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Aviation History
1937
1937 - 2002.PDF
78 FLIGHT. JULY 15, 1937. and a spar which are lighter than anything I have yet seen. An extremely stiff and strong oval section, 2 in. by f in., weighs less than 1 oz./ft. run, and joints of equivalent strength weigh 0.5 oz. each. Let us now try to explain the principle of my present efforts in the simplest manner possible. Fig. 4 is an imaginary glider gliding down in the usual way. A man is sitting inside and is winding himself and the fuselage upwards with respect to the planes (this is merely to explain the principle, as, of course, it is nothing like this in the practical mechanism). The combined weight of man and fuselage is, say, 80 per cent, of the total, therefore he must lift this weight approximately 20 per cent, more than the equivalent vertical descent due to the gliding angle. The mechanism then releases the planes, and, by virtue of their lift from forward travel, they rise to their original level, and the man and fuselage descend the 20 per cent, in connection with this last operation. The particular method of performing all this is immaterial at the moment, and I hope that readers will agree with me that it is perhaps better not to disclose it for the time being. They can rest assured, however, that the action is smooth and satisfactory, and the only question remaining is one of glider efficiency. A glider must be made to come within the figures I have given above. We know that many gliders can glide over 50 miles from a height of 1 mile (5,280 ft.), probably with the pilots looking for " thermals " all the time. It would be interesting to know their distance in still air from the same height. On the other hand, if a glider can take advantage of ascending currents, we can do the same and can "rest on our oars," always feeling that with a little rowing we can get over the flat spots, and this, I imagine, most gliding enthusiasts would welcome. I have built a model with a 3 ft. span, and, lifting by reaction as above described, it will jump straight off the ground, carrying four times the weight that can be expected from the usual airscrew-driven model of the same size even when launched by hand. It closely follows the laws of lift by a crane, inasmuch as twice the power will lift approximately twice the weight. I have not completely solved the problem of control in the air yet, and I am satisfied that it is a waste of time to try to determine this from a model. Even with the best of known types of models, it is difficult to get a good flight, and with an entirely new principle the quest is well-nigh hopeless because one can spend hours in trying some variation in a certain gear, only to find that some tiny alteration of rudder, wing tip, or elevator from the last bad landing Ijas taken away all chance of a comparison. In a case of this kind it appears essential to have the fore sight, control, and immediate action that can only be obtained with a pilot at the helm. COMBINED COAST DEFENCE EXERCISE The Fleet Air Arm versus Shore-based Squadrons COMBINED coast defence exercises are now in progress on the south coast. They began at 15.00 hours yesterday, July 14. and will finish at 15.00 hours on Friday, July 16. The attacking force, designated the Blue force, consists of several battleships (representing cruisers), cruisers, destroyers and submarines and two aircraft carriers which will have on board six squadrons of the Fleet Air Arm, with a strength of 69 aircraft. There will also be ten other aircraft on the capital ships and cruisers, making a total air strength of the Blue force of 79 aircraft. The Red defending force consists of a mixed naval organisa tion consisting of one cruiser, destroyers and submarines, twelve squadrons of reconnaissance, bomber and torpedo bomber aircraft with a total of 146 aircraft, and the fixed coast defences and anti-aircraft defences at Portsmouth, Portland and Plymouth. Units of the Observer Corps (Royal Air Force) are also employed on air intelligence duties in the neighbour hood of Portsmouth. The military and air forces are controlled by General Sir John T. Burnett-Stuart, Commander-in-Chief, Southern Command, and Air Marshal P. B. Joubert de la Ferte, Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Coastal Command, Royal Air Force t Briefly, the exercise, which is of a training nature, has been rawn up with the following objects: — (a) To test the command and co-ordination of the defences— naval, air and land—of the fortresses of Portsmouth, Portland and Plymouth. [b) To study the detailed handling of the forces engaged in the defence. The exercise centres round the general idea that Redland is an imaginary country situated where England now is, and Blueland is an imaginary country in the Atlantic situated about 600 miles west of Redland. Redland has four naval bases or ports which are of such military importance that a successful bombardment might have an appreciable effect on the conduct of the war. They are Portsmouth, Southampton, Portland and Plymouth. Blueland has a naval base at Port X, situated in latitude 50 deg. North and longitude 19 deg. West. A state of strained relations has existed between Redland and Blueland since July 1. Redland have mobilised their defences, and submarines and air patrols have been instituted to give warning of any sudden attacks by Blueland. The forces taking part in the exercise include: — ROYAL NAVY.—Battleships (representing cruisers), aircraft- carriers, cruisers, destroyers and submarines of the Home Fleet; and local destroyer and submarine flotillas of the Home Port Commands. THE REGULAR ARMY.—Royal Artillery fixed defences of the South-Western Ports and Southern Ports; two companies of the 1st Anti-Aircraft Battalion, R.E.; and the School of Electric Lighting. THE TERRITORIAL ARMY.—The Hampshire, Devon, Suffolk and Glamorgan Heavy Brigades, R.A., and the 56th Cornwall and the 57th Wessex A.A. Brigades, R.E. (in cadre only); and the Fortress Engineers of Hampshire, Cinque Ports, Essex, Dorset, Suffolk and Devon and Cornwall. ROYAL AIR FORCE.—All Red air forces, with the exception of Nos. 1 and 74 (Fighter) Squadrons and units of the Observer Corps, are under the command of Air Vice-Marshal H. M. Cave-Brown-Cave, C.B., D.S.O., D.F.C., Air Officer Command ing No. 16 (Reconnaissance) Group, Royal Air Force. Nos. 1 and 74 (Fighter) Squadrons and Observer Corps are under the command of Air Vice-Marshal E. L. Gossage, C.B., D.S.O., M.C., Air Officer Commanding No. n (Fighter) Group, Royal Air Force. DETAIL OF RED FORCE.—No. 201 (F.B.) Squadron, London; No. 204 (F.B.) Squadron, London; No. 209 (F.B.) Squadron, Singapore; No. 210 (F.B.) Squadron, Singapore; No. ZT. (T.B.) Squadron, Vildebeest; No. 42 (T.B.) Squadron, Vildebeest; No. 99 (B.) Squadron, Hey ford; No. 206 (G.R.) Squadron, Anson; No. 220 (G.R.) Squadron, Anson; No. 2G9 (G.R.) Squadron, Anson; No. 1 (F.) Squadron, Fury; No. 74 (F.) Squadron, Gauntlet. Four aircraft have also been allotted for coast artillery co operation. From the Air Force point of view the principal object of the Red Air Force is to train air units in the defence of defended coastal areas against attack by a hostile fleet and ship-borne aircraft. As regards ground defences, No. 810 (Fleet Torpedo Bomber) Squadron (which is not included in the units avail able either to Red or Blue Forces) has been disembarked from the Aircraft Carrier Courageous and will be employed specially in order to carry out flights over that part of the Portsmouth area which is manned by the Observer Corps. The Air Officer Commanding No. 11 (Fighter) Group will also route his fighter aircraft over some of the observer sectors in order to give observers further practice in locating aircraft. During one phase of the operations in the vicinity of South ampton and Portsmouth it is intended, with the help of the local authorities, to test out the air-raid precautions 1 ;hemes in that locality. Mussolini Junior, Record-breaker AN achievement that carries both civil and military import ance is the setting up on July 8 of three new records by Lt. Bruno Mussolini—Signor Mussolini's son—and Lt.-CoL Biseo, flying a Service Marchetti S.79 three-engined bomber- The new records, which improve on figures already heM by Italian pilots, are unofficially given at 1,000 km., carrying 2,000 kg. at an average speed of 264.76 m.p.h. (423-618 km/hr.), and 1,000 km. at the same speed for machines carry ing loads of 500 and 1,000 kg.
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