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Aviation History
1931
1931 - 1235.PDF
Flight, November 27, 1931 AIRCRAFT ENGINEER AND AIRSHIPS First Aeronautical Weekly in the World. Founded January, 1909 Founder and Editor: STANLEY SPOONER A Journal devoted to tbe Interests, Practice and Progress of Aerial Locomotion and Transport OFFICIAL ORGAN OF THE ROYAL AERO CLUB OF THE UNITED KINGDOM No. H96. (Vol. XXIII. No. 48.) NOVEMBER 27, 193! r Weekly, Price 6d. LPost free, 7 d. Abroad, 8d. Editorial Offices: 36, GREAT QUEEN STREET, KINGSWAY W.C.Z. Telephone : (2 lines), Holborn 3211 and 1884. Telegrams : Truditur, Westcent, London. \ Annual Subscription Rates, Post Free. United Kingdom .. 33s. Od. United States .. S8-75. Other Countries .. 35s. Od.* * Foreign subscriptions must be remitted in British currency. (See lastEditorial Page.) CONTENTS Editorial Comment : PAGE Schools of Thought 1165 R.A.F. West African Flight 1167 French Impression of the Autogiro .. ..1171 C.24 Autogiro Demonstration at Hanworth .. .. .. .. 1171 Private Flying and Club News .. . . . . .. .. . . 1173 Flying Boats in Empire Defence: by Wing Com. R. M. Bayley .. 1174 THE AIRCRAFT ENGINEER .. .. .. .. . . . . . . 1174a Air Transport: Flying in Siam . . .. .. .. .. . . 1175 Airport News .. . .. ..1177 Aircraft Vibration: by H. Constant 1178 Airisms from the Four Winds .. . 1179 Correspondence .. . 1180 R.A.F. Rugby Football 1180 Royal Air Force 1181 Air Ministry Notices .. ) 181 Aircraft Companies' Stocks and Shares .. .. .. .. .. 1182 DIARY OF CURRENT AND FORTHCOMING EVENTS Club Secretaries and others desirous of announcing the dates of importantfixtures are invited to send particulars for inclusion in this list:— 1931Nov. 27, No. 70 Sqdn. R.A.F. Reunion Dinner at R.A.F. Club. Nov. 27. Southporl Ae.C. Dance.Nov. 28. Opening of New Clubhouse of Lancashire Ae.C., at Woodford.Nov.30. "Diesel Engines," Lecture by H. R. Rlcardo, before R.S. Arts.Dec. 3. "Wheel Brakes and Undercarriages," Lecture by S. Scott Hall, before R.Ae.S.Dec. 3. Boxing: Lord VVakeflcld Competition, Henlow Camp. Dec. 4. R.A.F. Dinner, Martlesham Heath.Dec. 4, London Ae.C. Annual Dinner and Dance, at Park Lane Hotel.Dec. 4. Hampshire Ae.C. Ball at Portsmouth. Dec. 4. No. 3 Sqdn. R.A.F.Reunion Dinner, at Mayfair Hotel,W. Dec. 4. A.I.D. Northern Office Dinner at Sheffield.Dec. 4. Yorks Ae.C. Annual Ball. Dec. 7. "Diesel Engines," Lecture by H. R. Ricardo, beforeR.S. Arts. Dec. 9. R. Ae.C. Schneider Banquet at Claridge's.Dec. 10. " Air Flow—Demonstrations on the Screen by Means of Smoke," Lecture by W. S. Farren, before R.Ae.S.Dec. 11. Rugby: R.A.F. Final Trial, at Uxbridge. Dec. 12. First Reunion Dinner of Comrades of the R.A. Forces.Dec. 17. "Control Beyond the Stall," Lecture by Dr. G. V. Lacbmann, before R-Ae.S.1932 Jan. 14. "Interference," Lecture by E. Ower, before R.Ae.S.Jan. 15, D.H. Technical School Dance at Portman Rooms, W. Jan. 28. " Effect of Height on Range," Lecture by A. E. Wood-ward-Nutt and Flt.-Lt. A. F. C. Scroggs, before R.Ae.S.Feb. 13. Rugby : R.N. v. R.A.F., at Twickenham. Feb. 24. " A Flight to Abyssinia, "Lecture by Sqdn.-Ldr. J.L.Vachell, before R.U.S.I. Mar. 10. "Results with the New Wind Tunnel at N.P.L.,"Lecture by E. F. Relf, before R.Ae.S. Mar. 16. "Development of Naval Air Work," Lecture by Com-modore N. F. Laurence, before R.U.S.I. Mar.23. "High-Speed Flying," Lecture by Sqd.-Ldr. A. H.Orlebar, before R.U.S.I. EDITORIAL COMMENT HE Royal Air Force is a very young service. It accumulated a great deal of experience during the war, but matters have advanced so rapidly in the 13 years since the signing of the Armistice that its war experience is now of only limited utility. The merging of the Royal Flying Corps with the Royal Naval Air Service towards the end of the war had the effect of throwing all previously accumulated experience into the one melting pot. The Armistice found the new service Schools of with something very like a clean slate, Thought and the opportunity to make a fresh start in thinking out theories for its future policy. The technical advance in the perform- ance of aircraft which has been going on ever since has stimulated service thought. Designers have shown ability to progress in one direction or another, and the Royal Air Force has had to make up its mind as to what sort of progress will best suit its needs. That different schools of thought on various problems have been formed is a proof of the vitality of the service. Did all officers think alike on any one of the vital problems of the moment, we should be inclined to suspect that service flying cramped the intellect and produced a body of men something like a flock of sheep, all dumbly following the bell wether. The energy with which divergent opinions are held and advanced proves that thought is active among the officers of the Royal Air Force. Naturally the Air Staff holds an official opinion. Naturally also, that opinion must tend to vary with changes in the personnel which compose the staff. The members of that staff are not youngsters, but at the same time the staff itself is young. It cannot be prone to hold with crusted tradition; for tradition has not yet had time to grow crusted. The Air Staff must have the suppleness of mind of a youthful body, and that is all to the good. At the same time it must, of necessity, lack experience. If war ex- perience is largely ruled out of court, there is no ex- perience to which the Air Staff can appeal, except to the results of air exercises, which are still very experimental in character, and are quite as artificial as is all sham fighting. Almost each new product of B
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