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Aviation History
1932
1932 - 0724.PDF
FLIGHT, JULY 15, 1»82 THE KING'S CUP RACE (Concluded from page 658) promised to be about 3,000 feet, and bright patches of blue sky were visible. The wind was also in the right quarter for us—south-west—and also only about two miles per hqur. However, it did veer round to west during the morning, and also freshened up slightly. Visibility was also good—about four miles—and this improved slightly during the morning. Luckily, we were not hampered by any rain. Everything was ready on the aerodrome by 11.30, and it looked as if all the arrangements would be very satis factory. We were expecting the first machine about 12.45 hours, but realised by the wireless report from Bristol that it would probably be W. L. Hope and that he would very likely arrive earlier. Just at 12.30 hours we heard the sound of a machine approaching from the north-west, and soon we realised that Hope was beating his handicap easily. He landed, re fuelled, had lunch, and was ready to go to the starting line before the next machine was heard, about 12.55 hours. This was soon recognised to be Winnie Spooner, and as she crossed the finishing line and her machine was recog nised, a hearty Cheer went up. She is very popular with all the Leicester people. The next arrivals were G-ABVW, G-AAHP, G-ABLG, G-AAVA, G-ABDN, G-AAJP, G-ABTR, and G-ABWI. These all came in at very short intervals. By the time the last of these machines arrived Hope was well on his way and Miss Spooner was ready to start. At this time all kinds of theories were going round as to who would be the winner. Hope seemed favourite, but it was thought that Runciman in his " Puss Moth " might catch him up. Winnie Spooner, we realised, had very little chance of gaining any more on her handicap, but she had set off again with the good wishes of the Leicester shire Club members ; she was their entrant for the Siddeley Trophy. Gradually all the machines came in, and no untoward incidents happened. Fielden was rapidly gaining places and allowing for the 40-minute break it looked as if he would soon reach one of the first few positions. It seemed a terribly long time waiting for the Avro " Mail plane," but when it did arrive I think all were amazed at its speed, although even with that we could not see how it could gain a leading position. It could only win the prize for the fastest speed. There was only one retirement at Leicester, No. 1. J. F. Legard has his oil tank filled with petrol, and it was impossible to have the machine ready in time. No spares of any kind were needed by any of the entrants. I would now like to mention a few points about the Leicester Control. It was organised by the Leicestershire Aero Club, and the whole success of the arrangements was due to the chairman of the sub-committee in charge, Capt. C. E. Lynche-Blosse, who is the Chief Constable of Leicester. He himself was remarkably keen, and this sufficed to make his helpers the same. Ratclifle is an island aerodrome, and all the Control was worked from the centre. Each machine had either one or two stewards appointed to it, and they wore the racing number of the machine in black or white on a chest apron. Each machine also had its own pit, grouped by the petrol companies, and arranged with the racing number shown clearly on each pit. Plentiful supplies of petrol and oil were stored in each pit. The petrol and oil companies supported the Club well by arranging for a man to refuel each machine. As the machine crossed the finishing line, the stewards came forward and were there to meet it as soon as it landed. They took it to its pit and then took the pilot to the Control tent and then to lunch. The steward had to keep in touch with the pilot all the time he was on the ground and saw him started towards the check post. Everything worked easily all the time, and there was no delay at all, every pilot having plenty of time. After seeing how these arrangements worked, I cannot help but feel that it is the only way to run a control, and hope that in future alJ controls will be arranged on similar lines. S. B. King's Cup Random Items Hope's winning " Fox Moth " was doped with Titanine ; his " Gipsy III A " engine ran on National Benzole, fired by K.L.G. plugs and B.T.H. magnetos. Hoffman bearings ensured low-friction running, and the Fairey metal air screw made sure of good propeller efficiency. The naviga tional equipment included, of course, Smith's instruments, and the number of flying hours were recorded on an Air Log. (It did not have to record many!) * * * Out of the eight competitors which fell out of the race for any reason whatever, only one suffered actual engine breakdown. One engine in 42 starters is a pretty good proportion. We wonder if any other country can show a similar reliability? * * * K.L.G. plugs were used on first, second and third machines in the King's Cup Race, on the winner of Sidde ley Trophy, and on the machine which made the fastest time over the course. * * * Of the 42 starters on the first day, 27 were fitted with Fairey metal airscrews. Of the 27, 25 finished the course. * * * Fifty per cent, of the competitors were using " Shell " spirit and/or oil. Mr. Brown, who made the fastest time, was using " Shell " spirit and oil. Fit. Lt. Fielden and Mr. Runciman used " Shell " spirit in getting second and third places respectively. Mr. Runciman, winner of Siddeley Trophy, used " Shell " spirit and oil. Of the first 12 machines home, 10 had de Havilland " Gipsy " engines. * * * For the eleventh time in succession the King's Cup Race was won on K.L.G. plugs. Owing to the failure of Stack to return to England in time for the race, the Blackburn B.2 Trainer, No. 9, was flown by Mr. P. E. G. Sayer. m * m m Avro " Tutors " for the R.A.F. A. V. ROE & Co. are to be congratulated upon having had their " Tutor " (Avro type 621) with Armstrong- Siddeley " Lynx " engine officially accepted as the new standard training machine for the British Air Force. The Avro 504, which in turn was developed from the Avro biplane of 1913 or so, became the standard training type in 1917 and has survived, with minor modifications, until the present time. There is a certain amount of poetic justice in the fact that a firm which has been associated with training types for so long should have their latest type accepted when the time came for the 504 to be replaced, although this probably carried no weight what ever when the final selection was made purely on the merits of the machine. The Manchester works look like being busy for a long time to come, and our old friend Dobson should have enough work to keep him out of mischief for the next few months. m m * si NEW COMPANY REGISTERED GRAVESEND AVIATION. LTD. Capital £100 in Is. shares. Proprietor? of aerodromes, hangars, garages, aeroplanes, airships, seaplanes, aeronautical and general engineers, etc. First directors :—T. A. B. Ternan, 30, Newgate Street, E.C.I, company director; W. A. C. Kingham, 35, Hampden Avenue, Reckenham, aviator (permanent managing directors). Secretary :—T. A. B. Ternan. Solicitors :—Wingfields, Halse & Tnistram, 51, Cheapside, E.C.2. m m m. m PUBLICATIONS RECEIVED Murder in Full Flight. By Marcus Magili. London : Hutchinson and Co., Ltd. Price 7s, %d. Report on the Progress of Civil Aviation, 1931. Air Ministry—Directorate of Civil Aviation. London: H.M. Stationery Office, W.C.2. Price 5s. net. *<+£ i&&gt; |& ^ AERONAUTICAL PATENT SPECIFICATIONS Abbreviations: Cyl. ™ cylinder; i.e. s» internal combustion ; m. — motors. (The numbers in brackets are those under which the Specification will be printed and abridged, etc.). APPLIED FOR IN 1931 Published July 14, 1932 7,700. I-'. A. THAHELD. Radial-cyl. i.-c. engines. (374,875). 7,924. V. A. ALMONACID. Propelling systems for aircraft. (374,926.) 8,027. RHEINISCHE METALLWAAREN- DUD MASCHINENFABRIK, H. ROMBERG and C. OTTO. Aiming device for anti-aircraft guns. (374,930.) 21,027. F. WHITTLE and J. H. M. REYNOLDS. Supercharging of aircraft engines. (375.104.) 23.248. J. ESCHNER. Parachutes. (375,126.) 24,571. SUDDEUTSCHE BREMSEN-AKT-GES. Fuel injection arrangements in Diesel engines. (375,136.) 29,472. Soc. ANON. DES ATELIERS D'AVIATION L. BREGUET. Aeroplane wings. (375,175.) 34,824. H. C. A. POTEZ. Rear landing-gear for flying machines. (375,206.) 35,824. W. G. GOLD and W. BAYLISS, LTD. Aircraft. (375,219.)
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