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Aviation History
1947
1947 - 0896.PDF
522 FLIGHT JUNE 5™, 1947 MANX WEEK-END IN RETROSPECT Blackpool, ot which good reports have been received.Mist, ha7.e and bright sunshine combined to produce instrument conditions over most of the [rish Sea crossing,and we lost touch with the Moth Minor after flying up the coast to Blackpool together to shorten the crossing. How-ever, it arrived at Ronaldsway some time later, too late for the arrival competition, but having, like manv others. Sunday evening was warm and clear so a party got together and cruised round the Calf of Man, the small island on the southern tip of the main island, in a smart little motor fishing boat. The rugged coast line, the millions of nesting gulls, the currents visibly churning or slicking the water, "the arched Chicken Rock and the iso- lated lighthouse off the end of the land, all combined to make the little cruise an exciting and memorable one. There were some misgivings at breakfast time on Monday when we saw the depressing grey clouds hanging low over the hilltops, but the weak front of which we had been warned, had apparently passed through during the night and it was not long before sunshine broke through. As early as possible, pilots and mechanics were busy with the competing aircraft, and it seemed likely that a modified course might have to be used to avoid the cloud covering the Tynwald Hill (St. John's) turning point. Before lunch we decided to take the Rapide round the fifty-four-mile" course, and we found that the Douglas head turning point was very easy to pick out and quite clear of cloud. Further north the low stratus increased, and it was most difnc.i t to make out the orangr^cone at Port "Flight" photographsfuming points for the races vifere in the main clearly- defined landmarks, and the markers themselves worange pyramids beside the b^ll tents. f Peel Castle on the West Coast ; (teftj-^pyfiwald Moundtt St. Johns ; (above) Douglas Head on the south side of the bay.flown the sixty miles uneventfully. The last fewmiles to the Island were much clearer and we could see most of the eastern coast-line and the 2,030ft summit of Snaefell while still about twelve miles out. We landed in the Rapide with lessthan a minute to spare for inclusion in the arrival com- petition . Everyone was in holiday mood at Ronaldsway, and thebrightly painted aircraft looked cheerful. High tea was provided by the Island committee and accommodation hadbeen arranged for all the visitors who desired it at Port Erin or on the south-west side of the Island. Transportwas a slight problem but several free buses ran a shuttle service and taxis could be called at short notice. After a fill up and check up of aircraft, all were stowedin the hangars and we retired to the hotel for dinner. In the evening, the dance and party at the hotel was verysuccessful. On Sunday we set out to see some of the Island by land. The weather was still good and we drove over part of the T.T. course and then had a look at St. Johns and Peel, both of which were turning points in the race. The afternoon was spent on the airfield talking to competitors and watching the preparation of the machines. Some people did a few practice laps of the course to get the turnings "buttoned up." Corna. The next turning point, which was an- nounced at Bride Church, had been altered, and a cone on the airfield at Andreas substituted in its. place. This airfield, nearby Jurby, the main R.A.F. station, and Ronaldsway, are the Island's three landing grounds. Down the north-west coast the weather was bright and" clear, but the air was extremely rough and we anticipated that competitors, particularly those flying light aiippBlC, would have a distinctly rough ride on this leg. The turn-\ ing point within the outer walls of Peel Castle stood outs well, but Tynwald Hill, while simple to place approxi- mately, could easily have been "short-circuited." The' marker stood on the green at St. Johns where, during an annual ceremony, the laws of the land are read out. On the last stretch from Tynwald to Ronaldsway the gap between hilltops and cloud was just sufficient for safety although South Barrule, a 1,580ft peak on the starboard side of the track, was still hidden. Lunch was provided in the airfield canteen, and a fair crowd had gathered by starting time. First away was No. 29, V. H. Spencer on an Autocrat, who had 35 min 45 sec start on the scratch man. Handicap times, calcu- lated entirely on aircraft performance and ignoring the pilots experience, and the average speeds are given in the table. Hales' Auster, No. 27, was sext off. and Somers'
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