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Aviation History
1927
1927 - 0198.PDF
MARCH 24 1927 CORRESPONDENCE The Editor does not hold himself responsible for opinions expressed by correspondents. The names and addresses of the writers, mn necessarily for publication, must in all cases accompany letters intended for insertion in these columns. "AERIAL OARS " |2155] In reference to your article dealing with balloon jumping, we certainly resent your remarks, " the paddles were intended, etc.—but were a failure." The only reason that the " aerial oars " were not able to be used to their full advantage, was, as you correctly state, insufficiently buoyant condition of the balloon, owing to escape of gas. We maintain our claim, that, if the operator of the balloon has a gravity pull of 2 lbs. to earth, a force of 6 lbs. can be exercised comfortably, by means of the " oars," the 6 lbs. being the net force, and 8 lbs. the gross force applied. We, therefore, beg to point out that, providing a force greater than the actual gravity force is obtainable, the " oars " will be sufficient to prolong, shorten or sustain the balloon jump, and the force will even be sufficient to keep the balloon at a desired altitude, an item very desirous, in our opinion, for a safe application of this sport. We do not claim to travel against a wind, by means of the " aerial oars." We would be pleased to see the above details, published in your Journal, and prevent us from asking for your apology, for your condemning article of a first impartial test under unfavourable conditions. Both your published photographs show Mr. Palmer, as the operator. ;. JULES E. PALMER Andover, March 21, 1927. [We still fail to see the utility of the " aerial oars." A very slight up-current or down-current would impart to the balloon movements far in excess of anything which could be overcome by the most vigorous use of the " oars."—ED.] "THE GREAT DELUSION" [2156] A great deal of interest has been created by the publication of the book by " Neon," entitled " The Great Delusion "—a book decrying aviation in general. Having now had an opportunity of reading this publica- tion, I thought you would be interested in one or two points raised in it of which I have particular knowledge. On page 194 there is a specific reference to the Napier Company ; in setting out the number of people required to build aeroplanes and aero engines, " Neon " quotes from "American Hearings" the fact that the Napier Company require 1,700 men to produce 15 aero engines in one month. But the author does not state the date of this, nor that ii addition to aero engines, the Napier Company, up to 1924. were building motor cars as well. If he had troubled to obtain real facts as showing thf advance that has been made in aero-engine construction in the last few years, he would have found that the Napier Com- pany employed in 1925-26 1,600 men and produced 50 com- plete engines in one month, in addition to which large numbers of spares were manufactured, equivalent to a further IS engines per month. Therefore the Napier Company could produce from their factory at Acton, with 1,600 men, 65 Napier " Lion " engines per month, when they are required. Then, when referring to the splendid flight of Comman- dante Franco from Spain to Buenos Aires when the South Atlantic Ocean was flown non-stop for the first time, he decries this flight from the point of view that Franco did not fly back, but he has not troubled to discover the reason Franco did not return by air. We had some interest in the flight, as Franco used Napier engines, and I can inform " Neon" as an absolute fact that the reason Franco did not return by air was not that the machine was not capable of the flight, but that he was ordered by his Government to hand the machine over to the Argentine Government as a present, and return by boat. As he had to present the machine to the Argentine Govern- ment it will be obvious that he could not possibly have flown back with it. He also refers in a deprecatory manner to that splendid flight by four Royal Air Force machines each fitted with a Napier engine from Cairo to Cape Town, back to Cairo, and thence to England. He compares the time taken with that of a tramp steamer, but again he deludes his readers by omitting to tell them the flight was not made to enable them to get from one spot to another as quickly as possible, but was carried out to survey the possibilities of the district as an air route. After reading the book one can gather why the author prefers to remain anonymous, and having paid 12s. Qd. for it, one can also understand where the great delusion occurs. The criticisms which this book calls for will no doubt prove the finest advertisement aviation has ever received. H. T. VANE, Managing Director, Acton, D. NAPIER AND SON, LTD. March 22, 1927. Aero Golfing Society THE Winter meeting was held at Sunningdale on March 17, for the Challenge Cup presented by Sir Samuel Instone. The leading scores were :—C. R. Fairey, 94, less 18 = 76 ; C. E. Ruault, 79, less 3 = 76, P. Barry, 86, less 9 -- 77, H. E. Perrin, 92 less 14 = 78 ; G. F. Roberts, 81 less 2 = 79. C. R. Fairey and C. E. Ruault will play off the tie for tin' Challenge Cup. The Four-Ball Bogey Foursomes resulted as follows :— Commander W. Briggs and Lieut.-Col. W. A. Bristow, 4 up ; Lieut.-Col. J. T. C. Moore-Brabazon and General A. C. Critchley, 3 up. Marshal of the Air Force, Sir Hugh Trenchard, paid a visit to the Napier Works on March 2, and also inspected the Experimental Department. Our picture shows Sir Hugh (second from left) inspect - ing one of the " Lions,' • together with Mr. G. Pate, Director and Chief Engineer ; Mr. H. T. Vane, Manag- ing Director ; and Mr. H. A. Allen, Works Manager. Si Si Si 180 ^
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