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Aviation History
1933
1933 - 0184.PDF
FLIGHT, JULY 27, 1933 Ready for the start of the Tour of France. THE UNION OF " PILOTES CIVILS " TOUR OF FRANCE FAVOURED by fine weather for the first time in three years, 57 tourist planes took off from the Orly Airport on Friday morning, July 21 last, in the Third Annual Tour (10 days) of France organised by the Union of the " Pilotes Civils." The machines were divided into three classes, rated according to their ground speed as shown in their official " homolo- guation " trials before the Service Technique. The fastest machines were sent away first in order to expedite landings at the various airports. These groups were as follow: — The Blue Group composed of planes having a speed superior to 170 km. (106 m.p.h.). This group consisted principally of the Farman types 230 and 350 series com posed of two-seater, low-wing, open-cockpit monoplanes, equipped with Renault " Bengali " (130 h.p.) and Salmson engines, together with some Caudron " Phalenes " and Potez, type 43, three-seater cabin monoplanes. The Far- man 353 (" Gipsy Major " engine) of Miss Aleck Plunian and Maurice Finat, who finished second in the " Twelve Hours of Anger " a few days ago was also in this group. The White Group composed of planes of a speed of 150-170 km.p.h. (90-106 m.p.h.). This group consisted about equally of Caudron type 270 two-seater open-cockpit biplanes equipped with Salmson 95-h.p. radial air-cooled engines and Potez 43 cabin monoplanes equipped with Potez 100-h.p. radial air-cooled engines. The Red Group comprising planes of a speed inferior to 150 km.p.h. (94 m.p.h.). Potez, type 36, three-seater cabin monoplanes comprised the largest part Of this group, together with some Caudron " Phalenes " and 270's, equipped with Renault, Salmson and Potez 95-100 h.p. engines. Miss Maryse Hilz, the well-known long-distance avia- trix, also accompanied the Tour, piloting the Farman 190 (300-h.p. Gnome & Rhone K7). She had as a passenger Mrs. Louise Faure Favier, the aeronautical lecturer and writer who is giving daily radio talks on the aerial aspects of France. The official planes comprise the Hanriot 437, Lorraine 230-h.p. engine, of Marcel Haeglen, the Commis sioner-General, and the Farman 204 of Pradel de Lamaze, the General Secretary of the Tour. The Alexander Jazz Band, in their Farman 190, is also with the tourists to give concerts at each landing, and Louis Gaubert, the veteran, in his venerable war-time Farman cage a poule (chicken cage) is also accompanying them. At 8 o'clock Friday morning Marcel Haeglen, the Com missioner-General, having received favourable " meteo " reports, decided to start the Tour, and at 8.14 o'clock de Lamaze gave the signal to Roger Nouvel in his Farman 231, Renault 95-h.p. engine, who was the first of the Blue Group, to " take off." The others followed in quick succession until at 9.10 o'clock all the planes had been sent away in perfect order, with one exception. Jean Meunier, piloting a Farman 352, in taxying to the start ing position, encountered a large rut covered with grass and twisted his landing gear, thus putting his machine out of service temporarily. Repairs were quickly made however, so that he could join the Tour the next day. Marcel Haeglen, Commissioner-General, and his Hanriot 437 in which he will follow the Tour. M. Pierre Cot, the Air Minister, piloting a Morane type 230 machine, arrived shortly before the start and, after conversing with the pilots, " took oil " again and accom panied the Tour for some distance before returning to Villacoublay. Two other Morane planes of the same type, piloted by his aides, acted as an escort to the Air Minister. The Tour, which comprises some 3,700 km. (2,100 milt; in length, is divided into eight sections of several easy stages each, together with two days of rest. It is intendfL to be a test of regularity of flying, and a demonstration to show the public the possibilities of tourist aviation. The course as laid out comprises a tour all around France, with a short flight at the end into Belgium. The itinerary is a- follows: — First Day, Friday, July 21.—Orly, Rheims, Nancy Luxeil Belfort, Dijon. 595 km. Second Day, Saturday, July 22.—Dijon, Saint Etienne Montelimar, Avignon, Cannes. 580 km. Third Day, Sunday, July 23.—Rest at Cannes. Fourth Day, Monday, July 24.—Cannes, Marseilles, Nimes, Mont- pellier, Perpignam. 455 km. Fifth Day, Tuesday, July 25.—Perpignan, Carcassone, Toulouse, Pau, Biarritz. 465 km. Sixth Day, Wednesday, July 26.— Rest at Biarritz TWO COMPETITORS : On the left a Potez 37 (95-h.p. Renault) and, right, the Farman 353 (" Gipsy Major of Maurice Finat and Miss Aleck Plunian. 748 >»)
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