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Aviation History
1933
1933 - 0683.PDF
FLIGHT, SEPTEMBER 28, 1933 MISS BRITAIN Ill's ACHIEVEMENTS up MR. HUBERT SCOTT-PAINE'S magnificent efforts to regain the British International Trophy for Great Britain, with his latest motor-boat, Miss Britain III, brings to light many interesting facts as to the ex tent to which he owes his success to the aircraft industry. When he returned to Southampton in the Empress of Britain on Thursday, Septem ber 21, he admitted that his boat, its en gine, shaft, rudder, propeller, and, in fact, every part caused a very big stir indeed in engineering circles both in Canada and the U.S.A. Eminent authorities came from all parts of those countries to look at these engineering marvels. Mr. Scott-Paine himself designed and built the boat, but the engine, as our readers know, was a Napier " Lion " super charged racing engine, series VII D., of the same type as was built for the Schneider Trophy Con test. Giving out 1,375 h.p. at 3,600 r.p.m., it has a power weight ratio of only 0.886 lb./h.p. Mr. Scott-Paine told us that during the race he ran at 3,500 r.p.m. all the time, and that at times the boat leapt from the water for considerable distances. The strain to which the engine must have been subjected at these times, and which it stood without giving any trouble, must have been incred ible. Naturally, Napier's use the very best materials they can get in their eifgines, and for the steel for their crank shaft, pinions, lay-shafts; inlet valves, impeller, cam shafts and reduction gearing and other parts they went to T. Firth & John Brown, Ltd. This same firm was respon sible for producing a steel which stood up to the terrific shocks imposed on the main shaft and the rudder. The former was only one and a-half inches in diameter, and with the latter, which was placed in front of the step, was subjected to tremendous forces when the boat hit waves and when, as was shown by photographs, she leapt clean out of the water for distances of as much as 340 ft. Firth's shaft was made from 72.4-ton steel, with the extra ordinarily high impact value of 80 to 82 ft.-lb. No less important was the propeller. With a shaft at an angle, as was that of Miss Britain III, the centrifugal force pro duces a complete reversal of stress in the propeller at every A GOLIATH AMONG MANY DAVIDS : The Empress of Britain escorted Southampton Water by a number of speed boats. revolution, and the blades have to sustain almost incal culable shocks on re-entering the water after a jump. The propeller used was a solid casting of special bronze (Ammadium V) produced by the Manganese Bronze & Brass Co., Ltd. Mr. Scott-Paine had no trouble with this at all, although it was running at twice the engine speed. Instruments play a most important part in an under taking of this nature, and the revolution indicator, pressure and temperature gauges, upon which so much depends, were all of aircraft type supplied by Smith's Aircraft Instruments, which firm was also responsible for supplying the Petro-Flex tubing, Essex fire extinguishers and the K.L.G. sparking plugs in the engine. Mr. Scott-Paine expressed his intention of building another boat to chal lenge again for the Trophy. On Sunday afternoon, September 24, he broke the unofficial sea-mile record for single-engined boats, held by the late Sir Henry Segrave, at 92.73 m.p.h., raising it to 95.08 m.p.h. The runs were made in Poole Harbour, and during a subsequent demonstration for the crowd, which had arrived after his success, the boat burst into flames. These were, however, extinguished without very serious damage to the boat or to the engine, and Mr. Scott-Paine intends to make another effort shortly, as he is confident of raising the record to over 100 m.p.h. Royal Aero Club House Dinners IT has been decided to hold monthly house dinners in the club on the first Wednesday of each month, commenc ing on October 4 next. The price of dinner will be 4s. Dinner jackets will be worn. Mr. Leslie L. Irvin will speak on " Parachutes " at the first dinner, October 4, at 8.15 p.m. Members intending to be present are requested to forward their names to the House Secretary. Control of Private Flying THE Secretary of State for Air, having appointed a Com mittee, under the chairmanship of Lord Gorell, to examine the requirements of the present Air Navigation Regulations, with particular reference to those governing private flying, in such matters as Certificates of Airworthiness, the ques tion of compulsory third-party insurance for aircraft having also been referred to them, the Royal Aero Club has been requested to put forward the names of three private owners to give evidence before the Gorell Committee. In order that the whole question may be ventilated, all private owners are invited to attend a meeting, to be held at the Roval Aero Club, 119, Piccadilly, London, W.l, on Thursday, October 5, 1938, at 5 p.m. Junior Aero Club Annual Dinner THE JUNIOR AERO CETIB will be holding their annual dinner at the Ham Bone Club, Ham Yard, Great Windmill Street, near Piccadilly, on October 3, at 8.0 p.m. The ^ccasion is being made a reunion of " old timers," and Capt. Geoffrey de Havilland and Mr. " Bill " Lawford will be the chief guests. Lounge suits will be the " rig of the day," and tickets at four shillings each should be obtained from the Secretary, table being booked at the same time as accommodation is limited. First Chinese Member of the Caterpillar Club WHAT must surely be one of the lowest drops done with the aid of a parachute was safely accomplished in China recently, and it was entirely unpremeditated. Mr. Tang Pao Sun, of the Central Aviation School, Hangschow, leaped from a spinning Curtiss Hawk with an Irvin parachute from a height of 150 ft. and landed safely, thus qualifying for membership of the Caterpillar Club. Tenders for Hangars Wanted THE Egyptian Ministry of Communications, Aviation Department, is calling for tenders, to be pre sented in Cairo by November 1 of this year, for the building of two portable hangars at Dekheila and Mersa Matruh aerodromes. Details of the tender can be obtained from the Department of Overseas Trade, 35, Old Queen Street, London, S.W.I. International Egyptian Aviation Meeting DURING the International Egyptian Aviation Meeting the Vacuum Oil Co. have made arrangements to provide fuel and oil at all landing grounds on the route. Con sidering that some of the landing grounds are situated out in the Lybian desert, over which transport is very difficult, this shows very praiseworthy enterprise on the part of Vacuum Co., and it can only be hoped that every advantage will be taken of it. 983
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