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Aviation History
1925
1925 - 0651.PDF
OCTOBER 8, 1925 A BRITISH WORLD'S SPEED RECORD Biard on Supermarine-Napier S.4 Averages 226752 m.p.h. So quietly was it done, and so carefully was the secret guarded, that very few people outside the two firms concerned were aware even that an attempt had been made to establish a new world's speed record with a British machine and British engine. It therefore came as somewhat of a surprise—and a very agree- able surprise indeed—when, on October 6, it was announced that at last a world's record, and one of the most highly valued at that, now stands to the credit of Great Britain. The record in question, which has been homologated by the F.A.I., is no less than the world's speed record for seaplanes, and was established by Captain Henri Biard on the Schneider Cup Supermarine - Napier S.4 over Southampton Water on September 13 last, a very short time after the machine had made its first test flights. The new world's speed record for seaplanes shows a surprising increase on the previous record, held by the American pilot, Lieutenant Cud- dihy, of the United States Navy, whose average speed over the 3 km. course, established at Balti- more on October 25, 1924, on a Curtiss- Navy racer with Curtiss D.12 engine, was 302-684 km.-hr. (188-118 m.p.h. duced in America as a result of several years' experi-ence. The full-page photograph of the Supermarine- Napier S.4 on page 653 shows f-the exceptionally " clean " lines of the machine, and helps to explain how such an increase in performance was possible. What the photograph does not, of course, indicate is the amount of power delivered by the special Napier racing engine, which is a direct descendant of the famous Napier " Lion." At the moment it is not, for obvious reasons, possi- ble to give actual figures relating to the Napier racing engine, but it will be realised that the power must be considerable to permit of such speeds being attained. In writing of the new British world's record one should not forget to make reference to one other very important factor in the success, i.e., the Fairey-Reed duralumin propeller, without which the direct drive, at the high speeds of revolu- tion at which the Napier racing engine runs, would not have been possible. The world's speed record is one of the most cherished of BRITISH WORLD'S SPEED RECORD : Our photo- graph shows Capt. H. C. Biard, pilot of the Super- marine-Napier S.4, and Mr. R. J. Mitchell, designer of the machine. Captain Biard's speed over the measured 3 km. course was no less than 364-924 km.-hr. (226-752 m.p.h.), so that the previous record was beaten by a very wide margin, and it is greatly to the credit of Mr. R. J. Mitchell, Chief Engineer and Designer to the Super- marine Aviation WTorks, that he has, in one leap so to all the recognised records, and there will, we feel sure, be general satisfaction with the good news that this envied record now stands to the credit of Great Britain. Our heartiest congratulations to the Supermarine Aviation Works, the Napier Company, and all connected in any way with this very splendid effort. Surely, the new world's record may be taken as a speak, produced a machine capable'of so far exceed- happy augury for future successes in the Schneider ing the previous best performance of machines pro- Cup Race. R. 33 Out Again. BRITAIN'S rigld airship, R.33, fitted with a new nose and improved in very many other details, made her first flight since last April's escapade on October 5-6. Leaving the Pulham shed at about 5 p.m., with Major Scott in charge ol operations, Flt.-Lieut. H. C. Irwin as Captain, and nearly 40 others on board—including Sq.-Ldr. Booth, First Officer fc.. L. Johnson, Col. Richmond and experimental party—the airsmp after a circuit of the aerodrome steered for the coast, ine object of the flight was to carry out a series of experimental tests, and during her 19-hour cruise—during which she passed over London on Tuesday morning—the full programme ol 651 tests was successfully completed in spite of a slight mishap to the gear box of the aft engine. The R.33 returned to Pulham soon after 11 a.m. on Tuesday, and was safely housed in the shed by noon—owing to the faulty gear box it was decided not to moor the ship to the mast. Air Mails Closed THE Postmaster-General announces that Air Mail Route No. 6 (see page 2 of the current Air Mail leaflet) has ceased to be available, and the air mails to Hamburg and Copenhagen (serving Denmark, Norway, Sweden and Finland), hitherto closed in London at 6 p.m., have been discontinued. c 2
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