EXHIBITION OF FLYING

Hokitika Guardian, 14 August 1925, Page 4

EXHIBITION OF FLYING

BY AMERICAN AIRMEN. THE CATAPULT CONTRIVANCE. AUCKLAND, August 12. The exhibition of aerial gymnastics and formation flying given by the United States Naval airmen yesterday was a masterly one indeed. Through the courtesy of Admiral S. S'. Robinson, a reporter was permitted to proceed outside the Rangitoto beacon and fa ire part. Whistles blew, signals were hoisted, and next minute the drone of a monoplane-seaplane could he heard ns the 350 horse-power Curtiss engine was being warmed up in readiness for the flight. After the writer had been-taken below to the ships office, where he was asked to sign a document which absolved the United States Navy and Government from all liability in the event of an accident, he was escorted through linos of smiling sailors to the top barbette, 50 feet above the quarter deck. The monoplane, the largest in the American Navy, rested on its catapult cradle. “1 guess you’d hotter don this parachute,” said Pilot Lieutenant Signer, and with his assistance and that of another naval officer, the very weighty safety device was strapped on tlie reporter. Then the pilot and the mechanic adjusted their parachute gear, and all was ready for the flight. The next move was to crawl along under tlie catapult device, and under the whirring propeller, which was “revving” at 2000, and enter the “Galloping Goose,” for that is the name by which the big seaplane is known by those of the Fleet. Entrance was gained through a door the pilot sitting well up in front. Tlie mechanic was next and tlie writer well hack in tiic tail, in the gunners’ cockpit. Slowing the. engine down for a few seconds, Lieutenant Signer gave the writer a few instructions. “Now if anything should happen, just you pull that cord which will open the parachute. Then jump,” he said. After this cheerful piece of advice, the writer was strapped into his seat to await the signal for the release of the seaplane from its platform, high up on top of the big Klin guns. A niinuio later the pilot raised his right hand. This was the signal for the gunnery crew iust below the catapult platlorm. Immediately afterwards an explosion followed, and the seaplane was in the air, 100 ft out from the Mississippi. The sensation of being catapulted from tlie gun turret was not as unpleasant as one might imagine. H seemed as though one had been given a particularly violent push in the small of tlie hack. A minute Inter the seaplane was high above the Mississippi. It would he hard to imagine anything that could exceed the beauly presented from the air by Auckland and the contiguous const lino, and the beautiful Waitemata glistening like ;i diamond with the mighty ships ol the 'American battle fleet below. From the decks of the war vessels, tiny figures waved to greet the seaplanes. The occupants of the fleet looked like a long line of tractors trekking slowly over the desert of blue. The ••galloping goose*” which flow perfectly throughout the long cruise, came clown on the harbour very gracefully, and was secured by a party ol sailors, who towed her hack to the .Mississippi. After his ’bus laid been sagely moored. Lieutenant Signer went to great pains to describe the seaplane and eat,•mult gear to the writer. ’I he “galloping goose” is a live-seater aeroplane with a high-powered Curtis twelve-cylinder engine, which gives it a sneed of well over 10(1 miles per hour. Lieutenant. Signer stated that the Mississippi is flic only ship in the world to he fitted with an explosive catapult contrivance. It was placed on the Mississippi lor a world cruise as an experiment. Most other catapults for discharging aeroplanes Irom the decks of vessels are worked by Imlnn.ilie pressure, but the ciilapult on the Mississippi is discharged by a lull charge i’min a live-inch gun, which is placed iust below the ear or plunger, ami the recoil cylinder is filled with glycerine and water. On this the seaplane rests. The charge is fired from a regular-five inch gun chamber, to which is attached a plunger safety device, in case the charge misfires. Lieutenant Signer explained that so great is the charge that the seaplane is given a launching speed ol fifty-five miles an hour. I‘ mm zero, the senplane attains just on sixty miles per hour at t!:e point- of hopping off.