AIR SPEED RECORDS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20978, 15 September 1931, Page 9

AIR SPEED RECORDS.

BRITISH PILOTS' FEATS. OVER 400 MILES AN HOUR. FLIGHTS OVER SOLENT. SCHNEIDER CUP RETAINED. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright. (.Received September 14. (5.5 p.m.) LONDON, Sept. 14. The 11th international contest for tho Schneider Cup resolved itself into a flight over tho Solent course by members of the British High Speed Flight, which gavo the trophy permanently to Britain. Speeds exceeding tho prior Schneider Cup record of 328.63 miles an hour were reached by Flight-Lieutenant Boothman in yesterday's flight. Flying tho new British S6B Vickers supermarino seaplane ho covered seven laps of 31.07 miles each at an average speed of 340.11 miles an hour, and completed the course in 38m. 22 l-ss. Tho following are the times for each lap:—First, 343.1 miles an hour; second, 342.7; third, 340; fourth, 338.3; fifth, 339.6; sixth, 33 C J.4; seventh, 337.7. Flight-Lieutenant Stainforth flew six times over the course, three times in each direction, tho best average of any four consecutive runs counting. Theso were: 372.822 miles an hour, 404.265, 377.11 and 390.162. Lieutenant Stainforth broke the world's speed record over throo kilometres of the course; his speed being 386.1 miles an hour. Tho previous record for tho Solent course, established by the late SquadronLeader Waghorn for Britain in 1929 was 328.63 miles an hour. Tho first race in 1913 was won by France at a speed of 45.75 miles an hour. Triumph of British Engines. Lieutenant Boothman's fastest lap was his first, which took sm. 265. at a speed of 343.1 miles an hour, which compares with tho best lap speed in the previous race, of 332.49 miles an hour. His best time for 100 kilometres during tho flight was over tho first two laps, where his time was 10m. 52.65., at a speed of 342.8 miles an hour. After the soventh lap Lieutenant Boothman took his machine high into the sky and then curved round over tho Solent, to make a, perfect landing.

j In aeronautical circles the triumphs j by tho two pilots are regarded as having j been won in the months of technical and scientific struggle which preceded tho flights, and e.s constituting a remarkable tribute to tho supremacy of British engines and aircraft builders. Lieutenant Stainforth's speed of 404 miles an hour means that an airman who left London at noon could be in New York by dinner-time. But it would be a straightforward affair compared with the .Schneider Cup test. Injury to Pilot's Arm. A slow service machine hovered at an altitude of 1300 ft. to mark tho limit to which Lieutenant Stainforth was allowed to fly. Then from Spithead he dived to a straight course. A few minutes later the tests were completed. Whereas Squadron-Leader Orlebar had ordered Lieutenant Boothman to fly " safely first," that is, if his engine got too hot he was to throttle down, Lieutenant Stainforth went all out. Lieutenant Boothman's trouble was duo to the terrific centrifugal force when he swung round the pylons. His arm had to be massaged after his flight, and ho was in agony for some minutes while (he circulation was restored. However, ho came ashore as unconcerned as if he had just come in from a swim. The last race for tho Schneider Cup in 1929 was a contest between Britain and Italy. It was flown over the same course (tho Solent), the being 218 land miles. Britain won by a large margin. Tho times and speeds of the first three competitors were : 1. Flying-Oflker H. R. D. Waghorn (Britain), Supermarine Rolls-Royce S6, 39m. 42-4-55.; 328.63 miles an hour. 2. Warrant-Oflicer T. Dal Molin (Italy), Macchi 52 Bis, 45m. 54 2-55.; 284.2 miles an hour. 3. Flight-Lieutenant D'Arcy Greig (Britain), Supermarine Napier, 46m. 15 l-55.; 282.11 miles an hour. Squadron-Leader A. H. Orlebar, who had not taken part in tho race, flew over the course three days later in tho machine which Flying-Ofiiccr Waghorn had piloted to victory, and attained an average speed of 357.7 miles an hour, reaching in one lap 365.1 miles an hour. That was by far the highest speed ever attained in the air at that date, and became the official record. Subsequently a speed of moro than sis miles a minuto was attained by high speed pilots of the Royal Air Force in practice flights in a Gloster-Napier machine built for, but not used in, the Schneider Cup contest. Although this speed exceeded Orlcbar's official record, it did not rank as a record, because it was not observed by tho Air Ministry. Both in 1929 and this year Orlebar had administrative charge of tho British team. Tho course this year was a triangular one, measuring 31 miles,and seven laps of it had to bo flown, giving a total distance of 217.35 miles. One turning point was off St. Helens (near Bembridge, Isle of Wight). This was the southern turning point. Tho western turning point was bwtween West Ryde Middle and Fast Ryde Middle Shoals, and tho eastern turning point, for the first fimo, was situated on land, at West Wittering, just east •of Chichester Harbour. This arrangement of the turning points resulted in the machines flying close along the Hampshire coast, so that spectators on the coastline from Wittering to Portsmouth could obtain an excellent view. On their way from Ryde Middle to Bt. Helens the machines flew along the coast of the Isle of Wight, with Ryde Pier affording a good view. .