FlightGlobal.com
Home
Premium
Archive
Video
Images
Forum
Atlas
Blogs
Jobs
Shop
RSS
Email Newsletters
You are in:
Home
Aviation History
1950
1950 - 0394.PDF
264- FLIGHT, 23 February TO THE MIDDLE EAST IN A MORNING Standard Piston-engined Fighter's 2,200 Mites in 64 Hours IN these days, when the achievements of jets steal the head-lines, it is a pleasant change to be able to record a spec- tacular flight by a piston-engined aircraft—in saying which we do not forget some notable long-distance flights by Hawker Furies last year. The latest Fury achievement stands to the credit of S/L.Neville Duke, the company's assistant chief test pilot, who last Thursday (February 16th) flew from Lordon to Cairoin an elapsed time of 6 hr 35 min 40 sec, an average speed of 334.3 fti.p.h. These figures are subject to F.A.I, confirmation.The achievement sets up an initial record, there .being no existing official London-Cairo record to beat. The take-off was from Blackbushe (near Camberley, Surrey) at 7.42 a.m., and, flying a great-circle course of 2,204.6 statute miles, Duke reached Almaza, Cairo, at 2.17 p.m. G.M.T. For purposes of timing the attempt as a place-to-place record R.Ae.C. observers applied a correction which would give a time from the centre of London to the centre of Cairo With long-range tanks, the Fury was able to fly non-stopto Malta, where refuelling occupied only 15 min. On arrival, Duke reported unfavourable winds over certain sections ofthe course. Over France he flew above a thunderstorm.. What makes the flight especially meritorious are the factsthat the Fury was a standard, fully equipped aircraft, and that the trip was actually a delivery flight to the Egyptian Govern-ment. With a Bristol Centaurus engine, and the five-bladed airscrew which is a distinctive feature of the Fury, the machinehas a cruising speed in excess ot 400 m.p.h. at 23,000ft. While, of course, the speed for the record flight is not initself startling—the latest airliners approach such figures— the true merit of the attempt lies in the fact that the aircraftis a single-seater fighter—a type commonly thought of as hav- ing little more than a "local" endurance. Good wishes before the take-off for S/L. Neville Duke from Mr.T. D. M. Robertson, general manager of Hawker Aircraft, Ltd. Service Rugby: R.A.F. and Navy DrawH "EARTS of Oak " and the Air Force March greeted theappearance of the two teams—Navy and Royal Air Force—who met in the first round of this year's Inter-Services Rugbv; Football competition at Twickenham last Saturday, February 18th. Conditions were perfect, and thegame' was fought with characteristic good spirit and vigour. Weak place kicking deprived the R.A.F. oi victory; they were pressing much of the time and, in fact, led until the fine last-minute rally by the Navy. Lewis Jones, the Navy's Welsh international' full back—playing in the centre on this occasion, and the most dangerous man on the field—opened the score with a dropped goal. Only three minutes later A. A. Smailes took a penalty to even scores 3—3. The R.A.F. immediately replied with a" try by H. K. Rees, Within a minute or so of full time, Jones kicked a sure penalty and so the match was drawn, 6 points all. From the beginning the R.A.F. forwards kept well up on the ball,and made several good rushes, but although the game stayed in the Navy half for much of the time no one looked like scoring for somethirty minutes. Good tackling and prompt sitting on the ball was chiefly responsible for this. The R.A-F centres and their captain,R H. G. Weighill, were particularly sound in defence. The outsides tended to run across too much. From the tight, the Navy had agood share of the ball and although both scrum halves were most agile and threw long passes, the stand-offs often fumbled. W. T. H.Hay did much good defensive work, including some useful kicks from tight corners. Shortly before half time, Jones started to look dangerous andon one occasion cutting through in the centre, for a moment looked like getting clear. Following this, after two penalties had beenmissed, the R.A.F: forwards raced tip the field and actually crossed the line but were unfortunately fetched back for a knock on. The second half saw one or two good and elusive runs by bothG. R. Tucker and B. P. Young, and T. I). Roberts also beat several men on more than one occasion. The R.A.F. try was very pleasing and was a just reward forthe forwards' efforts. A rush up the middle in which three-quarters aided as well, an awkward bounce to upset the Navy full back,and then Rees, aided by Little, had control of the ball. Rees dribbled and touched down near the posts. Smailes' kick failed.Again the R.A.F. forwards rushed and again managed to cross the line far out. This time, however, touch in goal was flaggedbefore the ball could be firmly touched down. It was unfortunate that Smailes could not kick the goals offeredhowever, his touch finding was sound and his calm reliability was a great help to the team. Roberts and Crawford both had spellson the wing as a result of injury, and, in fact, the Navy's great last minute effort came when Jones had moved in to stand-off halfIt was, nevertheless, a penalty kick which evened the scores. To some extent the openness of the game resulted from the ladsof spoiling tactics. The wing forwards kept pushing in tight scrums and in the main broke late. B Royal Air Force: F/L. A. A. Smailes (Brize Norton)' W/C_•. P. Young (Air Ministry); F/L. R. G. H. Uprichard (Mild'en- hall); Sgt. T. D. Roberts (St. Athan); A/C. D. H. Phillips (Wat-nail); Cpl. G. R. Tucker (Ternhill); F/L. W. T. H. Hay (Cran- well); P/O. S. T. H. Wright (Cardington); P/O. B. N Philips(Benson); F/L. R. V. Stirling (Waddington); A/C. R. G. Syrett (H.Q. Fighter Command); Cpl. E. E. Rossiter (Sutton Coldheld);F/L. H. K. Rees (Manchester University A.S.); S/L R H G Weighill (Cranwell) Captain); Cdt. S. D. Little (Wittering). LOSS OF SECOND D.H. 108 IT is with regret that Flight has to record the death of thepilot S/L. J. S. R. Muller-Rowland, D.S.O., D.F.C. and bar, when a de Havilland 108 high-speed research aircraft— one of three of the type built—crashed near Bletchley on February 15th. The aircraft was that which, piloted by Mr. John Deny, established a 100 km closed-circuit record of 605.23 m.p.h. during April last year and which, again flown by Derry, achieved a Mach Number greater than unity in a dive. On its last flight it was operating from the Royal Aircraft Establishment at Farnborough, Hants. An inquest was opened at Bletchley last Saturday but was adjourned until March 22nd. The coroner told the jury that the machine was believed to be flying at a high speed over Little Brickhill, and that witnesses would say that an explosion was heard. Pieces of the aircraft werp scattered over a wide area and many enquiries remain to be made.
Sign up to
Flight Digital Magazine
Flight Print Magazine
Airline Business Magazine
E-newsletters
RSS
Events
