Civilian Mid-Air Refueling?

[evansb]

Is that what is going on here? If so, why? What record, if any, was being set?

[A30yoyo]

Think its Alan Cobhams attempt to fly to India in an Airspeed Courier, flight refuelled, 1934....ended in Malta

[treadigraph]

If I recall aright, there is some description of the trials in Neville Shute's autobiog "Sliderule". Time to read it again...!

[India Four Two]

A30yoyo is correct. The caption for the same picture on page 66 of "In Hampshire's Skies" by Colin Cruddas:

On 22 September 1934, Sir Alan Cobham attempted to fly non-stop from Portsmouth to Karachi. His first air-to-air refuelling contact was made directly after takeoff from a Handley Page W10. A disconnected throttle linkage later caused Cobham's Courier to force land in Malta and the record attempt was not continued.

Another picture on the same page implies that Cobham's co-pilot for the record attempt was S/L Bill Helmore.

[brakedwell]

And the project wasn't a PFI deal

[ian16th]

Further India Four Two's posting.

In another Colin Crudas book, 'In Cobhams' Company', the same photo is on page 48.

There is confirmation that the co-pilot was indeed Sqd. Ldr. later Air Com. Bill Helmore.

The Handley Page W10 crashed after carrying out the 1st refuelling that same day, killing all 4 on board.

[Fareastdriver]

Not being fecitious but I would not have thought that a Handley Page W10 could have gone fast enough to kill anybody.

[Herod]

Oddly enough, almost an identical picture, although from the other side, is in "Wonders of World Aviation", a book from the late thirties. The tanker in this case is G-EBMR, another W10. The book also gives the endurance record of 420 hours, set in 1929 in a Ryan Brougham. Forty-eight tanker contracts. Has this record ever been beaten, and why would anyone want to do it?

[Wander00]

FED - I thing there may be a "not" missing

[NutherA2]

Herod

The book also gives the endurance record of 420 hours, set in 1929 in a Ryan Brougham

I believe the the absolute record was set by a Cessna 172 using ground/air refuelling without landing. The flight apparently lasted for 64 days, 22 hours, 19 minutes and 5 seconds, having taken off on 03 Dec 1958 and landed on ot Feb 1959. Like you said, who would want to try and beat that?

[Wander00]

In a 172 - must be barking (or was by the end) (Well it is Crufts)

[Herod]

I'll bet the inside of that 172 was a bit "ripe" by the end of it. Looking at Google, the aircraft only had one seat and one set of controls, the pilots doing four-hour stints. The oil system was routed through the cabin, so they could change filters in flight. Food and water were uplifted from the ground, and I assume the "honey bucket" was disposed of the same way. Amazingly, there is a team talking of beating the record. The plot was to fly in 2011, but it all seems to have gone quiet since.