FlightGlobal.com
Home
Premium
Archive
Video
Images
Forum
Atlas
Blogs
Jobs
Shop
RSS
Email Newsletters
You are in:
Home
Aviation History
1954
1954 - 1766.PDF
Partially glimpsed on the left are the Maurice Farman, Sopwith Camel and Fokker D.VII. On the right, Mr. Peter Masefield, B.E.A.'s chief executive, welcomes guests to the Corporation's Bristol 171. Distantly, the B.O.A.C. Stratocruiser packs 'em in. was overhauled in 1937-8 and, on test with a suitable aircrew, took off in 30ft. Span, 29ft 6in; length, 21ft 3f in; speed, 78 m.p.h. Caudron G.III, 1912; 90 h.p. Anzani.—This French-built two- seater was found in Belgium, and was flown under its own power from Brussels to Brooklands in 1938. Machines of the same type were used for training during the 1914-18 war, and before the late war the existing specimen participated in an R.A.F. Display. Span (top wing), 46ft; length, 26ft 3in; speed, 56 m.p.h. Maurice Farman, 1913; 130 h.p. Renault.—Once the personal property of Maurice Farman, and kept at the Farman aerodrome at Buc, this is the prototype F.40, and has its original power-plant —a 12-cylinder 130 h.p. Renault. A modified version, with 80 h.p. Renault, became known as the "Horace Farman"—a combination of the names of the Brothers Farman—Henri and Maurice—who each produced his own designs. The Nash specimen was acquired in 1936, and the late owner has stated that it made four flights between Paris and Hendon before the 1914-18 war. Up to that time it had amassed about 1,040 hours' flying. It took part in aerial fetes in France about 1930-31, and after its assembly in England during 1936 was flown at Brooklands, at Hendon Air Displays and at the Parliamentary Air Display at Northolt in 1938. Span (top wing), 58ft 2iin; length, 30ft 5£in; speed, 72 m.p.h. Avro 504K (Military Type) 1914; 140 h.p. Clerget.—There are two Avro 504Ks in the Collection—a civil version with an 80 h.p. Le Rhone (not shown at the Garden Party) and a military version with a 140 h.p. Clerget. For the greater part of its life the civil version was used for instruction and for five-shilling joy-rides, particularly around Sussex. It was stored at a small farm for more than 20 years before being rescued by Mr. Nash. The military version was flown from Scotland to join the Collec tion before the 1939-45 war. It was completely overhauled in 1950 and was demonstrated at the R.A.F. Display that same year —more or less as a command performance, because H.M. King George VI, who attended the Display, had learned to fly on a similar machine. The 504 was used successfully as a bomber during the early months of the 1914-18 war, but was mainly employed as a trainer, not only by the R.A.F. and R.N.A.S. but by many other air forces. A very detailed history of this grand old aeroplane, by J. M. Bruce, will appear in a forthcoming issue of Flight. Span, 36ft; length, 29ft 6in; speed, 95 m.p.h. Sopwith Camel, 1917; 140 h.p. Clerget.—This machine was found in poor condition in Essex, whereupon it was renovated, and fitted with the correct tanks and machine-guns. During its inspection, after it was acquired by Mr. Nash, the markings of the Fourth Lafayette Escadrule were found on the fuselage, together with various other, smaller, markings on the fin and rudder, which were incomplete and have not yet been identified. Span, 28ft; length, 18ft 9in; speed at 10,000ft, 113 m.p.h. Fokker D.VII, 1917-18; 180 h.p. Mercedes.-—Believed to be the only remaining original D.VII in Europe, this specimen (accord ing to information given to Mr. Nash by the German Air Ministry in 1938) was flown by Jagdstaffel 71 and the Richthofen Group. Built in January 1918, it was left by the Germans near Ostend during their 1918 retreat. It was found near Versailles and joined the Collection at Weybridge in May 1938. An 1899 one-Pfennig coin was found stuck to the bottom of the control column. The Nash specimen has the Richthofen-period finish. Span, 29ft 3^in; length, 18ft 9in; speed at 10,000ft, 113 m.p.h. S.E.5A, 1918; 200 h.p. Wolseley Viper.—Considered the most successful type produced by the Royal Aircraft Factory, this single- seat "Scout Experimental" was probably used for more aerial combats during the 1914-18 war than was any other type. It went into production in 1917, some 20 squadrons of the R.F.C. and R.A.F. were equipped with it, and it was flown by some of the best British fighter pilots, including McCudden and Mannock. After the 1914-18 war S.E.5As were extensively used for sky writing. The example in the Collection has been shown at many exhibitions; the number was painted on the fuselage by the R.A.F. for the 1950 R.A.F. Display. Span, 26ft 8in; length, 20ft llin. ON A LEE SHORE (Continued from page 783) Having apparently made a quick trip to the East in the mean time, the S-55 later landed to disgorge an Oriental potentate and his retinue, complete with red carpet. The fact that one of these dusky visitors was heard to use a highly Occidental oath as he stepped into a puddle on the tarmac must be attributed to the educative effect of modern air transport. With so little room between grass and cloud, conditions were anything but suitable for a sailplane demonstration; but, towed to the ceiling by a Tiger Moth, Commissioned Pilot Cox did what was possible with an Olympia in a very brief continuum of space and time. Aerobatics, as we have said, were badly cramped by the cloud- base, which never lifted above 1,000ft and was sometimes down to 700ft. Nevertheless, four Sea Hawks from R.N.A.S. Brawdy (No. 898 Sqn., Lt-Cdr. D. G. Parker, D.S.O., D.S.C., A.F.C.) showed superb precision, flying in a closely knit vie with the fourth aircraft "in the box." Their display was mainly confined to turns, but turns so tight and steep that they were mostly well within the perimeter—and Lee-on-Solent is by no means a big airfield. Equally if not more impressive was a solo Sea Hawk contribu tion by Lt. D. W. P. Kelly. His high-speed approaches were made so low that he seemed to come rocketing up out of the gardens of the neighbouring houses, to go into inverted flight or slow rolls in which his wing-tips scraped the cloud ceiling; and, when he concluded with a series of some of the tightest turns we have ever seen performed by a jet fighter, continuous com pressibility-trails streamed from the wing-tips, remaining in the air and tracing his circular course. Incidentally, Flying Control found that the Sea Hawk was "deaf and dumb," for its R/T. was out of action. Absentees by reason of the weather were the Avro 707B, which was to have been brought over from Farnborough by Lt. "Bill" Noble, a Naval pilot at the R.A.E.; an Attacker which was to have appeared in the individual-types demonstration; and an R.C.A.F. Sabre from North Luffenham, the "guest artist" which had been invited to contribute a supersonic bang. Another item, highly unusual, would have been a parachute descent from a helicopter; but Capt. P. K. Rainer, who was to have performed it, found on a dummy run that the S-51 was in cloud at 750ft, so an attempt would have been suicidal. Rainer, who is now with Irvings, gained his experience with the Parachute Regiment, of which he is a Territorial officer, and he gives parachute training at Sherburn-in-Elmet. Had the weather been even worse, the public could still have found plenty to interest them in the static show; the Navy does these things superbly, and the Lee-on-Solent collection of current F.A.A. equipment was a veritable Farnborough in miniature. A display of survival equipment was realistically arrayed in a "tropical swamp" around a crashed Avenger. In all, the At Home was a shining example (in contrast, it must be said, to some civil flying displays) of what can be done to organize a bad-weather programme, and to run it off without a single hiatus or flat spot. Congratulations are due to all con cerned, and particularly to those in control—Cdr. H. S. Shaw, D.S.C., R.N., the Commander Air; Lt-Cdr. F. H. Fox, R.N., the Lt. Commander Flying; and Lt. C. T. Maddocks, Senior Air Traffic Control Officer.
Sign up to
Flight Digital Magazine
Flight Print Magazine
Airline Business Magazine
E-newsletters
RSS
Events
