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Aviation History
1925
1925 - 0210.PDF
of Airship Development, and Mr. Wyn-Evans, Officer-in- Charge of Design and Construction. Major Scott, Ofiicer-in- Charge of Flying, and Flight-Lieutenant Booth, First Officer, remained on the ground to direct operations until the ship was clear of the shed. They then boarded her and the order was given to let go. For about two hours the airship cruised around in the Cardington neighbourhood, and at eight o'clock she came in low over the aerodrome and sent the message : " Am pro- ceeding Pulham, everything O.K." Received by Cardington, this message was conveyed to Air Vice-Marshal Sir Geoffrey Salmond, who had motored down to Cardington during the night so as to be present at the start, by Squadron-Leader Colmore and Lieut.-Colonel Richmond. The airship was soon lost to sight, and later it was learnt that she had arrived over Pulham air station, Norfolk, at 9.10 a.m. She did not at once make for the mooring mast, but cruised around over the neighbourhood. By this time the wind had freshened, and the spectators were not entirely without uneasiness. It was nearly a quarter to eleven before the airship came in low and dropped her mooring cable, the end of which was secured to the cable from the masthead. The cables were then slowly wound in by two Maybach engines, and at 11.30 APRIL 9, 1925 the airship was made fast to the masthead. The mooring mast problem has been to a very great extent solved by the method, devised, we believe, by Major Scott, of approaching the mast, dropping a cable from the bows, the ground end of the cable being made fast to the outer end of a cable laid along the ground from the mast, inside which it passes down to winches. To steady the airship when drawn fairly close to the mast two yaw guys are also dropped from the airship, the ground crew thereby being enabled to stead - the nose of the ship against lateral swaying. On Thursday it looked for some little time as if the airship might overshoot the mast, which swayed rather alarmingly, and the mast crew came in for favourable comment on the sangfroid with which the cone was secured to its socket on the mast arm. In view of their inexperience, the performance was a very creditable one. The R.33 will use Pulham as her base for the series of experi- mental test flights about to be undertaken. Reference was made to these last week, and it may be recollected that they are to ascertain the stresses to which the framework is likely to be subjected during flight, so that the information thus gained may be used in the design of the larger airships which are to be built during the next two years. ROYAL AIR FORCE CADETSHIPS THE Air Ministry announces :—A competitive examination for not less than 35 cadetships at the Royal Air Force Cadet College, Cranwell, Lines, will commence on June 23 next. The written examination wrill be held in London and certain other centres in the United Kingdom. Applications should be made to the Secretarv, Civil Service Commission, Bur- lington Gardens, W. 1, and no form of entry will be accepted under any circumstances after April 23. It is to be noted that the age limits are now 17J and 19J years. Candidates selected for cadetships as a result of this examination will go through a two years' course at the College, on satisfactory completion of which they will be granted permanent commissions in the General Duties Branch of the Royal Air Force. Full information as to the conditions of admission, examination, fees, and course of study at the College will be found in Air Publication 121, Regulations for admission to the Royal Air Force Cadet College, which can be obtained through any bookseller or direct from H.M. Stationery Office, Adastral House, Kingsway, W.C. 2, price Is. net. This is the first competition to be held under a revised scheme of examination. Under this new scheme candidates other than those nominated by the Air Council and those who have failed at previous entrance examinations will be required to produce school certificate A or B, obtained by passing certain examinations. All candidates will be required to attend before an Interview Board at the Air Ministry. Candidates will be medically examined by the Central Medical Board of the Royal Air Force. It has been found in previous examinations that certain candidates have failed to attain the standard of fitness required owing, it is thought, to their having neglected to take proper exercise while preparing for the educational examination, and it is therefore desired to direct the attention of candidates to the care of their health in this respect. Parents and guardians are strongly recommended, in order to lessen the chance of subsequent disappointment, to have their sons or wards examined previous to their becoming candidates for com- missions in the Royal Air Force, by a preliminary Royal Air Force Medical Board or by a private medical practitioner. The fees at the Cadet College are £75 a year, and in addition a contribution of /80 is required before proceeding to the College and one of /20 before the commencement of the third term to cover the expenses of uniform and books. Cadets receive pay at the rate of 5s. a day during their first year at the college, and at the rate of 10s. a day during their second year. In addition, an allowance of Is. a day will be made during college terms towards the cost of messing, washing, etc. On being granted commissions in the Royal Air Force cadets receive the rank of pilot officer with total emoluments amounting at present to approximately £450 a year, and after 18 months' service they arc eligible for promotion to flying officer with emoluments amounting at present to approximately £540 a year. These rates of emoluments are, however, liable to revision. As the unavoid- able expenses to which officers are put in the Royal Air Force are kept strictly within moderate limits, no candidate need be deterred from applying for a commission by the fact that he has no private income. Reduced fees are payable in certain circumstances for the sons of officers and men of the fighting services. No contri- butions towards uniform, etc., are payable for King's Cadets or Prize Cadets ; the former also pay no fees, the latter are received at the reduced fee of .£20 a year. King's Cadetships may be granted to sons of officers who have died in action or in certain other circumstances and have left their families financially reduced. Prize Cadetships (of which two will be offered at the forthcoming examination) are awarded to successful candidates, in order of merit at each examination. In addition, one " Sir Charles Wakefield " Scholarship of the value of ^75, tenable for one year, will be offered for competi- tion at the forthcoming examination among candidates whose parents or guardians are in reduced circumstances. Candidates sitting for cadetships at the Royal Air Force Cadet College may, at the same time, sit for cadetships at the military colleges, Woolwich and Sandhurst, and for cadetships in the Royal Navy, provided they fulfil the conditions laid down by the War Office and Admiralty respectively. They will be required to state their order of preference before the examination, and will be offered their first, second or later choice, according to their success at the examination. Portuguese Flight to Africa THE Portuguese military airman, Capt. Pinheiro, and Lieuts. S. de Silva and Manuel Gouvein, who left Lisbon for Portuguese Guinea on March 27 in a Breguet biplane, have arrived at Bolana, in that country. Further to our report last week in connection with the accident to another machine which was accompanying the airmen from Barcarena, it is announced that one of the passengers, a Portuguese journalist, has since died as a result of injuries received. Civil Aviation in Czechoslovakia UNDER the auspices of the Czechoslovak Ministry of Public Works, a special committee has been formed representing the Government, the aircraft industry, transport companies, and the banks for the purpose of drafting a scheme for the pro- motion of an air navigation company in Czechoslovakia. A capital of 10,000,000 kc. is proposed, some of which will be provided by the State in the form of aerodromes, wireless equipment, etc. Royal Air Force Flying Accident THE Air Ministry regrets to announce that as a result of an accident at Caterham to a " Snipe " machine of No. 32 Squadron, Kenley, on 25th instant, Pilot Officer Ian Malcolm Scott, the pilot of the aircraft, was killed. As a result of an accident at Quetta, India, to a Bristol Fighter of No. 28 Squadron, Quetta, on March 30, Flying Officer Thomas Donald Berridge, the pilot of the aircraft, was killed and No. 831034 A.C.2 Alexander Bidmead was seriously injured. 210
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