The Aeroplane, June 16, 1937
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The Aeroplane, June 16, 1937
I've just been given a present, and thought unless anybody wants to talk me out of it, I might share with you lot. A friend picked up an old flying magazine in a jumble sale, and turned up with it this evening.
It is the June 16 1937 issue of "The Aeroplane", price six shillings, editor CG Grey. And it is absolutely fascinating, full of latest technology, a certain amount of re-armament, but little real mentionof the risk of a coming war.
So, if I'm going to share it, the only place to start, must be the obituaries section...
It is the June 16 1937 issue of "The Aeroplane", price six shillings, editor CG Grey. And it is absolutely fascinating, full of latest technology, a certain amount of re-armament, but little real mentionof the risk of a coming war.
So, if I'm going to share it, the only place to start, must be the obituaries section...
Originally Posted by The Aeroplane
R. J. Mitchell
REGINALD JOSEPH MITCHELL. C.B.E. A.M.I.C.E. F.R.Ae.S., a Director of and Chief Designer to the Supermarine Aviation Works (Vickers) Lrd., died at Southampton on June 11. In him, the British Aircraft Industry has lost one of its most valuable and valued members.
For several years he has been a very sick man, but bore his afflictions and two major operations with that courage and cheerfulness which carried him through his remarkable career. He died of cancer.
R. J. Mitchell was born at Stoke-on-Trent in 1895. He served an apprenticeship with Kerr Stuart and Co. Ltd., of Stoke on Trent, and when he grew up became Assistant Engineer to that firm.
He joined the Supermarine Aviation Works Ltd in 1916, when it was being run by Mr Hubert Scott-Paine. He was appointed Chief Engineer and Designer in 1920, and in 1922 collaborated with Mr. Scott-Paine in producing that modified version of the A.D. Boat which brought the Schneider Trophy back from Italy, to which country it had been alloted in 1921.
During that period after the War 1914-18 he, in collaboration with Hubert Scott-Paine, desighed the Martlesham Competition amphibian of 1922 and machines for the Norwegian, Swedish and Portugese navies, and the special trainers for the Japanese Navy. Also he designed the Sea Eagles, the Sea Gulls, the Swann and the Scylla, a machine which showed great foresight and was accepted by the Air Ministry but was not developed.
Thereafter he designed that series of his flying-boats and small racing floatplanes which at the two extremes of the scale made the name of Supermarine famous all over the World as builders of seaworthy flying-boards and record breaking monoplanes.
His first success with his speed machines was the S.4., which in 1925 put up a World speed record of 226.752 m.p.h.
In that year Italy again won the Schneider Trophy, but in 1927 at Venice Mitchell's S.5. with a Napier motor piloted by Flight Lieut. Webster won the trophy. In 1929 his S.6 (Rolls-Royce motor) piloted by FLight Lieut. Waghorn retained the Trophy over Southamptob Water. And in 1931 his S.6b (Rolls-Royce motor) piloted by Flight Lieut. Boothman won the Trophy outright for Great Britain. The next day a similar machine piloted by Flight Lieut. Stainforth put up the World's speed record to 407 1/2 m.p.h. For these services to aviation Mitchell was made a C.B.E.
REGINALD JOSEPH MITCHELL. C.B.E. A.M.I.C.E. F.R.Ae.S., a Director of and Chief Designer to the Supermarine Aviation Works (Vickers) Lrd., died at Southampton on June 11. In him, the British Aircraft Industry has lost one of its most valuable and valued members.
For several years he has been a very sick man, but bore his afflictions and two major operations with that courage and cheerfulness which carried him through his remarkable career. He died of cancer.
R. J. Mitchell was born at Stoke-on-Trent in 1895. He served an apprenticeship with Kerr Stuart and Co. Ltd., of Stoke on Trent, and when he grew up became Assistant Engineer to that firm.
He joined the Supermarine Aviation Works Ltd in 1916, when it was being run by Mr Hubert Scott-Paine. He was appointed Chief Engineer and Designer in 1920, and in 1922 collaborated with Mr. Scott-Paine in producing that modified version of the A.D. Boat which brought the Schneider Trophy back from Italy, to which country it had been alloted in 1921.
During that period after the War 1914-18 he, in collaboration with Hubert Scott-Paine, desighed the Martlesham Competition amphibian of 1922 and machines for the Norwegian, Swedish and Portugese navies, and the special trainers for the Japanese Navy. Also he designed the Sea Eagles, the Sea Gulls, the Swann and the Scylla, a machine which showed great foresight and was accepted by the Air Ministry but was not developed.
Thereafter he designed that series of his flying-boats and small racing floatplanes which at the two extremes of the scale made the name of Supermarine famous all over the World as builders of seaworthy flying-boards and record breaking monoplanes.
His first success with his speed machines was the S.4., which in 1925 put up a World speed record of 226.752 m.p.h.
In that year Italy again won the Schneider Trophy, but in 1927 at Venice Mitchell's S.5. with a Napier motor piloted by Flight Lieut. Webster won the trophy. In 1929 his S.6 (Rolls-Royce motor) piloted by FLight Lieut. Waghorn retained the Trophy over Southamptob Water. And in 1931 his S.6b (Rolls-Royce motor) piloted by Flight Lieut. Boothman won the Trophy outright for Great Britain. The next day a similar machine piloted by Flight Lieut. Stainforth put up the World's speed record to 407 1/2 m.p.h. For these services to aviation Mitchell was made a C.B.E.
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Finishing the article...
In producing these speed machines Mitchell somehow found time to design the big biplane flying-boards which have been in service with the R.A.F. all over the World. thee have been the Southampton, the Scapa and the Stranraer. He also produced a single-motor Seagull which has been much used by the Royal Australian Air Force for coastal patrols, and more recently he produced the Walrus amphibian flying-boat especially designed for the Fleet Air Arm.
The last of his great successes was the Spitfire, a low-wing single-seat fighter which made its first appearance at the R.A.F. display a year ago all but a few days. Thi machine has a distinct family resemblance to Mitchell's Schneider racers, and it seems to be by a great many miles an hour the fastest service aeroplane in the World.
Thus at forty-two years of age he had already become recognised as one of the World's greatest designers of aeroplanes andhe seemed to have many years of good work in front of him.
One of the chief reasons for Mitchell's success was his willingness learn and his refusal to be bound by convention. Unlike so many people who have made a reputation for themselves as authoritarians in the various branches of engineering and science, he never pretended that he knew all about everything or that he was perfectly certain that his views were right. He was always ready to listen to the theories and ideas of other people and he was very quick to spot a good idea among a lot of foolish notions. He had a frank and open manner which invited confidences, and a kindly and considerate way of pointing out the errors of others, which far from freezing up their talk seemed rather to invite more discussion.
Although he never professed to be a pilot he was a flying member of the Hampshire Light Aeroplane Club, where he was just as well liked as he was among the most able technical people in the Aircraft Trade.
Very few people in the Industry have accomplished so much or will be so much missed. And the British Empire owes him a debt of gratitude for upholding its prestige.
The last of his great successes was the Spitfire, a low-wing single-seat fighter which made its first appearance at the R.A.F. display a year ago all but a few days. Thi machine has a distinct family resemblance to Mitchell's Schneider racers, and it seems to be by a great many miles an hour the fastest service aeroplane in the World.
Thus at forty-two years of age he had already become recognised as one of the World's greatest designers of aeroplanes andhe seemed to have many years of good work in front of him.
One of the chief reasons for Mitchell's success was his willingness learn and his refusal to be bound by convention. Unlike so many people who have made a reputation for themselves as authoritarians in the various branches of engineering and science, he never pretended that he knew all about everything or that he was perfectly certain that his views were right. He was always ready to listen to the theories and ideas of other people and he was very quick to spot a good idea among a lot of foolish notions. He had a frank and open manner which invited confidences, and a kindly and considerate way of pointing out the errors of others, which far from freezing up their talk seemed rather to invite more discussion.
Although he never professed to be a pilot he was a flying member of the Hampshire Light Aeroplane Club, where he was just as well liked as he was among the most able technical people in the Aircraft Trade.
Very few people in the Industry have accomplished so much or will be so much missed. And the British Empire owes him a debt of gratitude for upholding its prestige.
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the British Empire owes him a debt of gratitude
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My question would be.......
What if RJ had not had cancer and had continued developing faster and faster aircraft? Would he have been the first aircraft designer to build a machine that exceeded the speed of sound? Would Supermarine/Vickers have built more successful post war jet fighters?
"Some are born great, some achieve greatness and some have greatness thrust upon them..."
Twelfth Night, (Act II Scene V).
RJ Mitchell was one of those.
What if RJ had not had cancer and had continued developing faster and faster aircraft? Would he have been the first aircraft designer to build a machine that exceeded the speed of sound? Would Supermarine/Vickers have built more successful post war jet fighters?
"Some are born great, some achieve greatness and some have greatness thrust upon them..."
Twelfth Night, (Act II Scene V).
RJ Mitchell was one of those.
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I take it nobody objects to this bit of indulgence then?
So, I'll take us to something a little more obscure - now, but which was the first major news item; a fascinating bit of history about which personally I knew little...
Many flavours of things to come, and I imagine one of the earliest reports of airborne attacks on warships?
G
So, I'll take us to something a little more obscure - now, but which was the first major news item; a fascinating bit of history about which personally I knew little...
The Bombing of the "Deutschland"
RED AEROPLANES which belonged to the Communist Committee of Control at Valencia, erroneously called the Spanish Government, bombed th German battleship Deutschland in the Majorcan harbour of Ibiva on Mar 29. Here is the German Official Report, as published in The Times. We have not seen it in any other paper. THe report is the result of careful weighing of evidence, and not mere newspaper reports:-
[i]During the second part of May the two German armoured vessels Deutschland and Admiral Scheer and the four destroyers Seeadler, Albatross, Leopard and Luchs, were in the coastal area of the Spanish east coast assigned to Germany by the Non-Intervention Committee for the purpose of exercising naval control. In order to give ships' companies in turn a short period of rest and to replenish supplies, the ships put individually into nearby Spanish, French and British ports.
For this reason the Albatross lay from May 22 onwards in the roadstead of Palma. There, on May 26, occurred the well-known attack by which the British flotilla-leader Hardy and several Italian ships were affected through bombs falling close to them and a bomb exploded on board the Italian auxiliary cruiser Barletta killing six officers.
In order to prevent German ships from being further endangered, German naval craft ceased after that occurrence to put into the harbour of Palma. From May 29, therefore, the armoured vessel Deutschland anchored in the roadstead of Iviza.
The assertion which has appeared in the foreign Press that the Deutschland ought not to have anchored there is not correct. Apart from the fact that the patrol vessels of other sea Powers concerned, for instance those of England and France, continually stay in various Red and White Spanish harbours, it may be pointed out that the little port of Iviza cannot be regarded as a Spanish Nationalist naval base and is not used as such.
The Deutschland was the only man-of-war lying at anchor in the roadstead. Near her the tank vessel Neptun in the service of the German Navy, had dropped anchor. In the harbour of Iviza the German destroyer Leopard lay at the mole; no White Spanish naval craft or steamers lay either at the mole, in the roadstead, or anywhere in sight.
On May 29, about 10 O'clock, a surpsie attack was made on the Deutschland by two bombing aircraft. The machines flew overhead with the sun behind them and dropped several bombs on the armoured vessel as she lay at rest, of which two hit her. In view of the low altitude at which they were flying there can have been no question of the airmen's mistaking the Deutschland for a White Spanish ship.
The [b]Deutschland, which lay at anchor ready to repel attack could not identify the markings and type of the aircraft against the sun and in all the circumstances had no reason to fire on un-identified aircraft. Thus it came about that these were established as aggressors only after they had dropped bombs. It is a fact that no shot was fired either by the armoured vessel Deutschland or by the destroyer Leopard.
During the air attack units of the Red Spanish fleet, the cruisers Libertad and Mendez-Nunez, were sighted about 17 miles and four destroyers nine miles away. A few minutes after the bomb attack a coastal bombardment by the Red destroyers occurred.
All assertions made by the Valencia rulers about fire from the German warships are untrue. Either these rulers have made untrue statements in consciousness of their guilt, or else the pilots of the aircraft have tried to cover up their nefarious attack with such a lie. It is consequently a case of an unprovoked attack by the Red aircraft which are established beyond any doubt as the aggressors.
As a proportion of the chip's company of the Deutschland was off duty and numerous ratings were consequently in their unprotected mess quarters forward, considerable losses in killed and wounded resulted from one of the bomb hits.
As a measure of reprisal for this criminal act the fortifications and military works of the seaport of Almeria were bombarded by the German naval forces on the morning of May 31, and the fire was returned by two batteries.
It must be emphasized that the Red rulers had been seriously warned several times through the Non-Intervention Committee to avoid warlike acts, or acts that could be interpreted as such, against the control forces.
Twenty men were killed. The wounded, about 73 men, were landed at Gibralter, whither some English nurses flew to look after them,- without the publicity which has been given to the ambulance people who went to nurse the Communists in Madrid and elsewhere. Several of the wounded have since died.
The shellign of Almeria was naturally made the excuse for a howl by Red sympathisers, as unjustifable as have been all the accusations about the bombing of Guernica. It was obviously the right thing to do. The pity is that the captain of the British warship whose men were tortured by Japanese police in Formosa did not take equally prompt reprisals. Our prestige in the Pacific would be vastly higher to-day if he had done so, even though we might have apologised with our tongues in our cheeks, as the Japanese did about torturing our sailors.
RED AEROPLANES which belonged to the Communist Committee of Control at Valencia, erroneously called the Spanish Government, bombed th German battleship Deutschland in the Majorcan harbour of Ibiva on Mar 29. Here is the German Official Report, as published in The Times. We have not seen it in any other paper. THe report is the result of careful weighing of evidence, and not mere newspaper reports:-
[i]During the second part of May the two German armoured vessels Deutschland and Admiral Scheer and the four destroyers Seeadler, Albatross, Leopard and Luchs, were in the coastal area of the Spanish east coast assigned to Germany by the Non-Intervention Committee for the purpose of exercising naval control. In order to give ships' companies in turn a short period of rest and to replenish supplies, the ships put individually into nearby Spanish, French and British ports.
For this reason the Albatross lay from May 22 onwards in the roadstead of Palma. There, on May 26, occurred the well-known attack by which the British flotilla-leader Hardy and several Italian ships were affected through bombs falling close to them and a bomb exploded on board the Italian auxiliary cruiser Barletta killing six officers.
In order to prevent German ships from being further endangered, German naval craft ceased after that occurrence to put into the harbour of Palma. From May 29, therefore, the armoured vessel Deutschland anchored in the roadstead of Iviza.
The assertion which has appeared in the foreign Press that the Deutschland ought not to have anchored there is not correct. Apart from the fact that the patrol vessels of other sea Powers concerned, for instance those of England and France, continually stay in various Red and White Spanish harbours, it may be pointed out that the little port of Iviza cannot be regarded as a Spanish Nationalist naval base and is not used as such.
The Deutschland was the only man-of-war lying at anchor in the roadstead. Near her the tank vessel Neptun in the service of the German Navy, had dropped anchor. In the harbour of Iviza the German destroyer Leopard lay at the mole; no White Spanish naval craft or steamers lay either at the mole, in the roadstead, or anywhere in sight.
On May 29, about 10 O'clock, a surpsie attack was made on the Deutschland by two bombing aircraft. The machines flew overhead with the sun behind them and dropped several bombs on the armoured vessel as she lay at rest, of which two hit her. In view of the low altitude at which they were flying there can have been no question of the airmen's mistaking the Deutschland for a White Spanish ship.
The [b]Deutschland, which lay at anchor ready to repel attack could not identify the markings and type of the aircraft against the sun and in all the circumstances had no reason to fire on un-identified aircraft. Thus it came about that these were established as aggressors only after they had dropped bombs. It is a fact that no shot was fired either by the armoured vessel Deutschland or by the destroyer Leopard.
During the air attack units of the Red Spanish fleet, the cruisers Libertad and Mendez-Nunez, were sighted about 17 miles and four destroyers nine miles away. A few minutes after the bomb attack a coastal bombardment by the Red destroyers occurred.
All assertions made by the Valencia rulers about fire from the German warships are untrue. Either these rulers have made untrue statements in consciousness of their guilt, or else the pilots of the aircraft have tried to cover up their nefarious attack with such a lie. It is consequently a case of an unprovoked attack by the Red aircraft which are established beyond any doubt as the aggressors.
As a proportion of the chip's company of the Deutschland was off duty and numerous ratings were consequently in their unprotected mess quarters forward, considerable losses in killed and wounded resulted from one of the bomb hits.
As a measure of reprisal for this criminal act the fortifications and military works of the seaport of Almeria were bombarded by the German naval forces on the morning of May 31, and the fire was returned by two batteries.
It must be emphasized that the Red rulers had been seriously warned several times through the Non-Intervention Committee to avoid warlike acts, or acts that could be interpreted as such, against the control forces.
Twenty men were killed. The wounded, about 73 men, were landed at Gibralter, whither some English nurses flew to look after them,- without the publicity which has been given to the ambulance people who went to nurse the Communists in Madrid and elsewhere. Several of the wounded have since died.
The shellign of Almeria was naturally made the excuse for a howl by Red sympathisers, as unjustifable as have been all the accusations about the bombing of Guernica. It was obviously the right thing to do. The pity is that the captain of the British warship whose men were tortured by Japanese police in Formosa did not take equally prompt reprisals. Our prestige in the Pacific would be vastly higher to-day if he had done so, even though we might have apologised with our tongues in our cheeks, as the Japanese did about torturing our sailors.
Many flavours of things to come, and I imagine one of the earliest reports of airborne attacks on warships?
G
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And a short report from the same page, that historians can probably conclude a lot from...
Hmm, I imagine many people reading that at the time had also read a certain novel by Erskine Chilvers.
G
Prohibited Islands
By an order from Berlin aeroplanes are prohibited to fly over the islands of Helgoland, Borkum, Nordeney, Sylt and Wangeroog, or over the seas about them within a limit of three nautical miles.
By an order from Berlin aeroplanes are prohibited to fly over the islands of Helgoland, Borkum, Nordeney, Sylt and Wangeroog, or over the seas about them within a limit of three nautical miles.
G
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Given that this seems to have attracted several hundred readers (hi chaps!), I thought I'd jump to the classified advertisements in the back:
One for the flight test community - anybody recognise this hotel and airfield?
And a few job advertisements...
Multiple RAF recruiting adverts - pilots aged 17-25 (but must be unmarried), reserve officers aged 18-25 (retaining fee £25pa after the first year), or skilled mechanics.
A selection of pilots and engineers looking for jobs, plus this chap who sounds very interesting...
G
WITNEY AERONAUTICAL COLLEGE
Solo flying from£1 per hour, Board Residence £1-10-0 per week
PARENTS are invited to write for illustrated brochure giving details of the only really inexpensive RESIDENTIAL SCHOOL which provides complete practical training in FLYING, NAVIGATION, WIRELESS and/or ENGINEERING. The syllabus is entirely non-military and offers expert training for an assured career in Commercial Flying or Engineering.
WITNEY AERODROME, OXFORD
Solo flying from£1 per hour, Board Residence £1-10-0 per week
PARENTS are invited to write for illustrated brochure giving details of the only really inexpensive RESIDENTIAL SCHOOL which provides complete practical training in FLYING, NAVIGATION, WIRELESS and/or ENGINEERING. The syllabus is entirely non-military and offers expert training for an assured career in Commercial Flying or Engineering.
WITNEY AERODROME, OXFORD
Fully Licenced Hotel
Dual £2/0/0 per hour
Solo £1/10/0 per hour
Blind Flying Instruction £2/0/0 per hour
CLUB SUBSCRIPTION - 10/- per month
The Wiltshire School of Flying LTD.
HIGH POST AERODROME, SALISBURY
Telephone Middle Woodford 23
Full residence for pupils £2/12/6 p.w. 18 hole Golf Course adjoins the Aerodrome
Dual £2/0/0 per hour
Solo £1/10/0 per hour
Blind Flying Instruction £2/0/0 per hour
CLUB SUBSCRIPTION - 10/- per month
The Wiltshire School of Flying LTD.
HIGH POST AERODROME, SALISBURY
Telephone Middle Woodford 23
Full residence for pupils £2/12/6 p.w. 18 hole Golf Course adjoins the Aerodrome
Rolls Royce Ltd. have vacancies for experienced aero engine designers. Consideration will also be given to applications from draughtsmen of ability, aged 25 years to 30 years. Apply to the Chief Designer, Rolls Royce Ltd., Derby, giving full particulars of previous experience and salary required.
A selection of pilots and engineers looking for jobs, plus this chap who sounds very interesting...
Gwynn Johns, G.Q. parachutist, is always available to carry out delayed drops with smoke anywhere. 195 Holdenhurst Road, Bournemouth.
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Still on the classified ads...
Anybody ever read the the posts on the wanabees forums on here about pilots desperate to build experience...
And in continued breach of PPrune rules of advertising, anybody looking for a second hand aircraft...
Did Pobjoy really have an engine named the Cataract? And why would I want doughnuts with my Avro Avian?
G
Anybody ever read the the posts on the wanabees forums on here about pilots desperate to build experience...
Passengers taken anywhere in return for mere running expenses, paid in advance, by experienced crosss-country "A" pilot wishing to obtain more solo hours. Good references, very reasonable rates. Reply Parsons, 19 Avenue Road, Leamington Spa, Warwicks.
And in continued breach of PPrune rules of advertising, anybody looking for a second hand aircraft...
Mark 1 Swallow, Pobjoy Cataract II engine, C. of A. May, 1938, extra instruments and luggage accomodation front cockpit, one owner, exceptionally well maintained, colour red fuselage, silver wings, air-frame hours 215, engine hours 165;any reasonable trial given. Price £485 or near offer. Apply, W.G. Bromet, Estate Office, Kinetron, Warwickshire.
Cirrus III Wooden Avian 12 months' C. of A., repainted, engine hours since complete overhaul 110, £185.
C.30 Autogiro, 12 months' C. of A., engine completely overhauled, £475. Box 4525, care of THE AEROPLANE, 5-17 Rosebery Avenue, E.C.1.
Avro Avian, Cirrus III, instruments, compass, slots, doughnuts, 12 months' C. of A., no hours since top, perfect condition; seen Airworthiness, Gravesend; £185. Lewis, 38 Church Road, Richmond.
Cirrus III Wooden Avian 12 months' C. of A., repainted, engine hours since complete overhaul 110, £185.
C.30 Autogiro, 12 months' C. of A., engine completely overhauled, £475. Box 4525, care of THE AEROPLANE, 5-17 Rosebery Avenue, E.C.1.
Avro Avian, Cirrus III, instruments, compass, slots, doughnuts, 12 months' C. of A., no hours since top, perfect condition; seen Airworthiness, Gravesend; £185. Lewis, 38 Church Road, Richmond.
G
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So long as people are finding it interesting, I'm glad to oblige. Perhaps time for a couple of snippets on engineering.
Firstly on a new engine from Rolls Royce, some of you may have heard of it...
I don't know about you, but personally I reckon that both this new Merlin engine, and the constant speed propellor might well have a future? Thoughts anybody?
Incidentally, de Havilland also have a full page advertisement for their controllable-pitch airscrews on page 737. These apparently are
G
Firstly on a new engine from Rolls Royce, some of you may have heard of it...
What the Merlin Does
Details of the Rolls-Royce Merlin liquid-cooled 12-cylinder fully supercharged aero-motor have now been released. The international power rating of the Merlin is 990 h.p. at 12,000ft. Its maximum output is 1,050 h.p. for take-off.
The dry weight is 1,138.5 lb., which gives a power-to-weight ratio of 1.25 lb. per h.p. at normal maximum output. This is an extremely low figure for a liquid cooled motor.
The total cylinder-capacity is 27 litres. This means that the motor delivers 28.8 h.p. per litre at full power, a figure which very nearly attains Mr Fedden's ideal of 40 h.p. per litre.
The Merlin has been designed for cooling by ethylene-glycol to work with a ducted radiator which reduces the resistance to a remarkable extent.
The Merlin has provision for operation with variable-pitch airscrews which can be either of the two-position type now in production, or with the new Rotol constant-speed airscrews, which the Rolls-Royce and Bristol companies will soon be producing in collaboration.
Details of the Rolls-Royce Merlin liquid-cooled 12-cylinder fully supercharged aero-motor have now been released. The international power rating of the Merlin is 990 h.p. at 12,000ft. Its maximum output is 1,050 h.p. for take-off.
The dry weight is 1,138.5 lb., which gives a power-to-weight ratio of 1.25 lb. per h.p. at normal maximum output. This is an extremely low figure for a liquid cooled motor.
The total cylinder-capacity is 27 litres. This means that the motor delivers 28.8 h.p. per litre at full power, a figure which very nearly attains Mr Fedden's ideal of 40 h.p. per litre.
The Merlin has been designed for cooling by ethylene-glycol to work with a ducted radiator which reduces the resistance to a remarkable extent.
The Merlin has provision for operation with variable-pitch airscrews which can be either of the two-position type now in production, or with the new Rotol constant-speed airscrews, which the Rolls-Royce and Bristol companies will soon be producing in collaboration.
Incidentally, de Havilland also have a full page advertisement for their controllable-pitch airscrews on page 737. These apparently are
available for all of the well-known aero engines, from the 1,000 size for Gipsy Major, Gipsy Six and other engines of output up to 250 h.p., to the 5,000-size for engines of approximately 1,000 h.p. Still larger airscrews are being developed.
The Aeroplane, June 16, 1937
I've just been given a present, and thought unless anybody wants to talk me out of it, I might share with you lot. A friend picked up an old flying magazine in a jumble sale, and turned up with it this evening.
It is the June 16 1937 issue of "The Aeroplane", price six shillings, editor CG Grey.
I've just been given a present, and thought unless anybody wants to talk me out of it, I might share with you lot. A friend picked up an old flying magazine in a jumble sale, and turned up with it this evening.
It is the June 16 1937 issue of "The Aeroplane", price six shillings, editor CG Grey.
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Thread Starter
Although he never professed to be a pilot he was a flying member of the Hampshire Light Aeroplane Club, where he was just as well liked as he was among the most able technical people in the Aircraft Trade.
Planemike
Pobjoy did indeed have an engine called the Cataract they also had one called the Niagra. both were single row 7 cylinder radials.
I'd guess that the Avian's donuts were for the undercarriage.
Keep it coming Genghis.
I'd guess that the Avian's donuts were for the undercarriage.
Keep it coming Genghis.
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A brief note on the Spanish civil war, following that about the Deutschland....
G
Comparative Values
RECENT EXCHANCES of prisoners between the Nationalists and the Communists in Spain afford some interesting comparisons of the relative values of the different nationalities. The Communists exchanged two Nazi Germans for four Red Englishmen held by the Nationalist forces. Later on, two Nazi Germans were swopped for three Basques. Another exchange was of three Germans and one Swiss for two Red Spaniards, two Russians and one French Journalist. So, we come down to the interesting formulae that:-
1. One Nazi German is the equal of two Red Englishmen, or of one and a half Red Basques.
2. One Nazi German plus one-third of a Swiss is equal to two-thirds of a Red Spaniard, plus one Russian, plus one-third of a Frenchman. In fact, one and one-third Nordic Nazis equals two Communist Iberian-Muscovite-Gauls.
From these figures the exact number of any one nationality needed to win the war could be easily calculated.
RECENT EXCHANCES of prisoners between the Nationalists and the Communists in Spain afford some interesting comparisons of the relative values of the different nationalities. The Communists exchanged two Nazi Germans for four Red Englishmen held by the Nationalist forces. Later on, two Nazi Germans were swopped for three Basques. Another exchange was of three Germans and one Swiss for two Red Spaniards, two Russians and one French Journalist. So, we come down to the interesting formulae that:-
1. One Nazi German is the equal of two Red Englishmen, or of one and a half Red Basques.
2. One Nazi German plus one-third of a Swiss is equal to two-thirds of a Red Spaniard, plus one Russian, plus one-third of a Frenchman. In fact, one and one-third Nordic Nazis equals two Communist Iberian-Muscovite-Gauls.
From these figures the exact number of any one nationality needed to win the war could be easily calculated.
One for the flight test community - anybody recognise this hotel and airfield?
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If High Post airfield was to the west side of the hotel, then it's now where the fireworks factory is I think, if not, then it got "eaten" by Boscombe.
Netheravon, Middle Wallop, Boscombe Down and Old Sarum are still busy places on that chart, whilst Chilbolton and Upavon still exist as much smaller airfields and Andover is now a military logistics headquarters but the airfield layout is still very visible from the air. Does anybody know the meaning of the different airfield symbols?
G