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Aviation History
1932
1932 - 0529.PDF
FLIGHT, JUNE 3, 1932 The Brooklands Civil Air Display ONCE more the weather sadly interfered with what would have otherwise been a really excellent flying display. The occasion was the display which was staged at Brooklands by Capt. Duncan Davis and his henchmen fqr the benefit of the Guild of Air Pilots and Air Navigators of the British Empire (commonly referred to as G.A.P.A.N.). Capt. Davis is to be congratulated on his altruistic action, for those in his own particular busi ness—the Brooklands School of Flying—cannot have benefited to any real extent from their vast labours, other than indirectly. We know from our own observations that that labour has absorbed all their energies for a very con siderable time past, and that their efforts should culminate on a day when it rained, rained, and then rained again for a change, was a very bitter blow. Naturally, under these conditions the public attendance was meagre, that is, comparatively speaking, but the excellence of the pro gramme and the organisation in general more than compensated for this. Actually, of course, those privileged ones in the special enclosure which surrounded the new clubhouse were not so badly treated. This new building has been described and illustrated very fully in FLIGHT already, and this week our artist has produced a pencil impression of it which shows to advantage its admirable qualities, for the pur pose for which it was designed. The long glass-fronted restaurant and lounge served as covered-in grand stands, as did the rooms on the upper floors, and despite the crush, large numbers of people were able to watch the flying in comfort from these vantage points. The programme should have opened with the start of the London-Newcastle Race, but low cloud south of Cram- lington caused this to be abandoned, though not until the competitors were lined up ready to start. It has now been decided that this race will be held in conjunction with a meeting at Cramlington on Saturday, June 18. The programme which followed the announcement of this postponement included many items which were among the best we have seen. One of the earliest and, incident ally, most original, was the demonstration of wireless-con trolled blind flying given by F/O. S. A. Thorn in the school " Moth." This machine has a Standard wireless receiver and a Reid & Sigrist Turn Indicator, and with the help of these Thorn took off, flew round, turning in all directions, spun, circled the aerodrome, and finally glided in to land ; all while under the hood and at the direction of the announcer, Mr. E. C. Brown. A thoroughly convincing performance which showed the advance that has been made in blind flying recently, and which should do a great deal to engender a feeling of safety in the general public as regards flying. Aerobatics in light aircraft were shown by Fit. Lt. W. E. P. Johnson and Fit. Lt. C. Clarkson. The former in a " Tiger Moth " and the latter in an ordinary " Moth." Both fuel supply systems were fitted for inverted flying, thus adding to the scope of these two well-known pilots. It is asking the impossible to attempt to criticise their displays. Their finish and artistry is now one of the features of all the best of our flying displays as is the nonchalant way in which they fly either side up. Both seem to have concentrated on making their manoeuvres as smooth as possible and appeared to wish to outdo each other in the length of time taken to roll the machine. It says a very great deal for the efficacy of the controls that they were able to do this. Just before 3 p.m. Air Commodore F. E. Guest, the PERSONALITIES AT BROOKLANDS : On the left is Mr. Geoffrey Linnell—who so successfully organises the Sywell Displays—with Miss Cooper ; in the centre Mrs. Lawrence Wingfield entertains four members of the Siamese Legation while Mr. Wallace Barr stands smilingly in the right background ; on the right Mr. C. H. Roberts—the Principal of the College of Aeronautical Engineering—watches the flying with Miss Roberts. (FLIGHT Photos.) 489
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