SCHNEIDER CUP.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 19115, 26 September 1927, Page 9

SCHNEIDER CUP.

TRIALS COMMENCE.

WORLD'S FASTEST SEAPLANES. (BY CABLS—PRESS ASSOCIATION— COPIBIOHT). ("Abotjs.") (Received September 25th, 5.5 p.m.) LONDON, September 24. The greatest effort»since the war to restore Great Britain's air prestige reaches its climax on Sunday in the Schneider pup face, off Lido. Actually the contest, which, owing to the withdrawal of the United States entrant, resolves jrtself into a duel between Italy and Britain, has already begun with navigability and watertigEtness tests. Three British machines came out first, towed by a motor-boat. They taxied in good style, were then towed to mooring buoys, and there remained without attention for. six hours. The Italians followed.

Naturally, not the slightest indication has been given of speed and capacity. Among the watchers of the tests were Sir Sefton Brackner, who arrived by air. Sir Philip Sassoon, Mr A. V. Roe, and Captain Broad, who flew a moth over the 'Alps, accompanied by Mrs Carbery. Venice is overflowing with visitors, including distinguished people from all parts of Europe. • The most exciting race is expected. It is certain that the winning machine must be capable of approaching 300 miles per hour, or five miles per minute. It is difficult to believe that the Italians have anything up their sleeves. The danger lies in sharp turns at this terrific speed. The course is triangular, about thirty miles long, and must be covered seven times.

The pilots scrap everything possible, wearing only shorts and shirts: They are not taking even watches. Any loss of.speed owing to weather will possibly mean running out of petrol. Everyone agrees that the six seaplanes are the fastest in the world, and their navigation represents the limit of human endurance. TEST TO BE REPEATED. (AtfSTBALIAN AND N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION.) (Received September 25th, 5,5 p.m.) VENICE, September 24. It is officially decided that the British machine credited with the fastest time in the 'Schneider Cup trials must repeat the navigability test today as it left the water yesterday prematurely after taxi-ing. PINK OF CONDITION. ("Argns.")

(Received September 25th, 11 p.m.)

VIENNA, September 25.

The Britishers take their places in the Schneider Cup contests'in the pink of condition, yet it is certain that they will be so exhausted at the end of the race that they will have to be carried ashore. The course is triangular, left-handed, and? fall of dangers. One turn has an angle of about' seventeen degrees. Here only seconds may separate the machines when turning and death may be the penalty of an error of judgment. Another danger to the pilots lies in the blood pressure caused by+banking at steep angles. Experience has shown that pilots easily lose consciousness under such pressure. The British competitors are:—-Kin-kead, born in South Africa in 1897, who has a wonderful war record; Webster, of Walsall, who was a private in an infantry regiment before he joined the Air Force —it is understood that his machine is the speeuiest of the three Britishers; and Worsley, born at Kensington in 1898, who joined the Royal Navy as a mechanic. The start has been provisionally fixed for 2.30 this afternoon.

PERSONNEL OF TEAMS.

(bbitish official wireless.)

RUGBY, September 23. • Trials of seaworthiness" of the Italian and British flying-boats, in competition at Venice for the Schneider Cup are taking place to-day. These involve two take-offs and two landings in a course of 20 miles, and then mooring to buoys for six hours, in order to test possible leakages. The race is at 2.30 on Sunday. The bourse is 300 kilometres in a triangle sff lido. There will be seven laps, involving 19 turns in all. The British team is as follows: Flight-Lieutenant Kinnead, pilot of a Gloster biplane; Flight-Lieutenant Webster, in a Super-marine aeroplane, and Flight-Lieutenant Worsley m a. Super-marine. ; In reserve are Squadron-Leader Slater and one Gloster and one Supermarine. , _ ~ The Italian team is de Bernardi, Ferrarin, and' Guazetti, who all pilot Macchi machines with Fiat engines. In reserve is Guasconi and one Macchi.