to have run perfectlv throughout and to have given no trouble whatever. Of slightK- more orthodox design tlwn the B.2, with ordinary biplane bracing and struts, this machine gathered-in most of the prizes. In the competitions it was piloted by Captain H \V. Percivnl, while in the Aerial Derby its pilot was Mr. C. IF. Khvii; Coles. * * * THE only all-Australian light 'plane in the competition was the Wackett monoplane, Xr>. 1, which was fitted with a AUSTRALIAN LIGHT 'PLANES : Four views of the biplane designed for Mr. Onslow by Mr. Broadsmith.This machine gained most of the prizes. The engine is an A.B.C. " Scorpion." 80
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