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Aviation History
1925
1925 - 0703.PDF
OCTOBER 29, 1925 THE 1925 SCHNEIDER TROPHY RACE Won by Lieut. James Doolittle at Average Speed of 232*573 m.p.h. THE race for the 1925 Schneider Trophy, to which aviationcircles all over the world had looked forward with the keenest interest, has resulted in a magnificent victory for the UnitedStates. It was won by the U.S. Army Air Service pilot Lieut. " Jimmie " Doolittle, who, flying a Curtiss-ArmyRacer fitted with Curtiss V-1400 racing engine, covered the course at the terrific average speed of 232-573 m.p.h. Whenit is realised that this is 6 m.p.h. faster than Capt. Biard's world's speed record on the Supermarine-Napier S.4, estab-lished over a straight-line course, whereas the Schneider course was a triangular one necessitating some twenty turns,the speed is truly astonishing. At the moment of going to press there is not sufficient information available to enablean accurate explanation to be made, but according to reports Lieut. Doolittle's cornering was superb, and must have beento a great extent responsible for the excellent performance. Reports from America—coming, it is thought, from a reliablesource—indicate that one particular engine out of the 12 built for the Pulitzer and Schneider Trophy races provedexceptionally good, as will often happen in a batch of engines, and it is believed that this engine was fitted in Doolittle'sCurtiss-Army Racer. This fact, taken in conjunction with the masterly handling of the machine, would seem to accountfor the wholly unexpected average speed maintained, wThich was, of course, far and away ahead of the speeds of the Britishand Italian competitors. At the same time, we may take some consolation from thefact that the British Gloster-Napier III secured second place, two of the American machines having failed to complete thecourse. The speed attained by the British challenger was disappointingly low, only 199-169 m.p.h., and it is quitecertain that it represents nothing like the maximum speed of which the Gloster-Napier III is capable. What was thecause of the relatively poor showing cannot be ascertained at the moment, but "it is to be hoped than an opportunitywill be found for timing the machine over the 3 km. course laid out at Bay Shore, so that the actual speed of the Gloster-Napier III may be definitely established. That it will equal the speed of the winner of the Schneider Cup is, perhaps,too much to hope, but that 200 m.p.h. represents its top speed we refuse to believe, and we await further informationwith very considerable interest. British Challengers' Run of Bad Luck In the absence of detailed information on various points relating to the Schneider Trophy Race itself, it is not proposed to attempt to give a full description of the race in this week's issue of FLIGHT, this being deferred until next week, but in the meantime a few notes relating to the happenings of the last few days before the race may be of interest. Britain's share in the history of the 1925 Schneider Race is a sad story of misfortune after misfortune. As previously recorded in FLIGHT, the trouble commenced already on board the Atlantic Transport Company's Minnewaska, when Capt. Biard slipped on the deck and injured his wrist, the injury being very painful and a good deal more serious than was admitted at first. Then came the hurricane, which nearly wrecked the British machines in their very makeshift tent hangars, and which did damage the Supermarine-Napier S.4 through a tent-pole falling on to its tail and breaking certain structural members. For a time the greatest concern was felt in this country, but, fortunately, the damage could be, and was, repaired in time, and the machine was able to commence its test flights. On the day of the eliminating trials, Friday, October 23, another misfortune overtook the British team, this_ time a most serious one. Captain Biard, who had been suffering from a chill, declared himself sufficiently well to be able to put the Supermarine-Napier S.4 through the navigability and mooring tests, and at about 10 a.m. his machine left the water for the first part of the trials. According to eye-witnesses theSupermarine-Napier S.4 left the water in a remarkably clean manner, and Biard made a circuit over the sheds and thenflew out to the judges' cutter, coming back over the pier head. At a height of about 800 ft. he was seen to make a steeplybanked turn, which at first led the spectators to believe he was stunting, but it was soon realised that his machine wasin difficulty and not under proper control. Some experts expressed the opinion that the wings had commenced to" flutter," a phenomenon not unknown in cantilever mono- planes, but whatever the reason, Biard was obviously introuble. By a fine piece of piloting he managed to flatten out just before reaching the water, but the machine strucksomewhat forcibly and the floats gave way and the machine sank. Captain Biard managed to extricate himself, and nowthe position of the pilot's cockpit proved useful in that there was no obstruction in the way. Captain Broad, who hadalighted with his Gloster-Napier III after completing the first part of his tests just before Capt. Biard started, saw theaccident and at once taxied at high speed up to Biard and threw him a life belt, which kept Biard afloat until rescuearrived. Fortunately, it was found that with the exception of a few bruises and the effects of the shock Captain Biardwas not seriously injured, but the machine was a total wreck. Captain Broad passed the navigability and mooring testswithout trouble, as did also the three American defenders and the two Italian challengers. When the Supermarine-Napier S.4 crashed, the second Gloster-Napier III, to be piloted by Mr. Bert Hinkler, should have been ready to takeits place immediately and to go through the navigability and mooring tests, but for some reason, not known at present,the machine does not appear to have been ready, and it was not until late in the afternoon of Friday, October 23, thatHinkler could bring the machine out. The breaking of a bracing wire forced him to return, and by the time the damagehad been repaired it was too dark to continue, so that a second attempt could not be made that day. On Saturday, October 24, the day set aside for the SchneiderCup Race, a strong wind was blowing, and it was found that conditions were quite impossible. It was consequentlydecided to postpone the race until Monday, October 26. All day Sunday, October 25, Bert Hinkler had awaited anopportunity to complete the preliminary trials which he commenced on Saturday, and as a result of a petition on thepart of the American and Italian competitors, the referee gave the ruling that Hinkler, provided he could completethe prescribed navigability and mooring tests, should be permitted to take part in the race on October 26. The weather,however, was far too boisterous, a gale of 65 m.p.h. blowing across Chesapeake Bay, and there was no opportunity ofcarrying out the tests. By Monday morning, October 26, the weather had calmed somewhat, and the sea near the shoreappeared to be considerably smoother than it had been on the previous day. Hinkler brought out the spare Gloster-Napier III and managed to take off quite successfully. On descending for his first taxying test out in the Bay where thewater was still very rough the machine, although the actual landing was safely accomplished, soon got into trouble, theundercarriage struts giving way and the fuselage settling on the water. The sharp propeller, which was still revolving,damaged the noses of the floats, and the machine had to be towed back to the sheds. The seas proved much, too rough forthe racing machine, and afterwards it was generally agreed that no seaplane could have long survived the pounding whichHinkler's Gloster-Napier received. Just as we are about to go to press information is received in a cable from Baltimorewhich indicates that the low speed of the Gloster-Napier III was due to an unsuitable propeller, while Broad is stated tohave taken his turns very wide.1 " Sir Charles Wakefield " Scholarship and "Hyde- Thomson " Memorial Prize. THE Air Ministry announces :—Aircraft Apprentices C. McK. Grierson, A. C. Bentley, C. C. O'Grady, and W. M. Moore, from the School of Technical Training, Halton, and Aircraft Apprentice L. P. Moore, from the Electrical and Wireless School, Flowerdown, have been selected for cadetships at the R.A.F. Cadet College, Cranwell, on the results of the examinations held on completion of their three years' trainingas aircraft apprentices. " Sir Charles Wakefield " Scholarships, valued at £75 each,have been awarded to Flight Cadets C. McK. Grierson and A. C. Bentley, and the " Hyde-Thomson " Memorial Prize,valued at about ^33, to Flight Cadet L. P. Moore. In addition the " Sir Charles Wakefield " Scholarship, which was notawarded in June, 1924, since no eligible candidate qualified,for entry, has now been awarded to Flight Cadet H. F. M. Pickford. 703
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