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Aviation History
1932
1932 - 1032.PDF
FLIGHT, OCTOBER 13, 1932 NEARLY " TAKING-OFF " : Rain and wind almost beat the members of the Maidstone Aero Club who were organising the display which was billed for Saturday at Gillingham. The flying programme was abandoned but lunch was not, as their persistent efforts soon got the marquee picketed down firmly. (FLIGHT Photo.) WATERING THE "GARDEN OF ENGLAND" S |jr-'HE County of Kent is called the " Garden of l^ IIJ England," so naturally it has to be watered, but III it does seem a bit hard that the heavens should choose October 8, the day of the Medway Towns' Air Rally, to discharge their liquid contents over that part of the country. It was not as if they—the heavens—did it in a cheerful or even reasonable manner ; they didn't ; they just emptied buckets and buckets, and then accompanied libations with a gale which threat ened every minute to blow away everything on Star Field Aerodrome at Gillingham. The marquee, wherein the disconsolate pilots and both the spectators hoped even tually to obtain bodily refreshment, was several times within an ace of collapse from the combined weight of wind and water, and had it not been for the heroic work of the A.A. Air Squad, then there would certainly have been some casualties among the visiting aircraft. An arrival competition was billed for 12.15 p.m., but even the most optimistic hardly expected anyone to arrive for it. Four pilots got through the execrable weather, which goes to prove the wisdom of a highly- placed R.A.F. officer who recently told us that whenever he wanted to know the best route for getting through really bad weather over any particular piece of country, he always got hold of a private owner and learnt about it from him. Almost dead on time, Fit. Lt. J. B. Allen arrived in the Duchess of Bedford's " Puss Moth (Gipsy III) ; closely following came Mr. W. M. Wood on an " Avian," the same which belonged to Miss Winifred Brown when she won the King's Cup in 1930, and not many seconds afterwards came Mr. Jackaman, in his resplendent " Monospar." We doubt if we have ever heard anyone quite so " flat out " for the merits of his craft as is Mr. Jackaman, and its " Cellon " finish is certainly very fine. Mr. Bentley, in the Shell-Mex-B.P. " Swift," a " Bluebird " and a " Moth " belonging to those who had hoped to do some joyriding, completed the aerial visitors. Notwithstanding the unfortunate weather conditions, the machines were judged for the Concours d'Elegance, Mr. Jackaman, with his " Monospar," gaining first prize ; Fit. Lt. Allen, with the Duchess of Bedford's " Puss Moth," incidentally a particularly well-kept example of this machine, secured second prize ; and Mr. Wood, on the " Avian," third. The catering staff engaged to pro vide lunch, were naturally somewhat disconcerted by the THE A.A. HOLD ON: Sterling work was done by the A.A. Air Squad in securing the aeroplanes from the force of the elements. (FLIGHT Photo.) 960
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