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Aviation History
1939
1939 - 0281.PDF
FLIGHT. e A production - type Skua fleet- fighter dive-bomber in a character istic attitude. The photograph was taken from another Skua diving in formation. until, at 8-9,oooft. we flattened out, and Bailey, with the needle well on the way round the A.S.i., collected a few G in vertically banked turns, changing straight from one hand to the other. Aerobatics were ruled out as we had no harness or " dog chain," though there was a useful transverse bar across the fuselage. This was appreciated, particularly when Bailey throttled back and tipped the Skua straight over on to her nose, leaving us, to all intents and purposes, swimming in air and defying all the laws of gravity and rational behaviour. We did three dives at between 80 and 90 deg. FLEET *J| By the third, one was deriving genuine pleasure from floating about in the Alclad confines like an acrobatic goldfish in a jar, watch ing the horizon tilting at right angles, dropping steadily towards the Yorkshire fields or grey Hum- ber, and waiting for the pull-out. On the final dive, Bailey used his ailerons to give a corkscrew effect. The Skua never seemed happier than when diving. After our third dive we hurried down, for Mr. Ely, who handles a cine camera as efficiently as he runs the com pany's publicity department, was waiting to take a film of the relative movement of the main undercarriage and tail wheel. For this purpose he gets Fit. Lt. Bailey to taxi about on a rough part of the aerodrome. fncidentally, Mr. Ely, like Fit. Lt. Bailey and F/O. Rolfe, holds a wireless operator's licence, and does a good deal of busi ness flying in the company's radio-equipped Stinson. H. F. K.
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