IN THE AIR

Hokitika Guardian, 14 August 1937, Page 5

IN THE AIR

ATLANTIC TRIALS

A COMPOSITE MACHINE.

(Per British Official Wireless.)

RUGBY, August 12

Foul 1 more double North Atlantic journeys, to he flown by the Caledonia and Cambria, are scheduled before the winter ice at Newfoundland closes the route.

Meanwhile, interest temporarily centres on the Shortmayo- composite aircraft; which has ' been designed to overcome the difficulty of launching long range aircraft with a maximum load, and which is now ready for trials.

The first experimental flights will be made with the lower component, a large four-engined flying-boat, similar to the standard Empire boat, except for the mechanism hv which tlu> upper component,'a four-engined float aeroplane, will he attached. The lower component is powered h.v four Bristol Pegasus engines of 950 horsepower each. Nc-t'until both components have satisfactorily passed the trials will the critical experiment of a joint flight with the launching of the upper component, at a height of about te’’ thousand feet, be carried out. The Shortmayo composite aircraft is one of three lines of attack on the problem of a commercial trails-At-lantic flight, the other two being Empire flving-hoats, which have already been on trial, and the de Haviland Albatross mononlanes. experimental Audits with which are not vet fixed. Imperial Airways is to have its own railway terminus in London. It will ho alongside Victoria Station, and special trains will run from it direct to Croydon and Southampton for passengers on the Emnirp flying-boat services. Plans for linking other airports with the London railway terminal are being pushed forward. Hes+on Airport will Le eighteen minutes by rail journey from Paddington, and a new aerodrome under Construction for the Citv of London Corporation at Tlford will be within twenty-five minutes of tho citv hv electric train.

GLIDER CRASHES

BUDAPEST. Aug 12

A glider, crashing into a. high tenson cable throw the whole of the Budapest into darkness. All of the capital’s electricity supply was disorganised. '

PLANE SHOT DOWN

A CONTROLLED MACHINE

(Received this day at 10.30 a.m. LONDON, August 13

The Queen Bee, a wireless-control-led aeroplane, was shot down by antiaircraft fire by the Royal artillery, encamped at Somerset. The plane was travelling at 100 miles an hour at a height of 3800 feet.

SOVIET AIRMEN

CROSS NORTH POLE

(Received this dav at 10.30 a.m.)

SEATTLE, August I?

The first messages intercepted from the Soviet, plane stated it crossed the North Pole at 4 a.m.. N«w York time. The temperature was tlrrtv-five decrees below zero and adverse, sixty miles nor hour winds were o’mrmnforod but the machine functioned flawlessly.