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Aviation History
1927
1927 - 0688.PDF
SEPTEMBER 8, 1927 THE ATLANTIC FLIGHTS WEEK by week the air conquest of the Atlantic dominates theinterest in current affairs and brings aviation, as far as daily journalism is concerned, from obscure paragraphs to front-line headings, making this year almost unique for the publicity that aviation has received. It seems probable that the comingseason will soon draw these flights to a close, but whilst there are fine patches of weather across the line of flight it isreasonable to expect Americans to pop over unostentatiously like Mr. Schlee and Mr. Brock did. Then we have by nomeans finished with the Atlantic from this side. Our first attempt has ended in what seems a tragic failure. There is no definite news concerning the disappearance ofPrincess Lowenstein-Wertheim, Col. F. F. Minchin and Capt. L. Hamilton. They started from Upavon Aerodrome, Wilt-shire, on August 31, at 7.15 a.m. Their machine was a Fokker monoplane fitted with a Bristol " Jupiter " engine of500 h.p. Col. Minchin was an Imperial Airways pilot and had originally associated with Capt. Mclntosh in preparing for theAtlantic attempt. But later Capt. Hamilton joined Col. Minchin, and Capt. Mclntosh prepared for a separate flight.In the last few days before the start the Princess announced her intention of accompanying the pilots, and it was mentionedthat she had a financial interest in the venture. She was the daughter of the Fourth Earl of Mexborough and a very experi-enced airwoman, being associated during recent years with Capt. Hamilton's flights. Before the St. Raphael set offthe Archbishop of Cardiff blessed the machine. The ascent was thrilling, for the heavily-loaded machine failed to riseuntil the last safe moment. The course followed was along the south coast of Wales, across the Irish Sea to Wexford,then over country to Thurles, County Tipperary, and on to the north-west coast of Ireland. The jump off across the openAtlantic took place at the northerly point of the Aran Isles. At Ottawa, Canada, where they were steering for, greatpreparations were being made to welcome them. The range of the machine was estimated at 40 to 42 hours. When half-way across it was sighted by the tanker, " Josiah Macy," at 9,44 p.m. in the evening of the Wednesday on which it hadstarted, and the next morning at about six the Dutch steamer, " Blijdendijik," spotted a white light travelling in thesky in an eastward direction and well south of the St. Raphael's intended course. This suggests that, supposing it to be themachine, it was lost. Its position then was about 420 miles E.S.E. of New York. Beyond this there is no authentic newswhatever. The day after the St. Raphael left, the French biplane.L'Oiseau Bleu, ascended from Le Bourget at 6.28 a.m. on an attempt to cross the Atlantic to New York, piloted byMM. Givon and Corbu. The machine, which weighed 11 tons, took a long time to rise, but it eventually lifted within100 yards of the barrier. Three smaller French biplanes also took off to escort the big machine at the start, but afew minutes later it reappeared over the aerodrome, flying west at 1,000 ft. ; then it vanished in the mist, and the greatflight seemed definitely begun. About 2£ hours later, however, it returned to Le Bourget, and then circled theaerodrome for an hour in order to empty its large petrol- tanks before landing. At 10 a.m. this was accomplished, andthe attempt ended through the low clouds and mist, over which the machine could not rise with its 2,000 gallons of fuel. Capt. F. T. Courtney got away at last on September 3from the R.A.F. Seaplane base at Cattewater, Plymouth. His machine, the Dornier " Whale," has two Napier 450 h.p.engines fitted in tandem. His crew comprises Flight-Lieut. F. W. M. Downer, navigator and second pilot, Mr. R. F.Little, mechanic, and Mr. E. L. Horsmer as passenger. The latter is the son of a Canadian millionaire who has beenholidaying in this country and wished to fly back. He is said to have paid £'1,500 for his air passage. Capt. Courtneyplanned to do his flight in stages, and he is doing it. His original starting-place was Southampton, from where heflew to Plymouth, and then reached Corunna, in Spain, on September 3, after flying from 6.25 a.m. till 7.15 p.m. thesame day. He was making for the Azores as the first stage of his flight to New York, but strong head winds and petrolshortage forced him to Spain. Since his landing there fog has held him up. The " Whale " is the same machine thatCapt. Roald Amunsden used on his historic flight over the North Pole, but fitted with new engines. From the Azores itwill make for New York via Newfoundland. Capt. R. H. Mclntosh. the other Imperial Airways pilot,flew front Bristol to Baldonnel Aerodrome, Dublin, on September 4, accompanied by Mr. Maurice Piercey, in hisFokker monoplane fitted with a 500 h.p. Bristol " Jupiter " engine, in which he is going to cross the Atlantic also. Hisnavigator is Capt. Anthony Joynson-Wreford, cousin of the Home Secretary. Two Irish Free State Army machines willescort the monoplane, called the " Xenia," for the first 200 miles.Capt. T. B. Tully and Lieut. J. V. Medcalf, the Canadian pilots, left London, Ontario, for London, England, on Sep-tember 1 in their Stinson monoplane, fitted with a Wright " Whirlwind " 220 h.p. engine, and called the " Sir JohnCarling." It landed at Caribou, Maine, through bad weather. On September 5 it reached Harbour Grace, Newfoundland,where it is now waiting for good weather in order to make the ocean flight.Mr. C. A. Schiller and Mr. P. Wood, flying their Stinson monoplane, the " Royal Windsor," started from Windsor,Ontario, for Windsor, England, on September 1. It was forced to come down at St. John's, Quebec, and on September 3it started again, and landed at Portland, Maine. It is also making for Harbour Grace, Newfoundland, where it willhop off on the sea journey. The Fokker monoplane. " Old Glory," left Old Orchard,Maine, at 1.23 p.m. on September 6 on a 4,500-mile flight to Rome. It is piloted by Mr. Lloyd Bertaud and Mr. JamesHill, and Mr. P. I). Payne, managing editor of one of Hearst's newspapers, is a passenger. The monoplane has enough fuelto last for 48 hours, and wireless is carried. It is fitted with a Bristol " Jupiter " engine of 500 h.p. Mr. Levine and Capt. Hinchliffe, who propose to make thewestern flight to New York in the monoplane " Miss Columbia," fitted with a Wright " Whirlwind " engine of 220 h.p., arewaiting at Cranwell for suitable weather. Miss Mabel Boll, a rich American girl, wished to fly with them as a passenger,and, although it was decided that she should do so at first, at a subsequent conference with Capt. Hinchliffe it was decidedthat a passenger would mean reducing the petrol capacity, which would not be wise. Wireless On The •• Whale " THE Marconi apparatus fitted to Captain Courtney'sflying boat will give the aviators a means of communication over long distances with ships or shore stations throughoutthe hours they are in the air. The telgraph transmitter is of a type specially designed by the Marconi Company forinstallation in the larger types of aircraft—such as would be used if a commercial trans-Atlantic air service were established—and is of 500 watts power. The " interrupted continuous wave " method of transmission has been chosen on accountof its suitability for reception by ships of all classes, it being possible to read such signals with both crystal and valvereceivers. The aerial for this set is an ordinary trailing aerial of about 200 ft. as generally used on Marconi-equippedcivil aircraft. Following the latest practice, power for the transmission is supplied from a wind-driven generator mountedin the slip-stream from the main propellers. This generator supplies current for the lights on the machine as well asfor the wireless apparatus, although previously it has been necessary to carry two separate generating installationsor these functions. The new generator has thus saved Captain Courtney a considerable amount of additionalweight. The contingency of a forced landing is provided for by the installation of a special emergency aerial whichwill enable the aviators to send out a call while on the water. The receiving installation on the 1 )ornier-Whale consistsof a Marconi type A.I).6 five-valve receiver, which is standard equipment on British and many foreign air lines and hasbeen approved l>v the Air Ministry for use on civil aircraft. With this receiver messages can be received in the air fromcoast and ship stations tip to distances of 200 to 300 miles. Wireless on " Miss Columbia "AT a conference between Mr. Levine, Captain Hinchliffe, his pilot, and aircraft experts of Marconi's Wireless TelegraphCo., Ltd., Mr. Levine decided to fit " The Columbia " with the latest type of Marconi aircraft telephone and telegraphtransmitter. The equipment was rushed by a fast car to Cranwell aerodrome and is expected to be fitted in time forMr. Le vine's flight. The wireless will enable the pilot to communicate with vessels on the ocean and special instruc-tions are being wirelessed by the Marconi Company to ships to keep a sharp watch for signals from " The Columbia." 634
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