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Aviation History
1928
1928 - 0883.PDF
SEPTEMBER 20, 1928 different from those encountered in the ordinary way of civil or military aviation. The famous Armstrong Siddeley Jaguar engine in its stindard and supercharged form, and the Genet 80/88 h.p. li^ht aircraft engine, are also being used extensively, as is the Armstrong Whitworth " Atlas " type of general-purpose aircraft. The Armstrong-Siddeley " Lynx " engine is, aspreviously recorded, employed extensively in aircraft such as the Avro Lynx, the Vickers " Vedette." and the VickersVaruna," while up till now the " (ienet" engine has done most of its work in the "Genet-Moths" of the RoyalCanadian Air Force. DE HAVILLAND'S IN CANADA ALTHOUGH it will already be known to most of our readers, it may \te well to recall that the de Havilland Aircraft of Canada, with headquarters at 1001, Federal Buildings, 85, Richmond Street West, Toronto, was established in February of this year and put under the very able manage- ment of Mr. R. A. Loader, who was a familiar and popular fignre at Stag Lane until his appointment to the new post in Canada. A few words concerning the principle upon which the Canadian factory works may be of interest. With a population of only some 9,000,000, Canada offers a market which, although constant, is relatively limited, and the de Havilland Aircraft Company decided that, this being the case, the Canadian market would not be large enough to support a mass-production factory such as that which has grown up at Stag Lane. The policy was therefore adopted of manufacturing the components in England and shipping them to Canada for erection there, at the new workshops at Mount Dennis, where an excellent natural aerodrome exists, and where workshops were constructed to deal with erection repairs and overhauls and incorporating a service station carrying a large stock of all spares. That the establishment of the Canadian company was well justified is well proved by the fact that large consignments of components leave this country for Canada on almost every boat. The " Moth " is used in Canada for every purpose to whichit is possible to put a light aeroplane. Its duties include patrolling, firefighting, crop spraying, communications,aerial photography, exploration, survey, passenger and freight carrying. Particular significance attaches to the recentdespatch of two " Moths " (seaplanes) to Canada. These machines are to be employed immediately on a two years'expedition in the far north, where supplies of spares will be unobtainable. It is worthy of note that the " Moth " sea-plane has been selected as possessing that very high degree of dependability demanded for an enterprise of this nature. A " Moth " seaplane was employed as a reconnaissancemachine on the Hudson Strait Expedition last year. Carried aboard the Stanley, it proved invaluable in the location ofbases until its untimely end in a gale, when it was wrecked at its moorings. The "Moth " is used extensively by the Royal Canadian Air Force for training, practice and communications flying, and in the Civil Operations branch of the K.C.A.F. One of the new " Gipsy Moths " with de Havilland " Gipsy " engine was shown at the recent aircraft exhibition in Toronto, and as a result a dozen of these machines are now on order for Canada. Sir Charles Wakefield, that generous supporter and Patron A "Moth " sea- plane at the base of the Ontario Provincial Government Air Service at Sault Ste. Marie, Lake Ontario. -Jf. 8.' It is only comparatively recently that Canada has really taken an interest in the light 'plane, but in spite of this fact it is noteworthy that already some 100 " Moths " are in operation there, many of them privately owned, or the pro- perty of light 'plane clubs. Elsewhere it is recorded that a large number of light aeroplane clubs have come into exist- ence recently, and those which are in actual operation use the " Moth " as their standard machine. On Saturday, September 8, sixteen Canadian light 'plane clubs held their first big inter-club air race over a 100 mile circuit around the border cities. " Moths " gained first, second and third places. In addition to the de Havilland " Moths " owned by clubs and private individuals, the Canadian Government has 50 of these machines. The Ontario Provincial Govern- ment has 10 of these machines, and the " Moth " is also used by the Laurentide Air Service, Montreal ; by Western Canadian Airways, Winnipeg; by Dominion Airways, Vancouver ; by the Canadian Ministry of Marine, and by some business houses with sufficient initiative to realise the great advantages of air transport. Saint of aviation, has presented two " Moths " to Canada : a landplane to the Toronto Flying Club and a seaplane to Major-General J. H. MacBrien for his personal use on behalf of aviation in Canada. General MacBrien has for some time been president of the Aviation League of Canada, and was until recently Chief of the Canadian General Staff. Another distinguished owner of a " Moth " is Mr. J. A. Wilson, Director of Civil Aviation in Canada. An indefatig- able worker in the cause of aviation, like our own Sir Sefton Brancker, he regularly uses his " Moth " for every duty connected with his office. Although the " Moth " is so ably fulfilling the needs in Canada of the private owner, the club, the Air Force, and others who require a two-seater, it must not be imagined that the de Havilland Company does not cater for freight and transport carrying on a larger scale. The D.H.61, specially built for colonial conditions, is finding increasing favour in Canada. Fitted either with the geared or ungeared Bristol " Jupiter " engine, this machine, which carries eight passen- gers, cruises at about 110 m.p.h., and is thus able to maintain a fixed time table even in the face of strong headwinds. One
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