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Aviation History
1934
1934 - 0952.PDF
954 FLIGHT. SEPTEMBER 13, 1934. Private Flying A MIDLAND OCCASION Informality at Castle Bromzuich : The Midland Aero CluVs " At Home:C ASTLE BROMW1CH is a Service aerodrome, and it is only when the Auxiliary Squadron ' ',.cat " is away that the Midland Aero Club '' mouse '' can play on anything like a large scale. Hence the fact that one of the most successful, and certainly the oldest, of our flying clubs so rarely appears in the limelight. Last week an "old-timers' " dinner was held in the club- house—few people realise that the club was founded as long ago as 1909—and Saturday's " At Home" aptly followed it up. At the aerodrome could be seen all the veterans of the post-war development, many of whom learnt to fly on the club's original Mark I "Moth." More than forty machines, too, arrived from various parts of the country. Just for once the inevitable arrival competition was not run on "sealed time" lines, but a committee, who probably escaped a lynching, judged the most correct and efficient approach and landing. The event was won by Mr. Northway, flying the Cotswold Club's Hermes-Desoutter—suspiciously like the N.F.S. King's Cup machine, and not one in which a poor approach could be faked. While late arrivals were still slipping in over the telegraph wires, Mr. George Lowdell took up a Wolseley " Tomtit," and proceeded to do everything that is possible without an inverted fuel feed, and wound up his clean display by a landing straight off a series of exaggerated '' swishtails '' as near to the '' free '' enclosure as possible The first competitive event seemed likely to give everyone something to think about. It was called a " navigation com- petition,' and involved a good deal of last-minute mental calculation. Five minutes before the start the pilots were given an envelope with two true bearings, on each of which they had to fly for twenty miles, one,, 113 deg., taking them to a point near Rugby, and the other, 233 deg., to Stratford- on-Avon, from whence they had to return. Cars with white sheets and observers with white flags were posted at the turn- ing points, and the machines were required to cruise at a ground speed of 90 m.p.h.—a fact which caused the adjudica- tors some little slide-rule operation. More than one competitor drew a beautiful line on his map in the wrong direction, fol- lowed it carefully, and came to the conclusion that the ob- server had gone to tea, but most came through with flying colours at any speed from 80 to 100 m.p.h. The winners were Mr. W. D. Gairdner, flying the Brian Lewis " Leopard Moth," and Mr. F. J. A. Cameron, flying a " Puss Moth/' Meanwhile, Fit. Lt. Tommy .Rose, once, incidentally, an instructor of the club, demonstrated both speed and controll- able sloth on the" Hawk Major," Mr. Hordern added beautiful loops and undercarriage retractilations to his turn with the Klemm "Eagle," a Klemm "Swallow " moved softly about the sky, at various speeds, Mr. Lowdell burst, or failed to burst balloons, and everybody except the hard-working officials went to tea. There were six teams of three in the Relay Race, which was run off in two heats and a final, the machines being in view during the whole seven miles of the out-and-home course —save when they were below tree level. A starting line was laid out across the north-east corner of the aerodrome, and each competitor had to land behind this line, taxi up to it, stop his engine and run to the next man with his baton. If he overshot, the machine had to be man-handled back to the line before he could leave it. So we saw some fairly hectic approaches and still more hectic " driving" ; wheelbrakes were at a premium. During the first heat, between the Midland, Cotswold, and Leicestershire Clubs, the Cotswold pilot on the first round made up a good deal by an ingenious and emotioning cross- wind landing, but the heat was won by Leicester just the same. The Midland Private Owners' team won the second heat from three Klemms, one an " Eagle," and the North- amptonshire club. The final was really quite exciting. After two rounds, in which the battle closed between the Midland Owners and the Leicestershire Club, Mr. G. S. Davison, who had, incident- ally, only been flying his Monospar for a week, set off with a fair lead and was beaten only by the odd second. Leicester- shire held the inside position and made up, perhaps, twenty seconds by a "cut-in " approach at the finish with a rather more manoeuvrable machine. The winners were flown by Messrs. Roy Winn, Don Longmore, and Fit. Lt. P. Stringer, the Leicestershire chief instructor. Thereafter Major Gilbert D"ennison oresented the pots, boxes and cases to the winners, Mr. H. L. Johnson (" Puss Moth") surprising himself by owning the "best-kept machine"—and dancing rounded off the day. H. A. T. VICEREGAL SPAN - - • LENGTH - • WING AREA AVRO 642 ARMSTRONG SIDDELEY ENGINES "LYNX FOR INDIA'S. VICEROY : A general-arrangement drawing of the Avro 642, with four Siddeley " Lynx " engines, which is being supplied to Lord Willingdon for his personal use in India. In this form the 642 should have a maximum speed at sea level of 150 m.p.h. and a service ceiling of 15,000 ft.
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