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Aviation History
1946
1946 - 1612.PDF
i8o FLIGHT AUGUST 22ND, 1946 ing establishments. They show just what happens at the stall, and they show it very conveniently in slow- motion. The Flying Clubs jW ORKING under the greatest difficulties, the fly- ing clubs up and down the country have gradually managed somehow to get into the air once more, as the recent tour of the chairman and secretaiy-general of the Royal Aero Club revealed. The keenness displayed by every one concerned is something to marvel at, and a visit to any one of these clubs is a tonic. It reminds one of pre-war days, but with this important difference that, instead of helping the clubs by subsidies, the Government is taking no interest what- ever in them, unless the meagre allowance of petrol can be so regarded. Although the relatively high rates which have to be charged if the clubs are to " break even " (they have no hope of making a profit) exclude many from realizing their ambition to fly, an ambition which pre-war Govern- ments recognized by subsidies, this is not altogether a bad thing. Being beholden to no one, the clubs have developed a spirit of independence which is wholly ad- mirable. Amateur ConstructionW ITH an enthusiasm which one must applaud, even if one cannot share it, a contributor pleads, in an article in this issue, for a revival of amateur aircraft construction. We have felt that this viewpoint deserves to be put forward, as it is undoubtedly shared by many, but we cannot quite agree with our contri- butor as to the two types which he has selected: the CONTENTS Outlook ' Showing the Flag - .... Preparing at Tangmare Lights for London Airport - - - - Here and There - - - Round the Clubs Research Encouragement for Fools - Republic Rainbow Three Americans ------ Built-in Cabin Comfort Water Gliders ----_. Civil Aviation News ----- Correspondence ------ Service Aviation - 179 - 181 - 182 - 184 - 186 - 188 - 189 - 190 - 192 a - 193 - 196 - 198 - 201 - 202 tailless for amateur construction, and the rotating-wing type for professional manufacture. Of all forms of aircraft the tailless configuration is the most difficult, with its tricky problems of control and stability, and there is no reason to think that it would be either easy or cheap to build. Similarly, where low cost and simplicity must be the keynote, the rotating- wing type is about the l£ist suitable. Henri Mignet was on the right road, but unfortunately his Pou~du-Ciel, in its original form, was prone to cer- tain vices. Mignet himself cured them by certain changes in design, but the war came before the new "Flea" could be tried-out on any considerable scale. If we are to have amateur construction, the machine will have to be of the Mignet order of simplicity, although it may not look anything like his designs. " / hope these new mechanic meteors will prove only playthings for the learned and the idle and not be converted into new engines of destruction to the human race."—Sir Horace Walpole, 1783. 'Flight" photographSTAR METEOR : The Derwent V turbine jets of Meteor EE 550, Sqn. Ldr. Waterton's aircraft in the speett-tsfiord- attempts, being installed at Tangmere. Group Capt. Donaldson, Commanding Officer of the High-speed Flight, flies EE 549.
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