WHAT AUSTRALIA BUYS: The first Douglas D.C.3 to be put into Australian service flying over the city of Melbourne. The machine is named Kurana and is used by Airlines of Australia on the Brisbane-Sydney service.
A Douglas DC-3 - actually the first to be delivered to Swissair.
A striking view of the Curtiss P-36 single-seater ordered in quantity for the U.S. Army Air Corps. It is a clean design to the modern formula, but the undercarriage, which twists when retracting (as on the Miles Kestrel Trainer), gives rise to two excrescences.
The eleven bridges of the Seine, the gardens of the Tuilleries, the Place de la Concorde are taken in at a glance by French bomberpilots parading their Hispano-powered Potez 54's over the heart of Paris.
The Industrial areas are aesthetically unattractive but abound in vulnerable targets.
NIGHTMARE: Most of us have occasionally gazed pensively at a wing tip and wondered horribly what we should feel like if it suddenly disappeared. This Japanese fighter (apparently a Mitsubishi Karigane) was brought safely back to its base with half of its port wing shot away. The photograph appears to be quite unfaked and the starboard aileron can, in the original, be seen to be pulled right up to hold the machine level in this condition.
TWO FIRSTS: The Short Mayo composite just free of the Medway on its first flight - Messrs. Lankester Parker and H. L. Piper in dual charge. This historically important first flight was followed by another, that of the Ensign, a few days later, at Hamble, Southampton.
METACENTRIC HEIGHT: Out for its first taxying tests - the Short-Mayo Composite manoeuvring under its own power on the Medway last Monday. The extra-large out-board floats of the Maia are both in contact with the water, although the main hull does not seem to be unduly submerged.
After minor modifications to details, the Mayo' Composite combination ("Maia" and "Mercury") has had its aerial baptism. On Wednesday of last week Capt. Lankester Parker had "Maia," with her burden, "on the step" and the first take-off, followed by a faultless ten-minute flight, was achieved on Thursday.
A Consolidated PBY patrol bomber (two 850 h.p. Pratt and Whitney Twin Wasps) of the U.S. Navy. This machine is one of the most successful of its type ever built.
Signalling-out an He.111 with an indicator of the type used on railways. Note the official's armament.
“An efficient member of the tarmac staff ... might well be supplied, as is the fairly common practice abroad, with a suitable flag or light metal disc on a wooden handle, clearly marked with the letter 'C,' indicating Control."
REARMAMENT: Changing the barrel of a Browning machine gun in a Boeing single-seater pursuit monoplane of the U.S. Army Air Corps. A portion of an ammunition belt may be seen draped over the side of the cockpit. Browning guns, in adapted form, are standard equipment in our own Royal Air Force.
The wintry scene shows French Bloch bombers at Orly after manoeuvres abroad.
First produced in 1913, the Avro 504 became and remained the standard training machine of thr R.A.F. until a few years ago. The engine of the original machine was an 80 h.p. Gnome rotary.
The family tree: These six sketches ot early types show quite clearly the natural evolution which culminated in the 504, the type which laid the foundation of the greatness of the house of Avro
Avro productions of the war period. These side elevations, all to a uniform scale, are reproduced from Flight of March 20, 1919.
Flying in 1908-09: “A.V.” piloting one of his early triplanes with J.A.P. engine. The contemplated duration may be gauged from the size of the streamline petrol tank
G-ADSR: Last Monday morning the huge Armstrong Whitworth Ensign, first of the new 42-seaters for Imperial Airways, made her first flight, Flt. Lt. C. K. Turner-Hughes and F/O. Eric Greenwood taking her off from the A.S.T. Aerodrome, at Hamble, for an uneventful and satisfactory 15-minute flight. The machine, which is of 123ft. span, has four Armstrong Siddeley 800 h.p. 14-cylinder Tiger IXs.
Seen as a prototype at last year’s Milan show, the military version of the three-engined Cant Z. 506.B. is a low-wing mono-seaplane said to be capable of about 240 m.p.h. (Inset) Mario Stoppani.
VICKERS WELLESLEY medium bombers, complete with bomb carriers, awaiting the arrival of Service pilots to ferry them to depots or squadrons
DUCAL DIGNITY: The first production-type Vickers Wellington I <...> bomber built on the geodetic principle and powered with two Bristol Pegasus XVII radials with two-speed blowers. The transparency of the <...>nd tail turret roofs in this view gives a false impression of marring the fine lines of the fuselage which, incidentally, <...> revised since the prototype appeared.
GEODETIC TWIN: The production-type Vickers Wellington I (two Pegasus XVII) built, like the Wellesley, on the geodetic principle. Part of the construction can be glimpsed through the Perspex of the bomb-aimer's window.
GEODETIC BOMBER: The production-type Vickers Wellington I medium bomber awaiting tests at Weybridge.
KIT, or the White Man's Burden: A story without words from N<...> regalia shown, including parachute, is said to weigh 58 3/4 lb.
The white cross shows on the carrier's superstructure, signifying "O.K. to land on"; the Shark noses in for the landing, touches down; the deck landing officer raises his flags ("Arrester gear successfully engaged"); the Shark decelerates rapidly; handling crews shepherd her to the lift; latch pins are withdrawn, the wings fold back; and down goes the Blackburn into the bowels of the "Courageous."
SO FAR, SO GOOD: The five London flying boats of No.204 (G.R.) Squadron on the River Hughli below Calcutta. They are on a cruise to Australia.
The new Consolidated XPB2Y-1 patrol bomber (four Twin Wasps) recently completed. This machine is in competition with a Sikorsky boat with similar characteristics.
LORD HUNTINGFORD, Governor of Victoria, in an Anson of the City of Melbourne Squadron, of which he is the Honorary Air Commodore.
A formation of Avro "Ansons" (350 h.p. Siddeley "Cheetahs") belonging to the Royal Australian Air Force, flying over Sydney, N.S.W.
Anson reconnaissance-bombers of the Royal Australian Air Force in impressive array over Sydney. Combining economy with performance (a top speed of nearly 190 m.p.h. is available on about 700 h.p. delivered by two Siddeley Cheetahs), this British general-purpose type is an attractive proposition for air arms with limited financial resources.
The latest Avro type, the Anson general reconnaissance machine, has a speed of 188 m.p.h. when fitted with two Siddeley Cheetah IX engines of 310 h.p. each.
Medium-sized type used in the efficiency comparisons - the D.H.89.
BLIND TRANSPORT: With the cockpit completely screened a T.W.A. pilot takes his regular blind-flying test (demanded every 90 days) under the eye of one of the line's chief pilots.
The instrumental equipment of one of the Monospars used at Farnborough for blind-approach experiments. The special millibar correction scale on the sensitive altimeter is interesting and it may be possible to read the notice above it which orders that two millibars should be added to the barometric pressure given. Two millibars are, in fact, equal to 60 feet at sea level. An altimeter-guided approach has its dangers.
Two of the boats which made history last year - Caledonia and Clipper III - being hauled on to the slipway at Hythe (left). The former was commanded by Capt. Wilcockson and the latter by Capt. Gray on all the Atlantic trips.
A good example of modern aircraft radio installation - the very complete Marconi equipment in the Short Empire boat. A close-up of the sets with various parts uncovered for inspection. This installation comprises long and short wave two-way equipment with a rotating loop, which may be used either for obtaining bearings or for homing, and a self-contained generating station.
A good example of modern aircraft radio installation - the very complete Marconi equipment in the Short Empire boat. This installation comprises long and short wave two-way equipment with a rotating loop, which may be used either for obtaining bearings or for homing, and a self-contained generating station, part of which may be seen in the lower right-hand corner of the picture.
LIGHT TRANSPORT - 1938 MODEL: The new Potez 66 which is estimated to be capable of 200 m.p.h. with four 220 h.p. Renault 6Qs (Model 661) or 290 m.p.h. with the new Gnome Rhone 14M small-diameter radials (Model 662).
FAR EASTERN TERMINAL: A Klemm 35 being refuelled at Singapore's new land-sea airport. Major Haerle, the pilot, was on his way from Berlin to Batavia.
THE FASTEST TRANSPORT: A revealing view of the Savoia Marchetti S.83 as ordered by Sabena and by transport concerns in Italy and Rumania. Powered with three Pegasus-type Alfas, the top speed, with a disposable load of 7,700 lb., is 263 m.p.h., making it the fastest standard transport in the world. The type is derived from the S.79 which holds a number of records for speed with load.
ECONOMICAL SPEED: The Valsts Elektrotechniska Fabrika J.12, for which Rollasons of Croydon are agents in this country. With an 80/90 Cirrus Minor engine this little two-seater cruises at 123 m.p.h. and has a maximum of 149 m.p.h. One or two minor modifications are being made to the later production machines in order to bring them into line with British C. of A. requirements. Among other interesting features the J.12 has manually applied split flaps and differentially operated slotted ailerons.
The special Bellanca built for the Rumanian Captain Alexis Papana for a transatlantic flight. The nose engine is a Fairchild Ranger inverted vee and the outboard units are six-in-line Menascos.
Curtiss A-18 attack machines (two Cyclone Gs) in service test with the U.S. Army Air Corps. These machines are intended to replace the single-engined machines now in use.
A Curtiss A-18 twin-Cyclone attack machine, a shapely two-seater which carries a big armament load.
CANADIAN TERMINUS: Sea Island Airport, Vancouver, B.C., where the trans-Canada service has its western terminus. The administration building is on the right and the new radio station is on the left. In the foreground is Canadian Airways’ first Lockheed Electra used on the Vancouver-Seattle service.
One of British Airways' Lockheed Electras.
Air Corps officials inspecting the Fowler flaps on the Lockheed 14 (or Sky Zephyr) transport.
General arrangement of the Seversky Executive. The type is intended for specific duties - high-speed transport.
Two of the boats which made history last year - Caledonia and Clipper III - being hauled on to the slipway at Hythe (left). The former was commanded by Capt. Wilcockson and the latter by Capt. Gray on all the Atlantic trips.
SEAPLANE CONVERSION: A Stinson SR-9D Reliant seaplane used in Canada by the Imperial Oil Company. The extra fin below the fuselage - to balance the effect of the floats which provide excessive side area ahead of the c.g. - is a noteworthy modification to the standard version of the machine. The actual and necessary size of the floats explains some of the difficulties involved in any conversion.
Shoreham Airport; the photograph was taken when Horatius landed there during recent bad weather.
8,000 MILES ON 40 H.P. Mr. J. Clancy (shaking hands) and Mr. R. H. Julius welcomed back by Mr. Bridgeland, secretary of the Royal Australian Aero Club, from a remarkable 8,000-mile flight round Australia in a Taylor Cub (40 h.p. Continental) by far the lowest-powered of the few machines which have ever made the circuit. Starting from Sydney and flying in an anti-clockwise direction, they made excellent progress, their only difficulties arising from primitive aerodromes and from navigational problems of the kind encountered when flying over hundreds of miles of territory virtually barren of any landmark. Between Perth and Adelaide they followed the longest stretch of dead straight railroad in the world - 400 miles. The other snapshot above shows a typical stretch of the uninviting country over which the little machine flew. Mr. Julius is a partner in the firm of Julius Gardiner and Co., of Sydney, who are handling the Cub in Australia, following an introduction by Mr. “Bill” Shackleton when he was visiting America some time ago.
General arrangement of the Abrams Explorer. The type is intended for specific duties - aerial survey.
The COMET EN NEGLIGEE: The D.H. Comet, shortly to be used by F.O. Clouston and Mr. Victor Ricketts for an attempt on the Australia record, photographed in the shops of Essex Aero Ltd., while being reconditioned before Clouston's recent Cape flight. In the foreground are some of the parts - nose fairings, engine nacelles, wing fillets and so forth made of F. A. Hughes’ Elektron AM.503 alloy, which, it is stated, has stood up excellently to all kinds of weather in the many parts of the world traversed by the Comet on her various high-speed flights; the mechanical reliability of these sheet parts has been equally good.
Quick and systematic handling of holiday passengers and joy-riders has been brought to a fine art by Portsmouth, Southsea and Isle of Wight Aviation. Their I.O.W. ferry has introduced thousands to flying.
The Portsmouth, Southsea and Isle of Wight Aviation Ltd. fleet at Portsmouth in 1937. Four Airspeed Couriers are lined up on the left and a Fox Moth and two Monospars stand behind them. The ST-10 G-ACTS won the 1934 King’s Cup Air Race. It was a prototype and never went into production, but served with PSIOW on the Ryde Ferry.
Early seaplane work: A 1911 biplane with 35 h.p. Green engine, flown by Commander Schwann at Barrow.
Commander Schwann's Avro, the first tractor seaplane to get off the water. In the photo, Sippe is in the cockpit.
MAKING READY: Private-owner and other types inside the big service hangar at Heston. This hangar will, in due course, be taken over by British Airways and another service shop erected elsewhere.
Boeing YB-17 heavy bombers (four Wright Cyclone Gs) of the U.S. Army Air Corps fly past the Wright Memorial at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, in commemoration of the Brothers’ flight
TROOPER-TANKER: The hose reel on the A.W.23 troop carrier now being used by Sir Alan Cobham for refuelling experiments on the South Coast. An Empire boat has already acted as refuellee.
With a little single-seat monoplane designed and built by himself, M. Tonya recently broke the world's altitude record for single seaters of less than 2 litres engine capacity. He reached a height of 16,240 ft with a 40 h.p. Train 4.T. engine. After taking this record M. Tonya at once took off with a co-pilot, M. Saboureault, on a two-seater machine, L’Aile Volante A.V.10 (shown), and reached a height of 22,965 ft. - a record for the class with a cylinder capacity of under 4 litres. The engine was a specially prepared 75 h.p. Pobjoy.
With a little single-seat monoplane designed and built by himself, M. Tonya recently broke the world's altitude record for single seaters of less than 2 litres engine capacity. He reached a height of 16,240 ft with a 40 h.p. Train 4.T. engine.
1912 at Brooklands: The Avro 500 (50 h.p. Gnome rotary engine) from which was developed the 504. Mr. F. P. Raynham did a lot of flying on this machine.
Great Lakes dive bomber. It will be seen that the original version has been developed into an exceptionally clean biplane (photo) with a retractable undercarriage and a performance much superior with the same engine.
