FlightGlobal.com
Home
Premium
Archive
Video
Images
Forum
Atlas
Blogs
Jobs
Shop
RSS
Email Newsletters
You are in:
Home
Aviation History
1937
1937 - 1507.PDF
JUNE IO, 1937. FLIGHT. 567 The Outlooks A Running Commentary on Air Topics The Great Fly-past A SPECIAL interest attaches to this year's Royal Air /-\ Force Display, which will be held at Hendon on Saturday, June 26, because it will take the place of a formal inspection of the youngest Service by King George VI. The first Royal inspection of the R.A.F. was held at Mildenhall by King George V on July 6, 1935, when 356 aircraft drawn from thirty-seven squadrons and one com posite unit were lined up on Mildenhall aerodrome, while afterwards 182 machines flew past His Majesty at Duxford. This review was a great success and the R.A.F. felt highly honoured by it, but it did not help to expedite the work of expansion. King George VI, who is constantly showing his consideration for others, has decided not to hold a similar review of the R.A.F., but to inspect its work at the annual Display, which is held at a matter of course. The big feature of the coming Display will accordingly be a great fly-past by twenty-five squadrons, making about 250 machines in all. Among the types taking part in this tremendous fly-past will be the familiar and excellent Hind, and also the Gauntlet; but the very latest types will also be in the air, and the King and Queen and their people will also see squadrons flying Blenheims, Gladiators, Ansons and Harrows. The fly-past will be organised in five parallel files, each consisting of five squadrons following one behind the other. The leading squadrons will fly at 2,000ft. and the rear ones at 1,000. Assembling this number of lines will be a task requiring excellent staff work. The centre line will approach from Northampton, the two inside files will join up at Newport Pagnell, and the two outside files will be picked up at Dunstable. After passing in front of the Royal Box at Hendon the formation will fly on to over Hyde Park, where the squadrons will break off and return to their aerodromes. This innovation of bringing the formation near Central London should provide an impressive spectacle for thou sands of people in the streets—and a surprise for those few who, in blissful ignorance, are not aware that the Display is being held. Helium J~yEFORE the disaster to R101 some of our British ex- /"j perts had come to the conclusion that helium was the ideally best gas for inflating an airship, though they still believed that hydrogen could be used without danger. It was reported that Dr. Eckener said, before the Hindenburg made her first trip to Lakehurst, that if he could afford helium he would buy it and use it for the return flight. Either because the price was too high or because the United States would not spare any that wish was not fulfilled. Now, however, the Government of the United States is arranging for helium to be sent to Germany for the new Zeppelin L.Z.130, which is under construction. Everybody must now be agreed that if airship work is to go on the risk of fire must be eliminated, and therefore helium must be used. One might go further and say that if airships are to be given a further chance to serve man kind it must be through German agency. The disasters to the American airships, Shenandoah, Akron and Macon (all filled with helium), were due to incorrect handling. Only the Germans have the experience and skill which is necessary for successful airship navigation. Only under German advice and instruction can America make progress in the use of airships. As the U.S.A. has decided to pro ceed with airship work, it is reasonable that they should give every facility to Dr. Eckener. With helium he can (humanly speaking) guarantee safe transport in an air ship, but when hydrogen is used even the best German captains cannot prevent the consequences of unexpected flashes such as that which is presumed to' have set the Hindenburg on fire. It is, therefore, only common sense that the Americans should do everything in their power to help Dr. Eckener. Whether an airship inflated with the expensive helium and getting less lift per cubic foot of gas can be made to pay its way is another question. Mrs. Putnam / T seems a poor compliment to Mrs. Putnam to continue to call her, as some newspapers persist in doing, by her maiden name of Miss Earhart. It is a custom for eminent actresses, and some not so eminent, to retain their maiden names for stage purposes after marriage, and it is no business of Flight to comment on the customs of the theatre. But flying is not acting, and Mrs. Putnam is a lady whose doings deserve to be taken very seriously. There is nothing theatrical about her, and she is the most modest and practical of women. When she says that she intends to fly round the world, she will probably carry out her intention. Since she made her first start she has had one bad crash, but that only made her change her direction from Westward Ho ! to Eastward Ho! Now she has safely crossed the Southern Atlantic, and has several large dry continents in front of her before she need tackle another ocean. Bert Hinkler was the first airman to cross the Southern Atlantic from West to East, and we well remember the description he gave to the staff of Flight of the ordeal which he went through. It very much increased our already great admiration for the pluck and skill of that great little pilot. The remembrance of that talk likewise adds to our opinion of Mrs. Putnam, and for the rest of her trip we wish her following winds and happy landings. Racing Risks / T is always the endeavour of air race organisers to see that the sea-crossings involved are as short as are reasonably possible. For the .Isle of Man race, as an instance, the competitors crossed the Irish Sea between St. Bee's Head and Maughold Head ; for the previous Car diff races they have crossed the Severn estuary near Chep stow ; and the course for the King's Cup race this year is kept as near to the land as possible. Nevertheless, the safety effect of such arrangements is largely imaginary. The actual water-crossings are usually much longer than they would be if direct courses were set, and the comparative nearness of land is only likely to save a pilot whose engine fades out gradually or merely loses revolutions. A complete failure at zero altitude five miles from shore would be almost, if not quite, as serious as a similar failure in mid-ocean—and direct crossings can be more easily patrolled by surface vessels. One cannot have racing without risks, and presumably the organisers concerned have considered the matter care fully. Personally, we would rather fly from Liverpool to Douglas, with normal shipping and a patrol boat to look after us in the unlikely event of failure, than from Black pool to St. Bee's and the Island, over which route only the patrol vessel is likely to be seen. That, however, is a matter of personal preference. DIARY OF FORTHCOMING EVENTS—PAGE 572.
Sign up to
Flight Digital Magazine
Flight Print Magazine
Airline Business Magazine
E-newsletters
RSS
Events
