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Aviation History
1925
1925 - 0098.PDF
FEBRUARY 19, 1925 LIGHT 'PLANE AND GLIDER NOTES WORK is progressing on the new De Havilland two-seaterlow-power biplane, the D.H.60 "Moth," at Stag Lane. The " Cirrus " engine has, we learn, been installed in thefuselage, and the machine itself is expected to be completed in about a fortnight. As the " Moth " marks an intermediatestep between what has hitherto been regarded as a light 'plane and the usual training machine, its performance willbe watched with more than ordinary interest. The " Cirrus " engine, which is being produced by the Aircraft DisposalCompany at their Waddon works, is, we are told, passing through its bench tests with flying colours, and there isevery reason to expect that it will perform equally well when mounted in the machine and flying. The " Cirrus,"it will be remembered, was originally conceived by Capt. Geoffrey de Havilland. and the design and developmentwork carried out by Major Halford, of B.H.P. fame. Sturdy construction and absolute reliability are the features aimedat. so that it is hoped the engine will require no more attention than the engine of a motor-car. We hope shortly to publisha detailed illustrated description of the engine in FLIGHT.» * * AN example that might be followed with advantage inthis country was the Zugspitzenjlug held in Germany recently, in which a German Spa, Garmisch-Partenkirchen, offeredsubstantial prizes for a flight around the Zugspitze, a mountain in the Bavarian Alps, which reaches an altitude of 2,968 m.(9,740 ft.). Machines were required, for the Zugspitzenflug to fly to a formula, marks being awarded according to th?i r ^, • useful load _., . , . . , value of the ratio ,—= -• Thirteen machines hadfuel consumed been entered, of which 12 started and 11 completed theflight. On the formula basis highest marks were awarded to Botsch on the Bahnbedarf BAG. E.I, a light monoplaneillustrated in FLIGHT a few months ago. There is considerablesatisfaction, from our point of view, in the fact that the Bahnbedarf machine was fitted with a British Blackburne" Tomtit " engine, similar to those used in the famous D.H.53 light 'planes. The " Tomtit " was mounted in aninverted position, much after the fashion of the single-seater A.N.E.C. monoplane of the 1923 Lynipne competitions.* * * ON the day of the flight thick fog obscured the groundand extended to the top of the mountains, but later in the day a fresh wind sprang up and cleared the fog away, andit was decided to make a start. The very gusty nature of the wind compelled most of the competitors to fly high,and Botsch even reached an altitude of 3,400 m. (11,160 ft.), or 1,420 ft. above the summit of the Zugspitze. Anotherpilot, Croneiss, took his instructions to round the Munich Hotel on the top too literally, and was caught in a down-current and blown against the snow-covered mountain, fortunately without sustaining injury. Apart from the flightaround the Zugspitze, there were demonstrations of stunt flying, balloon sniping competitions, etc., and several flightswere made on gliders, none, however, of very long duration. Fuchs on the " Dessauer " made two flights of 3 mins. 48 sees,and 4 mins. 28 sees, duration respectively. Rolf Hirth kept the " Rotem Teufel " in the air for 2| mins., and Papenmeyertook up the famous " Greif," but came to grief in landing. * * * THE start was made from Schleissheim, a short distancenorth of Munich, and competitors had to fly around the Munich House Hotel on the summit of the Zugspitze andreturn and alight on the aerodrome near the railway station of Garmisch-Partenkirchen. The distance is something like75 miles, and was covered by Botsch in 2 hrs. 21 mins. The fastest machine, a Junkers type F, piloted by Doldi, coveredthe distance in 1 hr. 17 mins. 12 sees., but owing to the fact that machines were flying to a formula Botsch, whoactually was the slowest, won first prize. Considering that a head wind was encountered the Bahnbedarf machine mustbe said to have made pretty good time, with approximately 32 m.p.h. against a very strong wind, and having at thesame time to climb to an altitude of more than 11,(KM) ft. WINNER OF THE ZUGSPITZ FLUG : Herr Botsch on the Darmstadt Bahnbedarf E.I, with Blackburne " Tomtit " engine en route to the Zugspitze. 98
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