BRITISH AVIATION NEWS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22356, 1 September 1934, Page 12

BRITISH AVIATION NEWS

UNIVERSITY AIR SQUADRONS PRODUCTION RECORD. (From Ode Own Correspondent.) LONDON, July 20. A record in aircraft production was established during the past year by Hawker Aircraft, Ltd., according to a statement made at the first ordinary general meeting by Mr T. 0. M. Sopwitb, the chairman and joint managing director. He said that the company had delivered during the past year more aircraft than at any time since the war, and that they were now making eight different types of Hawker aircraft for the British Government.

“At the moment,” said Mr Sopwith, "it is no exaggeration to say that in their respective classes Hawker types are the foremost in the world, and it is important and interesting to record that the British Air Ministry are purchasing these airframes at lower prices than any other Government is paying for comparative types. Not only so, but, despite their superior performance, Hawker, types have proved most economical under service conditions and have definitely set new and considerably improved standards from the point of view of length of life before reconditioning.” While Hawker products had been in service in Great Britain, India, Egypt, Canada, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Estonia, Jugoslavia, Japan, Greece, and with the Fleet Air Arm in all quarters of the globe, no fatal accident had occurred which could be attributed to failure on the part-of the machine. “Towards the end of the year under review,” added Mr Sopwith, "we purchased the Gloster Aircraft Company, acquiring a factory with more than twice the manufacturing area of the existing factory at Kingston and a space available for expansion, together with an aerodrome. In addition we acquired a further type, the ‘ Gauntlet' day and night fighter, which has Just been adopted by, and is not in production for the British Air Ministry.” BOMBER DEVELOPMENT. The time is rapidly approaching when the pilots of all aeroplanes, both civil and military, will be accommodated in enclosed cockpits, and the goggles, leather coats and leather flying helmets, which have for long been regarded as the aviator’s trade mark,, will disappear. The new version of the Handley Page “ Heyford,” which is to be known as the “Mark II Heyford,” has an enclosed pilot’s cockpit with windows at the front, sides and top. It has been found possible, by using this new cockpit, to cut away some of the combing in front of the pilot’s seat and so to provide an improved view in a forwards and downwards direction.

Other features of the “ Mark II Heyford ” are the new engine nacelles. These nacelles have been re-designed and are better streamlined than the old ones. They bring the centre of the airscrew shafts higher up and provide for an increase- in the airscrew efficiency. As a result of these and other modifications the “Mark II Heyford,” has improved take-off, improved climb and improved top speed. It retains the retractile and rotatable gun turret underneath the fuselage, and the special “ express ” ground servicing features. These enable such work as refuelling and reloading with bombs to be done with great rapidity. The modifications are the result of the experience that has been gained with the “ Heyford ” in service in the Royal Air Force. This machine has been flown by Air Force pilots for many hundreds of hours by night and day. The improved performance which they have given may be expressed either in increased bomb load or increased range. Expressed in increased range, the improvement is equivalent to an additional distance of about 200 miles. UNIVERSITY AIR SQUADRONS.

Seventy-five members each is the full strength of the Oxford and Cambridge University Air Squadrons, and it says much for the popularity of these organisations that they have been maintained at this strength ever since they were started, and that there are long waiting lists. Every year these squadrons undergo a period of attachment to the Royal Air Force, when they go into camp at nn R.A.F. aerodrome. 'The Oxford Squadron has lately been at Eastchurch for its fourth attachment. Its equipment consists of nine “Lynx Avros ” and seven Avon “ Tutors,” and it has 32 ab initio pupils for training.

At the end of last term the Oxford University Air Squadron had completed eight years’ flying, having trained 240 pilots. During that period the squadron completed 15,000 flying hours without causing permanent injury to a single pupil. These figures constitute a fine tribute to the instructional staff and to their machines.

This year’s attachment was the first at which facilities for “ blind ” flying instruction have been available. All advanced solo flyers are in future to be given a course of “blind” flying. The standard of flying technique in the squadron has reached very high levels, and there is strong competition among the more advanced pilots for the trophy presented by Sir John Siddeley. In competing for this trophy points are awarded for individual flying proficiency on the scale of 40 points for general flying, SO for acrobatics, and 30 for forced landing skill. Last year the Siddeley Trophy was won by Sir A. Hope, of Balliol College.