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Aviation History
1951
1951 - 0632.PDF
392 FLIGHT THE R.Ae.C. IN 1950 Lord Brctbazon, at A.G.M., Reviews a Year's Work and Presents Medals AT THE MEETING: left to right), Mr. Fred Dunkerky, Sir Geoffrey de Havilland, Mr. Philip Wills (with the Britannia Trophy before him). Lord Brabazon, Major H. A. Petre. SPEAKING at the annual general meeting of the Royal AeroClub on March 28th, the chairman, Lord Brabazon, revealed the name of the "airfield very near London" at which the Club's "Fifty Years of Aviation" exhibition and display will be held from July i9th-2ist; the choice is Hendon—and this much-built-round airfield, with its pre-1914 associations, should be eminently suit- able, since veteran aircraft can be flown within its boundaries. The chairman, as is customary, was giving an all-round review of the year's work. As regards the Club itself, both the London- derry House and 119 Piccadilly accounts showed, he said, a small surplus, for which thanks were due to the finance committee under the chairmanship of Col. Devereux. Lord Brabazon then went on to express appreciation of the work of the various other commit- tees and those who served as trustees to the Kemsley Flying Trust, which had so greatly contributed to the success of the 1950 National Air Races; he also mentioned the other good work of the Trust, particularly in the gliding field. He next reviewed, briefly, the principal record and other achievements of the year in which the R.Ae.C. had played a vital part. The number of aviators' certificates issued had showed a slight increase, though this was largely due to the number of Service- trained pilots now qualifying for civil licences and also, to some extent, to the A.T.C. scholarship scheme. R.Ae.C. official obser- vers had been appointed to R.A.F. stations, and of the 668 certi- ficates issued in 1950, 323 went to Service-trained pilots and 61 to A.T.C. cadets. Lord Brabazon then gave a resume of the Club's current ser- vices to British aviation; they included the provision of world air maps, and journey-briefing; route books; reduced-fee annual landing cards; the obtaining of an official concession whereby business-aircraft owners could use Service airfields normally open to charter aircraft; another concession, for the issue of pilots' R/T licences without medical or technical examination; the reduction of Flight" photograph C. of A. renewal fees; preparation of an inexpensive log for private pilots; and the issue of renewal reminders nw various docu- ments. These services were all extra to the normal issttfr*of Customs documents, organization of sporting events, timing of records and liaison with governing bodies abroad. Reviewing forthcoming events, Lord Brabazon made the announcement of the "Fifty Years" display already mentioned, and also referred to the fact that Princess Elizabeth had consented to attend the Festival of Britain National Air Races at Hatfield on June 23rd. At the end of the meeting Lord Brabazon presented the Britan- nia Challenge Trophy to Mr. Philip Wills, C.B.E., for his achieve- ment in winning the British National Gliding Championships for the fourth time (this is only the second occasion on which the trophy has been won for a gliding achievement). He also presented R.Ae.C. Medals to three well-known pilots for distinguished achievements in sporting aviation. Capt. Sir Geoffrey de Havilland, K.T., C.B.E., received a Silver Medal in recognition of of the fact that he has piloted aircraft for 40 years and still pos- sesses a current pilot's licence. Accepting the medal, Sir Geoffrey said that of all the honours which had in the past been bestowed upon him, he regarded this one as being "the only one which he had actually deserved"—for, as he explained with characteristic modesty, in this instance it was not possible to employ anyone to hold a pilot's licence on his behalf! • Another recipient of a Silver Medal was Major H. A. Petre, D.S.O., M.C., who has flown, chiefly as a private pilot, since 1911. Major Petre is still flying light aircraft and gliders. The Bronze Medal was presented to Mr. Fred Dunkerley for his outstanding performance in 1950 when, piloting his Cirrus- engined Gemini, he won the Kemsley Challenge Trophy and the Siddeley Challenge Trophy, was third in the Goodyear Trophy race and gained fifth place in the King's Cup Race. A SAILPLANE'S "NATIONALITY" TN the House of Commons on April 3rd Mr. Turton (Con., •I Thirsk and Malton) was to ask the Minister of Works why the Eon Olympia, "a sailplane of German design", is to be shown in the Festival Exhibition; and whether he would confine the Ex- hibition to "products of British design and manufacture." To the many members of the aircraft industry who are con- versant with the Eon Olympia and its background, and to all gliding enthusiasts, this question regarding the design, and par- ticularly manufacture, will seem strange. The Eon Olympia is, of course, manufactured entirely in this country and its design has been altered to such an extent that it can no longer be regarded as bearing more than a distant relationship to the German Meise, which won the design competition for Olympic sailplanes. From the makers of the Olympia Eon, Elliotts of Newbury, Ltd., Berk- shire, we have received a summary of its development which brings these facts out clearly. The German Meise—upon which the design of the Olympia Eon, in common with certain French and Swedish sailplanes, is based—was designed shortly before the war by Hans Jacobs at D.F.S. Darmstadt to comply with the Olympic Games specifica- tion laid down by the International Commission for the Study of Motorless Flight. After flight tests in Rome had proved the Meise to be the best of the designs submitted it was decided by the Commission that this type only would be allowed to compete in future Olympic Games events. (See Flight for July 8th, I948.) For this reason, and because the specification was considered at the time to represent an ideal club sailplane for advanced soaring, it was decided to base the Olympia Eon on Jacobs's design, Certain improvements were, however, suggested and incorporated in the British design. They were as follows (the first two items were, in any case, rendered obligatory by circumstances):— (1) The main spar was entirely redesigned to comply with current British Civil Airworthiness requirements on strength of sailplanes designed to fly in clouds. (2) The majority of the structure had to be redesigned to utilize available British materials (spruce, plywood, steel, and standard parts), which are not interchangeable with German materials as regards size or mechanical properties. The majority of the ribs and frames were at the same time changed from the German^ T- section boom to the more usual, and economical, British L-section (3) Introduction of a second towing position, to permit a much steeper climb on winch-launching. (4) Substitution of central landing wheel, and nose skid, for the German long central skid. (5) Substitution of a one-piece clear acetate "bubble" windscreer for the German structure of light-alloy tubes with its numerous very small panels. (6) Redesign of rudder pedals and associated fuselage-nose structure, substituting hanging-bar-type pedals for the Germar "harmonium" pattern. (7) Redesign of the air-brake control system in the fuselage Concluded at foot of page 394
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