MACROBERTSON RACE

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18386, 2 May 1934, Page 4

MACROBERTSON RACE

“SMITHY’S” CHANGED PLANS CHOICE OF AEROPLANES Why did Air Commodore Sir Charles Kingsl'ord Smith suddenly cancel Ins order for one of the mystery de Havilland Comets, and buy a Lockheed Altlalr aeroplane lor the Mac-Robertson race? That is a question which has set . flying men’s tongues wagging in both Australia and New: Zealand.

Sir Charles’ first choice was an American monoplane, hut when the de Haviiland company offered one of their Comets, Sir Charles accepted. It would appear that at first he had had some difficulty in getting a guarantee performance. The performance figures he desired were guaranteed by several American manufacturers, hut at his backer’s request that he should use a British machine if possible, he again entered into communication with the de Havilland company, which guaranteed 200 m.p.h. and a' British certificate of airworthiness. Sir Charles then closed with the offer, but stipulated that the machine should have certain additions that were not standard praltice. Chief of these, it is understood, was a variable pitch propeller. The company replied that it would have considerable difficulty iin obtaining one, to which, it is stated, Sir Charles answered that this was essential, as lie did not wish to sacrifice range, ns would be the case if he were using the fixed pitch air screws fitted to British aircraft. The company was apparently unable to comply with this condition, and Sir Charles cancelled his order, thereafter, deciding upon a Lockheed Altaic. “SMITHY MUST KNOW SOMETHING” In the absence of this information, hangar gossip has suggested various reasons for the change. Some airmen thought that Sir Charles bad received from the Lockheed company an offer so tempting that, be could not refuse. Others suggested that if lie were to use a Comet, as other younger and almost as famous pilots such as Mollison and Scott were doing, age might tell its tale too plainly, and overshadow some of Sir Charles’ greater performances. The technically-minded pointed out that starting out in a Comet would bo a gamble, because the machines, being of a new type, would not have been extensively tested in actual use. Others contented themselves with the observation that “Smithy must know something.” The variable pitch propeller is a recent development, and is now fitted to all mailplanes and most military aircraft. in the United States. By means of a huh fitting, in some cases worked by oil impulses inside the engine, the pilot can change the angle of the blade setting while the engine is running. This allows the maximum efficiency in a take-off, and when the desired altitude has been reached, the blade can he altered to the setting giving the fastest possible speed.