FlightGlobal.com
Home
Premium
Archive
Video
Images
Forum
Atlas
Blogs
Jobs
Shop
RSS
Email Newsletters
You are in:
Home
Aviation History
1930
UNTITLED0 - 1016.PDF
FLIGHT, AUGUST 29, 1930 came out.- Nevertheless, of course, these few hours did mean an appreciable loss to Lady Bailey, who, in the total average speed was only able to achieve 109 km.p.h. (67-75 m.p.h.). This rather low figure is, perhaps, to be attributed to a certain degree also to Lady Bailey having used her old machine, with which she has accomplished so many notable feats. Of the 60 machines that started out, 35 finished, as our readers already know, but the reasons for the retirement of the other 25 are still only partially known, so that it is not possible to analyse and compare the nature of the defects and other facts that were responsible. As was reported the German pilot Offermann and his companion had a fatal accident at Lyon, where Offermann overlooked an aerial. This is attributed to the cellon hood, covering the two cockpits of his BFW, not admitting of clear vision. The Pole Karpinski retired already at Calais owing to illness. He was operated on in a French hospital for appendicitis. The Spaniard Navarro, in a forced landing with his Gipsy-engined CASA early after the start at Frankfort-am-Main, smashed his landing gear. The same is reported of the Spanish Duke d'Estremera (Moth), who landed near Bourdoux, of the Pole Babinski (PWS-Cirrus 85 h.p.), and the German Stutz (Arado-Argus). The latter's observer lost the map and, to get their bearings, the pilot landed in a field only 3 miles away from Pau, in doing which the landing gear broke away. It must be recollected in all these cases that the weather was abominable. Laid up with engine defects were the Poles Rutkowski (PWS 52-Gipsy), Lewoniewski (PWS 51-Genet), Zwirko (RWD 4-Cirrus), Orhnski (PZL 5-Gipsy), and the Frenchman Fauvel (Mauboussin-Salmson). The nature of these defects is not reported except in the case of Orlinski, who retired at Madrid, and is said to have had valve trouble, and of Lewoniewski, whose oil pipe became clogged, leading to piston seizure. Nothing is known of the reasons for the retirement at Madrid of the Frenchmen, Maus (St. Hubert- Walter), Cornez (Caudron-Renault), and De McMahon (Caudron-Renault). The Pole Zwirko, above mentioned, made a forced landing in the Pyrenees at such an inaccessible spot that he had to abandon his machine. Only the engine was salvaged and carried down the mountain on the back of a mule. As was already indicated in an earlier report, a number of machines had to withdraw on account of propeller trouble. It is not possible to say how many machines were inflicted with this, since those who had spare propellers to mount were not disqualified, as were A. S. Butler (Moth), the Germans Stein (Albatros-Argus), Aichele (BFW-Siemens), and von Gravenreuth (Klemm-BMW). The latter's disqualification •was rather harsh ruling, for his machine was standing still at Zaragoza, in Spain, when a Polish machine hit it and broke the propeller. As von Gravenreuth carried no spare propeller with him that he could have mounted he could not continue, as the mounting of a new one procured on the spot was not permissible. In any race the competitor hindering another is disqualified, but in this contest the rule was reversed. The point of view of the organisers is : a pilot on a long tour must be prepared for such emergencies, as a propeller is always liable to develop some defect or to get broken accidentally, and that von Gravenreuth should have carried a spare one. This reasoning, however, does not quite apply in this case. Any private owner on such a tour whose propeller is damaged while still in an aerodrome will be able to procure a substitute at short notice, if not at once. In view of the particular circumstances of this case the German pilot might, therefore, have been given a chance to mount a new propeller. Also, the German pilot Spen^ler (Klemm-Genet) was disqualified—not, however, in the air tour, but after the fuel-consumption test. He had carried a spare propeller all through the tour, and had, indeed, been under the necessity of fitting it. Arriving at Staakeu air- port for the technical tests, however, he turned the old propeller out of the 'plane, and thus went into the fuel test, which, of course, was against the rules, as all machines were to go through the technical tests in exactly the same condition and with the same weight as they were in or had during the air tour. The German pilot von Dungern (Arado-Argus), same as Stutz, lost his bearings also near Pau ; but he landed without breakage in a small field to get information of his whereabouts. On starting up again he found the field was too short, so the machine had to be relieved of weight. The observer, there- fore, went on to Pau by train, for which reason the machine had to be disqualified. The Poles Dudzinski (PWS 8- Walter-Vega) and Muslewski (RWD 2-Salmson) were dis- qualified for arriving too late at Berlin. Also very hard luck beset the German pilot Dr. King (BFW-Argus), who for some reason or other was forced to land at Freienwalde, almost within sight of his goal, Berlin. We already reported of von Oertzen's (Albatros) retirement in London as a conse- quence of the decease of his companion, who was accidentally killed by the propeller of the machine. Amongst the missing 25 was, of course, also the machine constructed and entered by the Darmstadt College of Engineering, which was fitted with a Genet motor and steered by Neininger. On this machine, it is reported, a cylinder burst at a moment when it was right over the Gulf of Lyon. Happily, a steamer was in sight, and the pilot made the unavoidable plunge as near to it as he could reach, about 100 yards. He, his companion, and the machine were rescued and taken on board the steamer. These failures may also be classified as follows :— Percentage Nation. Starters. Finished. Failed. of Failures. Germany PolandGreat Britain FranceSpain Switzerland .. 30 12 7 6 3 2 20 4 6 2 1 2 10 8 1 4 2 0 33-3 66-614-3 66-666-6 — A word of recognition should, finally, be said in respect o* the splendid organisation of the whole contest. Hie co- operation of the various clubs, the support of the Govern- ments, and the untiring work of the officials all over Europe were the factors that made for the complete success of this great event, which has to be regarded as being of histonc interest and a milestone in the development of light 'plane touring. THE CIRCUIT OF ITALY A Single British Competitor ORGANISED by the Royal Aero Club of Italy, underthe patronage of the Italian newspaper, II Popolod'ltalia, the Circuit of Italy, or as the original Italian version has it, " Giro Aereo d'ltalia 1930," is an international competition for light planes in category 1 of the F.A.I., i.e., with a tare weight not exceeding 400 kg. (880 lb.). For the purpose of the competition, however, an allowance of 20 per cent, on tliis weight has been granted. A summary of the regulations was published in FLIGHT stages, with compulsory landings at points along the route (see map in June 6 issue). The Circuit of Italy is a speea race on a handicap basis, the handicap being determined 5 the various technical and other tests which preceded tn h ltaliaurace. There is but one British competitor in the competition, Miss Winifred Spooner, who is flying a AW (Gipsy II). no „ hut It had been hoped to enter the " Hendy— _, „ „„ t ,„ » this was found impossible at the last moment, a. b<L. e[y of June 6, to which readers are referred for details of the duty and honour of upholding British prestige falls en competition. It may be recalled that the competition on Miss Spooner. ttd At 20 d ildd lid kff Fifth an(lstarted on August 20, and included an altitude test, a take-of Fifty-three competitors passed the preliminary tests, ^ and landing test, " touring qualities " on which the handicap in the subsequent handicap. Miss Spooner was 38th to^ ^ for the Circuit of Italy is based, and weighing and power She therefore evidently will have to fly a very . ^e determination of the machines. As a standard 80 h.p. has around Italy to make up her handicap, althougu i ^ been taken, and competitors with more powerful engines absence of exact information, it may be assumed t ^ will be penalised at the rate of 1 point for every 5 h.p. by time interval which separates her from the limit mac *^ which the engine exceeds 80 h.p. necessarily very great. On the first day she was ^ The Circuit of Italy, which started from Rome on August 25, second at Fermo, but lost that place by losing ue is one of 3,400 km. (2,100 miles), and is divided into four slightly. 968
Sign up to
Flight Digital Magazine
Flight Print Magazine
Airline Business Magazine
E-newsletters
RSS
Events
