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Aviation History
1934
1934 - 0059.PDF
FLIGHT, JANUARY 18, 1934 * T caused a shortage of sleeping accommodation, so that a new block of quarters containing 14 bedrooms had to be added. This is to be supplemented by a further 15 rooms and, in order to increase the messing accommodation, the A.S.T. Club is being enlarged. In a career such as aviation, physical fitness is of the utmost importance. With this end in view, organised games were arranged. The winter games consisted of hockey, soccer and squash, and that great keenness was shown by the participants was indicated by the results achieved. Only one squash match was lost, and a fair proportion of the hockey matches were won. With soccer, it suffices to say that, though the spirit was willing, the flesh was weak. The all-the-year-round sports, namely, golf, clay pigeon shooting and miniature rifle shooting, proved very popular, a trophy for the last named having been presented for competition by E. A. Minchin, Esq., a former pupil at the school. The ideal situation of the school in relation to South- ampton Water facilitated the formation of a yacht club, and a trophy was presented to the Club for competition by Mrs. E. A. Minchin. The other summer games, tennis and cricket, proved very popular, and a number of matches were played. T OHANNESBURG AERONAUTICAL ASSOCIATION J One hundred and seventy-four passengers were carried in club machines during the week ending December 24. The flying times for the week totalled TA hours 40 minutes. Mr. Beljon went solo, and there were two cross-countryflights, one to Kroonstad on a " Puss Moth " to pick up a man whose own machine was not fast enough tor theurgency of his business, and the other to Durban with Mr. T. F. Neale for cross-country practice. Now that the Gipsy Moth," recently imported complete with hood andblind flying instruments, is available, seven pupils are taking blind flying courses. Mr. G. B. D. Williams, theinstructor, is the only civilian instructor of blind flying in South Africa. [ ONDON GLIDING CLUB*—' On Saturday, January 13, soaring was made possible by a S.W. wind, 15-20 m.p.h. Ihe Kassel two-seater madethree soaring flights, each with a passenger ; the Scud II and Priifling one each of half an hour, and the Kassel 20two of twenty minutes each. The four machines were in the air simultaneously and carried on until the wind backedand the lift disappeared. A gale blew up during the night, but by Sunday after-noon had reached a reasonable speed of 25-35 m.p.h. from the south-west, its gustiness gradually wearing down. Thesame four machines then made fourteen soaring flights, six passengers being carried. Total flying time exceeded sixhours. Conditions were extremely interesting, especially for repeated landings at the launching point. Alter sunsetthe Scud II wandered away up-wind and found uncanny lift nearly half a mile in front of the hill. It was justpossible to reach the Zoo, but the aerial turmoil there was somewhat excessive and the lift weak. MACHINES FOR THE ENGLAND-AUSTRALIA RACE "ANY Americans appear to think that the UnitedStates have as good as won the England- Australia race which is scheduled to start inOctober next. They point to the number of high-speed civil aeroplanes which America already pos-sesses, and to the fact that so far no British machine is in existence which could hope to compete against them. Thesame sort of reasoning has also led to a fairly widespread feeling at home that Great Britain may suffer loss ofprestige by an American aeroplane having a " walk-over " in the race. On the surface there is some cause for a littlealarm, but it would be premature to get " panicky." While it is true that no British aeroplane is in existence atthe moment which can be regarded as suitable for the MacRobertson race, several designs have been got out,and the machines can be built if entrants are forthcoming. During last week the de Havilland Aircraft Co., Ltd.,announced that their research engineers have been study- ing the conditions which govern the England-Australiarace (and which, incidentally, are likely to be considerably altered in the near future), and have arrived at what onemay term the " ideal " aeroplane for the particular route stages to be covered in the race. The firm very naturallymaintains considerable secrecy about the details of the racing machine, but lias authorised the statement that alimited number of these machines will be built, and that the price will be £5,000. A deposit of 20 per cent, willbe demanded with the order, and the company will guaran- tee a top speed of at least 200 m.p.h. If that speed is SsJ S3 Ja! Gatwick and Gravesend MR. MAURICE JACKAMAN has already been announcedin our columns as Director of the Horley Syndicate, Ltd., a company which was formed back in November last yearto acquire the rights and liabilities of Gatwick aerodrome. Now news reaches us that the same company has acquiredthe controlling interest in Gravesend Aviation, Ltd. Mr. Jackaman will be chairman of that concern and will,therefore, hold the destinies of both Gatwick and Gravesend in his hands. He has admitted that he aims to get as muchof the continental air traffic as possible to stop at these aerodromes, and with this end in view is providing every-thing in the way of up-to-date equipment both for day and for night flying which commercial operators canwant. Gravesend is already used by K.L.M. when the weather at Croydon precludes them using that airport,and as Gravesend is seldom fog-bound this is quite frequently. Gatwick, with its proximity to the railwaystation and the frequent electric railway service to not attained, the customer will be at liberty to cancel hisorder, and all money paid by him will be refunded. In order to ensure ample time for development and tests, it ispointed out that instructions to begin construction should be placed before the end of February. It has been made known that Airspeed, Ltd., haveplans completed for a twin-engined machine suitable for the England-Australia race, and the name of Mr. T.Neville Stack has been coupled with the venture. As it is fairly certain that de Havilland will build more than onemachine, we are now beginning to get on with the number of likely British entries. On a recent visit to the Blackburn works at Broughwe were privileged to see the designs for some high-speed monoplanes which that company has prepared, and itwould be very well worth while for potential entrants for the MacRobertson race to get in touch with the BlackburnCompany in order to study these designs, which appear to us to promise very high speeds indeed. We are not atliberty to disclose details, but may point out that not only is a fairly wide range of engine types optional, butthe number of engines to be fitted is variable within wide limits, so that potential buyers should be able to suittheir own fancies in the matter of power plant. The list of British designs available is still not ex-hausted, but sufficient has been said to indicate that if any sportsman is contemplating the entry of a machinein the England-Australia race, he should have ao difficulty in getting a suitable British machine. Victoria, rivals Croydon from the point of view of gettingpassengers quickly between it and the centre of London, while from a flying point of view it is superior as it liesto the south of the Redhill range of hills and out of the London fog area. A fast and frequent air service betweenthere and the Continent should do well. A sensible safety measure IT is with the greatest pleasure that we learn of thedecision of the Cirrus-Hermes Engineering Co., Ltd., to fit all their engines with electric inertia starters as standardequipment. This will obviate the objectionable and dangerous necessity for " swinging the propeller " byhand, and should do a very great deal to enhance the value of these engines all over the world. It will beremembered that the Caple electric inertia 9tarter was fully described in FLIGHT for March 9, 1933. This wasdesigned by Mr. A. H. Caple and Mr. C. S. Napier, and originally made by the Cirrus-Hermes Engineering Co. 59
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