AVIATION

Hokitika Guardian, 20 November 1930, Page 2

AVIATION

ATTACKS ON WARSHIPS,

DOUBLE PURPOSE AEROPLANE

LONDON, October 3

Sea-going performance is linked with | increased speed and carrying load power in a new float seaplane, which is the largest in the world. The Society of British Aircraft Constructors, Limited, announces that the air craft, called, the ,- V.aletta monoplane, has been designed' to obtain comparative performance data of float and boathull seaplanes of equivalent power and size It is a three-motored craft- of approximately 1500 horse-power, and weighs ten tons when fully loaded. The floats are notable in size,, each being nearly 40 feet long and displacing 22,500 pounds. 'This larger craft has shown a maximum velocity of ; about 140 miles an hour in seaplane form. A feature of the internal equipment mi the wirless receiving and transmitting gear; under normal atmospheric conditions the set has a transmitting range of 300-400 miles using telegraphic signals, and between 200-250 miles for direct telephony, ■ Provision is made and special equipment provided, m the form of a derrick which may be. fitted above the engines when needed, for the removal and refitting of any powerplant, while the craft is afloat. ■ The Vnletta is constructed by Short J Brothers (Rochester and Bedford), Limited; the engines are Bristol “Jupiter” C air-cooled radiate, and the wireless equipment is Marconi, j A DURALUMIN MACH INK. ; ■ xj ie Vdlettfl is vely designed a# a landplane with two mmaiwe hind' ing wheels on a normal type updevpavfiage, which incorporates an oil-damp-ing system and rubber . spiingiug, A similar land or seaplane, but built first . in the. landplaiie form,, nas also, begun flying trials within the last few days. This is the Viastra, a high-wing monoplane,; in which even the wing coverings are : of metal instead of the more usually employed fabric. A smaller aircraft than the Valetta, the Viastra ;v'is designed for operation with one. 'two, or three motors, according to the needs of the aircraft operator. One twin-engined and one single engined machine have been ordered by West Australian Airways for their air mail “"'fine between Perth and Adelaide; the - craft now flying in this country has three motors totalling about 700 h.p. The Viastra is built entirely of duralumin and marked efforts are apparent, to cheapen the cost of produPtinon and provide .speedier methods in the design. In the interests of economy new straight-sided flats are being'tested ; these cost approximately 15 per cent, less than floats of the. usual boat-shape and ; the slight ■ loss in efficiency caused, by their use may be considered by the air line operator as more than balanced by saving in first cost.^ The Viastra is built by Vickers (Aviation), Limited the engines in the three-engined craft are ArmstrongSiddeley Lynx geared air-cooled radiate of 240 horse-power,

FLYING BEFORE/ DOMINION

DELEGATES,

Empire delegates to the Imperial Conference will be -shown at the Loni don Air Station, Croydon, on October * 25th a demonstration of British civil and military aircraft, The evolutions * of the military aeroplanes including Borne the fastest service bombers in the world will comprise examples of the celebrated Royal Air Force . formation flying as well as individual displays. An effort is to be made to exhibit some of the latest types of commercial aircraft apart from the craft included in the fleet* of Imperial Airways. The demonstration, linking military and civil craft in the one occasion, represents an unusual enterprise in British flying, and is intended to give the delegates, m the space of one afternoon, an impression of British flying in a sense wider than Is achieved at the predominantly miktary annual displays of the Royal Air Force. VULNERABILITY OF WARSHIPS Service aeroplanes engaged in an attack on the Atlantic Fleet off the southern coast of Englahd during combined war exercises gained notable ■ successes. . torpedo. attack was launced on Nelson and Rodney, two of the most formidable warsh'ps in the British Navy. The areoplanes achieved a surprise raid, and great “damage” was done to the surface craft, the two battleships being struck by eight out of the seventeen torpedoes launched against them from the air. The surprise was sufficiently complete to find them without their main anti-aircraft defence ready for the tray. In addition, single-seater ship fighting aeroplanes harassed the Fleet with machine-gun attacks, the pilots diving their craft at high speed and „ sweeping the fighting tops and decks with bullets.

Knowledgeable observers of the clash

between sea arid air forces admit that the attack proved the vulnerability of warships from the air. The importance of this lesson is emphasised when the material employed by the air arm is considered. The tropcdo-drop-pers and fighters were all obsolescent machines, some of which have been in service for several years, and given modern machines the task of the fleV^

in coping with the sudden threat from the air would be still more difficult. The swiftest surface ship cannot hope to complete in ease of control, speed of turning, and ■ sheer velocity with an aircraft. Though the exercises did not establish that a fleet tnay be tux-ned back by air action alone they demonstrated clearly that air action, particularly if undertaken by a large number of machines and if intelligently handled, can always seriously harass a fleet and frequently do grave damage.

UNITED STATES ORDER. The Government of the United States of America has pa.d a high tribute to British areo-engine design and construction, having placed an order for three Rolls-Royce 825 h.p. “H” water-cooled engines. This is probably the most powerful water-cdoled aero-engine yet in regular production in the world, and from it was evolved the famous RollsRoyce racing engine which powered the victorious seaplane in the last Schneider Trophy international contest, and. in the same flying machine, holds three world’s speed records. The United States Government contemplates using the ordered engines for research and experimental purposes, and a guees is made by some British experts that the order has something to do with a possible United States entry next year for the Schneider Trophy contest. However that may be, the entire British aircraft industry takes pride m this supreme tribute from a nation which holds a prominent position among the world’s producers of aero-engines, The racing engine evolved from the “H" motor devejopes more than 1900 h.p. with n weight of only 1570 pounds —an achievement which seemed almost impossible a very few years ago. The “H” engine, intended for steady, trouble-free output over long periods, instead of tremendous power development, still show excellent figures in the ratio of power to weigh its full 825 h.p. being produced by 1460 pounds of motor. The engine is exceptionally light and rigid; a new type alloy produced by the Rolls-Royce firm lias recently begun to play an important part, in construction. Several big British machines, including one of the biggest flying-boats yet built in this country, are powered with the “H” engine. Six “H” motors will provide the power for the immense 33-ton boat, Great Britain’s largest heavier-than-air flying-machine, which is being built by the Supernmrine Aviation Works, the firm responsible for the record-breaking racing seaplanes.