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Aviation History
1950
1950 - 1356.PDF
FLIGHT, 13 July 1950 THE 100-KM CLOSED-CIRCUIT RECORD —May Be Broken in the S.B.A.C. Race : Official Rules and Requirements fty H. 1 COOPER * SQUADRON LEADER JOHN DERRY'S world classrecord of #4.0259 km/hr (605.23 m.p.h.) for speed overthe 100-km closed-circuit course was established more than two years ago, and it is possible that it will be beaten,either in this country or by America, within the next few months. Flying the thiTd prototype of the D.H. 108 taillessmonoplane, VW 120, fitted with a Goblin 4 turbojet, Derry set up the record at Hatrield on April 12th, 1948. When the war began in 1939 the 100-kin record was heldby Germany: Ernst Udet had fkrmi a Heinkel HenzU fighter at 634.32okm/hr (394 m.p.h.) and that record stood untiltaken by America in 1946, when, on April 19th, Lt. R. A. Baird attained 796.584 km/hr (494,9 m.p.h.) in a LockheedShooting Star. That was the first 100-km closed-circuit record to be made by a jet aircraft. Since then Britain has raisedthe record four times. John Cunningham took it from America by flying a Vampire at 799.644 km/hr (496.88 m.p.h.) duringthe high-speed race at Lympne in 1947- Then S/L. W. A. Waterton flew a Meteor 4 at 873.7864 km/hr (542.94 m.p.h.)in February, 1948, which record was beaten by Michael Lith- gow a few weeks later in the Supermarine Attacker at909.0909 km/hr (564.881 m.p.h.). This record stood until Derry raised it to the present figure. Recently the Federation Aeronautique Internationale de-cided to recognize world class records in two main categories: by piston-powered aircraft (Class C, Aeroplanes, Group I)and by jet-propelled aircraft (Class C, Aeroplanes, Group II). This means that while Derry's record stands in the second(jet) group, the former international record of Udet in the Heinkel (Daimler-Benz DB 601 vee-twelve liquid-cooled engine)is restored to the list of records in Group I. The reason that records are now recognized in each group is to allow purelysporting pilots to attempt records at their own expense; the cost of making an attempt by a jet aircraft is usually so highthat only manufacturers can stand it. For the forthcoming S.B.A.C. race, the international con-test for jet aircraft to be flown at Sherburn-in-Elmet air- field, Leeds, on July 22nd, the Royal Aero Club has arrangeda course of 100 km, so that should one of the four competitors —Derry (Venom), Lithgow (Attacker), Wade (Hawker) andZurakowski (Meteor)—exceed the present record over this dis- tance, all the necessary data will be readily available for theflight to be submitted to the F.A.I, for confirmation as a world class record. In last year's S.B.A.C. race (flown at Elmdon as part ofthe first National Air Races) the highest speed attained over the 20-mile course was 562.569 m.p.h., by the Hawker P.1040flown by Trevor Wade. This flight, incidentally, gained for him (jointly with Neville Duke, who flew one lap in the sameaircraft at an identical speed during the Kemsley Trophy race) the award of the Geoffrey de HaviUand Trophy for the fastestlap of the meeting. The longer course (100 km = 62.137 miles) should permit a greater speed on each of the six legs of thisyear's S.B.A.C. circuit. Last year the competing pilots only just had~time to turn round one pylon before preparing tostart banking for the next. In the U.S. National Air Races at Cleveland last year a North American Sabre was flown overthe six-sided (almost circular) 15-mile course for the Thompson Trophy race at 635 in.p.n., but this speed, although greaterthan Derry's record, could not count as a new record because it was not over a 100-km circuit. The conditions governing attempts for records over a closed-circuit are specifically laid down by the F.A.I. The world class record for speed over the 100-km closed circuit may beestablished by any kind of aircraft regardless of power, weight, crew or number of engines; other class records are recognizedfor four different types of aircraft: (i) aeroplanes; (ii) sea- planes, (iii) amphibians, and (iv) rotorplanes. Class recordsaccording to an all-up weight basis1 instead of the former basis of .engine-cylinder capacity may also be set up, and the coursefor the King's Cup race at Wolverhampton was made 100 km long so that class records in five different weight categoriescoxrid be attempted—as in fact they were, and successfully Class records over the 100-km course are also recogiiized for' speed with payload of 1,000, 2,000, 5,000, 10,000 and over- 10,000 kg. The duties of the R.Ae.C, as the representative of theF.A.I , in connection with these record attempts are extensive Before the attempt is made, the 100-km course must be mea-sured, by direct measurement, by F.A.I.-approved observation. Date 29.9.20 1.10.21 30.9.22 14.10.22 6.10.23 12.10.25 17.2.34 24.5.34 10.8.35 1.4.37 5.1X37 5.6.38 19.4.46 31.8.47 6.2.48 27.2.48 12.4.48 THE 100-KM Pilot S. Lecointe Brack Papa S. Lecointe R. L. Maugham... A. J. Williams ... C. Bettis J. R. Wedell ... R. Delmocte ... M. Arnoux F. Niclot F. Niclot E. Udet R. A. Baird J. Cunningham... W. A. Waterton M. J. Lithgow ... J. D. Derry CLOSED-CIRCUIT SPEED RECORD Country France ... Italy France U.S.A. ... U.S.A. ... U.S.A. ... U.S.A. ... France * France ... \ Italy Italy Germany... U.S.A. ... Gt. Britain Gt. Britain Gt. Britain Gt. Britain Aircraft Nieuport ... Fiat Nieuport- Delage Curtiss Army RacerCurtiss R.2 C-l Curtiss R.3 C-l Wedell- Williams Caudron C-450 Caudron G-460. Breda 88 ... Breda 88 ... Heinkel Hell2ULockheed P.80 D.H. Vampire 1Gloster Meteor 4 Vickers- Armstrong Attacker D.H. 108 ... Engine(s) Hispano- Fiat Hispano- 5uiz& CurtissD.I2 Curtiss C.D.I2-Curtiss C.D.I2Wasp Junior Renault ... Renault- Bengali 2 Isotta- Fraschini 2 Piaggio II RC-40Daimler- Benz 601G.E. 1-40 ... D.H. Goblin2 R.-R. Derwent 5 R.-R. Mene D.H. Goblin 4 Speed km/hr 279.34 299.33 325.417 331.465 392.379 401.279 428.138 431.654 476.3:16 517.836 554.357 634.320 796.584 799.444 873.7864 909.0909 974.0259 or on any official map to a scale of at least i /100,000. Themeasurement has to be made and certified by a qualified sur- veyor. The course may be of any slxape provided it forms a closedcircuit. For the attempt, the R.Ae.C. appoints two officials at each turning-point, and stewards and timekeepers to recordthe attempt accurately. The pilot making the attempt can fly at whatever heighthe chooses, provided he is low enough to be identified, but the start and finish must be made at a height of not more than100 metres, so that direct observation may be made by the stewards. He must maintain a horizontal line of flight for atleast 1,000 metres before crossing the starting line when making an official attempt—which procedure, of course, is automaticduring a race of more than one lap. Before a new record over the 100-km course can now beconfirmed it must have exceeded the existing one by at least one per cent, so in the S.B.A.C. race one of the competitorsmust exceed 612 m.p.h. over one lap if Derry's present record is to be superseded. Above is a list of successive holders since 1920, when theF.A.I, began to recognize the record as at present. July July July July [ill/ Uii> July July July luly July July luly July Aug. Aug. Aug. 10-15. 14-16. 15 16. 18 22. 22-24. 23. 22-30. 23. 27-Aug 28-31. 29 29 5. 6. 7 FORTHCOMING EVENTS Fourth World Power Conference, London, to include paper- on gas turbines, by M. Roy ; Dr. D, Mi Smith ; F. Owner with Dr. S. G. Hooker ; W. Karrer : L. N. Rowley wi.h B. G. A. Skrotski ; and J. S. Alford. Cognac International Rally. Redhill Flying Club : ' At Home " Auster Rally, Rearsby Airfield. Aero Golfing Society : Second Summer Meeting, Beacons- field. Yorkshire Aeroplane Oub , international S.B.A.C. and A\- League Cup Races, Sherburn-in-Elmet, Leeds. R.Ae.C. Members' Nice Rally. St. Albans Model Aero Club : Annual Rally, Handley Pago Airfield, Radlett. Derbyshire and Lancashire Gliding Club : National Gliding Contests. International Military Air Pentathlon, France. 5. Holy Year Rally, Italy. Orange Rally, France. Newcanle-upon-Tyne Aero Club ; Norton Griffiths Trophy Race and Grosvenor Cup Race (both International), Wool- sington. Royal Netherlands Aero Club : International "Squadrons'' Competition, Y pen burg. Liverpool flying Club : "At Home." Cowes Aero Club : Display. Di play, Eaton Bray Airfield, Le-'ds.
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