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Aviation History
1925
1925 - 0444.PDF
JULY 9, 1925 IN PARLIAMENT Cattewater Seaplane StationSIR PHILIP PILDITCH, on June 29, asked the Secretary of State for Air if he is aware that the promontory of land known as Mount Batten, andforming part of the shore of Plymouth Sound, which is to be taken over by the Air Ministry under the Cattewater seaplane station scheme, is thepiece of land along which Drake warped the British Fleet out to gain its position to windward of the Spanish Armada ; and whether he will takeeffective steps that the features of the land so historically valuable shall not be interfered with ? Sir Samuel Hoare : I am aware that there are historical associations con-nected with Mount Batten promontory and the Sound. I have no reason to think that they are likely to be interfered with in any way as the resultof the Air Force occupation of the station. No further construction work is at present contemplated. North Africa to Cape Town FlightSIR F. SYKES asked whether progress is being made with the preparations for a flight from North Africa to Cape Town; how many, and which, ofthe landing grounds employed on previous flights on the route are to be reconditioned for this flight; what is the estimated cost of such recondition-ing ; and what was the estimated annual cost to the Treasury of maintaining those landing grounds at the time of the last flight made ? Sir S. Hoare : The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirma-tive. As regards the second and third parts the arrangements are not sufficiently advanced to state how many and which of the previous landinggrounds will be used, but it is anticipated that the cost of clearing away scrub and the like will be small. The last part of the question cannot beanswered until it is known which landing grounds are concerned. AirshipsMR. VIANT asked the Secretary of State for Air if he will give the cost incurred in reconditioning the R.33 prior to April last ; for these experimentalpurposes, what was the cost of one charge of hydrogen gas ; the cost, in- cluding fittings, of the scientific instruments on the airship ; the cost ofcivilian labour employed in getting the airship out of her base at Cardington on April 2 last and finally into the hangar at Pulham on April 17 , and thecost of repairing the mast at Pulham ? Sir S. Hoare : The answer to the first part of the question is £28,800 ;to the second, approximately, £1,000 ; and to the third, £521. As regards the fourth part of the question, the cost of the civilian labour for the two opera-tions referred to was £66 and £193 respectively, the latter sum including payment of a party which stood by for part of the. night. As regards thelast part of the question, as the repairs have not yet been carried out and as they may embody various improvements which are under consideration,it is not possible to state the cost involved. Mr. Viant asked what service is being performed by the existing Britishairship fleet (excluding the R.33 now under repair) ; what voyages have been undertaken since 1921 by the R.37, R.80, L.64, and L.71 ; what wasthe original cost of the R. vessels, R.33, R.34, R.35, R.36, R.37, and R.38 ; by whom were these airships constructed ; and what is the total mileageof the nights of each airship ? Sir S. Hoare : As regards the first part of the question, the only airshipsin existence are the R.33 and R.36 ; these two airships are being reconditioned for aerodynamic and semi-tropical trials in connection with the airshipprogramme. As regards the second part, no voyages have been undertaken by the airships referred to since 1921, flying operations by airships havingbeen suspended in that year. As regards the third part, the approximate cost of the R.33, R.34, and R.36 was £350,000 each. The R.35 and R.37were not completed, and the approximate expenditure upon them was £75,000 and £325,000 respectively. The cost of the R.38 was chargeablein part to the American Government, and exchange fluctuations make it difficult to give a figure, but the cost may be taken as approximately £500,000.As regards the fourth part of the question, the R.33 and R.35 were constructed by Messrs. Armstrong, the R.34 and R.36 by Messrs. Beardmore, the R.37by Messrs. Short Bros, and the Royal Airship Works, Cardington, and the R.38 by the Royal Airship Works, Cardington. As regards the last part,the hours flown by R.33, R.34, R.36, and R.38 were 800, 500, 97, and 70 respectively. No flying was done by the R.35 and R.37. Air Liaison OfficerSIR F. SYKES, on July 1, asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether the officer appointed for liaison duties with the Air Ministry deals, and isqualified to deal, with both the technical and the broader aspects of airship development ; and whether he, or any other suitably qualified naval officer,has been appointed to the airship co-ordinating sub-committee of the Aero- nautical Research Committee ? Mr. Bridgeman : As regards the first part of the question, the liaison officerreferred to, whilst he has dealt in the ordinary course of his duties with such questions as the type of mooring mast best suited for installation in navalcraft, was not appointed to deal with airship development, but with certain technical questions of common interest to the Navy and Air Force in connec-tion with ships' fittings. The answer to the last part of the question is in the negative, but I am informed by the Air Ministry that the Committee inquestion is composed of independent technical experts, and neither the Navy nor the Air Force is represented upon it. R.A.F. Accidents SIR F. SYKES asked the Secretary of State for Air if he will state in regardto Royal Air Force flying accidents at home and abroad, respectively, the numbers attributable, during the period April I, 1924, to May 31, 1925, to engine or installation failure ; error of judgment on the part of the pilot; combination of engine failure and error of judgment; defect in aircraft construction ; defect in aircraft design ; defect in aircraft maintenance ; and other causes ? Sir S. Hoare : The figures asked for are :— Number of Accidents. Causes. Home. Abroad. Total. 1. Engine or installation failure .. .. 17 8 25 2. Error of judgment 89 53 142 3. Combination of engine or installation failure and error of judgment ..15 8 23 4. Defect in aircraft construction .... 2 3 5 5. Defect in aircraft design ...... 7 — 7 6. Defect in aircraft maintenance .... 1 — 1 7. All other causes 29 42 71 160 114 274 Aircraft NamesSIR HARRY BRITTAIN, on July 2, asked the Secretary of State for Air whether, following the example of the Navy, he will consider the suggestionthat the larger planes and, in due course, British airships bear names instead of numbers, and commemorate, among others, pioneers in the aeronauticalworld ? The Under-Secretary of State for Air (Major Sir Philip Sassoon) : My hon.friend's suggestion will be favourably considered as regards airships, but it could not, I think, be applied satisfactorily to aeroplanes, since it wouli be almostimpossible to differentiate between them on the basis of size, ana the types, moreover, are of great variety and are constantly being modified and changed. R.A.F, ReviewsSIR H. BRITTAIN asked the Secretary of State for Air whether he can see his way to arrange occasional reviews of the Royal Air Force in other parts ofGreat Britain as well as at Hendon to enable many who are unable to visit London to see something of British aerial development ? Sir P. Sassoon : The majority of the aerodromes of the Royal Air Force areat present so far removed from the larger centres of population that it would be difficult to carry out the suggestion contained in my hon. friend's question.It will, however, be carefully borne in mind and I hope it may be possible to put it into practice when further progress has been made with the preparationof the new stations which are being opened in connection with the scheme of home defence and the development of the Auxiliary Air Force. Captain Brass : Is it not a fact that these pageants or demonstrations arevery excellent practice for the Air Force Sir P. Sassoon : Yes. They are the culmination of their training. Hendon DisplayCAPTAIN BRASS asked the Secretary of State for Air the number of persons- who attended the recent Air Force demonstration at Hendon ; and how manymachines were employed ? Sir P. Sassoon : The attendance at the Aerial Display on Saturday last is-roughly estimated at 100,000, but it is impossible to give an accurate figure until the returns from the advance booking agencies throughout London havebeen received. The number of machines employed was 137. Captain Brass : Is it not a fact that this is the largest number that hasever attended Hendon and the finest demonstration the Air Force has ever made, and that they are to be heartily congratulated ?Mr. Thurtle : Did any casualties take place at this pageant ? Sir P. Sassoon : No, there was none.Sir H. Brittain asked whether efforts have been made to discover the indi- vidual who prevented the wireless signals being received during the AerialPageant; and whether, if these efforts are successful, the individual in ques- tion will be dealt with by the legal authority ? Sir P. Sassoon : I am afraid that owing to technical difficulties nothing,can now be done to trace the individual responsible for this very regrettable interference. •* Air Mail Service to IndiaLIEUT.-COMMANDER KENWORTHY asked what progress has been made in the development of a regular air mail to India ; when he expects an air mail-service to India to be put into regular operation ; what portion of the route will be covered by air and what proportion by other means of transport ; and whatis the expected saving in time ? Sir P. Sassoon : In reply to the first and second parts of the question, I amnot yet in a position to add to my reply to my hon. and gallant friend the- Member for Hallam on June 11. As regards the third part, it is intendedthat the Kantara-Karachi portion of the route should be covered by air. As regards the last part, the saving in time is expected to be from five to sevendays on correspondence to different parts of India. Lieut.-Commander Kenworthy : When does the hon. gentleman expect theservice to begin ? Sir P. Sassoon : Civil undertakings have been asked to provide schemes fora weekly service between Kantara and Karachi, and we hope it will begin,, without any delay, at a very early date. To be Married The marriage arranged between Flying Officer IAN A. BERTRAM, R.A.F., and Miss DOROTHY ELIOTT-LOCKHART will take place at Christ Church, Lanark, on Tuesday, August 25. A marriage has been arranged between Flight-Lieut. ARTHUR GARRITY, R.A.F., elder son of the late Mr. Arthur Garrity and Mrs. Garrity, of Rochester, and DOROTHY, only daughter of the late Mr. J. GETHING HANCOCK and Mrs.. GETHING HANCOCK, of 40, Bramham Gardens, S.W. The engagement is announced between JOHN SYDNEY HUGHES, late R.A.F., eldest son of the late Mr. John Hughes and Mrs. Hughes, of Bournemouth, and HENRIETTA ALINE, youngest daughter of the late Mrs. H. V. STUBINGTON, The Priory, Westward Ho ! R.A.F. Flying Accident THE Air Ministry regrets to announce that as a result of an accident at Duxford to an Avro of No. 19 Squadron, Duxford, on July 2, Flying Officer Herbert Vincent Kerck- hove, M.C., the pilot of the aircraft, was dangerously injured and died shortly afterwards. 444
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