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Aviation History
1933
1933 - 0159.PDF
FLIGHT, JULY 20, 1933 AN AMERICAN FOUR-SEATER str " WACO " (210-h.p. Continental) four-seat cabin i'—V^jlj aeroplane has recently been imported from J_/Nil America by Lady Hay Drummond Hay. It was seen at the Household Brigade Flying Club Meeting last Wednesday, June 7. We were fortunate enough to be permitted to try out this machine for our selves recently, and were thus able to see how the American aviation industry in endeavouring to meet the demand there undoubtedly is in our Dominions and Colonies for a class of machine which might be termed the flying motor-car. This " Waco " is as well finished as the average motor-car, the fabric having been given some thing over twenty coats of dope and carefully rubbed down between each until it has attained a high and glass-like polish. This certainly makes it look very beautiful from the outside, but it would seem doubtful whether the added weight entailed justifies the inevitable loss of pay load. Inside, the cabin was finished comparable to the outside. The seats were comfortable and were upholstered and the luggage locker was easy to get at. The general fittings throughout were in keeping with the high-class motor-car analogy. From an aerodynamical point of view the machine appeared to handle well with three up. Piloted by Capt. Baker, the take-off appeared to be good, although the landing speed, as one would expect, seemed to be very little below 60. It was very difficult to judge this accurately as the day was bumpy and the machine was only flown for a short while. During the demonstration we did not have an opportunity of flying the machine ourselves other than trying the controls in the air, but it was evident that she handled very well indeed. Our general criticism would be the lack of forward view. The engine fitted is a 7-cylinder 210-h.p. " Conti nental " cowled-in with the N.A.C.A. type cowling ring. The result was that when taxying one had a large nose Klng's Cup < Stalls " tL ,\i. the hurry jrf getting out the very long article on badly >g's Cup Race last week, we " stalled " rather m a few instances, and as some of the errors were bfrei' SC'°Verecl until a considerable number of copies had rec(i 1'3Ijinte^' we fear that some of our readers may have good S°me sliSht shocks. We would ask them to be of thutn+U to no*e the following corrections. In writing the 'e tj ! ?* the machines in Heat 2, it was stated that Was Hawk " was flown by Mr. Miles. This, of course, Com n<p v the case' The machine was piloted by Wing. <W . r°Dyn. In the caption to the photograph of Capt. What as inferred that he did not get into the final. getting^8 meant was that he missed by seven seconds credit^"1 aJnoilg the first three. Mr. Henshaw was given " Swift - . vi°? got 160.46 m.p.h. out of a Comper il was Pit*1!11 Pobjoy " engine! Actually, of course, " GipSv! ->' • Stainforth, who got this speed out of a of the'" 0en8ined " Swift." In commenting on the starts *^ss Moth " flown by Irwin and the " Pobjoy- The " Waco " has large side windows which can be opened. The clean design of its undercarriage should be noted. (FLIGHT Photo.) stuck up in front of the machine, around which it was by no means easy to see. Likewise when approaching an aero drome it was necessary to slew the machine from side to side in order to make certain that there was nobody imme diately below the machine. Apart from this point the view sideways and backwards was good. The rear portion of the cabin was covered with transparent Cellon as was the roof above the pilot, with the result that one could not only look backwards, but also see the aerodrome when making a turn in to land. We thought the engine some what rough and noisy and a consumption of 12 gallons an hour will undoubtedly seem to English ideas a high price to pay for the performance and comfort given. We were only able to fly a short stretch straight and level, during which the cruising speed appeared to be between 105 and 110, but we are assured by Lady Hay Drummond Hay that it is a good deal more than this. We also under stand from her that the price of this model works out at about £1,750 in this country, excluding carriage. Sum ming up, one might say that by adding a high horse power and sacrificing both landing speed and consumption, the Waco Company has produced a very comfortable four-seater machine well up to motor-car standards of comfort, which is undoubtedly handleable and pleasant to fly, but in which we feel that the noise and for ward view might be made somewhat better than they are. This side view of the " Waco " shows the interplane strut with a wide fairing on it so arranged that it can be rotated to form an airbrake when landing. (FLIGHT Photo.) Swift " flown by Henshaw, we stated that Irwin was in each case given the inside of the turn. Actually it was the other way about. Henshaw was given the inside. Funny how one makes these silly mistakes, isn't it? The Air Crash in Nairobi AT an inquest on the bodies of Capt. and Mrs. Ussher, who crashed near M'beya in Tanganyika, it was disclosed that Mrs. Ussher was killed by the crash, but Capt. Ussher took his own life. Notice to T.M.A.C. Members AN invitation has been received by the Model Aircraft Club from the Brooklands Aero Club to fly models at Brooklands Aerodrome on Sunday, July 30. Tea will be provided. Members desirous of attending are requested to notify the Hon. Secretary, Mr. A. E. Jones, 48, Narcissus Road, West Hampstead, N.W.6, by first post on Saturday, July 29, in order that the Brooklands Club may be notified of the number attending. 737
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