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Aviation History
1937
1937 - 1228.PDF
464 FLIGHT. MAY 6, 1937. COOL CALCULATION Record-attempting zvith Flowmeter and Slide Rule : Comprehensive Equipment of Prince Cantacuzene's Candron N EXT to the experimental hangar at Hatfield Aerodrome was housed last week a Caudron Typhon—quite a normal single- seater Typhon from external appear ance, but on examination of the cockpit the immense array of unusual instru ments found on both sides, above, below and behind the pilot's seat, immediately set one thinking. Among this equipment was to be seen oxygen apparatus with four 900-litre bottles at 150 atmospheres pressure and an automatic valve to vary the supply according to alti tude. The machine was apparently to he used at high- altitude work, so perhaps in their standard cowlings the two engines were not quite standard ? Several fuel taps and gauges, together with boost indicators, seemed to point to more than just additional tanks and on making enquiries it was discovered that 87-octane Shell fuel wai to be used for cruising and 100-octane for the take-off. The two inverted six-cylinder air-cooled Renault engines were specially supercharged for an altitude of 4,200 metres (12,800 ft.), and the power figures were 300 h.p. for take-off at 2,625 r.p.m. with 150 mm. boost pressure and for maxi mum continuous output 240 h.p. at 2,500 r.p.m. These figures gave a cruising speed of a little over 200 m.p.h. and a maximum speed of about 237 miles per hour at 2,300 r.p.m. At the most economic engine speed the range of this Typhon was approximately 8,000 metres (5,000 miles). At the nearby Comet Roadhouse, Prince Cantacuzene of Roumania slept each afternoon in anticipation of an early start on an attempt to reach the Cape in the startling time of 29 hours. It was the pilot's intention to make the flight with only three stops, at least one of which meant a full-load (about 10,100 lb.) take-off in darkness. The Prince, who holds the Paris to Bucarest (Right and below) Interiors of the Typhon cockpit are reminiscent of a watchmaker's display. . Stream lined Radio Set Homing Loop Control Prince Cantacuzene at the controls, with the faired-in homing loop above. record of 5 hr. 40 min., had the smallest detail of this flight planned to the minute before leaving. He proudly described special points of his equipment, the oxygen apparatus, the automatic pilot, the Standard Telephones' new-type homing device and the petiol flowmeters which, with the help of a slide rule, enable consumption to be checked at any time. The Caudron took off from Hatfield on Saturday and made good time to Algiers, where there was some slight delay. Slide Rule Aiitomatjc Pilot' Wheel drakes Control Slide Rule Ignition Switches Throttle and Mixture Controls Prince Cantacuzene then pushed on to Aoulef, on the southern edge of the Sahara, but, taking off with a fuel load of 600 gallons, he was unlucky enough to puncture a tyre, which caused further delay. At the time of writing it is not certain whether he has given up the attempt. None of these mishaps detract from the unusual interest which the Caudron's equipment presents. H. F. Broadbent's Success M EANWHILE, as we go to press, we learn of the successful completion of a fine effort by an Australian pilot of a British machine. At 6.40 p.m. on Monday evening Mr. H. F. Broadbent put down his Leopard Moth at Lympne after having flown from Australia (Darwin) in 6 days 10 hours 55 minutes. He had thus shortened by 1 day 8 hours 55 minutes the pre vious figure of 7 days 19 hours 50 minutes set up by Mr. H. L. Brook in 1935. At the same time Mr. Brook was making good time London- wards from the Cape in his Percival Gull, and was nearing Cairo on Monday evening. A third record-breaker, F/O. Llewellyn, was waiting to take off for the Cape in a Vega Gull on Tuesday morning. We hope to say more about all these attempts next week. : MODELS Cwing to the extreme pressure on space caused by the : special Coronation review features in this issue, Flight's j monthly Aircraft Models Page is held over until next week. A38
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