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Aviation History
1951
1951 - 1284.PDF
GREAT DAY FOR AIRCRAFT MODELLERS . . . set off on cross-country flights and be seen no more, so most of them are equipped with a time-delay device (it may vary from a slow-burning fuse to a pneumatic or clockwork camera-timer) which releases a spring that raises the elevators, so bringing the model into a near-stalled attitude for a quick descent; alternatively the timer may release a drag-producing parachute. Many of the power models have similar safeguards. A model that has climbed to several hundred feet may be carried many miles down- wind, and at Langley on this occasion the breeze—blowing from an unexpected quarter—gave the organizers some arduous pre- liminary work in re-siting the various flying points on the airfield. Dr. Peter Thurston, the veteran enthusiast (he was an assist- ant to Sir Hiram Maxim) who is the moving spirit in the Northern Heights Club was, as usual, looking with a benevolent eye on the wholesale enthusiasm around him; and Mrs. Thurston was clearly sharing his enjoyment: Hawker executives were there in force, including Sir Frank Spriggs and Mr. Neville Spriggs, together with test pilot Neville Duke; and Air Chief Marshal Sir Hugh P. Lloyd, A.O.C.-in-C. Bomber Command, was in attendance as president of the R.A.F. Model Flying Association—and his interest was, clearly, far keener and more knowledgeable than might conventionally be demanded of the holder of such an office. A number of guests attended an informal luncheon-parry given by the Hawker directors. The Queen's Cup—which is awarded for the best duration performance (sum of three flights) by rubber-driven models con- forming to specified limits—was won by Bob Copland, who is chairman of the Northern Heights Club and, incidentally, holds a post in the Hawker design-office. His 47in-span, 12.25 oz shoulder-wing monoplane has a most ingenious variable-pitch device incorporated in its airscrew spinner, which automatically gives fine pitch for take-off, coarse for full-speed flight, then fines- off again as the power begins to reduce, eventually feathering itself for the glide. His three flights were of 127 sec, 181.5 sec and 300 sec respectively, the duration of the first two being deliberately limited in order to ensure that the model could be retrieved. A generous cash prize from Hawker Aircraft went with the award. The Flight Cup (gliders) went to J. M. Clark of the Surbiton and District M.F.C., with two flights of 4 min 52 sec and 9 min 19 sec respectively from an nft-span glider weighing 3.5 lb. Among other prizes were the Fairey Cup (open duration contest for any (Left) A. J. P. Briggs's fine control-line model of a B-I7F as used by No. 230 Squadron in the war; span is 78.5/n and weight 10 Ib, while four 3.5 c.c. engines give a total of about I h.p. (Right) Superb finish is a feature of C. J. Haggard's "free-lance" biplane (64/n span, 2.49 c.c. engine). (Below) W. L. Manuel's flying-wing glider; of Gb'ttingen 535 section, the \0ft-span wing has adjustable elevons. type of rubber-driven model), won by Mr. Gorham (Ipswich) who also gained a prize for the best all-round performance of the day; the Thurston Helicopter Trophy, awarded to Mr. Dowsett (Pharos Club); and the de Havilland Trophy (power-driven air- craft), won by Mr. Trow (Dudley). During the course of the meeting a loyal message was sent to the Queen, to which her private secretary presently replied: "Willyou please convey to all who are assembled at Langley Airfield, and especially those competing for the Queen's Cup, Her Majesty's warm thanks for their loyal greetings." DESERT RESCUE EXERCISE TN a recent desert-rescue exercise undertaken by the R.A.F. inx the Suez Canal zone, twelve officers, mostly young aircrew, were taken by Army vehicles over 100 miles into the Sinai Desert, and left there as "crashed crews" with only emergency rations and a few comforts, to await rescue by the Desert Rescue Team from Fayid. Left alone, the "survivors" pitched camp, improvising tents from parachute fabric and other material. At night the weather was bitterly cold and they slept in holes dug in the sand, with only one blanket each to cover them. The rescue machinery went into action immediately a signal was received that an "aircraft" was down in the desert. A Valetta took off to search,n and withi an hour had located the party. The look-outs, having seen the Valetta's Very signal lights 3O miles away, signalled back with their own lights. Given the party's approximate position, the Desert Rescue *• cam set off late in the evening from Fayid in a seven-ton Matador truck carrying H.F. and V.H.F. radio equipment and a Eureka beacon by which search aircraft could home on the rescue team. Ihe Matador was accompanied by a jeep, a useful vehicle for reconnoitring in the desert. Travel was rough, and the outward journey, including a night stop for food and three hours' sleep, took nearly 17 hours. Meanwhile the Valettas had dropped extra blankets and water to the stranded party, who, with the arrival of the rescuers, had their first square meal for two days. For the first day they had lived on half rations (four pints of water and one meal) and on the second day, up to the time of rescue in the evening, they had had only survivors' basic rations (two pints of water and one emergency ration pack). The tiny emergency heliograph mirror carried for signalling purposes proved invaluable, the signals made by it to the rescuers were clearly seen from nearly 20 miles away. S/L. B. A. Primavesi, of No. 205 Group Training Branch, was in command of the "survivors." RUSSIA'S AIR EQUIPMENT A HANDY compendium of information on, and pictures of,Russian military machines is Russia's Jets and Other Aircraft, published (price 3s.) by Smith and Hallam Ltd., 145, Seal Hollow Road, Sevenoaks, Kent. A considerable amount of the descriptive material is necessarily conjectural and certain designations are suspect; the compilers have wisely indicated doubtful data.
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