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Aviation History
1932
1932 - 0232.PDF
FLIGHT. MARCH 11, 1932 " curtailed. These two measures are estimated to produce savings of over £50,000. The balance of £33,000 will accrue mainly from reductions in the amount of voluntary additional flying by Reserve pilots, in the payments to civil companies for flying training, and in the retaining fees payable to officers of the Reserve. These measures of economy are already in operation. Apart from the minor restriction mentioned above, it has been found possible to secure the necessary economies in expenditure on the reserve and auxiliary forces without too serious curtailment of the normal training programme. A notable feature of the training of the Cadre (Special Reserve) squadrons during 1931 was the participation, for the first time, and with highly satisfactory results, of two units, viz., No. 502 (Ulster) Squadron and No. 503 (Countv of Lincoln) Squadron, in night-flying operations during the Air Exercises. Day-bombing squadrons of the Auxiliary Air Force also played an important r61e in these exercises, and showed once again a very high standard of flying and general efficiency. Bomb-dropping practice was seriously handicapped by bad weather during the summer. During 1931 the number of flying hours completed by the University Air Squadrons at Oxford and Cambridge showed a further increase, chiefly in cross-country flying. Formation flying for the more experienced members was introduced for the first time. The number of Proficiency Certificates gained during the year reached a total of 74. For this certificate a member must, in addition to carrying out a certain number of hours' solo flying, pass an exami nation in four basic aeronautical subjects. Both squadrons were maintained at full strength throughout the year, and each has a long waiting list of candidates for membership. Technical Equipment Vote 3 (Technical and Warlike Stores) shows a net total of £7.350,000, being a decrease of £322,000 on the figure for 1931. There is further a heavy decline in Appropria tions in Aid primarily due to reduced provisioning for units in India and the Fleet Air Arm. This Vote, representing as it does over 40 per cent, of total air expenditure, has inevitably had to make the largest single contribution to the reductions in expenditure necessitated by the financial crisis. The decline in the net figure above mentioned is, however, only 4 per cent., or proportionately much smaller than on other votes, any larger reduction being precluded by considerations of the vital importance of maintaining the technical equipment of the Royal Air Force at the highest possible pitch of effi ciency. The rearmament of squadrons has necessarily been curtailed, but fortunately all machines of war-time design were already due to pass finally out of service on completion of the current year's programme, and the Force is already to a large extent equipped with aircraft of types brought into service within the past five years. Indeed, as a result of the steady progress in rearma ment of recent years, it may be said that the era of wooden aircraft has, in so far as the Royal Air Force is concerned, passed into history, and in 1932 its first-line units will be wholly equipped with machines either of all- metal structure or composite of metal and wood. Wood is, indeed, now employed only for the wings and tail units of a very small number of the older types and for certain small components. Experience is showing that aircraft of metal construction undoubtedly have a longer life than those of wood, and, in consequence, considerable economies in maintenance costs are being effected. The replacement of worn-out mechanical transport is still proceeding, though in the present stringency it has been necessary materially to reduce expenditure under this head in 1932. A considerable measure of replacement has. however, already been effected, and the substitution oi newer and more efficient types of vehicle has enabled material ieductions to be effected in the total establish ment of motor transport which would otherwise have been required. The number of vehicles on charge to-day is, in fact, substantially lower than six years ago, despite the increase in the size of the Force since that date. The fitting of pneumatic tyres to heavy vehicles is another measure which has been found to be productive of economy by increasing their life. There is again a rise in the amount taken for petrol to meet the higher prices and the larger consumption due to increased flying and the use of more powerful engines. Research and Technical Development The total allotted to Research and Technical Develop ment is shown as usual in Appendix I of the Estimates. At £1,458,000 there is a decline of £116,000 on the cur rent year's figure. As has already been announced, it has been decided, owing to the imperative need for reduc ing expenditure, not to proceed with the construction of a large civil flying boat, thereby releasing funds for other and more urgent requirements, in particular a fast mail- carrying aircraft. The research and technical programmes have had to be curtailed in a variety of other directions, in order to effect the necessary economies, a process which has, however, been assisted by the completion of certain works at Farnborough. The Compressed Air Tunnel at the National Physical Laboratory will shortly begin its research programme, and in 1932 the modernisation of one of the existing smaller tunnels at the Laboratory will be put in hand. Construc tion of the Large Wind Tunnel at the Royal Aircraft Establishment, Farnborough, is also about to begin. A model for this tunnel was constructed in the form of a small 5-ft. tunnel, and this has proved so efficient that a new power plant is being provided which will enable the tunnel to be run at an air speed of 200 m.p.h.—the highest speed of any wind tunnel in the country. The vertical tunnel, in which the wind is forced upwards instead of horizontally, enables an aircraft model to be set spinning in the rising column of air and its characteristics to be observed. This tunnel is 12 ft. in diameter and provides a most valuable medium for investigating the all- important problems associated with " spinning." The seaplane testing tank at Farnborough has been erected and, as soon as the adjustment of its carriage and mechanism (which require the greatest possible accuracy) is complete, a full programme of research will be set in train. The reorganisation and reconstruction of the Royal Air craft Establishment are now almost complete. Among interesting developments of the year it may be mentioned that, for the purposes of the Schneider Trophy contest, a water-cooled engine, already of high efficienc * and rated at 825 h.p., was developed to give no less than three times that power. Elsewhere the application of superchargers to maintain the horse-power obtained at ground level up to altitudes of eleven or twelve thousand feet has been extended and has entailed a special study of the freezing of carburettors at exceptionally low tempera tures. An important series of flying trials at heights up to 15,000 ft. has recently been completed with the special object of ascertaining the best means of obtaining fuel economy. Attention is being devoted to further experi ments with compression-ignition engines intended primarily for large aircraft flying over long distances, in which the maximum economy of fuel is essential. .Airships His Majesty's Government having reluctantly reached the conclusion that the financial crisis necessitated cancel lation of the proposed programme for the refitting and operation of the R.100, and the final disposal of that vessel, Cardington and the overseas bases at Ismailia and Karachi have been reduced to care and maintenance parties. A small nucleus staff is being retained at the Royal Airship Works to keep abreast of technical develop ments in other countries and to continue with a modest programme of research and experiment. The provision of £16,000 in these Estimates covers the cost of the maintenance parties at Cardington, Ismailia and Karachi, and o± the small technical section above- mentioned. Buildings, machinery and plant are being kept in such a condition that they can readily be made avail able for use if required, either for our own purposes or for the reception of visiting airships from abroad. Works The net total of Vote 4 at £1,650,000 is £140,000 below that for 1931, a reduction of approximately 8 per cent. In view of the financial stringency, the new services proposed are confined to urgently required improvements in the accommodation of certain existing units, many of which are still housed in temporary buildings quite un suitable for permanent occupation. Provision is made for the replacement of such buildings at a number of Home Stations; and for the Construction of suitable accommodation for units of the Fleet Air Arm at Hong Kong, which have since 1927 occupied very unsatisfactory quarters improvised during the emergency of that year. Expenditure on works services in Iraq, Palestine and Trans-Jordan, which is repayable from the Vote for
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