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Aviation History
1932
1932 - 0804.PDF
FLIGHT, AUGUST 12, 1932 PRIVATE FLYING & GLIDING ON THE STARTING LINE : Mr. Reynolds has his red flag up in readiness to send off Miss Fidelia Crossley in her Comper " Swift " (Pobjoy " R "). (FLIGHT Photo.) •—in--HE LONDON-NEWCASTLE RACE VJ) I Eighteen machines faced the starter (Mr. Ill A. G. Reynolds) at Brooklands Aerodrome last Saturday for the race from London (Brooklands) to Newcastle (Cramlington). Lt. Col. L. A. Strange was limit man in a Spartan " Arrow " (" Gipsy II "), and Fit. Lt. Fielden, the Prince of Wales' pilot, was scratch in the Comper " Swift " (" Gipsy III "), which Fielden flew to second place in the King's Cup Race some time ago. In between the two were a comprehensive assortment of types, such as " Moths," " Avians," " Pobjoy-Swifts," " Puss Moths," an Arrow " Active," a Blackburn B.2 Trainer, a Segrave " Meteor " and an " Autogiro." The start from Brooklands was without incident, except that Mr. Gairdner accidentally stopped his engine just before the start and lost nearly a minute before he got it going again and got away. The wind was westerly, fairly strong, and visibility was reported good over the greater part of the course, deteriorating slightly towards New castle. The course was a straight-line one except for a slight detour to Sherburn, which was a turning point. The total distance was 264 miles. A last-minute wind correction was put in by the handicappers (Rowarth and Dancy), and worked very well, the race finishing, as regards the first three machines, some five minutes before the estimated time. How excellent the handi capping was is shown by the fact that the first ten machines arrived inside a period of five minutes. The London-Newcastle race was won by the Hon. R. THE LIMIT MAN GETS AWAY : Lt. Col. Strange ready to " give her the gun " when Mr. Reynolds shall drop his red flag- On the right, Mr. W. L. Runciman getting into his " Puss Moth " in which he gained second place at a speed of 134.25 m.p.h. (FLIGHT Photos.) Westenra, who was flying a de Havilland " Moth " fitted with " Gipsy II " engine. His time was 2 hr. 13 min. 13 sec., and his average speed over the 264 miles was 118| m.p.h. To have averaged a speed of more than 118 m.p.h. over the course is very good for a " Moth," and points to good navigation (by the aid of Smith's instruments) no less than to good running on the part of the " Gipsy II " engine, which ran on Pratts spirit and Castrol oil. The winner's engine, like those of Runciman, Maxwell and Fielden, used K.L.G. plugs, and these were fired by B.T.H. magnetos. Mr. W. L. Runciman was second in his " Puss Moth " G-ABLG (" Gipsy III "), the same which he flew to third place in the King's Cup Race. His net time was 1 hr. 57 min. 59 sec, and his average speed 134j m.p.h., which compares with a speed of 130 m.p.h. over the King's Cup Course. Third place was gained by Capt. I. C. Maxwell, Managing Director of Pobjoy Airmotors, Ltd., who was flying a Comper " Swift " (" Pobjoy R "). Capt. Maxwell's time was 2 hr. 2 min. 30 sec, corresponding to an average speed of 129J m.p.h. In the King's Cup Race the same machine, piloted by Mr. Lowdell, averaged 124J m.p.h. The prize for the fastest time went to Fit. Lt. Fielden, the scratch man, who averaged the astoundingly high speed of 162£ m.p.h. In the King's Cup Race Fielden, on the same machine, averaged 155| m.p.h. Styran, on the 748
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