FlightGlobal.com
Home
Premium
Archive
Video
Images
Forum
Atlas
Blogs
Jobs
Shop
RSS
Email Newsletters
You are in:
Home
Aviation History
1931
1931 - 0324.PDF
FLIGHT, APRIL 3, 1931 Another Attempt on the England-Capetown Record LIEUT.-COMDR. GLEN KIDSTON and Lieut. Cathcart Jones, left Netheravon early on Tuesday morning, March 31, in the former's Lockheed " Vega " on an attempt to lower the existing record for the flight to the Cape. Comdr. Kidston is taking a Marconi wireless operator with him as far as Cairo where his place will be taken by a mechanic. The machine took off extremely well in spite of its heavy load, and wireless messages received in London during the morning showed him to be progressing well. Full details of the machine will be found on page 292. New Zealand-Australia Flight MR. Y. C. CHICHESTER, the New Zealand airman who flew from England to Australia in his Gipsy Moth in 1929-30, has started upon another venture. This time, it is from New Zealand to Australia, via Norfolk Island and Lord Howe Island. Using the same Gipsy Moth, fitted with floats, he set out from Parenyarenga, North Island, N.Z., on March 28, and suc- ceeded in reaching Xorfolk Island safely after a 5-hr, flight. On March 30 he made several attempts to proceed to Lord Howe Island, but owing to bad weather had to postpone his departure. Miss Reynolds' African Flight The Times has received the following message from Miss Reynolds, who is at Bathurst, the Gambia, about her flight from England to the Cape via the West Coast of Africa :— On March 20 we made an excellent two hours' flight to McCarthy Island. While the aeroplane was moored there, a cutter, the native pilot of which was asleep, smashed the port elevator. The doped revets were received at Dakar on OFF TO IRELAND: Two Vickers " Vespas " with "Jaguar" engines left Weybridge at 12 noon on March 31 and arrived at Sealand at 1 o'clock, having made the journey in exactly one hour. The machines, which are part of an order for the Irish Free State, were piloted by Mr. J. Summers and Captain T. Neville Stack. (FLIGHT Photo.) March 24 and our machine was repaired. We completed a. survey with Capt. Doke, the Commissioner, visiting Basse, Fatoto, and Kahur. It is possible to alight on any part of the river in the colony, and conditions here are ideal for all types of metal seaplanes. The temperature is 106° and humidity 85. We are forwarding to the Zoo a chieftain's gifts of valuable live stock. There were no difficulties with crocodile or hippopotamus in alighting, but when unpacking the float-case we found a black mamba (a deadly snake) in it, and bees swarmed in the cockpit overnight. We are awaiting a new elevator and making tests with a wooden airscrew. " Graf Zeppelin " THE German airship Graf Zeppelin made its first flight this year on March 27, with a cruise lasting 1£ hours, over the Lake Constance region. Next day the airship left Friedrichshafen and landed at Budapest next morning. After taking several passengers on board, including the Hungarian Minister of Defence, the airship made a cruise over Hungary, during which she encountered a heavy snowstorm, and landed again at Budapest in the afternoon, afterwards returning to Friedrichshafen. An Air Force for Iraq A FLIGHT of five Moths (" Gipsy II ") and a Puss Moth (" Gipsy III ") were due to leave the De Havilland Aerodrome at Hatfield, Herts, for Baghdad, on Wednesday, April 1. The Puss Moth has been built to the order of H.M. King Feisal of Iraq and the five Moths have been specially equipped with bomb carriers, wireless, and aerial cameras for light offensive and reconnaissance duties. These will form the nucleus of the Iraqi Air Force. Flight-Lieut. G. L. Carter has been loaned to the Government of Iraq for three years to form this Air Force, and will fly the Puss Moth, while the Moths will be flown by five Iraqi pilots who have been trained in this country. Capt. C. D. Barnard's Air Tour of the British Isles THE main object of Capt. Barnard in organising his tour is to assist in fostering public interest in the development of British flying. Not less than 150 of the more important towns will be visited, and at each of these an air pageant will be held. Capt. Barnard intends to meet the principal municipal officers of the various towns, and urge upon them the immediate necessity of reserving a site in their district for their future airport. He will also offer them the use of his machine for the purpose of making an examination of available sites from the airman's point of view. A flying scholarship fund has been formed by Capt. Barnard, and in most of the districts visited a boy will be selected from the secondary schools and taught to fly at the nearest flying club without charge, up to 15 hours instruction. The Daily Mail is providing an aviation lesson which demonstrates the reliability of British aircraft. The lesson will be carried out by means of a light aeroplane fitted with wireless telephone receiving apparatus, and lecture delivered through a transmitter and loud speaker equipment on the ground. The pilot will thus hear the lecture and act in unison with the lecturer. The public will be able to learn how and why an aeroplane flies and will be given an explana- tion of the evolutions and aerobatics which the pilot will perform. A demonstration will be given of the Autogiro in many parts of the country for the first time. The Cierva Autogiro Company have placed a machine of their latest improved type at the disposal of Capt. Barnard and it will be demonstrated every morning and afternoon. In addition, the public will have their first opportunity of taking flights in the autogiro. Capt. Barnard has secured the services of Mr. John Tranum, who will demonstrate the " Irvin " parachute. This is not presented as a daring stunt with the life of a man at stake, but as a demonstration of a safe and properly-regulated jump with an approved type of parachute. The Accident to the S. 64 THE Italian Air Attache" in London, Lieut.-Col. P. F. Bitossi, has sent us a translation of the official report of the Commission of Inquiry into the accident to the Italian S.64. I-SAAT machine on which Commandant Maddalena, Capt. Cecconi and Eng. -Lieut, da Monte lost their lives on March 19. According to the report, the bits of wreckage were so scattered that it was impossible to arrive at any definite conclusion a> to the cause of the accident, but the theory is advanced, 300
Sign up to
Flight Digital Magazine
Flight Print Magazine
Airline Business Magazine
E-newsletters
RSS
Events
