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Aviation History
1936
1936 - 0426.PDF
FEBRUARY 13, 1936. FLIGHT. 187 HERE and THERE " Humane Methods " in War : Fuel Refunds for Tourists : A " Pou " Departure : Alms and Gnome Rhone Unrestricted Warfare T HE possibility of restricting methods of warfare was dis cussed in a paper read before the Royal United Service Institution on Wednesday of last week by Major General H. Thuilliei, K.C.B., C.M.G., Col. Commandant, Royal Engineers. The chair was taken by Admiral Sir William Goodenough, GC.B., M.V.O. The lecturer divided the proposals which have been made into those made on economic grounds, such as limitation of tonnage of battleships, and those made on humane grounds. In the latter category he mentioned the abolition of submarines, prohibition of bombing from the air, prohibition of heavy artillery, heavy tanks, gas and chemical substances. He then proceeded to ask whether such prohibitions would really reduce the. inhumanity of war. He argued effectively that submarines were not more inhumane than other warships except when used against merchant and passenger ships. He was much less convincing when he said that dropping bombs on civilian populations was not more inhumane than sending youths out to be killed in battle. He easily demolished the case for abolishing heavy tanks ; and then proceeded to make the startling (though not entirely novel) assertion that gas was not more but less inhumane than artillery and rifle fire. He ended by discussing the possibility of an international force of all Services, or of aircraft only, which, he said, would entail the surrender of their sovereign rights by nations to the League of Nations. He held that countries would be most un willing to surrender their rights to maintain armed forces. Subsequent speakers in the debate mostly expressed the view that it was now impossible and undesirable to restrict warfare, though one at least held that an enemy who had surrendered should be well treated. "Duty Drawback" THE tax refund on petrol supplied to an aeroplane for a •!• journey out of one country into another is known as "duty drawback," and the practice of various European coun tries in its application is almost as puzzling as its title—and certainly anything but rational. Some countries refund these taxes without question, some do not, and others do so in certain circumstances, e.g., when the aircraft is operated by a recognised transport company. The whole business is very lucidly explained, and the various countries and their methods set out alphabetically, in a book let entitled "Duty Drawback," obtainable on application from the Aviation Department of the Anglo-American Oil Co., Jrtd-> 36, Queen Anne's Gate, Westminster, London, S.W.i. the booklet also explains how Stanavo representatives in various countries can facilitate the formalities involved. A An Eve-snam-Pou? N Evesham Pou enthusiast, Mr. Horace C. Wright, appears to be breaking away from M. Mignet's precepts in a dis- mctly original fashion—so much so that an interview with im m the Evesham Journal and Four Shires Advertiser de lves extensive and unedited quotation: — My structure is what is known as mixed construction, a ~ which requires that each component part is constructed svstem with enahi p.roPortlon °f light metal framing and bracing which each tllC assemb,ed mass to be tensioned, like a cycle wheel; n part falling into line; therefore, nothing short of a fracture complete disintegration can ruin it. That's 'mixed,' but " sense, and good practice, lo do tnis 1 nad to J wtlole bo* of tricks and bid Mignet and his book of Erevan last September, T thi I ha o design words Then, as to the fabric surfacing or skin. How anyone a twentanJPU forty >'ards °f drv nainsook into covering for avoided" Th Wing in a damP backyard is a problem that I chemic-'l , Jt requires doping, which is painting with high a fairly'1 • ?Uld to tighten the surface like a drum and this in ligaet d certainly drv- temperature. I wanted to prevent aoWe |,p0inting thousancls of potential aviators who have backyard Whl°h to tackle the job, if they cannot do it in a s o I invented another method, which can be done SPIN-STOPPING BY PARACHUTE : Mr. F. G. Miles has evolved a scheme, not yet tested in actual flight, for stopping a flat spin during the flight-testing of new aircraft by releasing a small parachute anchored to the tail of the machine. In this picture the parachute is being fitted on a Nighthawk. Flight photograph.) in a backyard. Scientifically, it is known as synthetical pro cess and my particular application of synthesis is described as a ' skin and connective tissue of lamina-ted and stressed wood- paper.' '' That is all that can be said about it at the moment, except that it is done with special sheets of paper, stuck together with a simple cement in a particular way at a certain time. And why not paper? Paper being made from wood is still wood after all. I have built it up to the shape required for my aeroplane surfaces, and, moreover, many things which last quite a long time, Evesham Town Hall clock tower, for ex ample, are made of wood. For the present, the precise formula remains under my hat ..." Being charitable enough to believe that Mr. Wright has been somewhat misreported, we will refrain from making the com ment which the closing sentence invites. Alvis and Gnome Rhone THE new Alvis aero engine factory at Coventry is now nearing completion. The products of this factory will (as forecast in Flight last September) be the outcome of an arrangement between the Alvis Company and Gnome Rhone —believed to be the biggest manufacturers of aero engines in the world and to have supplied 80 per cent, of the modern power units of the French air force and commercial air lines. Gnome Rhone are now concentrating on engines of very high power, such as the Mistral Majors of 900 h.p.—or even 1,500 h.p. in a new type now in preparation. By this arrangement, it is stated, the Alvis Coiripany will have the benefit of the whole of the French concern s experience and future experimental knowledge, and the en gines they will make and sell will be based upon this know ledge, modified in accordance with British experience, materials and methods of inspection, which, needless to say, carry very considerable prestige in the aero engine markets of the world. It is emphasised that there is not to be the slightest financial connection between the French and British concerns, nor is there any question of control. Model Aeronautical Fixtures IN the fixture list of model aeronautical events, published on page 164 of last week's issue, those marked with an asterisk should have denoted competitions flown on a central ground and not,' as inadvertently stated, those held on clubs' own grounds.
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