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Aviation History
1925
1925 - 0225.PDF
APRIL 16, 1925 xoo\ The Blackburn "Bluebird " : In this view the undercarriage and the engine cowling, etc., are clearly shown. Note the Fairey- Reed Duralumin propeller. machine used for training seaplane pilots is a Blackburn " Dart " with Napier " Lion " engine, several photographs of which are published herewith and on p. 223. The " Dart " is fitted with very large floats, and the photographs will show how cleanly it leaves and alights on the water. The larger photographs show the general lines of the machine, which is, it will be seen, of typical Blackburn appearance. Although the machine is not designed as an amphibian, landing wheels are fitted and are carried during flight, being raised clear when once the machine is afloat, and being lowered again before the machine is brought up the slipway. The " Dait," it will be remembered, is also produced as a torpedo-plane, a type of machine in which the Blackburn Company has specialised for many years, and as such it has to have ample •control throughout its speed range (from 40 m.p.h. to over 100 m.p.h.). It is thus a singularly useful machine for school purposes, and in this connection it is of interest to note that the " Dart " seaplane is so perfectly trimmed that it is possible for the pilot to take his hands off the controls when leaving the water. Of aeroplanes several types are in use for training, the smallest being the Blackburn " Bluebird " light 'plane built for last year's Lympne competitions, but finished too late to take part. This machine, a vertical biplane, has its two seats placed side by side, so that conversation between pilot and passenger, or between instructor and pupil, is easily possible during flight, and, moreover, the pupil can follow with his eyes every movement of the controls by the instructor. Fitted with a " Blackburne " engine (the name denotes an entirely different firm—namely, Bumey and Blackburne, of Bookham, Surrey), the Blackburn " Bluebird " now flies very strongly,<s> <$> New U.S. Aircraft Carrier AMERICA'S latest aircraft carrier, the " Saratoga," was launched at Camden, New Jersey, on April 7. This ve^vel, which has cost ^9,000,000, carries 72 aeroplanes. An Aerial " Picture Theatre " AN interesting experiment was carried out on April 7, when a Handley Page aeroplane ascended from Croydon Aerodrome, with 12 passengers, and during half-an-hour's flight the film version of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's " The Lost World," was " shown " on a screen fitted up in the cabin of the machine. British Challengers for the Schneider Cup IN addition to the machines being produced by the •Gloucestershire Aircraft Co., it is probable that one will also l>e entered by the Supermarine Aviation Works. This latter machine will be fitted with a Napier " Lion " engine. Alan Cobham on His Indian Flight ON Tuesday, April 7, Alan Cobham gave an extremelyinteresting and entertaining lecture at the Aeolian Hall on his flight, to Burma and back with Sir Sefton Brancker, who-was, by the way, Chairman at the lecture. In introducing and is a great favourite at Brough. It is almost superfluous to say that a couple of samples of the ubiquitous Avro 504's are also included in the Brough equipment, and, by way of training pupils in flying twin-engined machines, a few tame Kangaroos " are kept. These machines are noted for their reliability, and did excellent work during the War, when, in spite of the fact that they were land machines, they were used for patrolling over the North Sea. They are fitted with two Rolls-Royce " Eagle " engines, and are probably so well known to our readers as to render further description super- fluous. Owing to the fact that constructional work and repairs are carried out at Brough, the pupils have an excellent opportunity of becoming familiar with the engineering side of flying, a fact which is of no small importance, and which is much appreciated by the pupils It is no longer a secret that the North Sea Aerial and General Transport Company has for several years had its eyes on a seaplane service between North England and Scandinavia, but that during the years after the War the Air Ministry was not disposed to encourage such a scheme. It is to be hoped that with the progress since made in the design and con- struction of flying boats this scheme may yet materialise, as such a route could scarcely fail to be of considerable benefit, as it would reduce the journey from England to Copenhagen, for instance, from 36 hours to seven or eight hours. In that case Brough would doubtlessly assume even greater import- ance than it already possesses, and the brothers who were among the pioneeis of British aviation would then see one of their dreams fulfilled. Many others have already come true. his pilot—the lecturer—Sir Sefton remarked that if they were to judge airmanship by the old standards of seamanship, i.e., skill, ability and experience in navigating craft in any part of the world, he thought they could claim that, Alan Cobham was the greatest airman in the world. Mr. Cobham's story of the 17,000 miles' flight was illustrated by many excellent lantern slides—and many very amusing incidents of the journey were related. Referring to the suggestion that the monotony of the desert renders it almost impossible to fly over, Mr. Cobham stated that " if the monotony of the desert consists of a blue sky, visibility for about 100 miles, and general perfect weather conditions, with no hills, just a track to follow, then the average cross-Channel pilot will consider flight over the Syrian desert a rest cure." Institution of Aeronautical Engineers WE would remind our readers of the meeting of the Insti- tution of Aeronautical Engineers to be held at the Engineers Club (Coventry Street) on Friday, the 24th inst., at 6.30 p.m., when Commdr. C. D. Burney, C.M.G., M.P., R.N., will lecture on " The Position of the Airship in Aerial Transport " Cinematograph pictures will be shown in illustration of the lecture.
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