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Aviation History
1927
1927 - 0308.PDF
MAY 5, 1927 ROTTERDAM ^ OSTEND UN KIRK o Ghent POPEWNGHE BRUSSLES ST.INGLEVERT 0 10 ?0 30 40 50 60 MllCS MR. KITTEL'S EASTER TOUR : This sketch map shows the route followed by Mr. Kittel on his flight to Belgium, Germany and Holland on his D.H. " Moth " (G-EBMU). The tour was made at trifling cost and in the greatest comfort. map, which proved to be a point rather off the course. About 15 minutes' flying from there brought me in sight of Rotterdam. " Next day the return journey was made from Rotterdam to London in 3 hours 50 minutes, with one stop at St. Ingle- vert for lunch and petrol. The journey proved uneventful and rather monotonous all down the Belgian coast after leaving Flushing, past Blankenberg, Zeebrugge, Ostend, Nieuport, Dunkirk, etc., with an unending panorama of seashore and sand dunes, which occupies about 2 hours. " Such a journey, although not remarkable in any way, shows what a great distance can be accomplished in a short time on a small machine by the average person who, like myself, has no particular knowledge either of map reading or navigation. But the importance of a good map cannot be over-estimated, for, on the outward trip to Cologne, I was using Ordnance Survey maps of 4 miles to the inch, and with these it was possible to pick out almost even- clump of trees and road. But from Cologne to Rotterdam with a road map it was very difficult. For the stretch Rotterdam to St. Inglevert no map is necessary as it is merely a matter of following the coast." DELIVERY OF A "MOTH" TO GERMANY WHEN they recently delivered a " Moth " by air to Germany, Captain Broad, the De Havilland test pilot, and Mr. F. N. St. Barbe, the business manager, had a wonderful reception there, and they have brought back very good impressions of the future of aviation in Germany. It will be remembered that starting from Croydon on April 22 they accomplished the 450-mile journey to Hanover in 4 hrs. 25 mins. flying time, halting at Ostend to make a small adjustment to the carburettor and again at Rotterdam for lunch. They could have easily reached Berlin that day only they delayed as the official reception arranged for them had been allocated for the next day, Saturday. On this day they left Hanover at 2 p.m. and reached Berlin, a distance of 160 miles, in 1 hr. 15 mins. On landing at Tempelhof Aerodrome, which is the Croydon of Germany, and has recently been considerably extended to accommodate the rising volume of air traffic, they had an extraordinary reception. First they were greeted by Herr Karl Bercowitz, who is the actual purchaser of the Mark II Cirrus " Moth," and who has presented it to the Deutscher Sportflieger Club. Herr Bercowitz is a very wealthy Berlin banker with business connections in a number of the principal European capitals, and his widespread interests entail considerable travel, which, being a very busy man, he does by air. This is the reason of his very great interest in aviation. He is very keen to see the private flying movement develop in Germany. The " Moth " he has purchased is to be used by him for his extensive private travels all over Europe for which he will be piloted by Herr Heft, who may be regarded as his private air chauffeur, as well as being used by the Deutscher Sportflieger Club. On their arrival Captain Broad was presented with a large bouquet of flowers, representing the colours of the London Aeroplane Club, by Herr Alfred Friedrich, the secretary of the Sportflieger Club, and one of the oldest German pilots. As far back as 1913 he was very prominent, carrying out nights from Berlin to Paris on an Etrich-Taube, and also from Paris to London. Amongst the welcoming gathering at Tempelhof were representatives from the British Embassy, the German Air Minister, the Aero Club, many members of the Sportflieger Club, and hosts of the ever-present Press. In the evening they were entertained to dinner at tlu- Aero Club von Deutschland, and they had the great honour of being made honorary members both of the Aero Club and also of the Sportflieger Club. On the next day Capt. Broad, carrying Herr Bercowitz as his passenger, flew from Tem- pelhof to Staaken, which is the German Club's headquarter. Here Capt. Broad went up alone and gave a very spectacular demonstration of aerobatics on the " Moth " and it can be imagined that the 150 members of the club who watched him were very impressed, for he is naturally a great expert on thi.- popular mount from his own stable. In particular the get- off and the rapid climb made an extraordinary impression on them (the initial climb of the " Moth " is 625 ft. per mini. and they were very generous in their open appreciation and enthusiasm. After Capt. Broad came down, Herr Hi'lt tried the machine and as he has l*-en used to flying heavy Junkers machines for some years he was naturally caution at first with the light 'plane. He was not used to the rapi'i rate of climb and the degree of sensitiveness of the controls, but he soon overcame these characteristics of the " Moth.' and subsequently performed aerobatics, including loops, which he had not done since the war. This obviously shows th'- easy adaptability of the " Moth." Both Capt. Broad and Mr. F. N". St. Barbe were impressrd by the " airmindedness " and keenness of everybody they m< i- Unfortunately for private flying in the country, owing to t!:f Treaty of Versailles, the German Government are not v<1 allowed to assist any training organisation, consequently 1'"" light 'plane movement cannot be subsidised, but it v. ^ evident to them that if assistance was permitted clubs woi.^i commence all over the country and there is no doubt t; .it they would be very well supported. The two visitors <• ° had many opportunities of seeing the activities of I l Hansa, and realised that the amount of air travel extend 2 throughout the country is really remarkable. The afrh i* and departures of air'liners at Tempelhof, Hanover , u Cologne were literally continuous. They saw the fleet >t Luft Hansa machines labelled for a series of destination to all parts of Germany, to Austria, Hungary, Poland, Denrr:.iK and Sweden, and the busy scenes made them inevit' ! !> 276
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