NATIONAL AERO SHOW

Dominion, Volume 30, Issue 266, 6 August 1937, Page 11

NATIONAL AERO SHOW

Important Exhibition in England “Dominion" Special Service—By Air Mall. London, July 10. In the eyes of the general public, the sensational Royal Air Force Pageant at Hendon marked the climax of the flying season in England, but for those whose primary concern is with the commercial development of the aircraft industry and its export. trade, the two days’'exhibition at Hatfield Aerodrome during, tlie following week was an event of greater importance. Tlie exhibition, which is organised annually by the Society of British Aircraft Constructors, has now acquired the importance of a national aero show. It is a great industrial display, where customers can see all the best that the British aircraft industry can produce, not only in aeroplanes, but in engines, materials, airscrews and manifold accessories. It has been the practice of British aircraft manufacturers to put safety and economy first and speed second, but, in spite of this, the Supermarine Spitfire, which was the sensation of last year’s exhibition, is still believed io be the fastest fighting machine ever built. This year the world’s fastest twin-engined and single-engined bombers and new instructional planes were featured.

The second day of the display was devoted to flying tests by pilots belonging to the various firms, and in some cases by the designers themselves. The new models flew round the aerodrome in turn, and went, through different manoeuvres in order to show their paces, while a radio announcer give out information about the machine and its characteristics. There were forty-five types of aeroplane in the exhibition, and of these about thirty were demonstarted in flight. Among tho five thousand guests at the exhibition, which was not open to the public, about fifty nations were represented.