NEW “D.H.75”

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 376, 9 June 1928, Page 27

NEW “D.H.75”

IDEAL COLONIAL PLANE BRITAIN MAKES BID FOR LEADERSHIP A new type of De Havilland airplane, known as the “D.H. 75,” is expected to reach Australia in September. It is the British reply to the American challenge for supremacy in aircraft manufacture, and on it the hopes of Great Britain to retain the leadership in this field are fixed. Major De Havilland, in the course of a description of the machine, pointed out that American aircraft manufacturers have for some time been producing large numbers of very successful planes, some of which have accomplished successful long-distance flights, says the Melbourne “Herald.” The resultant publicity has boomed the industry. “In addition, the smaller types have been fitted with war surplus engines,” Major De Havilland declared. “It was pretty obvious to us.” he continued, “that what happened in the motor-car industry would happen with airplanes unless we got pretty busy in capturing the colonial markets at prices that could compete with America. “Britain has ‘got the goods’ if only we can make the public realise the fact. We can actually beat the American article in the four big things construction, performance, price and service. “This has been proved by the Moth, which is now firmly established everywhere, including the United States of America and Canada. “For the last year we have been concentrating on this problem, and the answer is the new *75.’

“It was begun only after thorough reports had been received from all the Dominions from our technical representatives. The result is that the ‘7s’ represents the closest approach to the ideal colonial airplane of medium capacity. It is definitely superior to any known machine in performance and price. “The British aircraft manufacturer is not the phlegmatic individual his confrere of the car industry was, and in some cases still is. We are after the export markets. “The new machine is a monoplane, and will be flying here by September or October next. It will fit, with folded wings, in a garage 16ft in width. It has absolutely no welding in any highly stressed parts, thus eliminating a fruitful cause of fatal accidents. “The engine is insulated from the airplane structure by rubber brushes; unusually thorough precautions again*,: fire have been taken. “As regards comfort, the cabin similar to a modern saloon ear, but can be converted into an open body at will. The latest safety device, slotted wings, as used on Handley Page . has been fitted to the plane’ “Its top speed is 131 m.p.h., and as low as 4S m.p.h. No other com-

mercial machine can equal this. High landing speed has always constituted one of the chief dangers in flying, and the constant efforts of designers has been to bring it down. “Simplicity has been obtained by the elimination of all wires except inside the wings. As for appearance, no other airplane can vie with it in beauty.” No orders are yet being booked for the new machine, as it has to be tested under gruelling conditions in Australian air before it is put on the market. More than 11,000 De Havilland machines have been put into use in the Royal Flying Corps and the Royal Air Force. The company is now putting the hulk of its energy into civil aviation, in which the new "75” represents the latest advance.