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Aviation History
1927
1927 - 0632.PDF
AUGUST 18, 1927 Keen Race for " Dole " Prizes EIGHT machines started on August 16 in the 2,400 miles' air race from the American coast to Hawaii for the James Dole prizes amounting to £7,000. One, " El Encanto," a mono- plane piloted by N. Goodard and Lieut. Hawkins, crashed on taking off, both airmen escaping injury. The monoplane, " Oklahoma," piloted by B. Griffin and A. Henley, was the first machine off, and five others followed at one minute intervals ; but three returned shortly after, although one took the air again later. This was "Miss Doran," a biplane, in which Miss Doran, a school teacher, was a passenger. The pilots were J. Pedlar and Lieut. Knope. The other machines in the race are : " Gabco," monoplane, piloted by L. Irving : " Golden Eagle," monoplane, piloted by J. Frost and G. Scott; "Aloha," monoplane, piloted by M. Jensen and P. Schulter ; " Woolaraoo," monoplane, piloted by A. Gobel and Lieut. Davis ; and " Dallas Spirit," monoplane, piloted by Capt. Erwin and A. Eichwaldt. The " Aloha " and the "Woolaraoo" have both been sighted by ships, flying well, the latter reporting good wireless signals. Unfortunately, three fatalities marred the preparatory flights for this event. Lieuts. Covell and Waggemer, of the U.S. Navy, were killed on August 10 when their machine crashed at Point Loma, California, and Capt. A. V. Rogers, was killed whilst testing his machine at Monte Bello on August 13. He was an Englishman who served in the R.N.A.S. and the French Lafayette Escadrille during the war. The Cairo-Basra-Karachi Air Line ON the Cairo-Basra air line the Imperial Airways liners covered 10,183 miles in 114 hours, flying during July with uninterrupted regularity. The average speed was 102 m.p.h. So far so good, but how about that Persian ban ? Unless this unfortunate hitch can be settled soon it would seem that all the work and money spent on this important Empire air route will be more or less wasted. We are in entire agreement with The Times correspondent's suggestion that large flying-boats, like those now touring Scandinavia, may offer a possible solution. The Ford Reliability Trial THE Ford Reliability Air Tour recently held in America proved to be an exceptionally interesting and successful contest. We had hoped to give our readers a detailed account of this competition, but pressure on our space during the last few weeks has prevented this. At the first opportunity, however, we will do so, but at the moment we can only record the following brief facts. The winning machine was the Stinson monoplane, piloted by E. Stinson ; of the 13 entries, 11 completed the full course and were "placed," one also completed but was not competing for the trophy, and two fell out. The Canadian Atlantic Attempt THE proposed Canadian flight across the Atlantic will now be undertaken by Capt. T. B. Tully and Lieut. J. V. Medcalf, who have both resigned from the Ontario Patrol Service for the purpose. A Stinson monoplane will be used and the attempt will be made probably next month. Belgium's Air Plans M. ALLARD, Technical Director of Civil Aviation in Belgium, left Evere Aerodrome, near Brussels, on August 11 for a flight to the Eastern Province of the Belgian Congo. His aim is to study the best way for an air line between Bel- gium and the Congo. Independent Iraq IRAQ is planning its own air force, for next year it may not have the protection of the Royal Air Force. Already there are a number of Irakis, both officers and men, now going through a course at R.A.F. stations. A few more have arrived and are now learning English before going into training, in all probability, at Cranwell. The withdrawal of the R.A.F. from Iraq would represent an annual saving of £4,000,000. The Iraq Government has to provide its own defence before the end of 1928. Above the Crater THE Duchess of Bedford has left on another tour of Europe in her " Moth," piloted by Capt. C. Barnard. After visiting the Lido she is now continuing her journey through Italy. A stop was made at Pisa on the way from Venice to Rome, and Vesuvius was closely inspected from the air. Air Congress at Zurich THE congress of the International Aeronautic Federation was opened at Zurich on August 15. The Gold Medal of the Federation has been presented to Sir Alan Cobham (for 1926) and the Marquis de Pined o (for 1925), both of whom flew to the congress. By " Moth " to the Cape LIEUT. R. R. BENTLEY, an instructor in the S. African Air Force, is flying to the Cape in his " Moth " machine shortly. It has been fitted with an extra petrol tank in the passenger cockpit, which allows a range of 11 hours' flying. Lady Bailey christened Lieut. Bentley's machine " Dorys " at the Stag Lane Aerodrome on August 16. GERMANY'S ATTACK ON THE ATLANTIC THE Germans have made a bold effort to cross the Atlantic from east to west for the first time. Their start was something of a dramatic surprise, following unostentatious preparation. It concluded with an equally dramatic effect. The two Junkers machines, " Bremen " and " Europa," left Dessau in North Germany about 6.30 p.m. on August 14. They were accompanied by a third escorting machine, "G31," which was due to return the next morning, but bad weather drove it back within a very short time. The " Europa" was next to find trouble with the weather. When over the Frisian Islands she met with thick fog, and each attempt on the pilot's part to clear it and reach the open sea was frustrated, and then he took the alternative course and tried for the English Channel ; but here, not only was there fog, but a storm, too. Then engine trouble developed and the " Europa " wisely returned, just after 11 p.m. the same night, damaging the undercarriage and propeller on landing at Bremen. The " Bremen " followed a different course, steering clear through storms over the North Sea and reaching the north of England. Fog prevailed at Newcastle, and the course was altered for Liverpool and the Irish Sea. Over Ireland the " Bremen " wandered at the mercy of unfavourable conditions, sometimes flying very low. The effort to enter the Atlantic was eventually made along the south coast of Ireland, but a strong wind was met, and the weather ahead was so threatening that the " Bremen wisely turned, having already lost five hours. On the return flight she crossed the west coast of England near Barrow, flew over the Pennine Chain to Hull, then turned south, and got to Calais via Dover. The last lap home to Dessau was made quickly in a helpful wind. She had been flying for 22 hours and a natural anxiety had prevailed in Germany over her adventure. The crew of the " Bremen " comprised Capt. Kohl, Herr Loose and Baron von Hahnefeld, and in the " Europa " were Herr Ristiez, Herr Edzard and Mr- Knickerbocker, the Hearst newspaper representative. In the escorting machine, "G3I," were Mrs. Knickerbocker, Fraulein Junkers, and many German journalists. JHerr Ristiez and Herr Edzard made the world's duration record in the " Europa " on August 3-5. The " Bremen " covered over 1,800 miles during ^icr t the Junk Breme covere ^ wandering flight. According to the latest reports the Junker firm are not favourably disposed towards another atte-mp this year, owing to the improbability of suitable wea.H" prevailing over the route. 584
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