AIR-TRAVEL-O’ER Land & Sea

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18787, 17 June 1929, Page 3

AIR-TRAVEL-O’ER Land & Sea

** I « b .y

"Strut."

The successful flight of the Yellow Bird took place exactly ten years after the first traps-Atlantic flight. The first flight was done by two Englishmen — Alcock and Brown—in a British machine, and although others have crossed the Atlantic in quicker time and have traversed longer distances over open water, nothing can detract from the great feat of these two pioneers. Even now, ten years after, no one has yet beaten the speed record which they established, 118 miles an hour. Without the navigation instruments that have been perfected in the last decade, these two men took off from St John under bad conditions, and with their machine, a Vickers with Rolls-Royce engines, grossly overloaded. The radio apparatus was put out of action and yet they landed, after flying for hours through fog, in almost the exact spot that they had indicated before the start. Atlantic flights still have their perils and as yet, aviation has not progressed sufficiently to enable a commercial service to be started, but that will come, and its coming has been made all the nearer by that wonderful flight of ten years ago Metal Wmgs. The war ga . e Gloucestershire a new industry, which has remained with it, and has of late seen notable developments. Here, in the heart of a beautiful country under the green rolling Cotswolds. metal wings for many types of aeroplanes besides the well-known “ Giosters ” are made. It is strange to come across an ira-po-tant metal-working industry in this part of England. The reason is to be found in the development from wooden aeroplane manufacture established here some fourteen years ago. The wing factory is the very latest, branch of the youthful aircraft industry, which in the past three or four vears has been compelled to turn from wood to metal construction. Of the fourteen or fifteen British aeropiane manufacturers a few, although successfully designing aircraft, have not yet transformed their works entirely for production in metal. Some, moreover, are mainly concerned with light aeroplanes and other civil types, and most of these are still built of wood and fabric. , . . - Of the metal aircraft-producing firms three or four stand out as pioneers, as highly organised, and as identified with some particular method of construction either in ste«l or in duralumin. One of these firms is the Gloster Aircraft Company. . The Gloster Company have specialised on single-seater fighters. They have also been the pioneers in postwar British racing 'planes, beginning with various 44 Bam els, and culminating in the seaplanes they are building for this year’s Schneider Maritime Trophy contest. Definite and time-fixed turning over from wood to metal aeroplane construction has important industrial, manufacturing and quick-supply objects. In the case of land aeroplanes, moreover, it means a saving of about 15 per cent in weight, and in the case of big flying boats as much as 25 per cent saving in weight. Economy and Safety. Metal construction is economical in every case except those for which only one or two machines of a type are

needed. The adoption of metal has played a great part towards overcoming “w T ing flutter” and “tail flutter,” the cause of so many accidents. The inside of the Gloster factory is exceptionally interesting because of the great variety of types seen in various stages of construction, and because of the big batches of wings for types not designed nor erected here. Almost endless strips of high tensile steel are to be seen passing into huge machines and emerging with rolled top and bottom flanges. They are used for building up light but immensely strong wing spars. For each new type of aeroplane a different size and section of wing is needed. The experts here, given the aerodynamic requirements, solve the constructional elements preliminary to producing the wing in any number. An interesting new type is a twinengine (“Jupiters”) air survey machine, 66ft in span, for the Aircraft Operating Company. It is an eight-seater, and has special equipment fc air photography, enabling direct-down pictures to be taken free of obstruction. It is destined for use in Africa, and is adaptable for a variety of transport purposes. British Show. There is, I learn, no ground for the fears that, for Service reasons, the British aircraft to be shown at the International Aero Show at Olympia, July 16-27, will be of types already well k-own, failing to represent the advance in British design and manufacture. The Air Ministry has decided to permit the exhibition of many of the most up-to-date designs (writes the aviation correspondent of the “Daily Telegraph”). In some cases the exhibits will be aeroplanes of which the first examples are not yet completely built. Arrange ments are being made by which, in the space available, the various exhibitors of important new types will have equal opportunities. Selections are being made with the Air Ministry’s approval. This decision will enormously increase the interest of the show to the general public, and will also serve the interests of the aircraft industry. The show will attract to London aircraft experts from foreign countries near and far, and there is no doubt the prestige already enjoyed by British aircraft design and construction throughout the world will as a result be strengthened. As a consequence of the display cf new and experimental types at Olympia the customary parade of new types at the Royal Air Force display, to be held at Hendon on Saturday, July 13, will not take place. This omission will enable the programme to include new items, besides giving more space in the “aircraft park.” The show at Olympia will surpass any previous international aircraft exhibition. It will fully represent civil and military aircraft. The show at Berlin last year was entirely of civil aircraft, and the Paris show did not represent internationally the latest commercial aircraft developments. The Londorf exhibition will represent far more fully than ever before manufacturing methods, research.

The Air Ministry is sparing no pains to make it popular and educative. Demonstration flights in connection with the show will be made chiefly at the new aerodrome at Heston, near Hounslow, made by Air work, Ltd.