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Aviation History
1955
1955 - 1173.PDF
287 with a spin of two-and-a-half turns, checked precisely and then half-rolled, following with a loop and a loop plus avalanche. He conserved his height well, did some nice stalled turns, a barrelly roll, a reluctantupward roll and a delightful rocket loop—a pleasing little aerobatic overlooked by all other contestants. We wrote after this: "Precise andconfident display; no bad manoeuvres considering aircraft capabilities; good positioning. Certain finalist on form so far." Now there was promise of a spectacular show, for we had seen JoseAresti of Spain during practice, and we know the Biicker Jungmeister. In fact, he was lucky to be competing, having earlier in the day "losthis prop," landed dead-stick down-wind and ground-looped. He employed an up-and-down-the-field technique and kept hismanoeuvres extremely compact. From the starting green light he went into a spiral cVve (not the "spin" mentioned by a commentator, and toofast and barrelled for an aileron turn). This was followed by an outside loop. With the Bucker's aid he was able to demonstrate two quickflick rolls and, later, one-and-a-half stopped exactly in the inverted position. Finally, he did hesitation and barrel rolls. If we had anycriticisms, they were that his loops were pulled rather tight on top and were thus oval, and that from one of his rolls-off-the-top he emergedsome 15 deg out of line. His very long slow roll was a joy to watch. In Aresti's display, flicks were frequent, the acceleration of the Buckerwas noticeably brisk, and his use of the engine was very smooth. The squeal of the Minijet was next heard as it climbed away in thehands of Alain Hisler. This attractive little French twin-boom machine had much in its favour for this competition. Opening with a long,fairly steep dive, Hisler pulled up into two vertical rolls, going into a loop and an aileron turn vertically down, to return across the arenaagain. This colourful composite, and two variations on it, were the highlight of his display. The set manoeuvres were well executed, anda snappy eight-point roll was added for good measure. Hisler was the first to demonstrate a Derry turn—so-called in honour of its inventorJohn Derry in France as well as in this country. For the spectator, no more could have been asked. The judges, we felt, must havededucted a mark or two for flying below the 300ft limit, and perhaps for taking up rather too much sky. Dick Wheldon was next off in the Provost. In this R.A.F. standardbasic trainer, he concentrated on the set manoeuvres—especially the slow roll—and no one did them better. His four-point and series ofrapid rolls, using the Provost's pleasant ailerons to good effect, were appreciated, as was his sready final outside turn through 180 deg. Butfor an occasional wander away from the arena we found no fault. That, surprisingly, the Provost did not qualify for the final (as we learnedlater) was perhaps because there was a little less scope and artistry, to quote the official headings under which marks were awarded.Cloud and light were becoming a little trying for jet aerobatics when Mike Kilburn got his green in the Vampire Trainer. Here again, theset manoeuvres were immaculate and the hesitation roll was neat. _ Tail- slides—apparently mentioned in advance to the commentator—did notcome off, but the Vampire showed a very gentle straight stall. Kilburn seemed to be looking for ceiling on occasions, but kept his displaycommendably compact for a side-by-side jet. What he did, he did competently. We wrote him down as a likely finalist, but felt that hemight not have done quite enough. Geoff Worrall, Gloster's chief production test pilot, now took overin the arena with the pale blue Meteor P.V. 7/8. He surprised us with an early half-bunt, and here was another British pilot to shine in theset manoeuvres, particularly the slow roll. Naturally, the Meteor needed a lot of sky but Worrall appeared to have it well gathered. The greatsweeping climbing turn with Worrall on the outside, which came near the end, probably earned him a bonus. We liked his show, wonderedif he had done quite enough, and placed him level with Mike Kilburn. Final contender was Santiago Germano, the leathery little Argentinian,by no means young, but with a great spirit—and a smart black bonnet. He did not see his first greens for starting; and when the next twowere fired, an itinerant survey Anson blundered over the airfield below him exactly in the sky he was to use. After more delay he began hisdisplay. No one did more in quick succession, outside loop, another loop, roll off, two-and-a-half turns of spin, a rolling turn and evenan attempt at a hesitation roll. Whirling in the distance his old Stieghtz at times reminded one of a Swordfish. A straight and prolonged invertedpass, half outside loop, another loop and a slow roll, took him up to the yellows. It was an exhilarating display but, one felt, unduly crampedand complicated. Neither pilot nor spectators had time to breathe. The judges later announced their selection of finalists as Aresti,d'Huc-Dressler, Biancotto, Hisler, Porteous and Worrall. The Finals.—Jose Aresti really worked hard in his final display onSaturday. From a half outside loop he went into an upward flick, checked level and dropped into four or five tight turns of spin. Againhis flick manoeuvres were excellent, in both directions, and his long slow roll pleased. The four-point hesitation roll was not quite straight.His circuit of continuous left-hand rolls was most skilful. Concentrated, polished, perhaps a little too much packed into the time, we felt. Biancotto was No. 2. He started quite high, flicked into position fora half outside-loop, rolled up and out and returned from a very stalled turn. The engine dragged him round a bunt, and this was followedby a very smooth roll ofl and a loop with full flick on top. He sensed that he was leaving the judges a little and returned to position beforemaking a beautiful slow roll and a rolling circuit. Allowing for the difference in aircraft, we wrote that he was probably "a few marks upon Aresti." We believed that one or two of his manoeuvres were better executed in the heats. Next came Alain Hisler, to repeat almost exactly his display of theprevious day, including the dive below height—perhaps his altimeter lags. The Minijet certainly is a joy to watch and it is very hard todecide whether very long flowing manoeuvres are better for competition than more compact ones. He might have added a little to his repertoirefor the final. No aircraft looked snappier. Ranald Porteous now opened from the sunny side with a taste ofspin checked precisely. On to his back and down, he placed a nice round loop before the judges, followed with a stalled turn, loops withavalanches, and used a rocket loop effectively to gain some height towards the end. His upward roll was a brave manoeuvre for the Auster.Exactly on time, he wagged his wings to clock off. This, we felt, was his best show and, within the capabilities of the aircraft, above reproach.The rolls off were unsurpassed for smoothness and straightness, the slow roll necessarily a little barrelled. We did not place Porteous firstin our private classification, but by no means last either. Now for Worrall and the Meteor in near perfect weather; enoughsky to give him room, enough cloud to spare the eyes of the crowd. He opened with a long inverted climb and a half bunt, then camedown again in a series of smooth aileron turns. A huge loop followed, but with the turn-back it took him too far into the sun for good posi-tioning. His slow roll was a joy; his roll off we failed to notice, if, in fact, he did one. Again the long, outside climbing turn and, aswell, a signing-off wag of the wings on his back. Was this better than on the first attempt? Yes, we thought, but still rather limited in scope.We do not under-estimate the added responsibility which this largest and fastest competing aircraft brought in such a competition. And finally came d'Huc-Dressler, in the Stampe, with a programmesimilar to that of the previous evening, except for a slightly shaky start which included a not-too-straight outside loop. From a loop, he rolledoff downward and then, getting into his stride, slow-rolled beautifully, four-point-rolled from inverted to inverted, and pulled through into ahalf bunt. His smooth rolling circuit on a steady curve was the best of the competition, and possibly the most difficult sustained manoeuvre.We liked d'Huc-Dressler a lot, but felt that he started off less well in the final than in the heats. It seemed that the two Frenchmen usingthe same Stampe must be placed. Results are tabulated on p. 279. The final items in the afternoon's air display—which had beenan excellent example of good timing and organization throughout —were well up to the earlier standard. Four Fairey Gannets of820 Squadron, Eglinton, exhibited first-class teamwork in the air before landing, folding their wings and—one fewer than before—taking off again; Rene Vincent made a triple parachute drop from an Auster; and, to wind up the afternoon's flying with assuperb an exhibition as it opened, four Hunters of 54 Squadron appeared in their best and tightest formation behaviour. Led byCapt. R. G. Imming, U.S.A.F. (on exchange posting with the R.A.F.), this quartet produced formation rolls that were a joy towatch, together with formation-changes during rolls. Coventry's day, which ended with the official prizegiving byAir Chief Marshal Sir John Boothman, had been a day of out- standing flying. The City Corporation, the Royal Aero Club andthe local aircraft-industry firms, who had organized and supported the meeting, indeed deserved congratulation.
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