RACING IN THE AIR.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18563, 22 November 1923, Page 11

RACING IN THE AIR.

SCHNEIDER CUP CONTEST.

AMERICAN PILOT WINS.

WRECK OF BRITISH PLANE.

The story of the sixth international seaplane race for the Schneider trophy, which was won by America in record time, is told by the Cowes correspondent of a London journal. The contest, which was held in entirely favourable ; weather, is organised by the Royal Aero Club over a triangular course, with turning points at Cowes and at Selsey and. Southsea. Of 11 entries on behalf df four nations —America, Great Britain, France, and Italy— six machines passed the qualifying trials, and only four of them left the starting line, because the French tractor type machine had engine trouble after -flying to the starting point and was unable to pass the line after gunfire, and the Latham-type French machine -was not taken out of the shed.

America, therefore, started with two machines, and Great Britain and France with one each. Of the four, the French machine made one complete circuit of 37,2 nautical miles, and then alighted through engine failure near Selsey Bill, so that three seaplanes only completed the full five laps, a total distance of 186 nautical (or 212 laud) miles. But all of them did so at world's record sprints for seaplanes. America won easily with her Curtiss twin-float Navy racer C.R. 3, with 465 h.p. Curtiss engine, pitted by Lieutenant David Rittenhouse, at the unprecedented speed for this class of aircraft of 177.38 miles an hour, which compares with Captain H. C. Biard's winning performance at Naples last year on Supermarine-Napier Sea Lion IL, at 146 miles an hour. This year's American success represents an increase of speed of no less than. 31.58 miles an hour. Yet America sustained the loss of her fastest machine in practice before the qualifying trials. Had it been available, in such weather as. prevailed for the race, there is no manner of doubt that the winning speed would have been well over three miles a minute, despite the resistance the floats of this type of seaplane offer by comparison with the construction of tie under carriages of aeroplanes.

Seaplane Capsizes and Sinks. When starting in . the seaworthiness tests on the day prior to the contest, the Blackburn Napier Pellet machine, piloted by Mr. R. W. Kenworthy, one if the two British seaplanes entered for the cup, capsized and sank. ,

The machine, which was nearly last to start the test, had just taxied across the starting line, heading to westward, when it turned over and sank. The pilot was picked up by the motor-boat Vivid, which was towed- back to Cowes by Lord Montagu of Beaulieu's motor-boat Cygnet, which Lord Montagu was steering. The pilot escaped injury, but the seaplane sank in a very short time.. Later it was recovered and towed ashore near the Green. Lord Montagu said that Mr. Kenworthy miraculously escaped being drowned. He went. under with the > machine, and was under water for over 30 seconds. He npa in a very exhausted condition when picked up, and artificial respiration had to be applied.

Travelling at 140 Miles an Hour. Mr. Kenworthy, the pilot, in an interview, said: "When I went out to start the test the machine was in good order. I taxied round the-starting point, and was opening out to take off when a very big sea came over and turned the machine slightly to the right.. I noticed that I was going straight for two rowing boats, and tried, to alter my direction. "The machine jumped rather badly. It was travelling at about 140 miles an hour. V. jumped and jumped, and eventually one wing hit the water, and the machine turned right over. As the machine capsized, it turned me in such a way that ray head wr* under the inside of the boat. I was partially under water, but managed to unstrap myself, and, v feeling with my feet, found the observation hole. I slid down through it, sank right under the machine, and came up. on the other side, I was conscious the whole time, but after the motor-boat picked: me up I lost my senses and was revived by artificial respiration." - :'. .'.-■. '.£%' • ..:' . .->:.'-■