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Aviation History
1937
1937 - 0050.PDF
22 FLIGHT. JANUARY 7, 1937. Models—continued. From Germany and Sweden HERR HORST WINKLER, the best-known exponent of model aeronautics in Germany, flew over specially to attend one of the Albert Hall meetings. Subsequently, he lectured on stability to the members of the Blackheath Club. English aeromodellists who have visited Germany are greatly impressed with the Winkler glider, and copies are being built in this country. With these heavy models extremely fine glides have been obtained from level ground. On another Albert Hall occasion 1 had the pleasure of meeting M. Herald Vilen, the managing director of a model aircraft store in Sweden, and hearing from him of the phenomenal spread of interest in model aeronautics in his country The principal club, the Allers Flygklubb, which is conducted by a boys' weekly paper, has secured a membership of no fewer than 96,000 during the last fifteen months, and one of their recent flying meetings attracted 10,000 spectators. The, German heavy glider, with its fast but very flat glide, is greatly in vogue, and excellent soaring flights are frequently obtained. The rubber-driven models, mostly high-wing monoplanes, have very slender fuselages, the S.M.A.E. fuselage formula not being followed in that country. They COMPANY T HREE company meetings of considerable interest have recently taken place—those of the Fairey, Airspeed and British Marine Aircraft concerns. On December 31 the Fairey Aviation Co., Ltd., held its eighth ordinary general meeting, with Sqn. Ldr. M. E. A. Wright, A.F.C., in the chair (in the absence of Mr. C. R. Fairey, through illness). Sqdn. Ldr. Wright reported that the year's working up to September 30, 1936, showed a profit of ,£60,176 as compared with ^39,112 for the pre vious year. He explained that the rearmament pro gramme came at rather an awkward time from the com pany's point of view, and they found themselves faced with the problems ot opening a new factory, enlarging existing ones and putting no fewer than four new types of aircraft into production almost simultaneously. They had in hand larger orders than ever before in the com pany's history. The bulk of the work on the new plant at Stockport was now finished, the factory was producing, and should reach full output by the middle of 1937. They had come to an arrangement with the Manchester Corporation by which they had obtained the use of Ringway aerodrome and would erect buildings there for the purpose of receiving deliveries from Stockport. They were temporarily accommo dated at Barton. The existing Hayes and Hamble works had been considerably enlarged, as had the airscrew plant. Among other statements made by Sqn. Ldr. Wright was the one that a certain type of Fairey aircraft was to be made by an important firm in the shadow industry. * # * At the meeting of Airspeed (1934), Ltd., also held on the last day of 1936 the chairman, Mr. George Wigham-Richard- son, said he was disappointed to have to present accounts showing a loss on the year's trading. He then proceeded to give reasons for this state of affairs, which, he said, was due almost entirely to the smallness of the turnover. Orders had been received from the Government for three different tvpes of military aircraft, but it was not possible to anticipate the time which would elapse before receiving '' instructions to proceed." In the meantime they decided to carry out the necessary extensions to the factory, and, at the same time, to abandon a project for a civil aeroplane of advanced de sign embodying the combined technique of the latest Fokker and Douglas productions. In order to keep the works busy while awaiting the " in struction to proceed " it was decided to apply for sub-contract work, but they had been unable to obtain as much as they had wished and as a consequence part of the factory remained idle for a long period. The present position was that they had received an order for two machines, each of two types, upon which they had been working for several months. In respect of a third type they had received an order for a very large number. They estimated the total value of orders on their books at the present moment for both civil and Air Ministry work at about ^700,000, so that future prospects would seem to be not unfavourable. * « » The meeting of British Marine Aircraft, Ltd., was held on • \ COMMERCIAL AIRCRAFT and AIRPORTS T^LIGHT of Thursday week, January 21, appearing during • • the Airports Exhibition, will be a Special Number devoted • to Commercial Aircraft, Airports and Equipment. Thursday fp \$§W^ January 21 are mostly constructed of balsa wood and Jap tissue. Birch, silk, and geared motors are used only to a limited extent. There is not yet much activity with petrol-engined models. » * * Master W. Fenner, of 42, Alexander Avenue, Rose Park, South Australia, wishes to correspond with young en thusiasts in Britain. MEETINGS December 30. Air Marshal Sir John Higgins, K.C.B., K.B.E., D.S.O., A.F.C., the chairman, related in detail how the com pany held the licence for the Sikorsky S.42 flying beat and how five boats Were built to fulfil an order. A difficult situa tion, however, arose as a result of the expansion programme. There was great competition for materials and labour, and the company was badly handicapped. Moreover, the American company had been unable, owing to shortage of material in the States, to deliver certain parts. The directors accordingly turned their attention to sub-con tract work, the importance of which was such that it was desirable to suspend for the time being the building of flying boats. It was found possible to cancel the contract for those ordered on. payment of £3,000, while retaining the licence. The company was thus in a position to secure the immediate benefit of sub-contract work, and on this they were now actively engaged. The total expenditure to date for land, building, and equip ment was /120 000, while the present cash resources of the company amounted to ^166.000. Air Marshal Sir John Higgins concluded his remarks by say ing that negotiations for amalgamation with another well- known aircraft company were proceeding. The report and accounts were unanimously adopted. AERONAUTICAL PATENT SPECIFICATIONS (The numbers in brackets are those under which the Specifications will be printed and abridged, etc.). (Published, December 24, 1938.) 1.5236. CANOVA, F. P.: Aeroplane or glider of the rigid all-wing type (457,281). 15238. BAYTVES, L. E.: Aircraft tail units (457,454). -0553. FAIREY AVIATION Co. LTD., and Voss, E. -. Infinitely variable reversible Rear box (457,226). (1410. DORNIEH METALLBAUTEN GES. : Sheet-metal walls and'or partitions for aircraft (457,369). (Puhlished January 7, 1937). 16358. BENDIX AVIATION CORPORATION : Automatic change-speed mechanism (457,976). 16601. Dowry, G. H.: Retractable undercarriages for aircraft (457,982). 16602. Down-, G. H.: Retractable undercarriages (457,983). 16809. AI.KAN, R.: Methods of and means for automatically controlling vessels, aircraft, and the. like (458,090). 16950. COCHRANE, A. S.: Ornithopters (458,104). 17202. DOWTY, G. H., and GENERAL AIRCRAFT, LTD. : Retractable undercarriages (458,122). 18712. METALLISATION, LTD., and BALLARD, W.E.; Prevention of corrosion in aircraft (457,938). 22580. HEIDE, H. C (Deutsche Edelstahlwerke Akt.-Ges): Aviation crankshafts and other machine parts subjected to high vibratory stresses (457,896). 25347. FAIREY AVIATION CO., LTD., LOBELIE, M. J. 6., and Voss, E.: Operating gear for movable elements or accessories of aircraft (457,989). 27209. ATWOOD, H. N. : Tubular structural elements or units and process of making the same (457,947). 9451. ELECTRONMETALL GES. : Adjustable struts for aircraft (458,005). 15752. ROMEYI.OWERK GES. FOR DRAHTLOSE TEI.EGRAPHIE, VORSI. BLACKHAIJSS & GEB. ROTHE GES. : Control device for aerial winding mechanism on aircraft (458,018). CHANGE OF TITLE COMPER AND WALKER, LTD. (Aircraft manufacturers, etc., 325/8, Cecil Chambers, 86, Strand, London, W.C.2.).—Name changed to Comper Aeroplanes. Ltd.. on December 9, 1936.
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