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Aviation History
1938
1938 - 1575.PDF
JUNE 2, 1938. FLIGHT. 543 : Then we were offered a seat in the ail of a racing Virginia, limit machine n a handicap event. We were up against 1 Moth, a Prefect (practically a Tutor) and a Hind. Far from being stripped. Hie Hind had a parachute-release ex- crescence under the fuselage; our 'Ginny was sporting two pull-off platforms in the region of the outboard struts. With a leonine roar we were away. The countryside trickled past under the vast acreage of our wings. One and a half laps, and still ahead, but with the Prefect nosing up. We found ourselves ducking into the cockpit to lessen resist- ance, but in vain; we could almost count the rivets on the Lynx's Townend ring. The elevator overhead moved and we looked down the vast tract of fuselage at the ground. Could we pick up enough in the dive? (The occupant of the nose cockpit subsequently informed us that the needle of the outbpard A.S.I, once flicked round to 101). Alas, no. The Prefect, with conspicuous disregard for its elders, slid home with several lengths in hand. It was the first time we had hated an Avro. (Memo: Ask Messrs. Dancy and Rowarth for an estimate of the drag of parachute platforms.) We were grieved to have missed the Queen Bee demonstration, but glad to have the chance of (probably) a last fare- well to the old Virginia. KENLEY THE rain which had been steadilyfalling all the morning ceased just before Kenley's flying programme was due to begin, and a large crowd quickly gathered round the aerodrome. Those who had braved the weather were fully rt>warded by a grand afternoon's enter- tainment. The Gauntlets of No. 17 (F.) Squadron gave a display of individual and syn- chronised aerobatics and a Hawker Hector of 615 (A.C.) Squadron obliged with a demonstration of picking-up and dropping messages. A pupil-and-instruc- tor act was the brightest item. Although the microphone would persist in "going off the air'' when the commentator was about to explain to the crowd the clumsy flying of the pupil, the latter's antics in comparison with the polished evolutions of the instructor were so funny as to cause roars of laughter. Great interest was displayed in the Hurricanes of No. 3 (F.) Squadron which were neatly parked on the edge of the tarmac, where the public could get a Symbolic ? . A general reconnaissance Anson at Hendon provides shelter against an •..-., .-:?..'.•'..-. '.;.. unwelcome precipitation from the skies. close-up view of our latest fighter. After taking off and disappearing for some time, the Hurricanes returned and treated the crowd to a demonstration of formation drill. During the radio-telephony demon- stration the public were invited to give orders to the pilot of a Gauntlet flying at 3,000ft. One woman spectator re- quested a falling leaf. The pilot did his best, explaining to his fair commander that the machine was not exactly suit- able for this manoeuvre; and then there followed some most unofficial R/T. con- versation about a rendezvous at 7 p.m. .. Despite the interest of the displays taking place in the air, a large pro- portion of the crowd found time to visit the hangars and examine the ground shows. The camera-gun film and the electric bomb release demonstrations at- tracted special attention. Another interested crowd gathered round the Air Defence Enclosure to wit- ness the A.A. display and the search- light demonstration. Joy-riding was so popular that Olleys had to telephone for a second Rapide. Visiting aircraft included the Handley Page Harrow, Fairey Battle and Air- speed Oxford, all of which took part in the final fly-past. -.••.- •-?.-::::••• DUXFORD THE Duxford show demonstrated whatcan be achieved with co-operation between the militant, mercantile and sporting branches of aviation. By way of example, the landing competition at- tracted a Moth and a Monospar from Marshalls, a Sutton Bridge Wallace, a Hart Trainer, a glider of the Cambridge University Glider Club, a brace of Gaunt- lets of No. 66 Sqn., a Tutor and a Battle. It goes without saying that the weather caused a modification of the programme, but (among other things) Ansons from Bircham Newton obliged with forma- tions ; two C.U.A.S. Tutors did the pupil- and-instructor act; a pacific Whitley dropped manna from the skies ; Gauntlets did the bidding of the public; and a well- trained trio of Gauntlets demonstrated aerobatics with great finesse. Marshalls had a Monospar, a Leopard Moth and a common Moth for baptismal and joy-riding purposes. "Flight" photograph. THE REVISED HAMPDEN : Liberal application of slots and flaps combines with clean design and Pegasus engines of the latest series to make the Handley Page Hampden bomber (seen here in its production form) one of the fastest machines of its calibre ia the world.
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