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Aviation History
1936
1936 - 0015.PDF
JANUARY 2, 1936. FLIGHT. OUTSTANDING CIVIL TYPES : Four machines which made their first appearance during 1935 : (1) the B.A. Swallow with Pobjoy 80 h.p. Cataract engine; (2) the Heston Phoenix five-seater with 200 h.p. Gipsy Six; (3) the Percivai'Vega Gull four-seater with Gipsy Six ; (4) the Miles Merlin five-seater with Gipsy Six. (Flight photographs.) early summer of this year, and experimental flights will be made to weed out any minor shortcomings that may come to light and to try out the boats and crews under actual service conditions. Most of the boats will be finished with Empire air services in view, but one or two are to have different internal equip ment and a much larger fuel tankage in order to make the flight across the Atlantic possible, either via the Azores and Bermuda or via Ireland-Newfoundland. Also a part of 1935 planning is the Short-Mayo Com posite aircraft, in which a small but heavily loaded sea plane is carried on the wing of a large but lightly loaded flying boat to an operational height of some 10,000ft. and then released on its journey across the Atlantic. It is calculated that the upper component of the Mayo Com posite will be able to cover the Ireland-Newfoundland stage without refuelling, even when flying against an average head wind of 60 m.p.h. The return flight from Newfoundland to Ireland should be quite easy, and it seems likely that, if desired, a much greater payload could be carried on the eastward flight. If all goes well, the first experimental flights should be made during this year. ^Meanwhile, the Empire duplication of services had been.extended to Singapore, and survey flights had been made between Penang and Hong Kong, while in April it was announced that overland services would be run to Brindisi, via Marseilles and Rome. At the end of the year three separate companies were planning Scandinavian extensions, and another had made all arrangements for a service to Lisbon. In Africa Imperial Airways are about to open a line from Khartum to Kano, and a new company, Elder's Colonial Airways, has been formed to carry on from Kano to Lagos, Accra, Kumasi, and later to Freetown, as occasion offers. This linking of the West African colonies with the main African air line should be of the gre.atest benefit to parts of the Empire which have hitherto seemed very isolated The conference organised by the Society of British Air craft Constructors to discuss air lines and airports aroused considerable interest. The discussion showed a fairly funeral desire for less control of civil flying by the Air -Ministry. In sympathy with the recommendations of the Gorell Committee, the Air Ministry made public the terms of a Bill, which is to be introduced into Parliament to make compulsory the insurance of Srcraft against third- party risks. Among the more outstanding events abroad were the 7 Pacific preparations and experimental flights culminating in a complete return journey by the Martin China Clipper; the duplication and speeding-up of the K.L.M. Batavia service with new equipment; the co-operation between Air France and D.L.H. on the South Atlantic mail service; and the serious development of air services in New Zealand. During the year Lord Londonderry made over the post of Air Minister to Sir Philip Cunliffe-Lister, who was later raised to the peerage as Viscount Swinton. Lieut.-Col. Shelmerdine was promoted from Director to Director- General of Civil Aviation in order to give increased dig nity and importance to that office. Mr. Bertram retired from the post of Deputy Director of Civil Aviation, and was succeeded by Mr. J. G. Gibson. 'The year has been a sad one in the number of notable personalities who have died. We have to mourn the para chutist, John Tranum ; two directors or ex-directors of Imperial Airways in Lieut.-Col. Barrett-Lennard and Air Vice-Marshal Sir Vyell Vyvian ; Aircraftman T. E. Shaw, formerly known as Col. T. E. Lawrence ; Sir John Carden ; Sir Richard Glazebrook ; and that greatest of all long-dis tance pilots, Sir Charles Kingsford-Smith. PRIVATE FLYING THE continued increase in the amount of club flying and in the number of subsidised clubs, as well as the OUTSTANDING CIVIL TYPES : This small commercial type, the Short Scion Senior with 90 h.p. Pobjoy Niagara engines, was produced in 1935. It has seating accommoda tion for ten passengers. Flight photograph.)
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