FlightGlobal.com
Home
Premium
Archive
Video
Images
Forum
Atlas
Blogs
Jobs
Shop
RSS
Email Newsletters
You are in:
Home
Aviation History
1963
1963 - 1467.PDF
FLIGHT International, 22 August 1963 283 LOCKHEED AEROBATICS By Peter Phillips THIRTY competitors, including the two postwar champions, in all representing seven nations, set the scene for this year's Lockheed Aerobatic Championship at Baginton. Josev Toth, the current world champion, observed at briefing; "This will be a great meet." Every nation had a chance to win for there was no great disparity in the performances of aircraft. The French team, although mostly composed of Stampes, also had the loan of an Italian Zlin which was to be flown by Marcel Charollais. Gerhard Pawolka of Germany returned again this year with his diminutive but highly manoeuvrable Kramme-Zeuthen KZ.VIII. Albert Ruesch from Switzerland brought over his very powerful Bucker Jungmann conversion fitted with a 180 h.p. Lycoming, which he shared with his son Hansruedi. Czechoslovakia and Hungary had, needless to say, a compre hensive team of Zlins including one Akrobat Special fitted with a constant-speed propeller and capable of a rate of climb twice that of a conventional Zlin. The British team, primarily composed of Tiger Club aircraft including two Stampes and a Tiger Moth, were boosted by a Zlin 326 Trener Master belonging to Neville Browning. Looking around at this field one .could anticipate aerobatics of high (and indeed, on occasion, of low) endeavour. The atmosphere was electric during the practice period from 6 to 8 o'clock on Friday evening. A Stampe came down the runway carrying out a perfect eight-point roll, and Chevalier d'Orgeix kissed his fingertips in appreciation. It later transpired to be James Gilbert. Sometimes as many as five aircraft all rolling, tumbling, spinning and bunting were aerobatting over the airfield at the same time—a truly incredible sight. Josev Toth suddenly leaped into the scene with marvellously precise upward rolls, quickly followed and matched by Hulka in his Akrobat Special. The competitive spirit was keen yet generous. It got around that the British Zlin was coughing a bit during the change from positive to negative conditions. We were immediately descended upon by Toth, who volunteered his personal mechanic to cure our troubles. Apparently in order to extract the maximum performance from their aircraft the Zlin boys are prepared to change their carburettor jets for each 10° change in temperature. Such is the philosophy of the perfectionist. Not to be outdone by the Hun garians, Eva Kaprasova from Czechoslovakia offered Neville Browning a complete new carburettor which she said would "make the aircraft fly better." And so we returned to our hotel that night full of anticipation and not a little over-excited. The rules of the competition allow each competitor 5min for his display commencing at any height he wishes but not coming below 100 metres. He also has to specify how long he requires for the climb and initial positioning, and the time is taken from the lowering of a flag at the take-off point. The beginning and ending of a performance is indicated by the firing of a green and yellow Very light respectively. The competitor normally does not see the latter indications and has to rely entirely on a stop-watch. He should be able to end within 2 or 3sec of the firing of the Very and, at this meeting, Verette possibly achieved the best when the light was fired exactly as his wings slotted into the sixteenth point of a sixteen- point roll. Marks are awarded as follows:— Accuracy .. .. .. .. 25 maximum Scope 25 „ Presentation: Timing .. . ."1 Positioning .. .. > 25 „ Artistry .. .. J Originality .. .. 25 „ 100 points maximum The judges pay particular attention to positioning, which should be so arranged that the performance is in an area represented by a mythical window in front of them. At the 8.15 briefing on Sunday morning it was decided to fly off the first 16 competitors. As expected, the aerobatics were of a high standard. Many noted that Trebaticky put up a superb performance. Verette was as polished as ever. (Some people remembered that he came second in a Stampe in the compulsory manoeuvres of the first World Championship—a marvellous achievement amongst so many Zlins.) Poor Gerhard Pawolka had engine trouble but despite this put up an excellent show. Neil Williams in a Stampe showed that he is the true master of Hulka's Sequence (probably started between 1,500 and 2,000ft). 1. Right-hand stall turn, positive pull-through. 2. Loop + half-roll off top. 3. Vertical right-hand stall turn. 4. One turn of a spin, positive recovery and pull-up. 5. One vertical upward roll + stall turn to the right. 6. One turn of an inverted spin, positive recovery and pull-out. 7. Vertical S. (without rolling). 8. Half-bunt downwards + half-roll to positive flight. 9. Half-loop + negative flick with positive recovery. 10. Half upward roll + half-roll off top + half aileron turn down to face the judges. 11. Half-loop + half-roll off top + a further half-loop + two turns of a negative flick and inverted recovery. 12. Outside loop towards judges + half-roll off the top away from the judges. 13. One vertical roll + push recovery + one turn negative flick and positive recovery. 14. Vertical climb and one upward vertical flick. 15. Half aileron turn down towards judges. 16. Half-loop, two turns of a negative flick and positive recovery. 17. ij flicks + right-hand stall turn. 18. | positive upward flick, recovery 90° to initiation, and positive pull-through. 19. Half upward roll, right-hand stall turn. 20. Aileron turn down towards judges. 21. Half upward roll + half-roll off the top + half-flick and in verted recovery towards judges. 22. Outside loop + two turns of positive flick. the lomcavak (a roll around the lateral axis). Barry Tempest in a Tiger Moth surely deserved a commendation from the judges for his display. There was the unforgettable sight of Neville Browning in his Zlin applying anything between minus 3g and plus 6g despite his 62 years and temporarily rheumatic shoulders, and only after about two hours' practice. Mile Lacour braved the elements to put up an excellent show in driving rain, but in fact was allowed to repeat her sequence later. For me, however, the morning's highlight was Nick Pocock, who gave a very polished performance in a Stampe—probably unequalled by a British pilot in this competition before. His alternating rolls in a circle were the best I have ever seen by anybody. If only his timing had been better and he had not at one stage spent too long a period the right way up whilst gaining height. At midday it started to rain from low cloud, and this continued throughout the afternoon and the following day. It seemed too cruel of Fate that what had promised to be a classic meeting should be spoilt. Josev Toth showed a film of the World Championship at Budapest, which included shots of pilots taken during aerobatic manoeuvres. Judging from the facial contortions it is surprising that
Sign up to
Flight Digital Magazine
Flight Print Magazine
Airline Business Magazine
E-newsletters
RSS
Events
