WORLD AIR SPEED RECORD

Hokitika Guardian, 7 September 1928, Page 4

WORLD AIR SPEED RECORD

NEXT BRITISH ATTEMPT. . A 111 PO LICE PREPARATIONS NEARLY COMPLETE. (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, Sept. 4. Preparations for the British attempt to beat the world’s air speed record of 318 miles an hour, set up by the Italian, Major de Bernardi, are nearly complete.

The attempt will be made at Calshot by Flight-Lieutenant TVArcy Greig in about three weeks, over the course along which Flight-Lieutenant Kinkead was flying when he was killed in an attempt to break the record last

year. Greig is carrying out an exhaustive test with a Super-Marine Napier S 5 seaplane, which is to make the flight. The machine is of the same type as that used by Flight-Lieutenant Webster when lie won the Schneider Trophy last year, and was actually taken to Venice with the other British ’planes as a- reserve for tile race. The aeroplane has, in the language of the Royal Air Force, been “cleaned up” with a view ; to increasing its maximum speed and has reached 317 miles an hour, without being all out. It is hoped that a speed of between 325 and 330 miles an hour will he reached during the official test.. ENDURANCE ’PLANE.

Another interesting development in British aviation is shortly expected. The assembly stage is now being readied in an attempt to evolve ■ a British aircraft capable of remaining in tlie air for three days and three nights continuously, and hy the end of this mouth preliminary flight tests may he made.

Tlie machine, which is a FnireyNapier monoplane, is being fitted with tlie latest Napier-Lion engine and represents a departure from general British practice in that the monoplane form, instead of tlie biplane, lias been chosen.

The present endurance record, held hy Germany, was set up in July, when Johann ltisticz and Zimmerman, in a Junkers monoplane; remained in the air for 05J hours. While, in a sense, the British experiment is a challenge to foreign endiir- ' ance records it is understood that the main purpose of the Air Ministry is to further research upon long endurance, which may have great practical value in view of the scattered strategic bases of the Empire.