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Aviation History
1926
1926 - 0391.PDF
JUNE 10, 1926 IN GLOUCESTERSHIRE AND SOMERSET By MAJOR F. A. de V. ROBERTSON, V.D. THE great strike had this in common with other ill-winds that it blew a measure of relaxation to a few people. In the case of the present writer it made visits £o aircraft factories more leisurely and peaceful than is often the case. The visitor was not deafened by the clang of machinery, and was not oppressed by the feeling that he was taking up, and possibly wasting, the valuable time of the staff. The staffs, of course, were busy, especially in the drawing offices, and were appar- ently enjoying the air of peace and calm which brooded over the works as they pushed on with their calculations ; but they were better able to spare time for visitors than on normal occasions. The Bristol Aeroplane Co., Ltd. It was a wet and gloomy day when I stopped my car at Filton and was cordially received by Mr. Fedden. Of course, the first proceeding was a walk round the engine shops. It is some time since I last visited Filton, and 1 was greatly struck by the changes made in the interval. On the former occasion the Jupiter had not yet been put on production. Now, an out-turn of three Jupiters per week is not considered sufficient, and the shops are in process of re-arrangement with a view to making possible an output of six per week. An increase of 100 per cent, is always impressive. But when one learns that the sale of Jupiters by the Gnome and Le Rhone company is considerably greater than the output at Filton, while the factories in Italy and Czecho-Slovakia are also busy, one realises with great satisfaction how extremely popular this British air-cooled engine is in the world. Filton makes only the latest mark of Jupiter—by this time it cannot possibly violate any official secret to murmur the mystic numeral six— while the other countries produce mark four. Yet mark four is gladly snapped up on the Continent and is everywhere making aeronautical history. I was shown the latest devel- opments, the substitution of duralumin for aluminium in certain parts, and the introduction of other special metals elsewhere to counteract various effects of temperature set up when running. Very interesting was a visit to the room where the parts are covered externally with a deposit of zinc. This resists corrosion by acids or by salt water, and makes the Jupiter suitable for use on a seaplane. In the finished Jupiter nearly all the metals are of the same dull grey colour. At another factory a designer remarked to me that he thinks the Jupiter a very handsome engine. 1 agree. Then we went into the foundry. When last I visited Filton there was no foundry on the spot, and the addition is one more evidence of the progress of the last few years. It is always inspiring to have a talk with Mr. Fedden because he takes such a long view. Some men are content to turn out what will sell at the moment —and small blame to them when the market is so restricted. Mr. Fedden is not content to do that. He considers what flying will be likely to need five years ahead and ten years ahead, and lays his plans accordingly. Five years is a long period in the history of aircraft and aero engines. He believes that the world's demand for aero engines will gradually crystallize into a definite number of classes, according to power, and he has his own ideas as to the number of those classes which he hopes to provide at Filton. It is rather sad to learn that the gallant little Cherub does not fall into any one of those classes. It is admittedly a beautiful little engine, but ever since the second Lympne week I do not think that Mr. Fedden has really believed in its future. It is in fact now going out of print, and when I was at Filton I believe that there were not more than four new Cherubs for sale. It is quite probable that some intending competitors for the Dailv Mail prizes in September will leave their orders until too late and so be unable to obtain one. A day or two later I was able to give this tip to a probable entrant, who promptly made a note that he would ring up Filton that afternoon and book a Cherub. While at Filton I heard other names from Roman mythology mentioned, but for the present we must leave the gods of Olympus to keep their own secrets. So interesting was Mr. Fedden, that I am afraid I kept Mr. Fernie waiting some time for lunch. I had a long dis- cussion with him about prospects in Australia, where the Bristol Tourers still continue to give excellent service on the West Australian airway between Perth and Derby. The Bristol Tourer was the first commercial aeroplane to be used on any regular mail service in the British Empire (one cannot count the brief experiment of carrying mails between Karachi and Bombay with D.H.lO's in 1919), and since December, 1921, the six Bristol Tourers have borne the brunt of main- taining a weekly service each way over the longest airway 337 in the world, with practically 100 per cent, efficiency. Thedistance between the two termini is 1,442 miles, and since the inauguration of the service up to the beginning of thepresent year, W.A.A. machines have flown 568,400 miles, carried 2,603 passengers (that is paying passengers), and645,247 letters. As for modern times, the firm is very actively engagedin preparing for the day when metal will supersede wood, and its work on steel was very interesting to see. It was alsogratifying to notice the number of crates containing Bristol school machines with " Lucifer " engines, ready for despatchto foreign countries. I left Filton after a most enjoyable visit, with a great impression of progress. George Parnall and Co. Yate, where the works of the Parnall firm are located, is about a mile west of Chipping Sod bury, and some 12 miles north-east of Bristol, in a charming part of Gloucestershire. Mr. Bolas, the designer of the firm, took me round. Here, too. the calm of the strike lay over the works ; and here, again, very active preparations for the day of metal could be studied. It is very interesting to compare the different angles from which various firms approach this problem, the pre- ference for steel here, for duralumin there, for a combination of metals in a third place, and in a fourth a combination of metal and wood. It remains for experience to prove what will ultimately fie the best policy (if an ultimate best is ever attainable), and in the meantime one sees that it would be rash to make the expression " all metal " into a shibboleth. Apart from machines which will shortly make their debut before the Air Ministry experts, the works of Geo. Parnall and Company are much occupied (apart from strike preoccupa- tions) in reconditioning I).H.9A bombers. We all know that this type is a much-respected veteran which it is hard to replace, though one would very much like to see British engines used for it. The works, however, looked incongruous with the contrast of hoary age beside the brilliant conceptions of today and tomorrow. Yate is not a large factory, but it is full of ideas, and one feels that with Mr. Bolas about, the factory may expand to any size in the not distant future. I may men ion that there is one real " thrill," as the evening papers have it, at Yate. The firm is at work on designs for two autogiros. The Air Ministry has ordered one, a single- seater, and in all probability a two-seater will be produced privately as well. Mr. Bolas is deep in the problems of this modern mystery. The blades will have to be started by power and not by hand, and that provides one problem. A problem of a different order is to fit in a second seat. Mr. Bolas is a master of aeronautical jig-saw puzzles, and if anyone can fit in that seat neatly, I feel sure that he can do it. And we all hope to see him and one of the " Pixies " down at Lympne in September. The Gloucestershire Aircraft Co., Ltd.I stopped my car in the streets of Cheltenham to ask the way to Sunningend works. A respectable-looking mandirected me, and added wistfully, " I'd come and show you sir, if I could." Then his feelings overcame him, and he burstout : " It's the first time I've ever had to go on strike, and it's simply damnable." I presumed that he was an employeeof the Gloucestershire Aircraft firm, and I can quite under- stand that they would all prefer working in their factory toroaming the streets on a rainy day. A mighty big works they are at Sunningend, and on the road from Gloucester I hadpassed their aerodrome, on which tremendous hangar accom- modation awaits the day when aircraft will really come intoits own. Sunningend is all methodically arranged and beautifully appointed. Even to wash one's hands in thegreat tiled hall provided for the men's ablutions is an aesthetic pleasure. After seeing the view over the Cotswoldsfrom the windows of the exalted drawing office. I began to understand why Mr. Folland can design aeroplanes which flyso much faster than most other people's machines. That view alone must be an inspiration. Mr. Longden, managingdirector, hospitably entertained me, and he and Mr. Folland took me round the works. Of course, I saw " Gamecocks "and " Glosters " and old " Mars I," and, equally, of course, I saw Mr. Folland's version of metal work. There is no doubtabout it, our British firms are not lagging behind. The Westland Aircraft Works. Gloucestershire, a beautiful county, had not treated me well in the matter of weather. Somerset beamed upon me.
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