ALONG THE SKYWAYS

Waikato Times, Volume 118, Issue 19633, 20 July 1935, Page 21 (Supplement)

ALONG THE SKYWAYS

NO MORE MOTHS

PROGRESS IN AVIATION

DE HAVILLAND COMPANY PRODUCTION TO CEASE. After 10 years, the most famous aeroplane yet manufactured, the De j Havilland Moth, has gone out of proJ duction. Official advice to this effect , has recently been received by the Canterbury Aero Club. Since it was first produced in February, 1925, the Moth has been flown in almost all parts of the world, and on account of its many spectacular flights, together with its intimate association with the light aeroplane club movement from its inception, the Moth may justly claim to have been largely responsible for the present position of aviation. It was a happy inspiration that caused the designer, Captain Geoffrey de Havilland, to name it “Moth,” his hobby being the collection and study of these insects, and one which must have caused competitors endless annoyance, for the uninitiated came to regard “Moth” as a synomym for light aeroplanes. The first Moths were powered with Cirrus engines or, where required, 78 h.p. radial Genets, and it was not long before it had been demonstrated that the Moth was rather more than a training machine, something better than an aerial toy, and was in fact capable of a variety of commercial uses. In 1926 Captains Stack and Leete completed the first light aeroplane journey from England to India, and thus became the leaders of a j cavalcade that was to travel that , route and beyond to Australia in the ' years that have followed. During 1927-28, Lieutenant R. R. Bentley flew a Moth front London to Cape Town; and then Home again—with his bride. i

Coming of the “Gipsy Moth.”

In 1928, the De Havilland Company produced the Gipsy I engine, which brought the available horse-power up to 97, and took the opportunity the occasion offered of affecting a few improvements to the Moth, such as a split-axle undercarriage, and better streamlining. The advance in power and performance presaged an intensive selling campaign throughout the world.

For the third year in succession a Moth won the King’s Cup race. In July of that year Captain de Havilland created a world’s altitude record for light aeroplanes, 19,980 feet, and a month later Captain H. S. Broad, the firm’s test pilot, took a Moth up and remained in the air continuously for 24 hours. This was followed by the world speed record for its class by Mr A. S. Butler, and in 1929 Lady Bailey flew around Africa, then the longest solo flight on record, 18,000 miles, “the most interesting and trouble-free holiday I have ever spent,” she declared.

Future Assured.

With these triumphs, the future of the Moth was assured, and further advancements were made with the type. A model with a metal fuselage was produced and widely used although the flying clubs generally prefer the wooden machine for tuition purpose. This was followed by fitting a coupe hood over the cockpits, reducing the noise, and making helmets and goggles unnecessary, but the idea did not appeal to the pilots, who found it interfered with visibility. Seaplanes were also produced, the wheels and split-axles replaced by twin floats. A single-float model, with small auxiliary wing-floats was also produced, but was not a success, two only being manufactured. Altogether the “Moth” has been a machine of surprising usefulness. It has been used for both military and civil training, for mail and taxi services, by the “flying doctors” and the “flying padre” in Australia, as seaplanes for forestry patrol in Canada, and by the Norwegian whalers for “spotting” purposes, and fitted with skis has operated in the frozen north of Canada.

In recent years the advance has been mainly one of engine power, the Gipsy II engine, 120 'h.p., being made available in 1930, and the 135 h.p. inverted Gipsy Major last year, Most of the aeroplanes which participated in the relief work following upon the Hawke's Bay Earthquake were Moths, and approximately 500 young New Zealanders have had their initial instruction, done their first solos and qualified for their licenses in Moths.

De Havilland’s successor to the Moth is to be the Hornet-Moth, and this, it is believed, will be a lowwinged monoplane with side-by-side i seating. I

Although out of production, Moths will continue in service for many years, but the “cease production” order is the first indication that the Moth Age” of aviation is drawing to a close.

A GOOD AEROPLANE NEARLY 1000 DELIVERED. THE LATEST MACHINES. Nearly a thousand Fairey ,'iF “ gcn•Tal purpose ” biplanes have been made and delivered. News that the UDO ” mark was reached and passed recently means that, except perhaps I for training aircraft, I lie 3F has been made in larger numbers than any other type of military aeroplane. First designed several years ago, the machine has undergone progressive development and improvement. In its latest forms—Gordon landplano and Seal seaplane—it is still in course of delivery to Royal Air Force units. Both of these modern variations of the ,'SF are powered with the Siddeley Panther air-cooled radial motor. IVletal Airscrews. Metal airscrews are Hided to many of the more recent ,'JF ’planes. Far more than ten years the Fairey Com- : pany has worked on the development, of duralumin airscrews. Hundreds of them have been sold, not only for installation on large military machines, but also to light 'piano owners who appreciate the long life of a metal screw and the ease with which it can be reshaped after damage. One- of the latest versions of the ,’>F has a tliroebladed metal airscrew, driven by a Bristol Pegasus motor. As a seaplane this machine, which was built for theLatvian Government, has a lop speed of ir>.'! m.p.h.—high performance for a heavily-laden " general purpose " t seaplane 1

EMPIRE AIR DAY

AIR FORCE “ AT HOME.” MYSTERIES OF ROBOT PILOT. Empire Air Day prospered this year in spite of bad weather. Approximately 140,000 people, of whom 100,000 were adults, paid for entrance to the 40 Royal Air Force stations that were thrown open for Inspection. Probably as many more watched the flying from vantage points the aerodromes, where they saved pennies but lost the chance offered on this one day in the year to see the Internal organisation of a service station. Martlesham Heath, landplane experimental station of the Royal Air Force, which was opened to the public for the first time In its history, attracted 7000 paying visitors; at least another 7000 assembled -on roads around the station

The proceeds of Empire Air Day, which was Initiated last year toy the Air League of the British Empire, are devoted to service charities. Takings in 1935 are substantially greater than in 1934; at R.A.F. stations alone the aggregate increase Is about £2OOO. In addition, flying clubs and schools, airport owners, aircraft and aero engine constructors, helped in many parts of the country by organising displays and toy permitting visitors to tour their works. Nearly Id,ooo toured the Rolls-Royce \vorks at Derby, and £277 was taken. Blackburn, at Brough, and Saunders-Roe, at Cowes, also attracted big crowds.

Stimulating Interest.

Several of the R.A.F. stations sought to stimulate interest in the day. At Worthy Down, where heavy bomber squadrons are stationed, competitions in aeroplane drawings and models ' were organised for the youth of the i country. 'Competitors brought par- ' ents to admire their work, and the gate-money mounted. Alongside the flying field two heavy ‘bombers, one of them the 'Handley Page 'lleyford biplane which is the latest heavy bomber supplied in quantity to the Royal Air Force, were set out for inspection. An officer explained, with the aid of diagrams and the component parts of the apparatus, the 'mysteries of “ George,” the robot pilot which Is included in the equipment of all modern British heavy bombers and flying 'boats. “ George,” till a few months ago one of the most closely guarded secrets of the service, can control an aeroplane with more than human skill. He detects deviations from the set course so minute that a human pilot would not notice them, and corrects them instantly. Under bis sole charge, cross-country flights of 400 miles and more are constantly made, the human pilot intervening every 20 minutes or so just to make sure that the coursesetting is correct. He has made cloud flying and night flying almost a pleasure.

Air Defence Taotlcs,

At Tangmere, “interceptor” squadrons showed how quickly they can get off the ground after warning of the approach -of enemy raiders is received. Hawker Fury biplanes of No. 43 Squadron ascended within a minute or two of the alarm, climbing hard into the wind and preserving perfect squadron formation through heavy rain. As they disappeared into the clouds, No. 1 Squadron went up to demonstrate ma-chine-gun attacks on ground targets, each machine diving at great speed towards its objective and climbing away for a fresh attack in a terrific zoom. The newest fighters In the service, Gloster Gauntlets, were on view at Hornchurch. These craft, which attain a speed of 231 miles an hour at a height of 16,000 feet above sealevel, .impressed the experts with the quietness of their rush through the air. They were not nearly so noisy as much less powerful and slower machines, probably because their better streamlining and improved engine installation do not give rise to the whistling of wires and struts that marks the progress of the older craft. Something is lost in popular appeal, but much is gained in efficiency.