MAKING AIR HISTORY.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LII, Issue 72, 24 February 1932, Page 12

MAKING AIR HISTORY.

ACTIVITIES IN BRITAIN. Britain’s prestige in aviation and the manufacture of the world’s best aeroplane engines has never been greater than at present, but the near future will see developments that should place her still further ahead of other nations in the conquest of the air (writes a London correspondent). Among the more ambitious schemes in hand are .the following: The early establishment of a regular Transatlantic service; the opening of the Imperial Airways air route to Capetown; fresh attempts on the long-dis-tance record; a double crossing of the Atlantic in 24 hours; the construction of the world’s biggest flying boat; a balloon attempt on the altitude record ; and another effort to break the already startling air speed record. The world’s biggest flying machine is intended for service on the British section of the proposed Transatlantic mail route service, and is being built at the Vickers-Supermarine Aviation works at Woolston, Southampton. It will weigh 35_ tons and carry 40 passengers in addition to a crew, the flying range being 12 hours at an average speed of 120 miles an hour. Both in carrying capacity and general flying efficiency this huge monoplane will be superior to the famous but not altogether successful German Do-X. It is expected that the attack on the world’s non-stop long-distance re-, cord will be made by the Air Ministry, soon. A. Fairey long-range ’plane has been selected for the attempt, and is scheduled to leave Cranwell Aerodrome with Capetown as the first stop —a distance of 6000 miles.

Tangible evidence that other nations have been suitably impressed by British skill and enterprise in aeroplane construction is offered almost every day by the receipt of orders from more and more machines of the latest types. Following a substantial Spanish contract, the Belgian Government has ordered .more than 60 war ’planes at a cost of £300,000. They are to be of all-metal construction, equipped with Rolls-Royce Kestrel II engines. Critics, who for various reasons doubted the value of such spectacular tests as,the Schneider Trophy, are therefore now ready to admit that the publicity attaching to record-breaking achievements brings commercial results out of all proportion to the expenses.