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Aviation History
1931
1931 - 0152.PDF
FLIGHT, FKBRUARY 13, 1931 AIRISMS FROM THE FOUR WINDS The Prince Flies Across Panama AFTER the arrival of the Oropesa at Colon, on February 6, the Prince of Wales and Prince George flew across the isthmus to Panama, where they were received at the aero- drome at Paitilla Field by Major Braithwaite Wallis, the British Minister, Dr. Vallarino, the Panameno Foreign Secretary, Colonel Harry Burgess, Governor of the Canal Zone, Major-General Preston-Brown, and Rear-Admiral Hough, commanding the 15th U.S. Naval Division. They rejoined the Oropesa, which meanwhile had passed through the Canal, in the evening. R.A.F. Cairo-Cape Flight THE three K.A.F. Vickers " Victoria " troop-carriers of No. 216 (Bomber) Squadron, under the command of Sqdn- Ldr. H. W. G. J. Penderel, which set out from Cairo on January 12 on a 6,000-mile formation flight to Capetown, arrived there on February 7. The Governor-General of the Union, the Earl of Clarendon, accompanied by Lady Claren- don, unexpectedly welcomed them. Sqdn.-Ldr. Penderel said that the flight had been very successful. The planes had withstood continual drenching rain between Nairobi and Pretoria, and there had been one or two forced landings, but minor repairs were quickly carried out. Flying condi- tions in the Union had been perfect. The return flight com- menced on February 11. R.A.F. Flight to Basra THE thrw Short " Kangoon " flying-boats of No. 203 (Flying Boat) Squadron, R.A.F., which, as reported last week, are being flown out to Basra, where the Squadron is stationed, left Felixstbwe on February 6. The three machines, which are under the command of Group Captain W. L. Welsh, took off at 10.50 a.m., and reached Calshot at 12.55 p.m. Here they were delayed by bad weather conditions. Business Plane's Dash to the Cape EARLY on February 11, Fit.-Lieut. T. Rose, D.S.C., left Lympne on a lightning business trip, piloting the Anglo- American Oil Company's Avro-Avian machine High Test (" Cirrus Hermes "). This is one of a fleet of light aeroplanes used regularly in the company's service, but on this occasion it set out on a task of unusual magnitude. Fit.-Lieut. ROKC is making this 7,000-mile dash in order to transact some important business in Cape Town. There is no question of an attack on the existing record for the journey, but it will be interesting from the business-man's point of view to see how quickly a properly-equipped light aeroplane can do the job without taking any undue risks. A Business Tour in Winter HAVING a number of business calls to make throughout England, Mr. J. R. King, formerly of Brooklands and National Flying Services, has just completed a thousand-mile tour round England under severe winter conditions on his Robinson " Redwing." Appointments were made at various aerodromes and towns, and at no place was the machine more than 25 minutes late, and this should dispel any theories that business flying cannot be carried out in the winter. Places visited were—Brooklands, South Wales, Birmingham, Stake-on-Trent, Liverpool, Manchester, up the West Coast across to Leeds, Newcastle, Scarborough, Hull and back"to Croydon. Bad weather prevailed throughout the trip ; much fog, snow and sleet, including gales, and on three nights the " Redwing " was moor;d out in the open. The Long-distance Record THE world's long-distance record for non-stop flight measured in a straight line, at present stands to the credit of France, with a figure of 7,905-14 km. (approximately 4,900 miles), this distance having been flown by the French pilots Costes and Bellonte on a Breguet " Superbidon." This magnificent record is not likely to remain unassailed for long, and in fact attempts to beat it, so far unsuccessful on account of bad weather, have already been made. Three; or four different French firms have built, or are building machines designed especially for this record, all of them monoplanes. In the meantime we in this country are not losing sight of the record, although our chances of getting it are far less promising than they were a \ ar or so ago Had a new machine been put in hand at once, when the unfortunate mishap to Jones-Williams and Jenkins took place, we should probably be the holders of the record now Delays have occurred, however, and although it appears now to be an open secret that the Fairey Aviation Co. is building a machine, the delay (for which that firm has not been responsible) will vastly increase our difficulties, as it seems likely that the French will give us another 1,000 miles or so to beat by the time the British machine is ready. This record, incidentally, is one of the few really worth-while records, since it is at the same time a test of the aerodynamic and structural efficiency of the aircraft and the reliability and fuel economy of the engine. Mrs. Victor Bruce THE Hon. Mrs. Victor Bruce completed her world flight in her Blackburn " Bluebird " when she arrived at Glenn Curtis Airport, New York, last week. She is returning to Europe in the French liner Ile-de-France, with her aeroplane She will fly from France to Croydon on February 20, escorted by Miss Winifred Spooner and other private owners, and will be received at Croydon by Mr. F. Montague, Under- secretary of State for Air. Air attaches of the countries over which she flew will also be there to greet her. In the evening she will be entertained at dinner by the British Aviation Hospitality Committee and the Women's Auto- mobile and Sports Association. The Italian Atlantic Squadron GENERAL BALBO and the other Italian aviators who took part in the recent formation flight across the Atlantic, left Rio de Janeiro on February 7 in the liner Conte Rosso. Major Donatelli, however, remained behind, as he is to instruct Brazilian airmen in the management Of the eleven seaplanes which took part in the flight, and which have been acquired by the Brazilian Government U.S. Airship " Los Angeles " THE U.S. airship Los Angeles left Lakehurst, New Jersey. on February 4 for the military manoeuvres in Panama. Do. X Held Up IT is reported that the accident to the Dornier flying- boat Do. X will delav her for a month at Las Palmas. 346-154 M.P.H. : " Blue Bird II," the car, designed by Mr. R. A. Railton and built by Thomson and Taylor of Brooklands, in which Captain Malcolm Campbell set up the world's record at Daytona. It is driven by a 1,350 h.p. special Napier aero engine, in which Hoffmann ball and roller bearings and K.L.G. plugs were employed. Parts of the mechanism of " Blue Bird II " were also made in the Precision Department of the Robinhood Engineering Works. 146 ^
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