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Aviation History
1927
1927 - 0273.PDF
APRIL 21, 1927 The Bournemouth Meeting in Figures ON pp. 244-245 will be found, in the form of tables, theTesults of the Bournemouth meeting, with particulars of the lap times of the machines in the various events, the netflying times for each event, and the average speed over the whole course (i.e., the average over two or four laps, accordingto the length of the race). In connection with the speeds shown in the tables, itshould be pointed out that these must not be relied upon too implicitly, since they were calculated on the assumption thatthe course was exactly five miles. This is probably not correct. The aerodrome turning point was originally placedin the centre of the aerodrome, but was moved down to the southern corner, thus adding a little to the length of the course.If the original distance was exactly five miles, the actual length of the course would, therefore, be somewhat greater,and this fact has not been taken into account in calculating the speeds. Probably, allowing for the greater distance, thewind, and the time lost on turns, it will be safe to add at least 10 per cent, to the speeds found in the tables in order to esti-mate the straight-line speed of the machines in still air. It will be noticed that the speeds increase day by day.To some extent doubtless this is due to the fact that on Good Friday there was a fairly strong wind blowing, whichbecame considerably less on the Saturday, and had dropped to almost nothing on Easter Monday. In some cases, however,the difference in speed is not entirely accounted for in this manner, and must be ascribed to pilots having " nursed "their engines somewhat during the first two days, not letting them all out until the last day. Finally we fear that some inaccuracies may be found in thenames of pilots. Changes were made with short notice, and it was not always possible for us to ascertain these. If,therefore, we have in any instance criticised (or praised !) any pilot who was not, in fact, flying the machine referred to,we apologise beforehand, and would ask for corrections of any such mistakes to be sent to us as soon as possible so thatwe may publish them in next week's issue. The Service African Flights THE progress of the R.A.F. Cairo-Cape flight continues.The four machines with the South African flight arrived at Tabora on April 11 and reached Ndola on April 13. Pretoriawas gained on April 16, and a welcome awaited them from General Brink, Chief of Staff ; Sir H. A. Van Ryneveld,Chief of the Aviation Department of the Union ; Mr. J. H. Hofmeyr, Administrator of the Transvaal Province, and alarge gathering of the general public. The R.A.F. Squadron reached Bloemfontein on April 19.Pinedo's Progress THE seaplane, Santa Maria II, which is to replace theMarquis de Pinedo's burnt machine, arrived at Genoa on April 18, where it is being disassembled before being placed onboard ship for New York. The Marquis arrived at Washing- ton on April 19, and after visiting President Coolidge he willproceed to New York and await the arrival of the new seaplane.Demougeot's Record—with a " Jupiter " FURTHER to our brief reference the other week to Lieut.Demougeot's altitude flight of 31,164 ft. in a seaplane over Brest, the following notes may be of interest. At 27,000 ft.the temperature was 66° below zero, and he suffered from the effects, despite the care taken to keep him warm. The lastaltitude record in seaplanes was held by Sadi-Lecointe, who reached 29,454-4 ft. on a Nieuport-Delage, with 300 h.p.Hispano Suiza, at Meulan, March 11, 1924. Lieut. Demougeot flew a standard army Loire-Gourdon-Lesseure monoplane,fitted with floats and driven by a 600 h.p. Gnome-Rhone Jupiter" engine without a turbo-compressor. Writh theaddition of the latter he thinks he will improve on this altitude by 6,000 or 7,000 ft. He reached 15,000 ft. in 9 mins., but itthen took 30 mins. to climb to 27,000 ft., whilst after this he only rose at the rate of 1,500 ft. in 30 mins.An American Duration Record Two American civilian airmen last week set up a non-stop record of 4,080 miles, remaining in the air for 51 hrs. 11 mins. 20 sees., thus beating by about 6 hrs. the record heldby the French pilots, Drouhin and Landry, who accomplished a duration flight of 45 hrs. 11 mins. 59 sees, in August 7-9,• 925. The American pilots, Mr. Bert Acosta and Mr. Clarence U. Chamberlain, are to attempt a New York-Paris flight in thesame machine, a Wright-Bellanca monoplane (200 WTright "W*hirlwind ").Commander Byrd's Accident COMMANDER RICHARD BYRD, of the United States Navy,who was to have attempted a New York-Paris flight shortly, fcs.d his wrist broken, Mr. Floyd Bennett, who was to havebeen his pilot, had his leg broken and shoulder dislocated, wiile Lieut. George Neville received internal injuries, whent .eir Fokker machine crashed on landing after its first test flight at New Jersey on April 16. Mr. Anthony Fokker, thedesigner, who was at the controls when the machine over- turned, was not hurt. The main damage was done to thecentre engine. It was suggested that the nose was too heavy with four men in it, and it apparently could not overcome arut whilst taxying. The French Atlantic AttemptsTHE well-known French pilot, M. Drouhin, who intends to cross the Atlantic to South America, made successful trialswith his machine on April 12. The French ace, Captain Nungesser, has also successfully tested his machine, a Levasseuraeroplane, with which he intends to make a Transatlantic crossing. French Flight to the Argentine ANOTHER hop across the South Atlantic is in progress,for a flight from Berre, near Marseilles, to the Argentine, via Casablanca, Port Etienne, Porto Praia, Pernambuco, andBuenos Aires, is being made in a Farman " Goliath " seaplane (two 450 h.p. Lorraine engines), piloted by Capt. de Saint-Roman and Lieut. Mountayres. Capt. de Saint-Roman left Marseilles at 5.20 a.m. on April 16 on his intended flightacross the Atlantic to Brazil, and alighted at Casablanca at 4.10 p.m., having thus completed 1,000 miles of his journey-Unfortunately, on his second stage of the flight from Casa- blanca to Port Etienne in Senegal, one propeller and floatswere damaged by waves when he was attempting to rise in rough water, after vainly making attempts in the harbour,and consequently the machine had to return to the beach for repairs, which will probably take four or five days to complete. Cross-Channel Air Trip Adventure A U.H.9 BELONGING to the Surrey Flying Services, piloted by Ernest Smith, and carrying a passenger and mechanic, left Croydon on April 7 for Cherbourg. The machine passed over Lympne just as a heavy rainstorm passed over the Channel, and the pilot should have landed at St. Inglevert, for Customs inspection. He did not do so, however, and it was many hours before any news of his whereabouts came to hand. Eventually a message was received to the effect that he had landed safely at Querqueville Aerodrome. Buenos Aires-New York Flight Fails SENOR GEORGES SARIOTTE and Senor Hector Peirano, who were attempting to fly from Buenos Aires to New York, crashed near Puno, on Lake Titicaca, which is about 13,000 ft. above sea level, and both were injured. Lloyd's New Air Register To Lloyd's Daily Index, which records the movements of shipping, have been added the daily movements of aircraft departing and arriving from the Continent. It commenced on April 7, and it mentioned the flights of 11 machines, their distinguishing letters, and the names of the pilots. 247
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