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Aviation History
1937
1937 - 0963.PDF
AIRCRAF' AND ENGINEER AIRSHIPS FIRST AERONAUTICAtWtEKLY IN mE^lVORLD < FOUNDED 1909 Editor C. M. POULSEN Managing Editor G. GEOFFREY SMITH Chief Photographer JOHN YOXALL Editorial, Advertising and Publishing Offices: DORSET HOUSE, STAMFORD STREET, LONDON, S.E.I Telegrams : Truditur, Sedbt, London Telephone : Waterloo 3333 (SO lines). HERTFORD ST., COVENTRY. Telegrams : Autocar, Coventry. Telephone: Coventry 5210." GUILDHALL BUILDINGS, NAVIGATION ST., BIRMINGHAM, 2. Telegrams: Autopress, Birmingham. Telephone: Midland 2971. 260. DEANSGATE, MANCHESTER, 3. Telegrams: Iliffe, Manchester. Telephone: Blackfriars 4412. 26B. RENFIELD ST., GLASGOW, C.2. Telegrams: Iliffe, Glasgow. Telephone: Central 4857. SUBSCRIPTION RATES: Home and Canada: Year, £1 13 0. Other Countries: Year, £1 16 0. 6 months. 16a. 6d. 6 months, 18s. Od. 3 months, 8s. 6d. 3 months, 9s. Od. No. 1477. Vol. XXXI. APRIL 15, 1937. Thursdays, Price 6d. A Circuit'of-Dritain Race T HE complete regulations for this year's air race for the King's Cup having been issued by the Royal Aero Club, except for details of procedure at control points, it now becomes possible to form a better idea of how the race is likely to shape. In the main, its character remains as in previous years, but the total distance to be covered has been very considerably increased, and the Final is from Dublin to Hatfield, instead of consisting of numerous laps of a short local course in the Hatfield district. One result of this is likely to be that few of the general pub lic will trouble to go to Hatfield for the finish, as there will not be the attraction of competitors rounding the aerodrome time after time. The Royal Aero Club has been freely criticised for planning the race on these lines. In past years Flight has not hesitated to express its views on this particular subject, and these views have by no means always been flattering to the Club. This year, however, we do feel that, bearing in mind the somewhat peculiar circum stances, there is much to be said in favour of the decision taken. It must be remembered that all aircraft manufacturers are quite exceptionally busy, directly or indirectly, in connection with the R.A.F. expansion. It was, there fore, not to be assumed that any firm would build new machines specially for the King's Cup race. That being so, the R.Ae.C. obviously had to plan the regulations in such a way as to attract as many private owners as possible. By making the Final as well as the Elimina ting Contest a long-distance cross-country race, it became possible to have a far greater number of machines in the Final without introducing undue risk; thus two-thirds of the machines from the Eliminating Contest can be passed into the Final, instead of the 50 per cent, considered safe last year. Past experience seems to have shown pretty conclu sively that the Londoner will not go to Hatfield in his thousands to see the Final of the King's Cup Race, even when that Final is the nearest practicable approach to the pylon racing of pre-War days. There is thus good reason so to plan the course that as many provincial cities as possible have an opportunity to see the competi tors. And surely a very good extra reason for this arrangement is that this is Coronation Year. The King's Cup Race was inaugurated with the idea of a " Circuit of Britain," and it seems eminently proper that this year the machines should visit England, Scotland, Ire land and Wales. Engine Consideration In view of the fact that the race will be almost entirely for private owners' machines, a total distance of 1,435 miles appears quite as much as most private owners are likely to be willing to ask of their engines, which, after all, have to carry them on their ordinary flying business or pleasure for the rest of the year. The pecuniary incentive, additional to the Cup offered by His Majesty, is greater than ever this year, thanks to the splendid generosity of Lord Wakefield, whose contribution reaches the very gratifying aggregate of £2,000. As this will benefit six competitors in addition to the actual winner private owners may well feel that never was there a King's Cup Air Race so well worth entering for. One may legitimately criticise the planning of the courses for the Eliminating and Final contests in such a way that competitors will have to make some rather long flights over the sea. It is possible to argue that if the weather on the. days of the race should be thick, a forced landing "in any "of* the hilly districts over winch
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