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Aviation History
1927
1927 - 0981.PDF
DECEMBER 29, 1927 We taxied to a slipway and hedged on to a trolley. There was a small group of pilots and mechanics watching our arrival. I was bending down in the cockpit gathering my gear together when a ringing authoritative voice suddenly cried :— " Why didn't you answer our wireless signals as you came down the coast ? We heard you call your own station on leaving, but you ignored us entirely." Now at that age in my life I had not learned to be tolerant before an injustice, and so I rose up quickly, prepared to slay that unknown person with ready invective, but, by good fortune, my eye was suddenly arrested by an arm resting on the side of the fuselage conspicuously adorned with two gold rings and two gold stars—Squadron Commander ! My inten- tion, however, had beer obvious, and I was too confused to splutter out even the justified excuse. " You have a new receiver in that machine, haven't you ? "he demanded. " No, Sir," I replied, avoiding his steely glance. " Why haven't you ? " he thundered. The grinning mechanics were forming a discreet audience. " The machine is perfectly new and must have been equipped with new wireless apparatus when it arrived at your station. What is the reason for bringing down an old receiver in a new machine ? " Although I knew, I dare not say. But he knew. " I know," he snapped. " Your station has developed the habit of taking out this new apparatus when these ma- chines arrive and passing them on to us with your old stuff." . With that he stalked away with an expression that fore- boded harm to someone in the future. His surmise was quite correct. We counted it our privilege, as the chief base in our area, to take possession of the new gear and pass on the old. This was the actual end of my " joy-ride," and I was very thankful, but another incident occurred before reaching the safety of my own base again which was equally disconcerting, although its climax was more of a relief. I returned back alone, by train, the next day, which was Sunday, as my pilot was detained for another day in connec- tion with ferrying. In my compartment there were just two middle-aged R.N. warrant officers beside myself, and they seemed strangely and persistently interested in me, which eventually became very embarrassing. Their attention was divided between my appearance and the miscellaneous nature of the bundle at my side. This was my own gear that I habitually used when flying and was now bringing back with me. It consisted of my Perrin's lifebelt, which we always wore when flying at sea, flying helmet, wireless telephones, signalling lamp and battery, charts and code book. In my haste when leaving my base, I had, of course, brought no clothes other than those I now wore, which were simply a thick blue jersey and blue slacks. I had no cap even. On considering their curiosity, I realised that I probably looked a strange and unusual sight for a Service fellow travelling in public, but that did not seem to me to justify their utter mystification that they made poor attempts to conceal. That journey took about two hours, and this intensely annoy- ing situation lasted the whole time. At last, when I was near my destination, their curiosity apparently got the better of them, and one of them suddenly leaned towards me and said, quite seriously and sincerely : " Excuse me, sir, have you been shipwrecked ? " LIGHT 'PLANE CLUBS: Owing to Christmas holidays the weekly Light 'Plane Club reports are heldover until next week. Australian News THE Sydney Club's monthly publication, aptly entitled The Fly Paper, has been issued for November in a new form, like a small newspaper. It is an excellent change from the mimeographed sheets, although the contents of these were always very interesting. The three-quarter front-view drawing of the " Moth " is still retained as the illustrated heading, with the paper's title boldly printed on the side of the fuselage. It is very effective. We would suggest, though, that the paper would be more readily identified if the name of the club was also indicated on the front page, for as it is now a new reader will have to wander through the contents before he knews whom it concerns. The club records with regret the sad loss of Mrs. Millicent M. Bryant, who was drowned in the recent ferry-boat disaster in Sydney Harbour. Not only was Mrs. Bryant one of the first members of the club, but she was the first woman pilot in Australia, despite the fact that her age was over 48 when she commenced to fly. So the club's loss is equally Aus- tralia's. Club machines flew over, and a wreath was dropped on the grave at her funeral on November 5. A complete reconditioning of the club's machines has been done, and flying was recommenced with all five " Moths " in most excellent condition. In 15 months' hard flying over 1,650 hours had been done. The Civil Aviation Department has been asked for the loan of another " Moth." The flying hours per week sometimes amount to nearly fifty. There are two instructors. Avro «' Avian " (Cirrus) Creates a Record CAPT. LANCASTER and Mrs. Keith Miller have now set up a long-distance record for light aeroplanes in the course of their attempt to reach Australia in an Avro " Avian." On December 22 they covered 300 miles after leaving Akyab, but were forced to make a landing in a rice-field just before reaching the end of the stage to Rangoon. Neither of them were hurt, and they went on to Rangoon by road. They have travelled well over 9,000 miles now. Lieut. Bentley, A.F.C., previously held the record with hit. 8,000-mile flight to Cape Town in a D.H. " Moth." The extra distinction of Capt. Lancaster's record is that he carries a passenger besides extra fuel. The detail weights of his " Red Rose " are : tare weight, 930 lbs. : pilot, 154 lbs ; passenger, 114 lbs. ; petrol (56 galls.). 420 lbs. ; oil (4 galls), 40 lbs. ; spares, 34 lbs. ; personal kit, 12 lbs. ; maps, 12 lbs. ; firearms and ammunition, 8 lbs. ; desert rations, 2 lbs. The total loaded weight is 1,726 lbs. He left Croydon on October 14 and has covered the distance at approximately the same rate as Lieut. Bentley's " Moth." The pilot has sent excellent reports on the machine and the " Cirrus " 32-80 h.p. engine from time to time, and mentioned that he was nursing his engine until he reached Rangoon. Progress has been regular except for an enforced week's quarantine at Basra owing to an outbreak of cholera. Miss W. E. Spooner, a private owner of a" Moth " and a member of the London Aeroplane Club with whom she graduated, recently flew her machine to Chard, Somerset, to visit her brother, Capt. Spooner. She is seen here standing by her machine at Chard. 883
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