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Aviation History
1934
1934 - 0010.PDF
FLIGHT, JANUARY 4, 1984 CUmaa/itom ike <fowv UfuuU A noteworthy Latvian flightWE have previously referred to a flight from Riga to Africa carried out by a Latvian pilot, H. Cukurs, on amachine of his own construction. Further details pub- lished in Shell Aviation News indicate that this was arather remarkable flight. His machine was a low-wing monoplane of semi-can tile ver type, built almost entirelyof wood, the only metal used being in the undercarriage and engine mounting. The wing tapers in thickness bothat the tips and roots, and bracing is carried out by in- verted V's from the top of the fuselage on each side.The engine is an 80-h.p. 8-cylinder V-shaped air-cooled Renault, built in 1916 and bought by Herr Cukurs for£2 from a dealer in old iron. Actually the engine had been salvaged from a British machine which was shot downnear Riga during the war. With a cruising speed of 110 kilometres (68 miles) an hour, the Cukurs monoplanecan climb to 3,000 m. (9,840 ft.) in 16 min., while the maximum ceiling is 5,600 m. (18,370 ft.). He left Rigaon August 28, and on arrival in Paris he got into touch with the Renault works, who expressed considerable sur-prise to see the engine still working. It was overhauled and Herr Cukurs continued to Spain, but the machine wasdamaged in a forced landing near Barcelona. Repairs were effected, and although one cylinder failed to work afterleaving Barcelona, Herr Cukurs managed to continue his flight to Alicante. Shortly after leaving that place, enginetrouble developed again, and although the pilot was pro- vided with a parachute, he preferred to turn his machineback in the direction of Alicante aerodrome, which was then approximately 20 km. (12 miles) away, and to landfrom a height of 2,000 m. (6,560 ft.). He failed to reach the aerodrome, but made a successful forced landing. Itwas then found on investigation that one cylinder was completely broken, while the others were damaged andthe crankcase entirely wrecked. With the assistance of the local air force the engine was patched up and HerrCukurs continued on his flight, reaching Tangier on October 20, Agadir on the 24th, Cape Juby on the 26thand finally Bathurst on November 3. When it became known in Latvia that Herr Cukurs had succeeded in reach-ing Gambia safely, the local aeronautical association de- cided to collect money for the purpose of presenting himwith a new engine, so that he might return to Riga by air. A " Gipsy Major " engine has been purchased, andthis is now on its way to Dakar, where Herr Cukurs arrived on November 9.A Norwegian African flight ACCORDING to Shell Aviation News, three Norwegianpilots, Lts. Skappel, Engnes, and Smith, propose to under- take a flight to Africa in three " Gipsy Moths " purchasedfrom the Norwegian Army. The start is scheduled to take place at any moment, the three machines flying to- gether as far as Nairobi, thence one continuing to Mada-gascar. New French light plane record ON December 26, at Istres Aerodrome (Marseilles), M. Delmotte established a new world's speed record for light planes in the second category (single-seaters weigh- ing under 992 lb.), by covering a distance of 1,000 km. (621.37 miles) at an average speed of 332.183 km./h. (206.41 m.p.h.). The machine he used was the Coupe Deutsch Caudron C.362 fitted with Renault Bengali special engine. The best speed over 500 km. was 333.506 km./h. (207.24 m.p.h.), and over 100 km. the best speed was 334.666 km./h. (207.54 m.p.h.). On a previous attempt Delmotte ran out of petrol after flying 940 km. He was flying at 150 ft. at the time his engine stopped, but by using his great speed to do a " zoom," he found time to work his wing camber gear, and landed without breaking anything, although the field was very rough. The machine was fitted with a Ratier airscrew with variable pitch, which is considered to have contributed materially to the success. The low pitch at the start resulted in an amazing take-off, the machine being away in 15 sec, although loaded to more than 20 lb./sq. ft. Lost French airman THE fragments of an aeroplane, which were washed up on the beach near Dungeness, have now been definitely established as parts of the machine in which the Viscount Manneville lost his life. Canadian aeroplanes' rescue work A STORY comes from Canada of lives saved by aero- planes. The Canadian Trading Schooner Speed was wrecked by an engine-room explosion during an arctic storm in the Great Bear Lake. Three survivors were stranded, two of them half-blinded. Mr. W. N. Parker, the third survivor, walked 125 miles and, after six days, reached a civilised spot. On hearing his story two pilots, who happened to be in the vicinity, set out immediately with a doctor and food. In an hour and a-half the machines reached the two stranded men and brought them back to safety. Another record for Italy THE world's altitude record for light aeroplanes (second class) has been beaten by an Italian, Furio Niclot. He was in the air for three hours and attained a height of 32,090 ft. The previous record was held by Herr Waldemar Voight, a German. Air raids on Foochow FOOCHOW, the capital of the rebel Chinese province of Fulkien, has spent a Christmas of air raids. Machines of the Chinese Nationalist Army bombed the city, and are reported to have been responsible for 45 deaths. ,:-n- fe HOME AGAIN ! : Col. and Mrs. Charles Lindbergh arriving at College Point, New York, at the conclusion of their 30,000 miles flight to Europe and back. 14
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