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Aviation History
1937
1937 - 1564.PDF
590 FLIGHT. JUNE 17, 1937. not impress the public with the progress of the re-equip ment programme. All this is unfortunate, but none the less the Air Force is just on the verge of receiving multitudes of aircraft whose performance will put it ahead of any other Air Force in the world, and several of the new types will take part in the Set Piece. The speed of our latest fighters must not yet be mentioned, but everyone agrees that it is unrivalled. Then among bombers—the Harrow and the Whitley in the heavy class, and the Blenheim, the Battle, and the Wellesley in the medium class, make a galaxy of brilliance. When the most suitable engines are installed in each of them, the Blenheim will be able to muster a top speed of 280 m.p.h. with a disposable load of 4,620 lb. ; the Battle will reach nearly 260 m.p.h., and the Wellesley over 200 m.p.h. The heavies do not lag far behind the mediums in speed, for the Harrow can achieve 200 m.p.h. even though its undercarriage is not retractable, and the Whitley, whose wheels do disappear, will (also given the most powerful engines) be even faster. It follows that an ill-disposed Power will think— not twice but many times, before making it inevitable that these British bombers should visit its territory with unamiable intent. To that extent the peace of the world is made more secure by the brilliant designers who have given these outstanding aircraft to the Royal Air Force. SKY PARADE: Gauntlets, Ansons and Harrows in a "skeleton flight" rehearsal for the massed fly-past which will feature in the RA.F. Display to be held at Hendon on June 26. It is to be hoped that the squadrons will fly at closer intervals and at a lower altitude than did those in the so-called fly-past of two years ago. fogs also they were troubled, and without any turn indi cator on board it is rather wonderful that serious trouble did not arise. On occasion they did come out of the cloud banks at alarming altitudes, quite close to the surface of the sea, but each time Alcock was able to right the machine in the nick of time. Alcock and Brown, with means which appear crude to-day, succeeded, and made the first direct flight. It is well that we should pay homage to them this week. Le Dernier Cri I T has happened more than once that the process of re-equipment of R.A.F. squadrons has not fitted in with the date of the Display at Hendon so as to allow the public to see many complete squadrons flying the types with which the Air Force is about to be equipped. This year the great fly-past of twenty-five squadrons will include one squadron of Harrows, and the Handley Page firm will doubtless be proud that its latest product is able to figure thus prominently in such a great spectacle. Knowledgeable spectators will be gratified to see nine squadrons of Hinds in the muster ; but the Hind does not look very different from the time- honoured Hart. Ten squadrons of Gauntlets and five of Ansons, good machines though they both are, will
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