RECORD-BREAKING.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 300, 20 December 1938, Page 10

RECORD-BREAKING.

'PLANES AND MOTOR CARS.

HIGH PROPAGANDA VALUE.

Two outstanding achievements, the magnificent flight from Ismailia to Port Darwin, Australia, of the three Wellesley bombers, and .Major Gardner's astonishing small-car record of lSfii in.p.h. on the Frankfurt autobahn, have emphasised once more the very great propaganda value of record performances (writes 11. E. Symons in the London "Sunday limes"). We hear so much of the performances of aircraft and cars from other •ountries that we in Britain almost develop an inferiority complex and credit our Continental friends with" the ability to build and to pilot cars and aircraft much better than we can.

How n I'll eh more, therefore, must the peoples of tlie world as a whole jump to the conclusion that because, say, Russia held the world's lion-stop flight record, her engineers luid technical knowledge superior to ours and her pilots were more experienced in navigation. Again, they might consider, and do consider, that since Germany produces the fastest road-racing cars in the world and can find the men to drive them brilliantly, German engineers know more about motor car design than we do and German drivers are possessed •if more skill, pluck and dash. Astonishing the Germans. The flight of the H.A.F. Wellcslevs with their Bristol IVgasus engines has demonstrated to the whole world the superiority of allliiitish aircraft and their pilots, and Major ilardner's astonishing performance on the little I KKI c.c. M.G. Ma'gnettc shook even the Germans who timed him, used as they are to extremely high s'peeds being reached on the road.

At the annual dinner of tlic Brooklands Automobile Kacing Chil>, Karon von Falken- . liayn (who had seen Gardner set up tlie new record in the morning, before lie flow over to Knjjland in the afternoon) descril>ed graphically tlio amazement with which the German t iino-keeper* and officials regarded Gardner's speed. Karon von Falkenliayn wa« driving to the Frankfurt airport when he found himself si<>p|x*d by officials, Who stated that the special motor road was closed for record attempts. He watched Major Gardner make his run, that in one direction being timed at no less than 194.38(5 m.p.h. Whereupon the German timekeepers and officials rushed round in small ciiclc's clu'ckiiiL' (heir stop-watches, looking nvcr the electrical timing apparatus and inakintr calculations in their pocket lHioks. "It's impossible! It's impossible!" they kept repeating. "What's impossible?" asked the Karon. "The Major's, speed."' was the reply; "it is not possible for a car of only ] 100 c.c. to put up such a speed!" So to convince them Major Gardner wae obliged to repeat his record attempt all over again, and in the process put up an even higher speed than on his first attempt. The M.G.'s speed of 180.567 m.p.li. is the fastest international record speed for all care up to three litres capacity. What It Means. Now it is often asked what is the value ' nf racing and record-breaking on land, on water or in the air. It is easy enough to advance technical reasons, for the race track in- the long-distance flight are better than the finest test bench in existence. Our reliable lyres, our front-wheel brakes, our efficient ['iigines and transmissions are all due to road racing. Through having to meet the exacting lemands of the drivers of Grand Prix racing •are, the makers of engines and chassis and iceessories have had to produce something far (letter than that which until that time was •onsidered adequate. A car or a component :iiat lias l>een tested in road racing will consequently stand up to any demands which the irdinary owner-driver may make 011 it. Apart from technical progress, however, ecord achievements of this kind have an mormons propaganda value. It is pointed out 11 the "Motor" that, following the German ictoriea in South African motor racing, the ale of German cars in the Union of South \friea increased from about 500 to very nearly !500 in -the course of 1036-7. In the same ■eriod the sales of British cars declined from 11 !)ti cars to 5930.

Anyone connected with motoring in South Africa will testify that German racing successes have not only directly influenced the -ale of German cars, but that they have ■nhanced the prestige of Germany as a nation, ind have improved her trading proepecte in 1 wide field of engineering goods.

Good Propaganda. Tt is suggested in tlie "Motor" that tlie ioverument should contrilinte pound-for-pound ij> to Imlf a million to tlie sums raided l>y lie motor industry for a fund to produce and iiu a team of raving ears which could light t out 011 equal terms with foreign competitors ind hope "for a fair share of success. A 11 ill ion pounds may seem a lot of money, but his mi'jht l>e ex perted to be such a magnifi•ent. a<lvertisemeiit for British engineering ikill. not to mention the daring and skill of mr drivers, that Britain would lie looked up o all over the world as the home of the inest machines and of the men with tlie •oolest brains.