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Aviation History
1937
1937 - 1421.PDF
MAY 27, 1937. FLIGHT. both flights light aeroplanes or gliders with powder rockets attached to them were used. Many features of the story were fantastic, but a few of them were more sensible and of a nature which the average news paper correspondent would hardly imagine—for example, the drifting nose upwards. This may seem to substantiate' the story a little, but a later development of it proves it finally to be a hoax. The May, 1935, issue of a well-known London magazine published an article by an equally well-known "popular" journalist, from whom I quote:— "I decided to begin my investigations by flying to the first and most elaborately equipped rocket aerodrome, the Raketenflugplatz. A young engineer led me to the records chamber, where not only the work of the Raketenflugplatz is carefully recorded, but scientific results from rocket aero dromes in other parts of the world are collated. But even as I was conning these records a heavily built man with a charming smile and a curiously soft voice was introduced to me. 'Herr Otto Fischer.' "Even as I shook hands with him I realised that I was meeting the one man who had travelled through space inside a rocket and lived to tell the tale—the first passenger to enclose himself in a steel rocket of some twenty-four feet which was shot six miles into the air. The rocket was de signed and constructed by his brother, Herr Bruno Fischer. In great secrecy it was transported to the Island of Riigen. . . ." Here it is said quite definitely that Herr Fischer could be found at the Raketenfiugplatz, and it is indicated that the rocket was built there. Neither statement is true, or I would know about it. After all, the proving ground had to inform the vice-president what it was doing. However, these, preposterous claims give the key to the origin of the story. In 1932 a well-known German civil engineer, Herr Franz Mengering, paid a visit to the Raketen flugplatz with the proposal that the first real rocket flight should be undertaken under the auspices of officials at Magde burg. Our engineer-in-chief, Rudolf Nebel, agreed to the proposal, and a passenger-carrying rocket with a ceiling of one kilometre was designed. A number of small test rockets of the general design were built and tested. Then a still larger type—but still unmanned—was built and tested at Wolmirstedt, near Magdeburg, in May, 1933, a short time before the story came out in London. For several reasons which are of a too involved technical nature to be discusse'd here, and also for financial reasons, the largest rocket was not built, and the flight did not take place. Unfortunately, the over-enthusiastic publicity depart ment in Magdeburg, unaware of the technical difficulties that arose in Berlin and which meant a long postponement, had issued a souvenir postcard with an artist's conception of the flight and the inscription, " The first manned rocket flight of the Magdeburg Pilot Rocket; Sunday after Pfingsten, 1933" Thus (I hope) I have speared the Great Unknown of the Air; but from past experience I am not very hopeful that the man-made serpent will not again rear its ugly head. Perhaps some day I will meet the man who caused all this. COUPE DEUTSCH ATTRACTIONS Three Million Francs Additional Prizes : One Million for Foreign Competitors M ONSIEUR PIERRE COT, the French Air Minister, is evidently determined to make this year's contest for the Deutsch de la Meurthe Cup a grand affair. In addi tion to the 100,000 francs and a trophy normally offered for competition by Mile. Deutsch de la Meurthe, he is offering prizes totalling three million francs, two million of which are reserved for French competitors while the third million is open to foreign contestants. The contest is to take place at the Mondesir (Etampes) aerodrome on Sunday, September 12. The course is to be one of 2,000 km. (1,242.74 miles) and is to be flown in two stages of 1,000 km. each, with an hour's interval between them. As in ptevious years, engine capacity- is to be limited to 8 litres (499.2 cu. in.). The three million francs offered by the French Air Ministry are to be divided into three awards, each totalling one million; one for speed and distance covered in the contest by French competitors; one for speed in the actual contest, open to French machines only, and one for international competition. Any French machine which takes part in the contest will receive prize-money calculated on the formula —5— x (~n — 1). In this formula P0 = 500 x 440 ; P = LV, L being the distance flown by competitor in the contest (in km.), and V his average speed (in km/h.). There is a proviso MORE HANWORTH HOSPITALITY: General Aircraft Ltd., last week entertained 160 Canadian public schoolboys who are visiting Britain under the auspices of the National Council of Education of Canada. Following the fraternal Hanworth custom the party was also taken to call on Autogiro 's, K r o n- feld's, B.A., London Air Park Flying Club and Flying Training Ltd. Joy-rides provi ded the ultimate rapture. that no competitor may receive more than 500,000 francs in this class, which means that if he covers the whole course of 2,000 km. he will gain nothing in this class by averaging more than 443 km/h (275.3 m.p.h.). Awards to French competitors who complete the course will be made on the following basis: To the fastest competitor 300,000 francs plus (V-443) x 4,000; maximum 500,000 francs. To the second fastest 180,000 francs plus (V-443) x 2,400; maximum 300,000 francs. And to the third fastest 120,000 francs plus (V-443) x 1,600; maximum 200,000 francs. V in all cases represents the average speed in km/h. In the international class the French Government offers to purchase the winning machine, whether French or foreign, for a sum equal to 400,000 francs plus (V-443) x 7,uoo francs, a maximum purchase price of 900,000 francs being imposed. Should the owner of the winning machine refuse to sell, the second fastest will be bought, the amount being smaller and calculated on a similar formula with the figures reduced. Simi larly the prize may go to the third fastest, with still further reductions in the figures used in the formula. Finally, a prize of 100,000 francs will be awarded to the competitor who makes the fastest lap of the course provided this speed exceeds 4O9 km/h. (291.424 m.p.h.). This is reserved for French com petitors. ' R. C. W. 1
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