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Aviation History
1938
1938 - 1935.PDF
JULY 7, 1938. - FLIGHT. . g Liquid refreshment for De Havilland's T.K.2. Henshaw's grave defection in the mat ter of failing to broadcast, prior to the race, a generous estimated speed for his Mew Gull. One doubts if the handi- cappers would have taken due notice— and if, by stern effort, a pilot is not to succeed in brow-beating these worthies from time to time, then there is little point in a handicap race. Probably the machine was faster than even Henshaw thought it to be. AT THE DISTANT TURNS A CALL at Buntingford, the first turning point, situated in a particu larly peaceful corner of Hertfordshire, made one wonder whether over-popu lated aerodromes are, after all, the best places from which to watch air races. Here, encamped on a hillock in a pleasant cornfield near the famous '' white-roofed factory '' were Mr. Ash- well-Cooke with three henchmen; and Mrs. Ashwell-Cooke was there as a willing Hebe to minister to the nectarial and ambrosial requirements of the Olympians. A direct telephone line, too, connected Olympus with Hatfield. A study of turning methods at Bunt- , ingford serves for all three points, the included angle being roughly the same in each case, though in the case of Barton Aerodrome the rather more hilly surroundings caused a slight modifica tion of most peoples' tactics. Nearly every competitor was con sistent in using his own standard method on every circuit. . Barwick (Hawk Trainer), Hughesdon (Cygnet), Cliff (Hawk Major) and Clouston (Eagle), as befitted limit men, all seemed compara tively sedate in their methods. Cliff made the lowest and probably the closest turn of the four. The unlucky Eagle looked almost painfully slow. Turns and Turns Edwards, in his Gull, approached in a wide sweep and cut the pylon (which, incidentally, had been blown down in the gale earlier in the week) very fine. The three Comper Swifts, as ever, were all spectacular. Lowe made a dead straight approach at the mark, threw the little single-seater sharply on its side, and climbed steeply upwards. Wilson reversed the method by diving to the turn. Tutt, with the Pobjoy Comper, made a very tight and close turn—un doubtedly the most "angular" of aE. Morton, with Sir Derwent Hall-Caine's Double Eagle, seemed intent on con vincing the general public all round the course that this air racing business was worth watching. If he was not always consistent in his direction of approach, he was invariably low, passing the pylon at little more than its own height. The red machine had a disconcerting habit of suddenly appearing, menacingly near, and below the level of the distant tree- tops ; and its disappearance was always between the trees to the west. Later, on the way across to Barton, we had stopped by the: roadside when Morton came literally climbing up the hill we were on, with his wing-tip only a few yards from the telephone wires. One was reminded of the American story of Sqn. Ldr. E. H. D. Spence and his assistants at the Barton turning point —Mr. Young (on car roof) and Mr. Longley. ||(t.-*.«f*««*HI '^JHH gjgjK 5PSSs^!^^^ Ifs\v**v»» JSjj Bit* ^#•^5^^ B^ the 90 m.p.h. motorist stopped by the patrolman :— " Whv, officer, was I driving too fast? " "Heck, no, you were flying too low. ' Somebody suggested that Morton's passenger, Miss Paddy Naismith, was navigating from the signposts. She cer tainly must have had an inspiring ride. But to return to Buntingford. The two drab grey Hecks were both noisy and spectacular, especially Warren's, while Broad seemed to be putting in some rather heavy rudder work, both on the approach and exit. There were comparatively few simul- KING'S CUP RACE SPEEDS: Placings and Finishing Times Posi tion. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 II 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 Racing No. 22 21 2 18 10 23 17 3 8 n 16 7 10 12 6 9 M 1 • Machine and Engine. Percival Mew Gull (Gipsy Six) . . Percival Mew Gull (Gipsy Six) . .' Miles Hawk Major (Gipsv Major) D.H. T.K.2, (Gipsy Major) B.A. Double Eagle (Two Gipsy Major). Percival Mew Gull (Gipsy Six) .. Miles Sparrowhawk (Gipsy Major) C.W.A. Cygnet (Gipsy Major) .. Comper Swift. (Gipsy III) Parnall Heck (Gipsy Sixj Percival Vega Gull (Gipsy Six) . . Comper Swift (Pobjoy Niagara III) Miles Hawk (Gipsy Six) Parnall Heck (Gipsy Six) Percival Gull (Cirrus Major) Comper Swift (Gipsy'Three) Percival Gull (Gipsy Six) Hawk Trainer (Gipsy Major) Pilot. Henshaw Guthrie Cliff De Havilland Morton Percival Humble Hughesdon. . Lowe Warren Waller Tutt.. Fontes Broad Edwards Wilson Thomas - Fer- rand. Barwick Finishing Time. 5 55 00 6 03 54 6 04 38 6 05 36 6 05 52 6 06 22 6 07 40 6 10 40 6 14 12 6 16 25 6 17 52 6 18 22 6 18 44 6 20 33 6 27 13 6 30 17 6 32 33 6 45 15 Average Speed* m.p.h. 236.25 220.5 146.25 180.5 160 234 169.5 141 15525 1595 161.75 141-5 1845 158.25 144.25 149-25 15425 1305 * These speeds are for the whole course. The speeds for the four separate sets of five laps are given on p. 7.
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