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Aviation History
1952
1952 - 0307.PDF
I February 1952 139 American visitors using both air and surface transport amounted to $100,000,000. An American or Dominion visitor travelling to this country by a British-owned ship or aircraft is said to be worth just as much to Britain in foreign currency as the export value of the average British car sold abroad. * * * Recent protests by residents living near London Airport are recalled by the news that a demonstration of aircraft noise- suppression was held at Idlewild Airport, New York, last week. Two C-46 Commando transports were used, but only one had the silencing equipment fitted. The aircraft flew past at 500 and then 800ft, while recordings were made in nearby houses. Upon analysing the recordings, the sound reduction was found to be "about 50 per cent . . . particularly with the most irritating low frequencies." The apparatus consists of a double-walled cylindri cal muffler, 4ft long, the inner wall being perforated and the interwall cavity being filled with steel wool. The effect of all this upon weight exhaust back-pressure, and aircraft performance, is not stated in reports so far received. FLASHBACK to the THIRTIES Vintage Aeroplane Club's First Rally Much-admired Moth; One of the more recently enrolled member-aircraft of the V.A.C., this D.H.60—the oldest machine on the current civil register—attracted con siderable attention. A T Denham airfield during the week-end of January 19th- /\^ 20th, the recently formed vintage Aeroplane Club success- *- •*- fully staged its first rally. The meeting, which was made possible by the co-operation of Dr. J. Myles Bickerton, the owner of the airfield, was attended by some 200 members and their friends. The weather at first seemed disinclined to share the spirit of things, but after some hesitation it finally decided to play a not over-generous part in making the day a success. Amongst the large and varied display of vintage types arrayed outside the clubhouse were a D.H. 60 Moth, a Puss Moth, Hawker Hart, Hawker Tomtit, B.A. Swallow, two Aeroncas, three Tipsies and a Miles Whitney Straight. Vintage cars, also, were in evidence, and the general scene could well have been that of any flying meeting in the early thirties. Aside from the organized flying programme, an unusual, novel diversion was a first flight made by an 80-year-old passenger, Miss Bryant. She enjoyed a trip with Beverley Snook in his Aeronca 100—an experience which, in view of the high wind, might well have been accepted with far less enthusiasm by hard ened joy-riders. Immediately after lunch the programme got under way, be ginning with a spot-landing competition (throttles closed at 1,500ft and three attempts allowed); it was won by W/C. C. A- Pike, in the Cirrus Moth G-EBLV from Panshanger. Second and third place in this event went to P. J. Colbourne (Aeronca) and H. G. Davies (Tipsy) respectively. At this stage F/L. A. W. Bedford, who has recently left the R.A.F. to join Hawkers as a test pilot and who is well known as a gliding enthusiast, took off in the famous Hawker Hart G-ABMR, to carry out a number of high-speed runs to the accompaniment of the Kestrels' healthy and characteristic roar. Douglas Bianchi's three-litre Lagonda was then driven into the middle of the field to form the target for a bombing competi tion, and the competitors took off to aim their flour-bag "bombs" at its massive bonnet. It was soon apparent that none of those taking part in this event could have served as a bomb-aimer during the war; nevertheless, aggregates of three runs resulted in P. J. Colbourne (Aeronca) winning with a mean error of only 5.5 yd. A polished display of aerobatics by C. A. Nepean Bishop, in a Miles Hawk Trainer owned by the Denham Flying Club, was followed by a slow-flying race. The gusty wind understandably deterred entrants, but three enthusiasts did manage to take off, the slowest staggerer proving to be R. Leeves in a Pobjoy-powered Swallow, G-AFCL. S/L. Neville Duke then took off in the Hawker Tomtit, G- AFTA, for an exciting session of aerobatics before the final com petition, an obstacle race, took place. A strictly non-flying item, this was divided into two classes, one for Aeroncas and one for Tipsies, the winners being Beverley Snook and H. G. Davies respectively. A vintage fly-past concluded the flying for the day and members and their friends then repaired to the lounge where, after tea, S/L. J. C. C. Taylor, gave a talk on his flying experiences during the early part of the century, and on the early days of A. V. Roe and Co., Ltd., for whom he worked as a youth. The prizes, in the form of certificates, were next presented, followed by a film show, the emphasis once again being placed on vintage types. Early Sunday morning saw members braving the elements once again (the wind had by this time subsided, although the temperature was still unpleasantly low) and, although no actual flying programme had been arranged, owners took the oppor tunity of flying one anothers' machines until daylight ran out. Work has already started on the plans for the next rally, which it is hoped to hold at White Waltham on May 6th. The success of the inaugural event clearly proves that the love of the old "string-bags" has not died, and that in this supersonic age most of us have a very warm place in our hearts for these worthy veterans. (Left) Beverley Snook's Aeronca, which took an 80-year-old lady passenger for her first flight. (Below, left) Powered by a Pobjoy Cataract III, this B.A. Swallow won the slow-flying competition. (Below, right) From Cardiff came this smart little Tipsy Trainer, piloted by H. G. Davies. The Hawker Tomtit is visible in the background.
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