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Aviation History
1925
1925 - 0287.PDF
MAY 14, 1925 THE announcement, published in last week's FLIGHT that an air race meeting is to be held at Lympne on August 1, 2 and 3, will be welcomed by all interested in the light 'plane movement, since the meeting is to be largely one for light 'planes. Personally, we are not certain that from some points of view Lympne is the best possible place for such a meeting, being rather out of the way, and from the point of view of propaganda one of the London aerodromes would probably have been preferable. It seems likely, however, that there were certain difficulties in arranging the meeting in London, and from the technical or flying standpoint, Lympne is, of course, excellent, what with a fine course, having plenty of only " unlimited " race being the International Handicap, in which there is to be no restriction on engine power. The course will be the same as last year's light 'plane course, so that the machines are, in clear weather, in sight practically the whole time. The short triangular course is of advantage, from the spectators' point of view, in that where a consider- able number of laps have to be covered the machines pass time after time, and one is able to see how the race is pro- gressing, which machines are gaining and which losing. The small angle of the homeward and outward legs at Lympne also necessitates some very steep banks, if competitors are to avoid losing too much on the turn, and thus calls The German '' Kiistenflug, 1925 '' : This year's competition over the sand dunes surrounding the Kurisches- Haff, in the Baltic, has attracted a fairly large number of gliders and at least one light 'plane. Our photographs show : 1, The " Delphin " of the East Prussian Aviation Society in flight. This machine is built as a miniature flying boat so as to be able to alight on the water. In 2 the machine is shown on the beach. Note the unusual lateral control. 3 shows an exciting take-off by the " Espenlaub 5," in which the starting crew had to fall flat to avoid the machine. In 4 the " Espenlaub 5 " is seen in flight. Note the high aspect ratio.Espenlaub fields, suitable for forced landings, good shed accommodation and workshops at hand if necessary. Another rather unfor- tunate feature of the August meeting is that it clashes with the Vauville meeting, which is to be held near Cherbourg, from July 26 to August 10. The French meeting is to be international, and several Dutch and Belgian machines have already been entered, and it might have been possible to enter some of the British light 'planes. The Lympue August meeting definitely makes this impossible, and will moreover be likely to prevent many who had intended to visit Vauville during the holidays from doing so. We do not say that all this could have been avoided, but it is somewhat unfortunate nevertheless. As to the Lympne meeting itself, a perusal of the pre- liminary programme shows that the majority oi events will be for light 'planes, or, at any rate, for " lightish 'planes," the igt for some fine piloting, which will doubtless be greatly appreciated. * * * THE Grosvenor Challenge Cup Handicap will not, presum- ably, be a purely light 'plane event, since an engine weight of 275 1b. is permitted. This would seem to let in machines fitted with engines up to the size and weight of the Aircraft Disposal Company's " Cirrus " engine, for instance, but will preclude the Bristol " Lucifer." Unless new machines are rushed through, it would seem that the highest-powered machines in this event will be the de Havilland " Moths," of which, by August, there should be a goodly number in exist- ence. As the race is to be a handicap, all last year's two- seater light 'planes and the 1923 single-seater light 'planes will be admitted, and may be expected to take part in not inconsiderable numbers. This event is, of course, for British machines onlv. 287 c2
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