HIGH – SPEED AIRCRAFT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19384, 20 July 1926, Page 8

HIGH - SPEED AIRCRAFT.

THREE BRITISH MACHINES. AVIATION AND COMMERCE. [from our own correspondent.] LONDON. June 15. Work is going on in the strictest secrecy with the construction of the three British high-speed aircraft with which it is hoped this year to gain at least one world's air record for this country. The record-breaking attempts will probably be made in September, and will receive the support of the Air Ministry. One of the machines is a small monoplane with wood-covered wings and an engine which, it is claimed, delivers more power for every pound weight than any other engine in the world. The other two machines are biplanes. On 3 of them departs from conventional practice in high-speed design, and employs an air-cooled engine as its power unit. It will, therefore, provide important data on how far the speed of aircraft is affected by the frontal area of the fuselage. Mr. Stanhope Sprigg, an aeronautical expert, has gone on a whirlwind air tour of Europe, during which he will visit seven countries in seven days. Travelling only by the regular air routes he will call at Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Berlin, Vienna (via Munich), Zurich, Paris and London. A business man, wishing to visit the European capitals, would find it not only much faster, but actually cheaper to travel by air than by rail. By air the round journey would be completed in less than half the time taken by rail, and consequently expenses for hotels, meals, sleepers, etc. would be reduced. Interviewed before leaving, Mr.. Sprigg said that he would be able to spend several hours in the afternoon and evening in each city, and have a good night's rest. He expected to arrive at Berlin as early as 12.30 p.m. Thus, although he would be travelling rapidly, he would not be subjected to the discomforts that usually attend fast travelling.