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Aviation History
1932
1932 - 0885.PDF
FLIGHT, SEPTEMBER 2, 1932 MEN, WOMEN, AND THE MACHINE : The picture on the left shows " Fireflies " receiving finishing touches in the erecting shop at the Fairey works at Gosselies. On the right is a group of the staff at Gosselies. (FLIGHT Photos.) Escadrille under Capt. N. Leboutte, and the 7th Escadrille under Capt. N. Duthoit. Evere is the station for recon naissance squadrons which have been equipped with " Foxes." It is the station of the 5th Group I Ae. com manded by Maj. Hansenne, and this group is composed of the 9th Escadrille under Capt. Vanden Linden, and the 11th Escadrille under Capt. Kervyn de Lettenhove. The corps is delighted with its choice, more particularly as the performance of the Fairey machines has exceeded the guaranteed performance by about 20 km./hr. It seems (to be an accepted fact on the Continent that the aeroplanes built there should just realise their estimated performance by the skin of their teeth. That the " Fire fly " should have exceeded her guaranteed performance seemed in the nature of a miracle—and this despite the fact that in the model supplied to the Belgian squadrons the petrol tankage had been increased, jettison valves had been added, a complex system of fire-extinguishing appara tus installed, and provision been made for radio telephony. In the latest series brake gear is also being added. The Belgian pilots have taken very kindly to the " Fire fly," although their corps possesses no dual-control train ing type which makes a good introduction to flying such fast fighters. In fact, the Belgians make very good pilots and fly their new machines well. Our illustrations give some idea of the good formation flying by the Nivelles pilots, but it is only fair to mention that these photo graphs had to be taken from an ancient " Centaur " aeroplane with a top speed of 90 km./hr., which naturally could not keep station beside the " Firefly " squadron, and did not allow our photographer to delay " pressing the button " until the most favourable moment. He was obliged to snap whenever the squadron came within range. Kegulations forbade a foreign photographer to be taken up in a Service " Fox." F. A. DE V. R. GOSSELIES FROM THE AIR : A view of the Fairey works in Belgium which are turning out " Fireflies " at a great pace for the Belgian Flying Corps. (FLIGHT Photo.) Foxes " and 821 D 2
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