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Aviation History
1929
1929 - 0756.PDF
FLIGHT, APRIL 11. 1929 PRIVA FLYING A Section of FLIGHT in the Interests of the Private Owner, Owner-Pilot, and Club Member SOME RECENT PRIVATE AIR TOURS Pilgrims of the ContinentM R. DOWNES SHAW, Chairman of the Bristol and Wessex Aeroplane Club, has just completed an air tour over France and Spain, ranging over 3,500 miles. He started solo three weeks ago in his own " Cirrus- Moth," and completed about 50 flying hours. Incidentally, he met many fellow tourists en route, including Capt. Bailey of Cardiff, Capt. W. L. Hope, Capt. and Mrs. De Havilland', Mr. Guinness, and the Austrian Archdukes: Anthony and Francis Joseph. He flew via Paris, Marseilles, Lyons, Barce- lona, Carcassone, Bordeaux, and back again via Paris. His impressions were that air touring was encouraged on the Continent where, for instance, the landing fee, which covered two nights" housing, was only ninepence. Mr. Downes Shaw Mr. John Scott-Taggart, the private owner-pilot of a"Gipsy-Moth." has made previous air tours of the Continent, which were recorded in our columns. Of the tourists mentioned above, all of whom were on D.H. " Moths," Capt. W. R. Bailey was engaged on a tour of Swit- zerland and the South of France in his Coupe " Gipsy-Moth," with F..O. R. L. R. Atcherley. The Austrian Archdukes were flying their " Gipsy-Moth " and were reported at Barce- lona on April 3. They had had a forced landing on the way owing to heavy fog, but after waiting in a field for three hours they were able to resume. Private Owner's Curious Mishap In a recent issue of FLIGHT we gave brief particulars of Mr. John Scott-Taggart's air tour to Switzerland in his " Gipsy-Moth." He completed it recently with a flight from Switzerland to Bolton, but, unfortunately, it terminated with a slight mishap, for which he is not much the worse. He had flown from Lausanne via Basle, Frankfurt, Cologne, Brussels and Stag Lane Aerodrome, having covered 3,000 miles, and had previously arranged for his landing field in Bolton. On arriving there, on April 3, he found that the landing T was not laid down, but there was a man holding a white flag to indicate the direction of the wind. Unfor- tunately, he was standing along the line of landing near the centre of the field, and did not seem to realise it. Mr. Scott-Taggart made a trial approach and motioned the man away, but, states a correspondent, writing to us about the incident, although the man was familiar with aerodrome procedure, he did not move as the machine again approached. Apparently, Mr. Scott-Taggart had to raise the nose of his machine to clear him, and in the awkward predicament which followed he could not help hitting some trees and diving into a garden. He suffered a fractured rib and minor injuries, but in spite of his condition, he attended the wedding of his sister-in-law, for which purpose he had flown from Switzerland. Mr. Scott-Taggart, who is the wireless expert, hopes to leave for the United States shortly for a flying tour. He has been in consultation with Short Bros., of Rochester, concerning the production of special amphibian gear for his machine. London to South Africa The flight of Sqdn.-Ldr. L. H. Slatter in a Blackburn " Bluebird (" Gipsy " engine) from London to South Africa is proceeding smoothly and quickly. He flew the course via the North African Coast and Cairo. On April 6 he had left Nairobi for a further stage. In a communication from him on March 27, written in Alexandria, he mentioned that he arrived there in good order, and remarked that the " Gipsy " engine was doing very well indeed, giving absolutely no trouble whatever. He also stated that Mrs. Spencer-Cleaver's " Gipsy-Moth," piloted by Capt. I). Drew, was functioning satisfactorily, and that Mrs. Cleaver was already very enthusiastic about air travel. She commenced her tour from England on March 7. A tour of which mention has been made briefly by the daily Press is that of Flying Officer L. C. L. Murray and his wife in a " Gipsy-Moth," from Peshawar to Melbourne. They reached Batavia, Dutch East Indies, about April 5. This machine is fitted with a 15-gallon auxiliary tank. Gazelle Shooting from the Air The Vicomte and Vicomtesse de Sibour are still on their world tour in the " Gipsy-Moth." They were delayed for some time at Baghdad owing to very bad weather, and the Vicomte, who is a fine shot, had considerable sport shooting gazelles from the air. With a R.A.F. officer, he flew into the desert and sighted the quarry about 50 miles from Baghdad, scattered in small groups. Whilst the pilot dived on them the Vicomte took aim, but only scared the prey and nearly fell out. The first day was not a good testimony to the marksmanship, but the second day's sport produced two fine specimens. EXHIBITION OF MODEL AIRCRAFT Royal United Service Institution's Collection A whe Royal United Service Institution Museum in Whitehall, b.VV there is a small exhibition of model aircraft. The modern. The Air Ministry and the aircraft industry'havebeen only too pleased to assist the Museum in increasing the moaeis are faithful reproductions, manufactured in most collection and after the Olympia Aero Show this year it is instances by the constructors of the originals. This exhi- expected that the Air Ministry's model exhibits will oe Dition is but a small beginning of what will probably become loaned to the Museum, a large^model exhibition of all types of aircraft, ancient and At present there is a small range of seaplanes'and flying- 302
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