FlightGlobal.com
Home
Premium
Archive
Video
Images
Forum
Atlas
Blogs
Jobs
Shop
RSS
Email Newsletters
You are in:
Home
Aviation History
1932
1932 - 0470.PDF
FLIGHT, MAY 20, 1932 Private Flying and gliding COVENTRY AERO CLUB'S BAPTISM C OVENTRY Aero Club had ideal weather for the open ing meeting on Saturday, May 14, and the natural result was an unqualified success. The crowd was large and all the enclosures were packed with cars and spectators ; the only thorn in the management's flesh being the piece of common-land on the N.E. boundary of the aerodrome, for it was impossible to screen this off, and it thus formed a perfect enclosure for some thousands of " hedge-guests." Being domiciled at Whitley Abbey, also the home of the Sir W. G. Armstrong Whitworth Aircraft factory, the Club is lucky in having the active support of people like Mr. J. D. Siddeley, Air Marshal Sir John F. Higgins, Maj. S. W. Hiscocks, Maj. F. M. Green, and Maj. W. G. McMinnies. Municipal support has also been assured the Club by the acquisition of the Deputy Mayor of Coventry (Aid. W. H. Batchelor) as President, while the Mayor (Aid. J. Wyles, J.P.) and Capt. W. F. Strickland, M.P. for Coventry, acted as stewards, and in support of the President performed the opening ceremony with excellent, well-chosen speeches, which were broadcast by means of a B.T.H. public address equipment of singular purity. The first item on the programme was a fly-past of all the different types of aircraft present. These included: — An " Avian " (Genet Major), a " Puss Moth " (Gipsy III), a " Spartan " three-seater (Gipsy II), a " Civilian Coupe " (Genet Major), an " Avian " (Gipsy II), an Avro " Cadet " (7-cyl. Genet Major), a " Klemm " (Pobjoy), an " Elf " (Hermes II), a Comper " Swift " (Pobjoy), a " Moth " (Gipsy I), an " Avian " (Hermes II), and a representa tive collection which aroused quite considerable interest among the spectators, particularly as the salient features of the aircraft were adequately explained by the announcer, Mr. W. Courtenay (Hon. Sec, Press Aero Club). The arrival competition, although it was for the first aircraft to cross the line after 12.30 p.m., did not turn out such a dangerous scramble as some thought it might, as many pilots failed to notice that this " 12.30 p.m." was G.M.T. The arrivals were, therefore, strung out over a considerable period. Miss Winifred Brown, in her " Avian " (Hermes II), was the winner, with Mr. L. Marshall in the " Elf " (Hermes II) second, and Capt. J. Maxwell, "Swift" (Pobjoy), third. After an aerobatic competition by Mr. L. Stace, " Avian " (Gipsy II), there was the start of a reliability trial wherein the competitors had to fly over a course only disclosed to them some 5 min. before the start, at a ground speed of 80 m.p.h. Fit. Lt. J. Allen was the winner in a " Puss Moth " (Gipsy III), with a time error of only 8.2 sec. Mr. L. Nelson was second on an " Avian " (Genet Major), being 32 sec. out, and Mr. L. Stace third, also in an " Avian " (Gipsy II). The other competitors were Miss W. Brown and Mr. Gordon Store, in the three-seater " Spartan," who unfortunately lost considerable time through having some difficulty in starting his engine. Mr. Store is shortly returning to South Africa, where he and his partner will be holding the agency for " Spartan " aircraft. The three-seater has already created a very great deal of interest in that country, and has shown that it can overcome the peculiar flying conditions to be found there in a most successful manner. Other items on the programme included demonstrations of the " Autogiro " (F/O. R. Brie), the Avro " Cadet " —flown crazily to show off its excellent control by Mr. H. A. Brown—the A.W. XVI (Fit. Lt. Campbell Orde), and the " Atlas II " (Fit. Lt. D. S. Green), both of which aircraft were described in FLIGHT for October 16-23, 1931. During the afternoon a flight of " Wapitis, No. 605 (County of Warwick) Bomber Squadron, A.A.F., came from Castle Bromwich, and did a little very excellent formation flying. To round off the programme, there was a parachute drop by Mr. J. D. Price and a bombing-the-car competition. Aerially, the meeting was well attended, some 36 aircraft of various types arriving during the afternoon. One visitor was Capt. T. N. Stack in a Spartan " Arrow," which he incidentally told us was one of the easiest air craft to land that he had ever flown. He himself is shortly taking the Spartan " Mailplane " out to India and Egypt to demonstrate to the Government of those countries. With its load of about 1,000 lb., which it can carry for 1,000 miles non-stop, it should be an attractive proposition for postal work. After the prizes had been presented, the meeting broke up, and most of the aircraft left for Skegness—the second meeting of the Whitsun holidays. A view of the new Avro " Cadet " which Mr. H. A. Brown threw about in an amazing manner. Six of these aircraft have been delivered to the Irish Free State for training. (FLIGHT Photo.) "SO BRACING" CKEGNESS—bright, breezy, bracing, sunshine ; amuse- ^ ment parks ; whelks and winkles ; sticky pink rock ; expensive lodgings and cheap restaurants—that's the impression most people have, isn't it? Well, it has a new attraction now—its Aerodrome. Some 40 aircraft invaded its alleged bracing air last Saturday evening, bringing about 60 persons, some bent on driving its " Water Dodgems " and " Dodgem Cars faster than they had ever been driven before—some got wet, some got bruised!—while others less energetic wrapped their aircraft in all the covers they could beg, borrow or steal and resigned themselves to the moist drizzly pall which had welcomed(?) them to this well-advertised holiday paradise. The event of the evening for all of them was, however, the Dinner given by the newly-formed Skegness Aero Club—an ex cellent dinner with the right consistency, length and speakers. Councillor J. Crawshaw, J.P., proposed the health of " The Visiting Pilots," remarking that he knew they would all agree that Skegness air was the finest they had ever flown in. (True, Mr. Crawshaw, but surely there was no need to baptise us with it in a condensed and very moist form till past midday the next day.—ED.) In reply, Mr. F. D. Bradbrooke fully up held his reputation for dealing with avia tion in a light and humorous manner. Mr. Ivor McClure opened wide the flood gates of his native wit when proposing the health of " The Skegness Aero Club," and rounded his speech off with the pleasing information that, although the club had ojnly been formed seven weeks, yet it already had 87 members, of whom 27 were 438
Sign up to
Flight Digital Magazine
Flight Print Magazine
Airline Business Magazine
E-newsletters
RSS
Events
