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Aviation History
1936
1936 - 1924.PDF
FLIGHT. 63 Tne Monospar Croydon on a demonstration flight last week, with Fit. Lt. Schofield at the controls. AUSTRALIAN ASSAY Lord Sempill Trying the New Monospar Croydon Over the Empire Route their own in the keen competition there was bound to be for the markets in South Africa and Australia. In the Monospar Croydon, he thought, General Aircraft had rathet beaten their American leaders in that they had provided even greater comfort without sacrificing performance. He paid a warm tribute to his technical staff, who had designed and built the first machine in eleven months. The follow ing months were spent in thoroughly testing the machine as they did not wish to put it on the market until it was •" dead right." Private'Owner Work Many enquiries had been received from people who wished to enter the Croydon in the London-Johannesburg race, but they had decided to sell it to Major Anson, who was going to use it as a private owner's aeroplane should be used. Going with Lord Sempill to Australia would be Mr. H. Wood (Major Anson's pilot) as co-pilot, Mr. Gillroy as wireless operator, and Mr. Davies as ground engineer. Lord Sempill explained that the flight to Australia and back was entirely a private venture. The machine was absolutely standard except for the fitting of two petrol tanks, giving an extra forty gallons of fuel so as to enable them to do daily flights of six to seven hours' duration. He said there would be no question of going after the England-Australia record, but he had to be back by the end of the month, and in the meantime was interested to see how the machine would behave in the monsoons of India and in the varying climates of Australia. He thought that later on they might also try the Croydon on the next- longest Empire air route. (Obviously the London-Cape.) A description of the Monospar Croydon was published ij Flight of May 7, 1936. JULY 9- 1936. THAT Lord Sempill is to try out the new Monospar Croydon over the Empire air routes was disclosed last Friday at a luncheon given by General Aircraft, Ltd., at Hanworth. Mr. E. C. Gordon England explained that the machine was being handed over that afternoon to Lord Sempill on behalf of Major C. R. Anson, who had purchased it for his own use, and that actually his company did not particularly wish to part with the machine yet. However, Major Anson had insisted, and as he had been good enough to agree to being without the machine while it paid a flying visit to Australia, General Aircraft had agreed to sell the machine to him. Mr. Gordon England referred to the criticisms that had been levelled at his company for using American engines. His reply was that when the machine was designed there w-as no British engine of the particular characteristics which they required. Actually, he considered that he and those associated with him had done British engine manufacturers a service, because the machine had been built and thoroughly tested so that when suitable British engines came along it would be ready for them. " The American Formula " Referring to what he termed the American formula, i.e., ow-wmg, stressed-skin construction, with retractable undercarriage, trailing-edge flaps, variable-pitch airscrews, automatic pilot, and high cruising speed on a small per centage of the total power, Mr. Gordon England said its s were noticeable to-day in all modern British civil j Military aircraft. It was spurious patriotism to pre-; hat America had not taken the lead, and it was for Us m this country to catch up and draw ahead. t ujS very important that British aircraft should hold
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