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Aviation History
1958
1958 - 0495.PDF
18 April 1958 511 CLUB AND GLIDING NEWS LAST week-end's good gliding weather brought with it a newi crop of British distance, goal and speed records, including two 500 km flights—the first Diamond C distances to be achievedin this country. On Saturday, April 12, Cdr. Nicholas Goodhart flew a dog-leg track of 319 miles in his Skylark 3 from Ely toRosudgeon, five miles east of Penzance, with turning points at Edgehill and Ludgershall. The straight-line distance of this flightwas 295 miles. On the same day two 194-mile flights were made from Lasham to Perranporth, Cornwall, one by Wally Kahn andJohn Williamson in the Kahn syndicate's newly delivered Slingsby T.42 Regal Eagle; and the other by Mrs. Ann Burns in her Sky-lark 3. Kahn and Williamson's flight was a British and U.K. two-seater goal record and U.K. 300 km two-seater goal speedrecord (42 m.p.h.); while that of Mrs. Burns (subject to confirma- tion) gains the British and U.K. women's records for goal anddistance, and the U.K. women's 300 km goal speed record. From Dunstable, nine cross-country flights totalling 1,325 mileswere also made on April 12. Philip Wills in a Skylark 2, after an upwind aero-tow to a point over East Anglia, flew 226 miles toOkehampton. Three 191-mile flights to Plymouth were made— by Charles Ellis (Skylark 3), John Westhorpe (Skylark 2), andNorman Preston in the veteran Gull 1; and other destinations included Ashburton, Exeter and Newbury. Also included in Saturday's soaring was a flight of 186 milesfrom Nympsfield to Land's End by Peter Scon, flying solo in his T.42 Sea Eagle. This flight completed his Gold C. PeterCollier flew a Skylark 2 of Bristol Gliding Club a distance of 182 miles, also from Nympsfield. Weather conditions on Sunday, April 13, were not so obviouslygood, but David Ince set up a British straight-line distance record in Elliotts' new Olympia 419 with a flight of 315 miles fromLayenham, Suffolk, to Sennen, near Land's End. This flight, made mainly by means of dry thermals in a blue sky, adds a seconddiamond, for distance, to David Ince's Gold C. T^HE first motor race-track since the war to provide landing strips-*- and send out a welcome to the flying fraternity was over- whelmingly rewarded on Easter Monday. Goodwood, north ofChichester, was staging the first big car racing programme of the season, organized by the British Automobile Racing Club, andno fewer than 74 aircraft flew in when only some 30 had been expected; but there was room for all, and Tim Morice (controllingthe airfield for the Duke of Richmond and Gordon) was more than satisfied. Before the racing started the Tiger club gave a display enmasse; three tied Tigers flew around in formation, and a pair of Druine Turbulents built by Norman Jones of Rollasons were putthrough their modest paces. Maurice Imray commer.tated. Among the larger aircraft present was the Automobile Associa-tion's Rapide which, in its yellow and black livery, manages to look exactly like other A.A. vehicles and would not appear out ofplace at a road junction with the pilot in shiny black leggings. Visitors by road and air .were rewarded by excellent racing, incold dry weather, two of the main events being won by Stirling Moss (Aston Martin) and Mike Hawthorne (Ferrari). It is to behoped that other race organizers, e.g., at Silverstone, will follow suit by welcoming aircraft. Obviously, however, as at Goodwoodthere should be no flying while racing is actually in progress. THE formation of Phoenix Aircraft, Ltd., "to develop the designsof the old Luton Aircraft Company and to produce new designs for ultra-light aircraft," was recently announced. The company'sfirst project is a modified version of the Luton Minor parasol single-seater, amateur-construction plans for which have beensubmitted to the Popular Flying Association for approval. Designed to be powered by a 37 h.p. Aeronca J.A.P. engine, or by any engineup to 65 h.p., the new Minor is designated the L.A.4a. The general structure of the aircraft has been simplified, a fixed fin hasbeen added to the tail unit, the re-designed undercarriage can be equipped with brakes and a tail wheel is fitted. According to the company, "the airframe of the Minor can bebuilt for approximately £125"; "suitable engines are available which cost about £100 complete with propeller"; and "the totalcost of the aircraft should not exceed £250 with the J.A.P. engine." Plans and instructions cost £11 10s, and the company hope at alater date to supply pre-fabricated parts and, possibly, complete kits. Only 75 days after its first flight the Olympia 419, flown by David Ince, achieved the first 500 km straight-line glider flight in Britain (see news item on this page). The new sailplane is made by Elliotts of Newbury and will compete in this year's World Gliding Championships. Directors of the Phoenix company are C. H. Latimer-Needham(the designer of the original aircraft in 1936) and A. W. J. G. Ord-Hume, who are now working on a new version of the two-seatLuton Major. Inquiries should go to Phoenix Aircraft, Ltd., Cranleigh Common, Cranleigh, Surrey (telephone Bramley 2289). FOLLOWING the death of Roger Druine, the French light-aircraft designer, Madame Druine has appointed Harold Best- Devereux to act on her behalf in the English-speaking countriesof the world to ensure the continued availability of Druine designs for amateur constructors. Mr. Best-Devereux and M. Druinewere close friends for a number of years. Sets of plans for Druine aircraft will continue to be available from the Popular FlyingAssociation, and Mr. Best-Devereux will ensure the supply of technical data, translations and revisions to P.F.A. members. Onany matter concerning Druine aircraft Mr. Best-Devereux can be contacted c/o the Popular Flying Association, Londonderry House,19 Park Lane, London, W.I. FINAL selection of the aircraft to be flown by British pilots inthe World Gliding Championships has now been made. Although comparison tests between the new Olympia 419 andtwo versions of the Skylark 3 indicated that the Olympia's per- formance and handling were superior, Elliotts are unable to com-plete a second machine of this type in sufficient time for the championships because of other commitments. Pilots and aircraftare as follows: — Open Class.—Nicholas Goodhart (Slingsby Skylark 3), AnthonyDeane-Drummond (Elliotts Olympia 419). Standard Class.—Philip Wills (Slingsby Skylark 2), Anthony Goodhart(Elliotts Olympia 415). NEW chief flying instructor of the Wiltshire School of Flying,Thruxton, is S/L. R. J. Honeyman, previously senior ground instructor at the R.A.F. Central Flying School. REVISED opening date for the Leszno Congress of OSTIV(Organisation Scientifique et Technique Internationale du Vol a Voile) is now Thursday, June 19, one week later thanpreviously announced. The president of OSTIV, Mr. L. A. de Lange, visited Leszno last month to discuss arrangements. BOTH gliding and power flying will be included during a week-end rally organized by the British Women Pilots' Associa- tion for May 31-June 1 at Sandown, Isle of Wight. The Easter Monday line-up of aircraft at the Goodwood race-Uack airstrip comprised no fewer than 74 machines (see news-item above). Our sister journal "The Autocar" speeded its report and pictures of the meeting by invoking the aid of "Flight's" Gemini.
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