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Aviation History
1934
1934 - 0829.PDF
AUGUST 16, T934. FLIGHT. 831 HIGH AND LOW WINGS : Trie " Vega " (" Wasp " SCI) and " Orion " (" Wasp " S1D1). level, this machine, in 1930, flew from Los Angeles to Chicagoin 9 hr. 9 min. 40 sec, winning the transcontinental non-stop event of the National Air Races in that year. The followingyear. Post, accompanied by Harold Gatty, established a "round-the-world" record of 8 days 15 hr. 51 min., and inJuly, 1933, Post, flying solo, circled the globe in 7 days, 18 hr. 49 min. Before this latter flight the "Wasp C" engine wasconverted into an SC '' altitude '' type by the installation of a supercharger. Post was so impressed with the benefitsderived from this installation that he has had a second super- charger mounted in series. The use of two superchargerswith the " Wasp " should boost the 4.37 lb. atmospheric pres- sure at 30,000ft. to approximately 15 1b. intake manifold pres-sure, which corresponds to that at sea level. Thus the "Wasp" can maintain its full rated power up to 30,000ft.To make full use of this power Post has installed a special controllable pitch airscrew. He hopes that the machine willmake a top speed of about 350 m.p.h. at the great altitudes at which he intends to fly. The cruising speed should exceed275 m.p.h. Not only the engine, but Post himself will be supercharged.From the first supercharger he will be supplied with air under pressure entering the front of an aluminium helmet. Attachedto the helmet will be an airtight rubberised suit through which the air will be forced, passing out through exhaust valvesin the boots. Thus he will be supplied not only with oxygen, but with the pressure needed for bodily comfort. A mixingvalve will enable him to control the temperature of the air entering the helmet and suit, while an extra inlet is providedfrom an oxygen tank for use at extremely high altitudes. In the cockpit is every conceivable aid to navigation,including an automatic pilot and a Westport radio set. "Smithy" Pays Last Instalment Sir Charles Kingsford Smith's " Altair" has a "Wasp" SrDi engine, and a capacity for 500 gallons of fuel, which should give a range of about 3,500 miles at a speed in excess of 200 m.p.h. It is reported that "Smithy" paid the final instalment on the "Altair" with the money obtained by the sale of the "Codock" monoplane which is employed on the Sydney- Newcastle service. The machine was shipped to Australia on June 27, the San-Francisco strikers having agreed to load it. "Vega" Entry from Australia Mr. James Woods, who, accompanied by Mr. H. C. Miller,will fly in a Lockheed "Vega," recently visited the Lockheed factory at Burbank, California, to confer with engineers onthe fitting out of this machine for the race. Mr. Woods is Western Divisional manager of the MacRobertson-Miller Avia-tion Co. of Australia. The "Vega" is owned by Mr. H. C. Miller, managing director of the company, and is the machinein which the late Lt. Com. Glen Kidston, R.N., made a fast flight to the Cape in 1931. The "Wasp" SC engine willdrive a Hamilton standard controllable pitch airscrew. This machine is at present at Hanworth. "Irish Swoop" Col. Fitzmaurice's Bellanca monoplane Irish Swoop isnearly completed. Signor Bellanca, the designer, says: "We who are building new 'planes for the race are delving deepinto our resource of inventiveness. For the usual order in our factory we work at walking speed, but for this job we arerunning. We are keyed up now quite as much as the pilots will be in October." Speaking of the Irish Swoop, SignorBellanca states: " It is not like a small racer. Though only a two-seater, it will have 280 square feet of surface, which isequivalent to that of a six-passenger 'plane." An announcement applying to insurance for the race is onp. 858. MACROBERTSON ENGLAND-AUSTRALIA AIR RACE October 20—November 4. PRIZES: ** Speed Race: 1st. £10,000 and Gold Cup: 2nd, £1,500 ; 3rd, £500. Handicap Race 1st, £2,000 ; 2nd, £1,000. Sixty-four entries representing fourteen nations • Start: Hatfleld. Finish: Melbourne. ""*Controi points (Handicap Race in italics):—Marseilles, Rome, Athens, Aleppo, Baghdad, Bushire, Karachi, Jodhpur,Allahabad, Calcutta, Rangoon, Bangkok, Alor Star, Singapore, Batavia, Rambang, Koepang, Darwin, Newcastle Waters,Cloncarry, Charleville and Narrowmine. Tolal Distance (Great Circle):—11.333 miles. ;"" p
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