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Aviation History
1931
1931 - 0632.PDF
FLIGHT, JUNE 26, 1931 THE SOPWITH " TABLOID" : THE FORERUNNER OF A LONG FAMILY OF MACHINES. THIS LITTLE SINGLE-SEATER MAY BE SAID TO HAVE LAID THE FOUNDATION OF THE FAME OF THE SOP- WITH FIRM. FIRST OF A LONG FAMILY: THE D.H.I PUSHER TWO-SEATER WAS THE FIRST TYPE TO BE DE- SIGNED BY CAPT. DE HAVILLAND FOR THE AIR- CRAFT MANUFACTURING COMPANY. (FLIGHT Photo.) % THE VICKERS " GUN BUS" : THIS PHOTOGRAPH SHOWS THE 'PROTOTYPE," AND WAS TAKEN. BEFORE THE WAR. THE PILOT IS THE LATENJR./ HAROLD BARNWELL. r which they have used in the course of their existence. FLIGHT from time to time publishes articles on variousindividual squadrons, giving an abstract of their history and photographs of the machines which they now use.It is not always realised how much the success of air opera- tions depends upon the design of aeroplane used. Mostpeople have heard of the " Fokker menace," when Mr. Fokker copied the general design of a French Morane mono-plane, and, as a result, caused great havoc among the aeroplanes of the Allies. But it is not generally realisedhow throughout the war the fortunes swayed to and fro in the air, as first one side and then the other side pro-duced ;t machine which had a better performance than those of the enemy. The pilots on each side were equallybrave and equally skilful, but, on the whole, the machine which was the better at the moment got the upper hand.The war in the air was really fought out in the drawing offices of the aircraft manufacturers on both sides. It seems to us now quite ludicrous that Great Britainshould have gone to war with only four squadrons in the Keyal Flying Corps, and those equipped with a hetero-geneous lot of aeroplanes, two squadrons with the B.E. and two with mixed assortments. Yet that position had notbeen attained without a great deal of searching of heart. It was actually far more satisfactory than at one time hadseemed likely or possible. The Beginnings The Royal Air Force had its origin in some experimentsmade by the Royal Engineers with balloons in 1878. It is an old military saying that every General always wants. to>know what is on the other side of the hill. In the old days, scouts (usually cavalry) were sent to find out if theycould. The scouts would naturally get on the top of build- ings, climb trees, or even stand on their saddles in orderto sec as far ahead as they could. The great object was to ^get an extended view. The balloon was introduced withthe idea of getting up still higher and so being able to see further. Of course, the balloons used were captiveones. So far as giving a long view went, it was, naturally, a success, but at first difficulties arose about communica-tion between the observer in the balloon and the officers on the ground. About the only tactical success recordedto the credit of the balloon section of the R.E. was at the battle of Magersfontein in the South African warwhen a balloon succeeded in turning the howitzers on to the enemy's mounts, which had been left some distance THE BRISTOL SCOUT: DESIGNED BY FRANK BARNWELL. THIS LITTLE SINGLE-SEATER WITH ROTARY ENGINE DID GOOD WORK DURING THE EARLIER PART OF THE WAR. THREE FAMOUS TYPES: THE SOPWITH 1J-STRUTTER (LEFT) WAS USED BY NOS. 43, 45. AND 70 SQUAD RONS UPTO 1917. THE SOPWITH TRIPLANE (RIGHT) WAS USED EXTENSIVELY BY R.N.A.S. SQUADRONS IN FRANCE. AND HELPED TO BEAT THE GERMAN ALBATROS AND HALBERSTADT MACHINES. THE MORANE-SAULNIER MONOPLANE (TOP) WAS USED IN LARGE NUMBERS. AND WAS LATER COPIED BY FOKKER; .
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