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Aviation History
1940
1940 - 0097.PDF
JANUARY IT, 1940. 33 < "GUBA" the Consolidated flying-boat used by the Archbold Expedition. It is here seen on Lake Habbema at 11,500 ft. above sea level, apparently in use as a grandstand ! On it are the members of the expedition with their Dyak carriers/skinners and hunters, cooks, personal boys and prisoners (who did the general labour of the camp.) EXPLORATORY FLYING-BOAT Experiences With the Consolidated PBYz " Guba" in New Guinea TIE impressive photograph is of the "Guba" Con-solidated PBY2 flying boat of the Archbold Expedi-tion, which was lately in New Guinea doing exploration and collecting specimens for the American Museum of Natural History. Ninety-four men on the wing should weigh about 14,000 lb., and that certainly should not over-stress the structure, even in this " inverted flight case." We are apt to be unimpressed by aerodynamic forces until they are simulated by sandbags or live men. Actually, in a medium turn, fully loaded, the air iorces on the wing ol this craft would be about 30,000 lb. The photograph was taken on Lake Habbema, the advance camp of the naturalists. This lake in the heart of New Guinea is at 11,500 feet above sea-level, with a corresponding reduction of density to 70 per cent. Eleven nights were made from Hollandia, the base camp, carry ing men and food- The expedition tells us that on each trip the boat carried ten men, plus their baggage and gear and approximately 4,300 lb. of food, representing a pay- load of over 6,000 1b. per trip. In addition, there was the five-man crew, with emergency rations and gear of 100 lb. per man, representing a total of about 1,500 lb. Lake Ilabbema is quite small and not conveniently shaped for landings and take-ofls into the prevailing winds. The take-off was started down wind, and the boat put up on the step and the floats retracted. Then, with floats up, power was reduced enough to make a complete turn while keeping the boat on the step, and then opened up for take- off into wind. The fact that the boat was taken off in 25 sec. with loads in excess of 21,000 lb. from this lake probably constitutes a world's record. (But the expedi tion has not told us what astronomical figures the boost pressure and revolutions reached in the take-offs.) Designed as a naval patrol boat, the "Guba" was cer- tainly a most suitable craft for the Archbold Expedition. And its equipment left nothing to be desired. As Lewis Yancey, the navigator, remarked when the boat was down in Melbourne for overhaul, "This is the only expedition I've been on when, if you wanted something, you only had to go and buy it." And Yancey showed the convenient and well-equipped chart table, with its prismatic drift-sight going out through the side of the flying-boat, so arranged that he could use it without moving from his seat. Th^n he related with a chuckle how he made a very sporting het with the Simon's Radio-Guide people about the accuracy of their direction-finding apparatus, and, winning it, was presented with one of their instruments of the two crossed- pointers type. Ves. sir that ship sure bad everything, even a librascope Mr. Archbold was no less lortunate in the crew he had— they matched the excellence of their equipment. Russell Rogers was in charge as chief pilot. It was this same crew which undertook the delivery flight last July of one of the latest Consolidated from the factory on the west coast of America to England, the longest delivery flight on record. In fact, the delivery flight was held up awaiting the return of the "Guba" after her Indian Ocean survey flight, performed on behalf of the Australian Government, so that Rogers and his crew might do the job. For it was this same boat which, with P. G. Taylor added to its crew and representing Australia, crossed the Indian Ocean in June last, so conquering the last big stretch of sea Mr. Taylor is to be congratulated on achieving, with very suit- able equipment and comrades with whom we know he is proud to be associated, something for which he has been striving for a long time. Technical Diaries .-", \ 7ALUABLE lot reference purposes and of increased interest V at this time—when attention is fixed on technical subjects and allied hobbies—are the series of diaries produced by lime and Sons Ltd., Dorset House, Stamfoid Street, London, S.E.i. Four of these diaries are produced under the auspices of their well-known journals, The Amateur Photographer, The Autocar, The Motor Cycle, and The Wireless World. Each is bound in leather cloth and, together with pencil, costs is. 6d. In each case the technical reference matter given amounts to over fifty pages, and includes many tables of formulae and record logs, in which to note such items as exposures in the case of cameras and running expenses in the case of cars and motor cycles. This Age of Speed THE story is told by Qantas Empire Airways of the man whostayed the shortest time in Sydney. He arrived at Hose Bay base from Europe by Empire flying boat and explained to the traffic clerk that he had a passage booked to New Zealand on the s s. Tarawera and asked when that ship was due to sail " There's your boat," said the traffic clerk, point- ing to a ship steaming serenely down Ihe harbour . . . In a few minutes that passeqgei was in a speedy motor launch, churning the blue waters of Sydney Harbour to white, and in a few more was alongside the steamer having his identity announced by megaphone to the bridge as ship and launch ran parallel. Then a door in the side of the liner opened and engulfed him, baggage and all.
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