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Aviation History
1926
1926 - 1010.PDF
DECEMBER 30, 1926 Landing on Helvellyn AFTER having made two unsuccessful attempts previously,Mr. John Leeming, Chairman of the Lancashire Aero Club, succeeded last week in landing an aeroplane on the summitof Mount Helvellyn, the famous Lake District mountain of 3,100 ft. Mr. Leeming's first attempt has already beenreported in FLIGHT, and on December 21 he had a secondtry, when he flew from Woodford in the Avro " Gosport," fitted with an Avro " Alpha " engine, with Bert Hinkler,the Avro test pilot, as passenger. On this occasion, they encountered a gale, which in the regions of the mountainsproved too much for them, so they returned to Lancaster. Here they spent the night, since ignition trouble had developedin the meanwhile. The following day conditions were much more favourable, so they set out for the third attempt.Mr. Leeming had previously paid a visit, on foot, to his lofty aerodrome in order to see how the land lay (mainlyon the rough side, he found), and to mark out suitable landing spots. This latter was accomplished by means of strips ofcoloured material pegged out to mark the dangerous spots, whilst a fire was also lit in order to indicate the direction ofthe wind. As a matter of fact, Mr. Leeming did not land on any of the places originally " air-marked," but instead,managed to bring his Avro down within ten yards of the stone cross which marks the summit of the mountain. Herephotographs were taken, and a " witness " signed a certificate. after which they successfully took off and returned safelyto Woodford. Mr. Leeming stated that the air currents round about the mountains were very treacherous, and thatthey received several alarming bumps and drops—on one occasion the machine made a sheer drop of 500 ft. The " Moths' " Eastern TourTHE two D.H. " Moths," from Lancashire, piloted by Capt. T. N. Stack and Mr. B. S. Leete, are still proceedingmerrily eastward. After a few days' stay at Baghdad (where they arrived on December 16) during which they wereentertained by their old R.A.F. Squadrons (Nos. 45 and 70), these two pilots continued on their way towards India,and reached Bushire on December 27, having experienced a forced landing at Bandar Dilam en route. The Spanish African FlightTHE Spanish Atlantic Squadron, consisting of three Dornier-Wal flying-boats, under the command of Major R.Llorente, which left Mclilla on December 10, for Fernando Po. Spanish Guinea, successfully completed their mission on Christmas Day, having flown to Fernando Po in nine stages, via Casablanca, Las Palmas, Port Etienne, Dakar, Konakry, Monrovia, Grand Bassam, Lagos, and St. Isabel Bay. The two other pilots were Capts. Antonio Llorente and Ignacio Jimenez, and each machine carried in addition two other officers and a mechanic. Air Vice-Marshal Longcroft Injured AIR VICE-MARSHAL C. A. H. LONGCROFT was involvedin a motor car accident on December 21, and as a result was seriously injured. He was being driven to London fromBentley Priory, Stanmore (H.O., R.A.F. Inland Area) when another car coming from the direction of London collidedwith his car at Edgware. Both cars were badly damaged, and subsequently, the driver of the car which collided with theR.A.F. car was charged at Hendon Police Court of being drunk while in charge of a motor car and with driving in adangerous manner ; he was remanded, on bail, for a week. Big Flights for the New YearTHE year 1927 will probably see several big flights launched. Marquis de Pinedo, the famous Italian pilot,proposes to start on a flight round the world at the end of January ; Coram. Franco, the Spanish pilot who flew fromSpain to Buenos Aires, is also contemplating a flight round the world. France's effort will consist of a flight by twomilitary airmen, in a Potez 28 (500 h.p. Farnian), from Paris to Dakar, Buenos Aires, Panama, New York, and thence toParis. Great Britain will also make an attempt at a big flight next year, for it is rumoured that Capt. F. T. Courtneyis planning a dash to New Zealand in a multi-engined flying- boat, flying by night as well as day. French Madagascar Flight COMMANDANT DAGXAUX, the third of the French pilots to attempt a flight from France to Madagascar, arrived in his Breguet XIX A-2 (Renault) at Leopoldville on December 22. He left Le Bourget on November 28. U.S. Army Pan-American Flight.ON December 21. five Loening amphibians (400 h.p. Liberty) of the U.S. Army Air Service, under the command ofMajor Herbert A. Darque, set out from Kelly Field, San Antonio, Tex., on the first stage of a 20,000-mile " Pan-American " flight round South America. During this tour they will proceed down the west coast of South America toChile, thence over the Andes to Bahia Blanca, Buenos Aires, and back up the east coast. LIGHT 'PLANE CLUB DOINGS The Lancashire Aero ClubFLYING report for week ending December 25.—Flying has only taken place on three days, as the aerodrome has been closed for holidays duringthe remainder of the period. Total flying time, 9 hrs. 45 mins., made up as follows :— Dual with Messrs. Brown and Cantrill : Messrs. Birley, 1 hr. 15 mins. ;Abdulla and Fallon, 55 mins. each ; Wade, 40 mins. ; Dickinson, 35 mins. ; Anderson, 3(1 mins. ; Miss Brown, 30 mins. ; Messrs. Nelson and Leigh,20 mins. each ; Goodyear, Hardy and Forshaw, 10 mins. each ; Twemlow. 15 rains.Solo : Lacayo, 25 mins. ; Birley, 15 mins. Joy Tides : With Mr. Scholes—Mr. James, 25 mins. ; with Mr. Brown—Mr. James, 15 ruins. : with Mr. Costa—Mr. Sampedre, 20 mins. Test flights : 1 hr. 20 mius.Mr. Birley Went solo on Tuesday and put up a good show. On the following day two members of the club, Messrs. Bert Hinkler andJohn Leeming, landed an AIpha-Gosport on the summit of Helvellyn. They were greeted by a Greek professor and left again almost immediately. In view of the widespread public interest aroused by this flight one feels thata hitherto unpublished account of another daring lauding should now be made known. Some little time ago those indomitable Lancashire bird-men, Messrs.Becayo and Lanson, put a club Moth down on the sands at Birkdale and the following intimate narrative is now given to the public : *' As we leftWoodford aerodrome on our pigmy aero-foil the sun was shining brightly in the South of England. Striking westward through a dense fog, andSteering our course by means of canals and gasometers, we at last reached Southport and, after doing three figures of eight, to show local authoritiesthat We had taken our " A " licence, we glided down towards the Birkdale sands. Barely 200 yards to our left towered the rugged sandhills, whileon our right the cruel waves of the sea, which was at high tide, lashed the sands at a distance of not more than 2 miles. As we neared the groundwe passed over several Wicked-looking lumps of seaweed, while the whole shore was strewn With broken sea-shelis. As we landed the ' bumps ' were so terrific that had our heads not been screwed on exceptionally firm Wemust inevitably have lost them. Our landing was observed by several gentlemen in the neighbourhood, one of whom wrote out a certificate andsent it to the chairman. This was unfortunate, as it got us into a spot of trouble with the flying sub-committee." It appears to us that we, the correspondent, will also be getting into aspot of trouble if we say much more, so we will be serious for a moment and offer our heartiest congratulations on their achievements to everyoneconcerned. In case this should not pacify them we would add that we shall be out of England by the time this appears, and propose to remain therefor some time and have taken adequate, precautions for the protection of our wife and children during our absenceP.S.—We note the Hampshire Club's suggestion of last week. We think very highly of the Hampshire Club, and are grieved that they shouM havesuch a low opinion of us as to suppose that we would lend them half-a-crowu ! The Newcastle-upon-Tyne Aero Club, Ltd.REPORT for week ending December 26.—Total, 7 hrs. 7 mins. 4 hrs. 37 mins. Moth, 2 hrs. 30 mins. Avro.Dual, 2 hrs. 10 mins. : solo, 2 hrs. 5 mins. ; tests, 22 mins. The following members had instruction with Mr. J. D. Parkinson : Messrs.Turnbull, J. M. Kennedy, Stawart. Mr. J. D. Irving flew solo twice on Sunday. Mr. C. Thompson withMrs. Heslop. Mr. R. N. Thompson took up several passengers. The Avro was in great demand on Sunday—the first time, with theexception of some tests, that it has been flown since arriving. Mr. W. Baxter Ellis flew with Mrs. Ellis and Master Herbert Ellis,Mr. W. H. Leete, and Mr. J. M. Kennedy ; Mr. H. H. Leech with Mr. G. Holmes and Mr. P. Holmes ; Mr. J. D. Parkinson with Mrs. and Miss Tiley,Miss Keen, Mr. M. G. Thirlwell, Mr. Ogdon, Mr. Robson, and Mr. Jennings. The engines of the Moth and the Avro have both been changed duringthe week, so that the machines were ready for work during the holidays. L Y will be ready for delivery about January 20. 866
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