GLIDING Edited by Alan E. Slater. M.A., F.R.Met.S. Published by th~ SAILFLYING PRESS LTD. Directors: Philip Wills, CB.E., Ann Douglas, Jacqucs Cocheme. A.F.C

OFFICIAL ORGAN OF THE BRITISH GLIDING ASSOCIATION

CONTENTS

TITLE AUTHOR PAGE Here and There 118 B.A.F.O. Annual Gliding Contest 119 National Gliding Contests 1950 120 Half-Way to Edinburgh Donald Bro,,"" 124 Camphil1 to Happisburgh Lt. Comm. Ton)' GoO{UJarJ 126 To and From lngoldmells Donaid Brown 128 Bradwell Edge to Boston and nearly back Philip A. Wills 130 Ret rieves-Various K. E. Machin 132 Slingsby IS-metre Sailplane 133 From Wave to Wave across Country R. Derek Roper 134 Lessons of the 1950 Contests 136 International Contest at Orebro 137 Exploiting the Cunim for Speed and Height Fit. Lt. A. W. Bedford 138 Kronfeld Memorial Trophies 143 Courses for Dartmouth Cadets 144 Correspondence 144 Performance Measurements of a Soaring Bird Augu.tI Raspet 145 OSTIV meeting J950 151 Club ews 152

Cover Photograph.-8ailplanes of eleven nations gathered at Orebro in Sweden for the International Contest in July.

Single copies of "Gliding" price 2/Sd. (post free) may be obtained on application to The Secretary, J3ritish Gliding Association, Londonderry House. Park Lane, W.I., to whom all subscriptions should be addressed. Annual subscription 10/8 (post free) should be sent to the same address. Bulk orders (12 or more copies) should be sent direct to the publishers, The Sailflying Press Ltd., 38, Great Titehfield Street, London, W.I. . The BGA Comes of Age

On 4th December, 1950, the British Gliding Association will be 21 years old. It was on that date in 1929 that the historic "Gliding Lunch" was held at which the Association was formed. Many people who are gliding today have little or no idea how the gliding moverru:nt started in this country, or even how soaring flight came to be established at all as a possible and worth-while accomplishment. Its existence is taken for granted. From the few seconds' hovering by Otto Lilienthal in )895 to the 91 minutes achieved by Orville Wright in 1911, most ofthe very few soaring flights made by man were done in order to learn the art of balancing in the air, in preparation for power flying. Then, during the period from 1919 to 1922, when treaty restrictions prohibited the building or importing of aeroplanes in Germany, soaring flight began a course of development in that country which has led to its present world-wide status as a fascinating scientific sport. Wolfgang Klemperer beat the 1911 record with a flight of IS minutes in 1921, Arthur Martens first soared for one hour and F. H. Hentzen for 3 hours in 1922, Max Kegel climbed into a thunderstorm in 1926, and in 1928 Robert Kronfeld came on the ~ne to liberate soaring flight final1y from its confinement to the windward slopes of hills. The yc:;ar 1929 was, with the possible eXGeption of 1922, ,the most notable in soar41g history, mainly owing to Kronfeld. On 14th April he set up an altitude record of4,183 feet, on 15th May he made the first flight ofover lOO km., and on 30th July he raised the record to 8,494 feet and soared 93 miles from the Wasserkuppe to Bayreuth. The fame of these and Qther flights spread far beyond Germany, and on 6th November, 1922, The Aeroplane published a special "Gliding Number" to publicise the new knowledge. Among the flood ofletters which it brought to its Editor, there was one from Mr. D. C. COlver, an ex-pilot ofthe first world war, suggesting a luncheon party at which all those interested could meeL The party was held on 4th December at the Comedy Restaurant in Panton Street, and 56 people turned up, including Mr. C. G. Grey, then Editor, and Mr. Thurstan James, present Editor, of The Aeroplane. Mr. Culver, from the chair, started by suggesting the formation of a gliding club, whi\:h would start op.:rations by buying a Zogling Primary from Germany; but by the time the meeting broke up at 4 p.m., its ambitions had run to electing a provisional committee for a "British Glidi:lg Association," with him as chairman and the late Mr. Howard­ Flanders as secretary. The new Association started with a flourish and a great number of gliding clubs were formed, but many ofthem soon collapsed, often by crashing their only machine. This was followed by a few years in the doldrums, when the movement was with difficulty kept alive, but it picked up again ill 1933, when a substantial amount of soaring began to be done. A Government subsidy was offered in 1934 on condition that certain differences ofopinion within the movement as to the constitution ofthe B.G.A. were resolved, and as a result this constitutiOn was altered in 1935 to something resembling its present form. Since then, apart from a war-time adolescent period of suspended animation, the B.GA. has been run by gliding people for gliding people; it therefore enters adulthood travelling along the right road. But the part played by the present Chairman in setting it on that road sixteen years ago is probably unknown to more than one or two people still active in gliding, so relentlessly does the personnel ofthe movemen~change with the years. Even the Editor of this journal, though a founder member of the London Gliding Club in February, 1930, did not quite make that Gliding Lunch twenty-one years ago.

-117- Here and There

American Contest New British Altitude Records The 17th National Soaring Contest, held Flight Lieutenant A. W. Bedford, of the at Grand Prairie, Texas, was won by Dick Empire Test Pilots' School at Farnborough, Johnson with his new RJ-5 sailplane. He climbed 19,118 ft. and reached 21,338 ft. exceeded both the national goal and above sea level in an Olympia on August distance records with a 337-mile goal flight 24th. He thereby broke four official across Texas. Coverdale, lvan an.d Reeves records, the British and the U.K. local were placed 2nd, 3rd and 4th, all flying records for both gain of altitude and Schweizer 1-23 sailplanes. absolute altitude. An account of his flight Jon Carsey. of Texas, has been elected appears in this issue of GUDfNG. President ofthe Soaring Society ·of America, The pilot made his first sailplane flight and Eugart Yerian has lx:en appointed in May, 1949, and since then has put in Editor of "Soaring," the official organ. 54 hours 25 mins. in sailplanes, much of it Paul Schweizer continues as Secretary. The while practising for an aerobatic display Society's official address is: Box 71, Elmira, at the R.A.F. Show. This record flight gave N.Y. him his "Gold C" (the distance was 193 miles), with a diamond added to it for his Towed to 7,000 metres climb of over 5,CXXJ metres. His only . The present international distance record previous cross

-118- Glider Experience and Pilots' Licence As a result Of a discussion between the The B.A.F.O. Annual Ministry of Civil Aviation, the Royal Aero Club, and the British Gliding Association Gliding Contest it has been agreed that glider f1}' ing ex­ perience may count towards the requirement N this year's B.A.F.O. gliding champion­ for the Private Pilots' Licence. provided circumstanc~s I ships, held over ten days at Scha,rfolden­ that under no will the total dorf, in Germany, more than 125 hours were experience requirements be less than the flown from 415 launches, although soaring 40 hOllrs required for the private pilots' conditions were seldQm ideal for .long. licence. Holders of the "Silver C" or Dual Instructors' Category A will have to pass This year's greatest distance was flown the practical flying ,tests and the technical by FIt. Lt. R. A. Carson, in a Weihe SMajor Macey. Royal Engjneers, Ramcln, examination by the Ministry if required. 91t points. As regards towing by powered aircraft "C" team events (Grunau BabY l1's):­ other than those operated by flying clubs I, Lt. D. W. Dall, Royal Engineers, payment to gliding clubs will be at the Hameln, 104~ points; 2, Lt. R. M. Barwell, approved rate per hour according to the Royal Engineers, Rameln, 58 points; 3., type of aircraft as shown in the list to be Sergeant J. J. R. Davies, Gutersloh,.51 issued by the Ministry. Payment will be points. dependent on the maintenance by gliding The prizes were presented by Air Chief clubs ofrecords. Marshal Sir Roderic Hill, Rector of the Further particulars have been circulated Imperial College of Science and Tech­ to gliding clubs. nology.

-119- National Gliding Contests, 1950

HIS year's National Gliding Contests FINAL PLACING OF AIRCRAFT T were held at Camphill, Great Hucklow, Order Aircraft Enfrant Marks the site of the Derbyshire and Lancashire I. Weihe, P. A. Wills 869 Gliding Club, from 22nd to 30th July 2. MU-l3a, R. Naval G. & S. A. 827 inclusive. 3. Olympia, London G.C. 805 During the period "there were 264 4. Rhonbussard, Frank Foster 799 launches by winch and bungy, 513 hours' 5. Olympia, D. G. Ince 722 flying, 104 cross-country flights including 6, Olympia, Surrey G.C. 694 31 goal flights, and 6,050 miles flown across 7. Weihe, Surrey G.C. 587 country. 8. Olympia, Bristol G.e. 583 The Derby and Lancs. Club worked 9. Gull IV" London G.e. 553 heroically to give us the most s.uccessful 10. Olympia, Surrey G.e. 514 national contesl ever held in Britain. They rI. Petrel, A. de Redder 496 also laid on a soaring wind up one or other 12. Olympia, H. e. G. Buckingham 452 of the two slopes every day, including 28th (for Maintenance Command) July. which was declared a non-competition 13. Olympia, Cambridge Univ. G.c. 432 day owing, to an unfavourahle forecast; this, 14. Olympia, H. e. G. Buckingham 390 though it turned out pessimistic, gave the (for Bomber Command) pilots and ground crews a much·needed 15. Olympia, W. T. Fisher 380 rest. 16. Kranich, Cambridge Univ. G.C. 378 17. Olympia, T. Rex Young 368 Instead ofgiving a survey ofthe whole of 18. Olympia, Imperial Coli. G.e. 355 the flying, which would necessarily be 19. Olympia, H. G .. Cartwright 343 inadequate as there was so much of it, we 20. Sedbergh, Flying Training have considered it better to publish in the Command 278 following pages several detailed acc,ounts 21. Olympia, Army Flying Club 230 by the pilots of some of the more out­ 22. Sedbergh, A.T.e. Instructors' standing £lights of the meeting. The list of School 229 flights given below includes all those for 23. Grunau, A.T.e. 64 Group 189 which points were earned. 24. Olympia,A.T.e. 188 Gl. School 175 Philip Wills received the first prize of£20, 25. Olympia, Newcastle G.c. 167 and additional prizes, for the best out-and­ 26. Prefect, A.T.e. 65 Group 65 return flight and far the highest score by an 27. Sedbergh, A.T.C. 89' Gl. SChool 53 individual pilot. The second prize went to 28. Gull J, Derby & Lancs .. G.e. 24 the Royal Naval Gliding and Soaring 29. Rhonbussard, A.T.e. 146 Gl. Se. Association, whase sailplane was flown NOTE: The 16th, 21st, 26th, 28th and alternately by Lt. Comm. G. A. J. Go-odhart 29th in the list retired before the end of the and his brother l..t. Comm. H. e. N. Contest. The 1st, 4th and 5th were flown Goodhart. exclu~ively by their entrants" the 2nd by London Gliding Club received third prize Lieut. Commanders G. A. J. and H. e. N. for its Olympia, flown by G. H. Stephensan. Goodhart, and the 3rd by G. H. Stephenson. The Londonderry Cup was awarded to Marks were scored by 58 individual the London Gliding Club for the greatest pilots, of whom the following headed the score by a member of a club team, and the list: Wills, 869; Stephenson, 805; Foster, Du Garde Peach Trophy to the Royal 799; Ince, 722; C. A. G. Goodhart, 6-32; Naval Gliding and Soaring Association for Brown, 512; Staffurth, 463; Deane­ the greatest score by a club team. DrummoRd, 317; Fisher, 300; Blanchard, The Firtb-Vickers Trophy went to S. C. 273; Archbold, 272; Ellis, 262; MurdeR, O'Grady for the best performance in a 248; Sanders, 238; Hall and Lee, 231. sailplane 0'f British design (Petrel), and the BooN Cup to the London Club for the Photo on ,opposite page: Cambridge Club's highest score by an Olympia. Kranich flying at the National Contests.

-120- CROSS COUNTRY FUGHTS CampiorL, Scamp/on (Goal) 48 3,500 Grantham, Ingoldmells (Goal) 85 6,600 Pi/o/ & Landing plo('e Dis/ance AI/i/ude (miles) (feet) Erdman, Coal As/on 12 3,100 Butt, 1,800 23rd .Tul)' Foster, Ingoldmells (Goal) 85 7,500 Goodhan, G. A. J. Camphill 1,800 O'Grady, Whitwell, nr. Archbold, Camphilf 1,500 Worksop 21 2,400 Wills, Crich, NI'. Ma/locl< 18 Blanchard, 2 mi. E. Fiskertoll 56 2,600 Pressland, Eckinglon 16 3,200 24th July Goodhart, G. A. J. Meidzybrodski, Worsop 25 2,300 Skegness (Goal) 85 6,400 Giltert, Miss Slannington )1 2,700 Anan, Ladywosh 2,700 FISher, Whitwell, NI'. Worksop 21 Butt, 1,800 Lee, $eo/lolI 28 Turner, 4 mi. S. Lincoln 53 3,600 23rdJuly Kahn, Pleasley Hill 21 3,200 ..~h. Dickson, R., Coal ASlOn 12 2,200 1°04 ",,-' Hooper, Woodlhorpe, NI'. Slavely 17 2,900 Stephenson, Ingoldmells (Goal) 85 4,000 Squelch, 1,500 Martlew, Ossinglon 36 3,800 Hurry, 2 mi. E. Mansjiefd 26 2,300 Swilln,1 mi. E. Coal ASian 14 1,900 Redshaw, Rebellion Knoll (local) 1,500 Coulson, 15 mi. N. Ingold- ~lIs 85 5,200 lnce, Methe,.i/lgay 56 4,200

-121- 25th July 26th July. Goal Race to BostOfl Pilot and Landing Place Distance Altitude BJanchard (task) Bosto" (milesj (feet) (2 hr. 48 min). 73 PhiIlips (task) 2 mi. N. &ston 73 5,600 Deane-Drummond, Malton 69 4,300 Meidzybrodski, Calceby, nr. Wills, North Coates (Goal) 75 5,700 Skegness 76 5,000 Goodhart, G. A. l., Rowley, TolLerton 38 3,500 Gox Hill, nr. Hull 66 5,300 O'Grady, N. &ston 74 6,000 Hall,lngoldmells 85 3,500 Inee, Massingham 106 5,450 Brown, Guisborough 90 5,000 Beck (task), Bos/on Inee, Aldboro, nr. Hull 77 4,600 (3 hr. 38 min.) 73 4,500 Clayton 1,900 Irving (task) East Pleasley 23 4,000 Staffurth, Witherl1sea (Goal) 78 4,800 Bell, nr. Kings Lynn 100 5,300 Murden, Donna Nook (Goal) 79 4,600 Thompson, Boston Butt, Dore, nr. Sheffield 8 3,200 (3 hr. 16 min.) 73 3,700 LadJey, Waddington 51 3,800 Foster (task), Boston Redshaw, DonllO Nook (Goal) 79 3,200 (2 hr. 45 min.) 73 5,700 Foster, Hemswell (Goal) 48 4,300 Dennell (task), 2 mi.from de Redder, 18 mi. S.E. Boston 73 Gainsborough 59 3,900 Lee (task), 7 mi. N.E. Sleaford 60 Stephenson, Ingoldmells (Goal) 85 6,000 Goodhart, H. C. N. (task) Fisher, Chapel St. Leonards 85 4,700 Boston (2 hr. 27 min.) 73 Archbold, Burgh le Marsh 83 3,900 Staffurth (task), Boston Ellis, lngoldnzells (Goal) .85 3,900 (2 hr. 43 min.) 73 6,300 Neubroch, Hathersage· t ,700 WiUs (task),Bosto/./ Cartwright, 2,200 (2 hr. 3 min.) 73 Sanders, Ingoldmells (Goal) 85 4,200 Stephenson (task), Cranwell 54 Heron, J mi. W. Lincoln 48 3,200 Dickson, N. (task) Boston 73 Edwards, Waddington 51 5,200 Pelling 2,000

-t22- 27th July 29th July. Out and Return Boston. Jordan, Scumhorpe 49 4,600 Brown, W. ofSouthend 154 4,200 Goodhart, G. A. J. Meidzybrodski. 2,()()0 Happisburgh 140 4,900 Goodhart, G. A. l., J mi. Staffurth, Belchford 4,000 S.S. W. Southwell 36 4,600 Brown, BruntOli 2,300 Deane-Drummond, Dunstable I J1 6,500 Ince, Jngoldmells (Goal) 85 5,700 Wills, Boston and back fa de Redder, Santoji 42 3,600 Bakewell 142 7,200 Alexander, Spilby 79 6.800 Ellis,2 mi. E. Heckington 65 3,200 Cartwright, Blyton 44 3,600 Hall, Fulbeck 48 4,200 Hurry, Jngoldmells (Goal) 85 4,100 Stephenson, Woodham Fen'ers, Wills, Coftishall 134 4,900 Chelmsford 151 6,400 Redshaw, Camphill 1,700 Coulson, Camphill 1,500 Stephenson, Ingoldmells (Goo/) 85 5,800 Murden, 3 mi. S.E. Gains- Anderson, North COON's (Goal) 75 4,400 borough 41 4,400 Gilbert, Miss, Fodwick 20 3,100 Foster, Castle Ashby, nr. AlIan, Dronfield Woodhouse 10 1.,700 Northampton 85 6,400 Campion, Wales Station 19 2,800 Archbold, Ossington AID 36 3,200 Foster, Manby (Goal) 75 4,200 Tnce, Helpringham 64 6,200 Swinn, Mosborough Moor 15 3,100 Pick, I mi. W. Sedgebrook 38 3,300 Latham, Horncastle 67 4,000 Lee, SaPPeFton; nr. Heron, BUI'gh on Baill 64 3,900 Grall1ham 58 3,800 Ladley, Slomfree, nr. C;(}wn 19 3,200 Pelling, 1,500 Sanders, Pertthorpe 30 4,300 Note.-Straight lines on the maps do not Hooper, E. Retford 33 3,000 give the actual course followed by each Fisher, Cranwell (Goal) 54 3,900 pilot. Upper Air data and weather charts Brown, Ingoldmells and back (which show isobars and fronts onlv) are to Wragby 108 4,100 based on the Da ily Weather Report', of the Redshaw, Camphill 1,700 Meteorological Office.

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-123- Half-Way to Edinburgh by DonaJd Brown

UCCESS in a comp:::tition is achieved on that, providing I could keep sufficiently to S the gwund as much as in the air: this the west during the early stages of the flight, at least is my' impression from only two Edinburgh would, with the anticipated competitions. As this has been said before backing and weakening of the wind, be a by pilots with immeasurably greater possible goal, and 1 therefore declared experience tllan I, tile truth of it is slowly East Fortune. It is now obvious that, becoming apparent to my idle brain. An without leaving the ground, I had made account, therefore, ofany fligllt, particularly suffidenterrors to destroy any chances of of a competition flight, would be in­ achieving top marking for the day. complete unless prefaced by the reasoning At 12.15 I was winched off on to the behind the plan of flight. West Slope at Camphill, made one beat to On the morning of July 25th, it was my the north, returned along the slope, turn to fly the Surrey Club's Weihe. I went cO'ntacted a thermal at the sot:thern tip of to the briefing where the met. man told us the ridge, and at 12.30 was at 3,500 ft. above ofa weak trough lying roughly nortll-south, sea level and on my way. with a westerly air stream over the site. He I had never flown cross-country from a forecast unstable conditions for the majority ridge before, but, having seen the congestion of the day, with possible high COver later. the previous Sunday, I had decided that at On the strength of this report the obvious all costs I must get a thermal before the thilllg was to dash downwind 10 the CQa~t ridge became too crowded, or retire to small 85 miles away. ridges to the north and east and wait in The Weihe, due to its aspect ratio, was solitary state for my own private thermal. handicapped and, therefore, if it were This day it wasn't nece~ary; I left with possible for the other machines to get to the scarcely a backward glance at the most sea it would be useless to do the same thing interesting collection of ulanding" fields in the Weihe. Therefore J reasoned it would and headed north to the Ladybower be necessary to take advantage of the Reservoir. I reached the nonhern end of penetration of the machine and achieve a this in )5 minutes and on nonh. greater distance by flying crosswind. This At 1.0 o'clock, half an hOLlr after leaving was my first competition error, for at this the site, I was 18 miles to the north, with stage I had not considered the possibility of Barnsley visible to the east. The conditions dedaring an out-and-return, with little hope by this time did not look at all promising; of actually returning but every hope of the cloud was ragged in appearance and getting tile double marks for ,each mile excessive in amount. This seemed to be the towards home, for ifthe fo~ecasl high cover moment to get as much height as possible had materialised there would have been no and hang on until the sky cleared a little, chance of returning home. So I decided to so in weak lift I entered cloud at 4,000 ft. fly crosswind, hoping to stay with the trough There was not much lift in it and I wasted and the belt of unstable air. ~ 15 minutes gaining 500 ft. When I came out The decision now was whether to go [ had of course lost my way, and at 1.25, north or south. I decided to go north, finally decided I was just nonh of Sheffield. reasoning that as the trough moved across, By now I realised my chances of reaching the air stream would become more Edinburgh were greatly diminished. Never­ soulllerly. This, of course, was my second theless, heading W. by N. I attempted to error, for had I but looked at the synoptic make up the ground I had lost. By circling chart at the rear ofthe briefing room, or the very infrequently, flying slow ar.d straight Times weather map, as I did a day later, it into wind when the opportunity offered, would have been obvious that the wind I was able to make up a considerable would veer northerly. amount of ground and get over the On tile basis of my wrong assumption agglomeration of towns to the south of and with gold dust in my eyes, I decided Bradford. Feeling so pleased at having

-124- more than made up the ground to windwar,d of the railway line running north from I once again had a go at a cloud. Even York. Once again I had visions ofScotland.. mice learn from their {TIistakes. r came out I gave the cat another goldfish, entered of this one a little higher (5,400 fr. A.S.L.) cloud, played the iool for half an hour, without a notion as to where I might be. achieving 6,700 ft., and was still over York. At 2.35 I found out. I was at Sherbum-in­ In the lee of the wave cloud there was a Elmet, 15 miles downwind from the p0int belt of clear sky and it obviously was not wmere I had entered cloud. pOSsible to reach the wave from the height By now the clouds had got bigger, more which I had achieved. With the wave as my well defined, and ccUvered less of the sky, last hope of reaching Scotland, I was sorely and the wind was al.l'eady veering to the tempted to trust to the luck of ,the gods, north. It was not difficult to soar, there fly due west and hope to meet a secondary being plenty of thermals of the order of wave in the lee Qf the other. Discretion 6 ft./sec., but 6 ft.{sec. was not even being the better part of foolhardiness, [ sufficient to maintain a course due north, again proceeded northward. and at 3.0 o'clock I was over York, much The clouds over the plain were becoming too far to the east. smaller and less frequent, and f therefore At Sherburn-in-Elmet, being so far east, pressed on in a straight line, flying slowly I had decided to abandon all hope of through lift, not circling, until I reached the reaching even Newcastle and could there­ depressing height of J.600 ft. near fore afford to drift slowly eastwiud and Wombleton. Ahead over the Cleveland hope to reach the sea Olll the bulge around Hills and to the westward over the Pennines, Whitby but, on looking westward from good cumulus was still building. My plan York, I saw the daddy of them all. There now was to scramble across to the Hills. to the westward, stretching literally as far and, under the anticipated g009 conditions, as the eye could see to the north and to the once again get to the westWilrd. south, was a continuous unbroken lenticular Tha,t was the future. The present was cloud in the lee of the Pennines at what [ l,tiOO ft. Using any lift that I could find, assumed to be 8,000 ft., and 20 miles west and flying due north between lift at minimum sink. f drifted north-eastward until at Kirbymoorside I again attained 3,500 ft. From this height, 2,500 ft. above the Clevelilnds, I decided to leave the security of good retrieving roads and press on up Rosedale. This I did, once again flying straight as long as possible through lift, and by circling in two thermals [ was within what appeared to be s.afe gliding distance of the northem edge of the Cleveland Hills at 5,300 n. Then, cfeeping southward under the last cloud until the lift ceased, I put the nose down and /leaded for the plain. Instead of the edge dis­ appearing below the nose it started rising and, scattering a few pearls of wisdom upon the w'ind, I depressed the nose still further and cleared the edge of the Cleveland Hills by 700 ft., turned immediately along the edge, which faces northoiwest, and found slope lift. This carried me to 2,300 ft. A.S.L. Ahead of me stretched two small slopes alm9St to Middlesbfough and so, agreeing with myselfthat I might just as well be slope-soaring five miles from Middles­ brough as fifteen, I went on t() the second slope which I reilched at 2,000 fL, maintained height along it and, passing Captain Cook's Monument, went on to the at Hemble Hill Farm, Guisborough, third slope which I reached at about Yorkshire. 2,000 ft. At Hemble Hill Farm I le·:eived a This third slope consisted of a low ridge welcome fit for Blcriot, and in the comfort surmounted by a hill called Rosebury, a of a delightful lounge was able to ruminate pyramidal heap with sufficient face on it to over the mistakes and lessons of the flight. "figure-of-eight" in front of it. Un­ As [ have previously said, the main mistakes fortunately this slope faced west, and with were made before leaving the ground and the wind in the north-west the upper part thereafter it was mostly attempting to make was unreliable, and r slowly descended to the best of a bad job. Entering cloud had 900 ft. Here I sat for half an hour hoping probably shortened my distance consider­ that the 7{8 strato-cumulus would clear. ably, a point which myoid instructor had At five past six it showed signs of doing frequently emphasized. The obvious lesson this, and I flew forward from the hill in flying being not merely to remember what hoping to contact lift under a vague cloud one has been taught, and has read, but to which was coming towards me. The cloud follow the advice and cease to treat the was vaguer than J was, and [ landed at 6.15 flight as a Sunday School treat.

Camphill to Happisburgh by Lieutenant Commander Tony Goodh,lrr

HURSDAY, 27th July was the fourth without any inherent stability, that it is T consecutive day of good soaring thoroughly awkward in cloud. particularly weather at Camphill and as the wind was to a pilot whose cloud flying before the westerly I declared, in company with about competitions was m~asured in minutes, and eight others, for the, by now. well-worn not very many of those. tramline to Jingle Bells (lngoldmells The rest of the journey to IngoldmeJls Aerodrome, just North of Skegness) as my was comparatively uneventful, though it goal. After a quarter of an hour's hill took .'1 long time and we didn't complete soaring, having taken off at 10.30, Treached 3,200 ft. A.S.L. (2,000 ft. above the hill) and set off eastwards, only to find, as so many people did, that lift was .....eak over the moors between Camphill and Sheffield; and over Rotherham T found myself, in company with two blue Olympias, only a very few hundred feet above ground. How­ ever, a large steel factory, gushing forth smoke and flame, provided much needed lift and we (the Mu and I) plodded rather shakily on. taking advantage of every liule thermal. About 12.30 we had some trouble near Lincoln and were down to 1,300 ft. A.S.L. The Gull IV and two or three others were in the same bit of trouble, and we followed each other about looking for lift, which came intermittently and weakly. However, it got better as we climbed. and an hour later we reached 6,200 ft. in cloud. Incidentally. the Mu-13a has such an The brothers Goodhart with their Mu-13 at :neffective rudder and SQ much aileron drag CamphiU. Nick standing, Tony in cockpit.

-126- \

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27...-.. JULY ,\950

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the 85 miles until just before 16.00. An found half a mile inland which took me average speed of only aoout 17 m.p.h. quickly back to 5,000 ft. I was just about to start throwing away By this time, 17.30, I was somewhat weary the unnecessary 3,000 ft. with which I had and almost keen to get down; however, it arrived, when I remembered that the daily takes.a long time tQ lose 5,000 ft. in the Mu prize was for longest time in the air, so J and we finally landed three-quarters of an floated around eking out my descent. hour later close to Happisburgh Lighthouse, There was a lot of good c\lmulus a mile to 140 miles from Camphill, after 7 hours seaward of the coast and rather to my 48 minutes ill the air. The 55 miles from surprise I fOl,lnd myself wafted to cloud Skegness had been accomplished at 27 base at 5,100 Ct. just off Skegness.. m.p.h. ' The thol,lght then stnu:k me: "Why not Meanwhile the unfortunate retrieving go across the Wash and score some more crew had gone to Ingoldmells only to be told distance marks?" Unfortunately I hadn't that the Mu had been last seen heading out got the map of the other side and couldn't to sea. They reached Happisburgh at half see it either, but remembered that it was past midnight after driving 250 miles. The about 15 miles across, and rapid mental Mu was quickly IQaded into the trailer and arithmetic indicated that [ ought to get we got back to Camphill just after 09.00 there, S0 I headed south-eastwards, keeping after a further 200 miles driving. one eye over my shoulder watching Skegness The difference in speed before and after incase I had to beat a retreat. The Norfolk Skegness, 17 m.p.h. before and 27 m.p.h. coast soon hove in sight and it was apparent after, is most noticeable. The reason? Not .t.ha.t we would easily make it. We crossed that conditions were better after Skegness, the coast at 1,300 ft. and we(e immediately but that only two thermals were used with met with a small thermal off some marshy­ straight glides at best speed in between, not looking land; thi!! was discarded after bothering about intermediate patches of 1,000 ft. and another, a really violent one lifL The moral? PRESS ON-(though not smelling strongly of artificial fertiliser, was regardless).

-127- To and from Ingoldmells by Donald Brown I ITH the lessons of Tuesday, 25th July, private lift. I arrived just in time to catch W in my mind I managed to get up for it and was soon on my way to Sheffield. " breakfast, took the trouble to look seriously Whilst I was beating up and down the at a map and have a look at the synoptic ridge I had noticed 'to the westward a loog chart. Thus prepared, I listened to the met. bank ofcumulus which I had assumed to be man. The conditions seemed much the orographic cloud over the high ground to same as Tuesday with the exception that the the west, but as I approached Sheffield the trough was a little better defined and would cloud, which now stretched N.N.E.-S.S.W., be represented by a line of active cumulus. came very much nearer and started to The wind at the site was westerly and would collapse. It was obviously the trough, and remain so all day, with a possible slight the clouds were flattening rapidly. To the backing in the afternoon. north it was as black as the proverbial sin, I once again decided to go along the line and immed,iately above, patches of high of the trough to the north, which, with the cover were already obscuring the sun. more favourable wind and better forecast Deciding that if I were to make a serious convection, seemed a good proposition. r attempt at the competitions it would be knew the way and, having covered 90 miles useless to go ahead, and merely get points in adverse conditions, considered Brunton, for diStance, I waited for my opportunity to the north of Newcastle, a possible goal. to get back to the site and declare a more Having declared Brunton, I took off at feasible goal to the east. Unfortunately it 10.40. With the passing of time came the appeared that I had already waited too passing of aircraft, and by 11.10 there were long and was' slowly descending. Using more than enough aircraft on the ridge for what lift I could to maintain height or sink the thermals that were reluctantly drifting sloWly, I was just about deciding to give up over; so I decided to go to a smaller ridge and land when the high cover cleared and I to the north at the entrance to the was able to pick up a thermal which took Ladybower Reservoir and wait there for my me to 3,800 ft. Without more ado I headed

o ("tt' SCALE OF MILES

This map illustrates both Mr. Brown's article and that by Mr. Wills which follows it.

-128- b ck towards the site and without any 35 miles in 45 minutes from leaving the site. d culty got down to about 1,000 ft. above From Tuxford, due to IngoldmeJls being t moors. Another small thermal took on another map, I went a little to the south, m to 2,700 ft. A.S.L, and from there I was reaching Coningsby at 3.0 o'clock, From e to fly in a straight line, maintaining there I couJd see the white front of Butlin's h ight through thermals, diving between, Holiday Camp, which I proceeded to and a d reaching the end of the Camphill ridge reached at 4.05. Now came the problem of 1,300 ft. A.S.L. The hill lift was not as recognition. I came lower to take photo­ d as when I had left, and I had doubts graphs and make notes of the disposition . to whether I should be able to get height ofaircraft on the ground, when suddenly the ough to get into the landing field; but, Mu-13 appeared 200 ft. below me. Then, E)Yith 200 ft. to spare, I turned in, made a at ten past four, a blue Dragon Rapide came -landing and rushed off to declare anOther up from Ingoldmells aerodrome, showed me goal. to the more opulent campers seated therein, Wally Kahn, my partner, soon arrived and descended again. This, in lieu of a and helped to get the machine back to the firework display, I took as adequate \ launching point. I asked him for a turning recognition. point and he gave me IrrgoldmeUs which I I started circling underneath a cloud declared as my goal for an out and return. drifting out to the sea from which I finally At 1 o'clock I was launched for the second emerged at 5,900 ft. out at sea from time that day, with little hope in my heart Skegness. I was now on my way back. Lift of ever reaching Ingoldmells, let alone was still plentiful but not in sufficient returning. By now the trough had arrived strength to make headway against the wind. and there was 7/8 cover above the site. I slowly descended, delaying my descent Beating back and forth with a few other as I passed through thermals, until at dispirited late starters, I w,as, at 25 minutes ),500 ft. I -once again fell back towards past one, introduced to sci:ntific gliding. cloud base'at a reasonable rate. From there, Looking out of my window I saw what with two more thermals, I succeeded in every glider driver dreams of-a sheet of maintaining my pOsition above the ground paper lifted from the streets and hurled and decided there was little point in waiting, skyward. I was looking around for other and descended again, this time without arty conventional convectionaJ signs-vultures luck and landed q miles east of Wragby, circling, smoke rising vertically, clouds having returned along a straight line above, cornfields below, or the green ball between Ingoldmells and Camphill a rising-when, to my consternation, the distance of 26 miles in I hr. 20 min. The greater part of a packet of Jeyes Hygienic totaJ distance was 111 miles. toilet paper was hurled from the window of The point about the flight which is rather a nearby Olympia. Realising the variometer interesting is the fact that I made better must soon become out ofdate, I abandoned speed while in the bad conditions immedi­ its viscissitudes and became hypnotised by ately after leaving the site than when I these sheets ofpaper goinghitherand thither. reached the clear sky. This presumably Their behaviour was alarming. A sheet comes under the heading of "necessity that one moment would be rising decorously being the mother of invention," for once I the next moment would be falling to earth reached the normal good soaring condi'ions rapidly. However, by following the more I became, quite unwittingly, more lazy. intelligent sheets in eompany with David It seems to me that half the battle in [nce and the originator of this cunning going faster is a sincere belief in your own device, I reached a height of2,700 ft. A.S.L. ability to go faster. It is only supreme and decided it was now or never. The confidence that will cut out the dithering in weather being bad, map-reading was making the decision whether or not to enter reduced to tearing downwind on a compass or leave a thermaL For this reason I feel bearing, trying to catch up the clear sky and that an analysis ofa flight can be helpful in hoping that would coincide with the convincing oneself that one can go faster. crossing of the Trent about 40 miles to the and it seems to me that it is the best east. It did, and at 2.20 I was able to conditions which are not used to the full, identify Tuxford 3.5 miles from the site. while from necessity not so good conditions The soaring was normal and Thad covered are more usefully employed.

-129- ~T' HIS was a very surprising flight, and it is not often that after seventeen years' sailflying one is surprised. On the last Saturday ofthe 1950 National Contests it was announced that if any competitor decided to attempt an out-and­ return flight to Boston, 73 miles away, special arrangements had been made to mark the turning point. This had proved very necessary, because two days before I had-attempted an out and part return flight to Coltishall, and in spite of previous warning, the watchers there failed to spot me whilst for nearly 20 minutes I circled down from 4,000 feet. When they eventually gave me a recognition signal I was down to 600 feet and couldn't get away. As a result of this, my wife and I had worked out a method which, whilst it had .certain obvious disadvantages, appeared extremely likely to solve the problem, and in fact we used it on this occasion with complete success. Before take-off, I estimated the average speed I would achieve on the outward flight, and hence the estimated time of my arrival at the turning point, after gelling . aJl'a); ji-om tlte site on the first thermal. A . few days earlier, on a goal race to Boston in rather similar weather, I had done the distance in I hr. 40 mins. after getting away. On that flight I had ofcourse delayed take­ off \Jntil the time of day when maximum thermal strength had developed, whereas OD this flight I clearly had to get away as early as possible. I therefore estimated two hours, and in the event was right to within five minutes. I took offat 10.40, and got away at 12.10. At 2.10 p.m. my wife phoned "BQston, and in effect asked them to go out and examine the sky with great care, as there was a sail­ plane circling overhead between 2,000 and 4,000 feet. There was no need in this case to ask them to fire me a Verey light, because ··a letter. changed every hour, was being displayed on the airfield. The man came back to the phone a minute later and in a somewhat surprised voice replied that my wife was right.

-130- these ragged clouds, which seemed to be was gently sucked into ,the dirty inside of ased at abotlt 4,000 ft. and to go up quite the doud, and this time by hard work. igh, to 8,000 or 9,000 ft. emerged 25 minutes later at 8,800 ft. Again Whilst still in the clear air I made as much J glimpsed signs of further activity through ight as possible, finding 6-10 ft. re.r sec. the prevailing glocm, this time near Newton, nder the thm bright cumulus to over East of Nottingham. Another long quiet ,()()().ft. The wind had duly dropped, and glide, a slow and sooty ascent, and I was fas perhaps ·10 m.p.h. northerly. As I came over Newton at 6,100' ft. Now the sky nder the high cloud the air became smooth ahead seemed absolutely featureless, but lnd dead. and i.t looked as if I would be stay-over Qn the far side of Nottingham, ucky to make 15 miles on my homeward at likeston, a pOwer station was smoking leg. But over Scredington 1 reached the away, and over it was suspended its own, edge of the first lump of dun cloud, and lone cumulus. 1found gentle lift from 1-3 ft./sec. The area It wa, a memorable glide, high in the grey was large, and I cruised about until ikally air over the centre of Nottingham, signs of I worked up the climb to 5 ft./sec. and the Pennines at ast in the north-west, and \ entered the cloud, which was d.ark and faint signs of sun in the far west at last, but flabby, but alive. too far away to be likely to get me ht)flJ(!_ A long period of circling and man­ In any case it was gettipgJate, after 17.00 oeuvring blind brought me to 7,700 ft., hrs., and tbe surreptitious cumulus tinder when I set a compass course of 260,0 and the upper cloud-sheet could hMdly go on emerged S.E. of Cranwell. Still no sign of lifting for long. life on my direct home""ard course, but But the Ilkeston power-station one did, dimly seen was another cloud-mass some­ and in it I climbed agair, to 5,600 ft. From where near Grantham. r set sail at this 1 worked on my home course under a minimum sinking speed, and smoothly and last-ditch patch for another mile or so, then quietly covered the intervening distance. there seemed nothing for it but a straight Once again, over Grantham aerodrome, I glide as far home as possible. Still 25 miles to go, but perhaps the hills round Matlock would provide some unexpected lift.-

NATlON"~ CONTESrs 19S0;~ But they didn't. Gent!) but firmly the P. A. WILLS IN M wn_I £'- ground came up to meet me; I passed Qver BRAOW£l.l- liOG[· BoSTON-&AK£WEll. Matlock at perhaps 1,750 ft., and flew UP' 29TH JULY . the valley towards home. Bradwell Edge 3000M. was in sight, but in itself is 1,300 ft. high, so was quite out of reach. I followed the railway round to Bakewell. On the out­ z 2000M. sk.irts was a large showgrOl,md, with a ring --+-\,,-----2- in the middle bordered by an oval white ~ fence. I intended to land alongside the ring, but at the last' minute saw that this ground was covered with woode stakes, so ehanged my plan and landed in the a5.T. u ..t ,,, ..,. Z 13HRS. hi...... 1.(\ bulls-eye, at 18.10 hrs. r had been airborne o ~ ~--~----"'----""'-- n hours, but so interested that only when I m21:L..~__~ ..z"~'~3~"~ET got out did 1 realise that I might have to cat ~ st3nding fOl quite a few da}s. tJ z o The entire population of Bakewell tore up, intent it seemed on tearing the machine -in a po:rfectIy friendly way-to pieces_ I fought a desperate but sllccessful battle to preserve it until help arrived from BradwelJ Edge, only four miles away. The tOlal straight-line distance was therefore 73 miles out in 2 hours, and 69 miles homeward in o IS HRS. '6 17 o 4 hours.

_131- Retrieves-Various by K. E. Machin

ow I don't want you to get the to meet us. We asked where the prer.~1t N impression from what follows that was, to be told: "Well, the wings and tai everyone of OUI Club retrieves is a plane are here, but the fuselage is about shambles. On the contrary, over 5 % of mile away!" Apparently he had been tol them go according to plan. Still, it's the that there was an aerodrome "just up tl1 flying that really matters, and if every road," and had decided to get an aero-tow retrieve went off without incident. we retrieve. After trundling the fuselage along I should lose half the fun of gliding, and we the road for about an hour, this project was should never have the chance to tell those abandoned. It turned out later that if we wonderful and complicated stories which had gone round the other quarter of the usually start off: "Do you remember the aerodrome aforementioned, we should have time th~~ John took the telephone message, found the Prefect fuselage. What our and ... reactions would have been then have Of course, on the most chaotic retrieve formed the subject of much speculation of them all, John swears to this day that it since. was the telephone girl at the aerodrome Of course. pilOts haven't always been who succeeded in getting into the message found standing by their aircraft regardless. the names of two places, ~en miles apart. On one occasion, the silk-dressing-gowned Anyhow, there we were at one of them, at figure who leaned out ofa bedroom window midnight (why is it that we always seem to to answer our request for directions turned reach the landing place at midnight, regard­ out to be the pilot. Unfortunately, he was less of the time we set out?), rushing madly unable to help, as he had forgotten where round the aerodrome, or, to be more he had left the aircraft. Chris, on the other accurate, three-quart<:rs of the way round hand, was found having tea with the head­ the aerodrome, looking for the Prefect. mistress of the girls' school, in whose cricket We didn't find it. field he had landed. The sight of the The time was now ripe for the retriever's Olympia wings being carried by an last hope-the police. It was a good hour enormous crocodile of small girls, and the before we found a phone box, and, being three cheers for the pilot given by the miles from anywhere. there was no light assembled school, will always be remem­ in it. Laurie delved into the bowels of the bered by Chris. That is, he will never be Fordson and produced The Wandering allowed to forget them ... Lead, which was plugged in and run across Tools, or the lack of, have always played to the phone box. This later proved to be a a great part in Club retrieves. There was, for mistake, as ever afterwards that night we example, the night when th~ usual gliding had to push the FOTdson to start it. The Club short cut led to a firmly padlocked constable was a bit baffled at first, asking all level crossing. After much consideration, the usual questions-"How big is it?"­ it was decided that since a train had just "How did it get here?"-"Oh, is there a gone through, there wouldn't be another man in it?", but he obviously got the idea for a long time. Laurie, of course, was 'fery quickly, as he finished up with the carrying the enormous tool box that never most succinct comment on gliding we have leaves his side, ancl in no time brought out yet heard-"Well, if you don't mind me his level-crossing-gate-opening tool and saying so, sir, it's a bloody funny way of coped with the job. Incidentally, the theory carrying on!" about the trains was wrong. . While going to meet the bobby, the David (not the same one, ofcourse; there inevitable happened, and we took the wrong are six in the Club!), on the other hand, turning. It was perhaps as well, because wasn't so far-sighted. He rushed into Nina's half way up the road to somewhere entirely one night to gather a party to fetch the different, a very tired and incredibly Kranich. Somebody who mildly suggested cheesed Pip staggered out of a bus shelter that this retrieve, at any rate, might be

-132- organiscd, was told in a very firm tone: course, for the tow-bar ,coming adr~ft ... "This retrieve is organised. I've got it all iust like the time the trailer broke loose, under contro!." Three hours later, after 'went between an A.A. man and his box, turning right instead of left near the end of and finished up in the cemetery ... the jOllmey, we fQtJl\d the aircraft. The It's strange now few people understand same somebody said "Er-David·-the the w.ays of gliding clubs. There was the

N Sunday morning, 28th May, 1950. clouds could be seen. The altimeter reeled O. with a W.N.W. 30 m.p.h. surface wind. off a few more thousand feet, with the lift I was towed up to the bungy-Iauoching still steady at 5 ft./sec., till we were level sLope on BradweU Edge. Gerry Smith and with the c1ol,ld top at 5,000 ft. We could George Thompson were already flying at then see that our cloud-gap was but one of about 1,500 et. in a sky-full of strat

-134- to be what he wanted-then it dawned on from 8,000 ft. to nearly 9,000 ft. about me that he was jabbing a forefinger down­ 2! hrs. after take-off. wind. Either he'd found better lift or else he was wanting company on a cross­ This was the last useful wave contacted; country, I decided; so, doing a l80-degree two patches of no-sink were met on a long turn. I followed him downwind through glide down to about 3,500 ft., somewhere strong sink. Gerry decided to try the Rear Leicester, I think. The sink during upwind wave, and succeeded in reaching it, this glide was above normal (about 4 to rising to nt,:arly 11,000 ft. above Camphill. 5 ft./sec.), and the strato-cu. had thinned out until only solitary lumps of dissipate~ looking cu. were left, with a 3,OOO-ft. cloud The time was now about H hours after base. It was then that I noticed the cloud take-off. Flying at 40 m.p.h., with a 50 shadows showing a light westerly wind, so m.p.h. tailwind, it was not long before I altered course downwind. The thermals George and I were over the next cloud-gap, enabled the glide to be stretched out but no and, turning round into wind, were rising more. In fact, after half-an-hour's hard at a steady 3 ft./sec. This wave seemed to be wmk, I had just managed to hold cloud­ in the region of Bakewell, but we are not base. I was then reduced to circling in quite sure. It took us from 9,000 to Il,OOOft. reduced sink obtained from Desborough (George was higher-I 1,500 ft.) and then aerodrome hangars at 1,000 ft. on the petered out, leaving us in a temperature of altimeter (2,000 ft. above the ground). 12 degrees of frost. Here George, who was This brought me within striking distance of not warmly clad, decided that he was too Kettering, which obstinately refused to cold to continue, and succeeded in making oblige with anything but slight turbulence. Camphill in a long upwind dive. Luckily, A landing was made on Glebe Playing I was muffled to the eyebrows and still fields at 15.35 hrs. An hQur later the sky Feasonably warm, so, turning south, I was practically clear. high-tailed it for the next wave-going through a patch of no-sink on the way. The approach must have looked a little dicey, because one of the first offers of assistance (of which there were many) came Arriving at 8,500 ft., I managed to scrape from a lady who said "Excuse me, but can 500 ft. of climb out of it before reaching I help you? I am the local midwife!" She no-sink (or did I drift out of it?) Off on a then went on to explain that the reason for south course again-not realising at that this generous ,offer was that she was the time that the wind would be backing only person on the local estate whose house towards the west as [ descended-to find was equipped with a 'phone. another one over Derby, which took me Lessons learnt:-To watch wind djrection 28 T M ~ AY 1950: R. O. ROPER IN GULL I and speed very carefully. Quite considerable changes can take place, which can quickly CR ass· COUNTPV FLlCHT IN 'STANOING W,aN£S put you in the Wrong Spot. If the lift is c .... MPHrll- KE'!'fERIN<; 77 IwlllES lost in strong winds, it is a Bad Thing to T£?i-IICAAM BASED ON COPY OF circle, because one circle can land you half MAOGRAPH COCkPIT TH:ERUOt«TER RECORD a mile downwind, and if this is stilt the R£40II'tGS OURJNG ASCENT Wrong Spot, it takes a long time to battle up-wind again through strong sink. When

HEt(;HT SC.Al..t: VERTiCAL travelling downwind to the next wave, start 000;-,---, a turn into wind before the green ball rises and let the wind drift you into the wave during the turn. If several aircr:aft are flying in the same wave, it seems to be good practice to keep apart; it gives everyone a better idea of the "lie" of the wave and it will not be so likely that all the machines wilt lose contact with the lift simultaneously -hence an advantage in doillg a cross- country in pairs. .

-135- Lessons of the 1950 Contests

N the only noo-flyiqg day at this year's compulsory task flying in the year between .O National Contests, 28th July, the the Internationals, with "jamboree" flying opportunity was tak

-136- International Contest at Orebro

HE British team at the International Lorne Welch, with the Surrey Qub's T Contest held at Orebro, Sweden, from Weihe sailplane. Ground crew, John 3rd to 16th July, had a most interesting, Sowery. Ron Macfie, and Peter Helson. instructive and enjoyable experience; and FIt. Lt. R. C. Forbes, with Weihe sail­ ifthey did not do so well as had been hoped, plane. Ground crew, Flt. Lt. Sid Emberley this must be attributed in the first place to and Sgt. E. W. Basham. the exceedingly high standard set up by FIg. Off. P. G. Mallett, with Gull IV many of the pilots of the competing sailplane lent by Mr. Charles Ryle. Ground countries. H is noteworthy that the scores crew, Capt. Edward Twiss, Sgt. Douglas of the competitors were much closer Campion and Leslie A. Lansdown. together than at the 1948 meeting in Tt is impossible to cover both the Inter­ Switzerland, and in consequence there were national and the National Contests in one some spectacular changes of position, such issue of GLIDING, but we have been as the pilot who headed the list on the first promised a report by one of the Swedish day and dropped to 14th place on the meteorological staff who spent much of his second. time assiduously collecting information Everything was exceedingly well from the pilots, so we hope to be able to deal organised by our Swedish hosts, and the with this aspect of the flying in a later issue. aero-towed launches, in particular, went like For the present, we give below a table of the clockwork at a rapid rate on each com­ final placings. petition morning. Mrs. Ann Douglas was team captain, and the team was made u" as follows: Final Placings Senior pilot, Philip Wills, C.B.E., with Weihe sailplane. Ground crew, Mrs. Wills, Order Pilot COlllltry Points Mike Smedley and Lt. Cmdr. Nick Good­ I Nilsson Sweden 867.536 hart.. 2 MacCready U.S.A. 847.791 3 Borisek Yugoslavia 777.504 4 Arbaiter Yugoslavia 755.047 5 Magi\ll~son Sweden 744.450 6 Persson Sweden 729.780 7 Lof Sweden 714.206 8 Gehriger Switzerland 712.934 9 Fonteilles France 704.659 10 Lambert France 660.38\ II Temmes Finland· 655.345 12 Comte U.S.A. 647.142 13 Aim Sweden 640.602 14 Haltiala Finland 637.339 15 Forbes Great Britain 630.376 16 Jensen Denmark 622.498 17 Malotaux Holland 605.711 18 Rasmussen Denmark 598.327 .19 Maurer Switzerland 595.058 20 Ruckstuhl Switzerland 585.891 21 Lasch South Africa 570,598 22 Legler Switzerland 558.289 23 Schachenmann Switzerbnd 554.384 24 Welch Gr<:~1t Britain 533.627 25 Mallett Great Britain 519.144 26 Kleyn Holland 484.239 27 Wills Great Britain 482.229 28 Lepanse France 466.467 ailly Nilsson, the winner. 29 Haydn Norway 234.251

-137- Exploiting the Cuniu1 for Speed and Height by Flighr Liellrenanr A. W. Bedford, A.F.e.

ISUAI;-ISING the possibilities 0'£ a suitably a consistent red ball registering 10 ft./sec. V eqUipped sailplane I' dIscussed a down. J found this rather disconcerting proposed plan with Commander Wilson, because, although I knew our tug was our C.T.FJ., who, full of 'enthusiasm, rather teased out, r didn't think it was quite persuaded the powers that be to agree to that bad. the installation of oxygen and an electric Two miles S.E. of Odiham I released artificial horizon in one of our Olympias. from the tug and spent several minutes in However on completion of the job it was vain trying to remedy the variometer by found that the maximum permitted all-up "beating" the instrument panel and weight was exceeded by 181bs. Tt then squee;zing odd tubes behind the instrument, became increasingly difficult to get anyone but all this was of no avail. to give their signature to clear the sailplane Now, at 3,000 ft., I set course for a large for flight., although all agreed that the effect build-up of cumulus cloud. At 11.50 hrs., from a structural point of view would be arriving under this cloud at 2,000 ft., I negligible. That meant the removal of the immediately struck really powerful lift, ,oxygen bottle pending official clearance. which so shook the green ball of the By now I was itching to make full use of variometer that it jumped up to 10ft./sec., the new equipment since, with the artificial and from that moment on it never looked hOIizon, the loss of the airspeed indicator back. r switched on the artificial horizon through icing was no longer important. I and, with the invef'er whining like a young would like to say now that, although a keen jet engine, I entered cloud at 2,500 ft. and supporter of instrument-flying on a limited settled down into a steady left hand turn at panel, I feel it's going a wee bit too far to 45 m.p.h. l.A.S. The Olympia rode the have to be content with noise as the only gusts quite effor:lessly and altitude was indicator in pitch, should the A.S.l. fail. quite easy to maintain, regardless of air­ This technique may be satisfactory to those speed fluctuations. The cloud became versed in this art, but if one is going to get darker at 3,000 ft. and torrential rain, a maximum out ofthe sailplane without too sounding like hail on a corrugated iron much sweat and blood, then the artificial roof, tumbled down. Water poured in a horizon appears to provide the best solution. steady stream through the joint at the On Thursday, 24th August, 1950, the canopy and the fuselage, soaking my weather forecast gave winds from S.S.W. at trousers and shoes to the skin. all heights, varying in speed from 25 kno~s at 2,000 ft. to 45 knots at 20,000 ft.; cloud 3/8 to 5/8, cumulus and cumulonimbus, copy OF BAAOGRAPH 21,33B FT RECORD building up to 30,000 ft. One look at the sky 20,000 confirmed the situation, and without delay FL1: Lt: A. w. BEDFORD I prepared for flight with sealed barographs, 2.,. AUGUST 1950 FARNBOROUGH maps, chocolate, gloves, etc. Since con­ -ORtFFIELO 193 lolL 15,000 ditions were ideal for a long, fast Rjght north, I named Wombleton (about 25 miles north of York) as my goal, a distance of approximately 230 statute miles. FIt. Lt. Blackett kindly towed me off in the Auster from Farnborough at I I.10 hrs. o We climbed to 4,000 ft. in disappointingly calm. conditions, so much so that the variometer from the moment of take-off :'Ihowed its extreme displeasure by recording

-138- FIt. Lt. A. W. Bedford, whose fljght broke tbe Britisb and U.K. records for absolute altitude and gain of height.

At 3,500 ft. I came out through the side I was thoroughly enjoying this unique of the cloud, but turning on a reciprocal experience of absorbing so much usefuI course I headed for the mo~t likely looking energy from the elements, when a sharp area in the middle. I was not disappointed bombardment of hail made me snap out of and lift at 15 fr./sec. rocketed me up to it and face the fact that the oxygen bottle 8,000 ft., at which height I first noticed a was on the ground some 14,000 ft. below. rapid ice build-up on the canopy. A peep With this well to the fote in my mind, and through the clear vision panel revealed th.at taking every precaution to check up on my the wings were plastered with ice roughly reactions. T steadily left 15,000 ft. beneath I inch thick, falling back and thinning Qut me, praying that the barograph was still to a distance approximately 6 ins. aft of the working. leading.edge. At this stage I kept operating Nestling down in the seat,I suddenly felt the spoilers and moving the controls to the pricking of static electricity jumping prevent their obstruction by ice. The from the locking pin of the Sulton harness handling characteristics appeared to be qu.ite unaffected by ice, and as fa r as to my neck and from the inverter to my performance went the overall lift was so backside. Thus spurted on, I saw the !=,owerful that the effect on the rate ofclimb British altitude record in sight and, making was negligible. some rather haywire calculations, I decided Oddly enough the A.S.l. did not freeze to err on the right side and go straight up to up until 12,000 ft., when the needle 20,000 ft. The green ball was now stuck flickered and gave a last dying gasp and hard at the top of the tube, and the alti­ then remained motionless and useless. meter was winding up at a remarkable rate, Prom time to time it was necessary to and what with a busy session of instrument make small corrections to the orbiting flying in turbulent cloud, and 110 oxygen, circle to remain in the maximum lift area. the whole situation seemed to me like a However, at 13,500 ft. I temporarily lost the sailplane pilot's nightmare. lift, but it took only a minute or SO to get At 20,000 ft. I realised tlmt it would be back into the best area. foolish to carry on more, but. being foolish -139- ELLIOTTSOFNEWBURYLTD J ALBER TWO RKS• NEW BU RV • B E RK S .Manufacturers {; fJ)istrihutors of ~

OLYMPIA EoN 0 BA BY HIGH PERFORMANCE SAILPLANE INTERMEDI .---- 17 } '. I I H •I ~-;. -/~ -t~-/ } , ..", " - 1- + -H- -1-1-

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--I-l- -- - =\=\=.- ~\- 1-+-\' -\--\- --\- - - -\----\-\- -\=\=-\: =~t -\._-~ ---\ ~ ~. BRITISH NATIONAL t, U-K LOCAL ABSOLUTE ALTITUDE RECOQDS 21.340 FT. A'S-L BRITISH NATIONAL [, U·K LOCAL GAIN OF HEIGHT RECORDS £ 19.120 FT. GAINED ~

_GOLD BA.DGE WITH DIAMOND. 193 MILES IN 230 MINS C\Ve extend to Flt.lJ '1\WBed(ord 1\FC our congratulations on his performance in a standard "OlYmpia Pon "sailplane on 1\ugust 24 th 1950. I stuck it out to 21,500 ft. indicated on the clouds I soon found excellent lift to 8,500 ft. altimeter. At 15.00 hrs. I broke cloud at 6,000 ft. and Assuming by !Jow that I had run off the was surprised to find that I had already barograph scale and also experiencing mild crossed the Humber and was over Hull anoxia, I threw away this dynamic source of city. lift, reluctantly extended !be dive brakes and The conditions ahead looked rather dead, let down on a northerly heading to 16,000 ft. with considerable amounts. of alto-stratus At this height I retracted the spoilers and covering the sky. At this stage I flew back flew at an estimated 60 m.p.h. (I.A.S.) still south to mark time .in the large mass of in cloud, heading, I hoped, roughly down­ cloud [ had just left, hoping that the wind. formation would take me towards my goal, On this course I progressively lost height but unfortunately instability faded out down to 7,000 ft., and feeling somewhat north ofthe Humber. exuberant I celebrated the situation by Perusing my map. I noticed Driffield consuming my chocolate ration. marked just outside "Gold C" distance. I Availing myself ofmore lift Tnipped up to cruised at an I.A.S. of40 m.p.h. just waiting 10,000 ft., and again flew north. After for lift. This, however, was not forthcoming being continuously in cloud for I hr. and I arrived at Driffield with 3,500 ft. to 30 mins., I broke clear at 4,000 ft. and saw spare, and. after waiting 15 minutes before an aerodrome some ten miles ahead. I landing, in the hope that conditions would did not know my position, but, feeling Quite improve, I finally touched down at 15.25 hrs. happy and confident that I was roughly on The distance covered was 193 miles, in track, I overcame the necessity of a navi­ 3 hrs. 50 mins. giving an average speed of gational problem by entering a convenient 50} miles per hour. Three hours of the large cunim on my port. The green ball was journey were spent in cloud, thus reducing soon away at 15 ft.fsec. and at 11,000 ft. I the necessity for serious map-reading. levelled out and flew on north at 60 m.p.h. (LA.S.). COMMENTS. Reaching 4,000 ft. in cloud, more lift Cumulo-nimbus clouds are the glider took me to 6,000 ft. and ten minutes later pilot's friend, provided the latter is prepared I saw Waddington aerodrome 4,000 ft. to co.operate. To approach the cunim beneath me. problem full of apprehension with visions Towering masses of cumulus and cunim of structural failures, lightning, bail, icing were there to welcome me, and without 0 and so on, is just asking for trouble, as is, further ado I headed on 330 for a promising ofcourse, the "couldn't care less" attitude. source oflift. One could not go wrong, and I feel that, provided one adopts a sensible with similar characteri9tics to the previous. approach to the subject, and uses a com­ pletely relaxed instrument-flying technique, backed by some serious. cloud-flying practice, then the battle is half over. There are still one or two obvious requirements which deserve comment. (a) Instrume'nts: in addition to the normal sailplane instruments, one should have either an artificial horizon, or an efficient de·icer for the pilot system, to ensure operation of the A.S.1. under all conditions. (b) That the pilot i9 in reasonable I.F. practice and can recover from any unusual attitude. This latter precaution is useful more for a confidence boost than anything else. (c) That the pilot appreciates the con­ ditions likely to be encountered in such clouds" and accordingly flies maintaining attitude rather than a constant airspeed.

-142- This is where the ,artificial horizon is in­ could undoubtedly provide invaluable valuable. A goo~ pitot de-icer would, information in connection with met. re­ however, do as a substitute, provided the search. This machine, stressed as it is ~o a airspeed was allowed to fluctuate about a design ultimate factor of plus or minus 9+ g mean. at a pull-out from maximum diving speed (d) Oxygen is essential for any serious of 130 m.p.h., wouLd be ideal in many flying above 15,000 ft. if one is to get the respects for cunim investigation, covering best distance out of the available altitude. ice formation, gust acceleration and the The 7,50() ft. I threw away, with spoilers behaviour ofstru<;tufes. out, might have just made my goal possible. In addition, in these days of an AIl­ (e) The barograph charts should have Weather Air Force, the glider presents an been smoked. A spare barograph would excellent opportunity for pilots to obtain an hav\: been well worth while. interesting intimate €ontact with the Having experienced such a flight, one weather, and also to supply one aspect of feels that. properly instrumentated, the instrument flight attractively and econom­ sailplane (particularly tne dual version) ically. KronfieId Memorial Trophies "- OBERT Kronfeld, the pioneer of distance wouid be an extremely valuable acquisi.tion R. and altitude soaring, lost his life while to the British gliding movement. He carrying out his duties as ,a test pilot on mentioned that one reason Fit. Lt. Bedford 12th February, 1948. A fund was started to broke off his climb, when putting up' ,the provide a memorial in a form which would recent altitude record, was that he had only give practical encouragement to the advance­ a 6,ooo-metre barograph. ment of soaring flight, and on 8th The barographs cost about £47 each, and September, at Londonderry House, a a sum of £227 13s. 6d. pad been collected. simple ceremony was held at which Mr. The following is a list of the subscribers. Lawrence A. Wingfidd, who organised the £ s. d. appeal, made the presentation to the General Aircraft Ltd. J05 0 0 British Gliding Association. Guild of Air Pilots .. 5 5 0 Mr. Wingfield gave a brief outline of Oxford Gliding Club 550 Kronfeld's career; he was born in 1904, Philip A Wills 550 learned to glide in 1927, began making J. Laurence Pritchard 220 soaring history in 1928, and came to Lawrence A. Wingfield 10 10 0 England in 1930 to take part in a soaring Anonymous .. 7 6 meeting on the Itford-Firle ridge, from S. Scott Hall .. 550 which he made the first cross-country Slingsby Sailplanes Ltd. 550 soaring f'li'ght in England-50 miles to H. V. Roe 1 1 0 Portsmouth. He settled here permanently Leo. Waiter .. 10 0 in 1934, became naturalised in 1939 (he was R. C. Stafford Allen .. 550 born an Austrian), joined the R.A.F. and "Flight" 10 10 0 took pa:rt in the ea.rIy development of ,.Aeroplane" .• 10 10 0 military gliding at Ringway. He rose to the Elliotts of Newbury 550 ~ank of Squadron Leader in 1943 and was R S. Shenstone 5 5 0 awardeli the Air Force Cross. After ,the Derbyshire & Lancashire war he did some resea~ch in Canada and GlidiRg 5 5 0 was lhenemployed by General Aircraft, Kemsley Flying Trust 10 10 0 especially on the testing of tailless aircraft. Sir H. Lebus .. 5 5 '0 The memorial takes the form offive Swiss F. F. Crocombe 5 5 0 barographs designed for recording altitudes Prof. G. R. T. Hill .. 5 5 0 up to 40,000 feet, and each inscribed: Airspeed Ltd. 5 5 0 "Robert Kronfeld Trophy." They will be Blackbum & General loaned to suitable individuals and clubs. (Development Sect.) 8 8 0 Mr. Philip Wills, on behalfofthe B.G.A., expressed hi$ thanks for this "extra­ £127 13 6 ordinarily' appropriate presentation," which -143- Courses for Dartmouth Cadets

OR two successive years, cadets from Lieut. Commander J. S. Sproule has F the Royal Naval College at Dartmouth organised the instruction, which is by auto­ have been instructed in elementary gliding towing, sta.rting with slides. Las.t year he at R.N.A.S. Culham, Oxfordshire, known was helped by Lieuts. H. M. A. Hayes and as H.M.S. HornbiJl, under the command of F. P. Curry. and this year by Lieut. C. Capt. J. W. Grant, D.S.O., R.N. Drake. The first two courses were held in the We have visited these cou'tses both years, second half of August, 1949. Of the senior and are not surprised to read in Portsmouth cadets at the college, 80 bad volunteered for Naval Gliding Club Journal: "These cadets the 30 places (15 for each week's course). were quite indefatigable, and when the The first group were trained with extreme gliding instructors collapsed exhausted it caution, as any untoward incident would was always necessary to have something have scotched the scheme at the outset; else, such as a tour of the air station. laid con~equentlyonly four pupils were launched on for them!" high enough to get their HA" certificates. Everyone in the second 15, however, got his 'A.' This was at the end of only five days' instruction, interspersed with many other activities. At the outset each cadet was taken up in a Kranich for a taste of thermal soaring. Excitement rose to fever pitch when two Correspondence cadets were being circled in the same thermal. at the same level, each calling out JAMBOREE the var'iometer readings in the hope of heJpirlg his own pilot to outclimb the other. Dear Sir, This, for most of the cadets. was their first J should like to point out that there is experience of becoming airborne. nothing new in Mr. Kaye's suggestion to Solo training was on Eon Primaries lent hold Gliding Jamborees; my own Club has without charge by ElIiotts of Newbury. organised two such meetings since the war The cadets were also taken up in aeroplanes, and they provided quite good fun. If, and in other ways made familiar with the however, there is the demand for this sort working of a Royal Naval air station. of meeting, which Mr. Kaye seems to think, it is rather surprising that nobody has The first party were asked fQr their troubled to organise more of these meetings candid comments at t.he end of the week. and I do not see why on earth the B.G.A They surprised their hosts with an sho~ld be expected to do the j:ob. admission that they would have preferred more time with the gliders and less with the As for the suggestion of a closed shop, aeroplanes. To be in sole charge of an air­ I think this is rather an unfortunate phrase, craft, however humble, evidently gne them as it must be quite dear that there must be a far greater thrill than being passively a limit to the number ofaircraft on any site. flown around by someone else. Mr. Kaye's remark about growing The Flag Officer Air (Home), Vice­ professionalism in the sport, however. is Admiral R. H. Portal, was so pleased with quite a different matter and I am rather the 1949 courses that he arranged for 64 surprised that he has not suggested that tne cadets to be taught gliding at Culh3m this National Competitions should distinguish year. They were taken in four groups of between these two classes. If he would care 16 each, starting on 17th August, and it is of to suggest a definition of a Gliding interest that their ages were from 14 to 16, Professional he will be providing a really rather less than the average A.T:C. gliding usdul contribution. trainee. Elliotts again lent two Primaries. CHARLES ELLlS.

-144- Performance Measurements of ;.l Soaring Bird by August Raspet Engineering Research Station Mississippi State College

- HE history of aviation is intimalely used by the turkey buzzards (Calharles T. connected with the bird flight studies of aura) around Washington, D.e. lot was not early researchers. The mythical flights of until 1932 that thermal soaring was first !cams and Daedalus on wings fashioned of practised by man. Another example is that wax and feathers represent our earliest ofdynamic soaring, the basis for which was thinking about human flight. The flight propounded by Lord Rayleigh when he of Daedalus from Crete to Sicily even stated that soaring flight reQ.uired either a to-day would represent a re\;ord-breaking wind which is not horizontal or which is motorless flight were it an actuality. The not Uniform in velocily. The utilization of influence of da Vinci's studies ofbird flight the latter is, of course, dynamic soaring, is apparent in his design. It is a prone­ which bas not yet been accomplished in a piloted ornithopter with scalloped mono­ controlled experiment .by man. It is hoped plane wing surfaces. As the knowledge of in this paper to snow how bird flight flight accumulated there was an increased research on soaring birds can lead to an effort on the part of those striving lO fly to understanding of dynamic soaring. understand natural flight. In the nineteenth The present study began in 1945 with an century men such as Lilienthal, Marey, experiment in which a bird was trained by Langley and Huffaker made important Mr. Oeorge F. Carter to carry a miniature contributions to the understanding of lhe barograph and recording anemometer. It elements of natural flight. At the beginning was hoped to measure the performance of of the present century two students of the bird as he glided between upcurrents. natural flight. Hankin and Idrac, were able The method would have been subjected to to continue their studies of flight despite errors due to the lack of knowledge on the the disrupting influence of the aeroplane. strength of the downdraughts between the Early efforts in bird flight research were upcurrents. Unfortunately, no data were confined to q close observation of the birds. obta.ined by this method, for the bird died A more refined approach was that of Marey premalurely of an intestinal stoppage. Mr. who developed a time lapse camera wbieh Cartet later offered to trailil a buzzard to could be called the first movie camera. fly in a wind tunnel. By this technique the With this camera he was able to make errors due to downdraughts would not be m~dels of the. bird in a complete cycle of a included in the perfol"'mance measurements. wmg flap. Langley also used a photographic It would also permit a detailed study of!he technique with a stereoscopic pair of wing-tip slots such as land-soaring birds cameras. His studies as well as those of his possess. associate Huffaker were confined to the In 1946 the author accidentally flew with soaring flight. some seaguIls on a ridge. It occurred to him There is no doubt that an understanding that the performance of the birds could be of soaring flight should precede attempts at obtained by a comparison with the sail­ un.derstanding tbe more ,coll)plicated plane's performance. The ,results shown in flapping flight. Soaring enthusiasts might tbis paper were the result of a continuation have profited considerably in their develop­ of the first flight with the seagulls. men t of the art and sciem:e ofsoaring flight For bird flight performance measure­ had they maintained a closer liaison with ments onc requires a very slow-speed sail­ the bird flight students. As an example ofa plane of good or exceptional manoeuvr- POssible contribution ofthis sort one merely needs to read Huffaker's" paper written in 1897 in which he describes fully and .. Hu/faker, E. e., On Soaring Flight, accurately the' method of thermal soaring as Smithsonian Report 1897. -145- IIII I V SP~~D PoL.A.1f OF SA.IL.PLA.N£ '(.6 / FOR V BIRD FI..IGHT RU£A.RCH / ~ :t r+ ,(> V L2-~ / • Cl) ';} / 1.1>' 0( ~ / ~-. loi~ :/ :«a-~~ '\- ../ ~ .....Q'( """• ~'? ~.", .. ..<{ ~ ~.,..~ SA'LPI-ANe; I(I".Y K,~_ ~ GIfOU W£IGIt"T 222 ~tI. WINO I..tMDINfJ 151UClJI"'· rtG.2

. If 8 I" ,It I. I. 18 ZO 22 2~ AIIt~EED' M£.rclf.s/SeCOlt'D AT SEA LEVEl. ability. Unfortunately the treud in modern ofturo and turn radius to agree with that of sailplane design is headed toward fast the bird. Also, during this soaring phase the sailplanes. The sailplane used in the current pilot reports the shape of the bird's wing. studies is an English·built Kirby Kite. Its The buzzards normally have theit wing·tip performance curve or calibration curve as slots open when soaring (gaining altitude). it is used in this work is shown in Fig. 2. After the bird and sailplane have gained A radio antenna is mounted in the nose of sufficient altitude for the bird's immediate the fuselage. Installed on the wind shield is purpose, the bird will strike out on a cross­ a Leica camera with a telephoto lens and a country jaunt, taking a fairly definite special optical viewfinder which p:;:rmits heading. He closes his tip slots and cruises determining the range of the bird. at speeds up to 30 metres per second. Conditions ideal for collecting bird data During this cross-country flight the sailplane are merely those ideal for thermal soaring. pilot may follow as closely as five metres The clew for such measurements consists behind and below the bird. He is thus able of three people, a pilot and two ground to see the bird's control motions, and to assistants. They go to the airport when anticipate manoeuvres and to photograph thermal conditions are good, and tow tbe the wir.g configuration at close range. sailplane to 300 metres with an automobile. During this phase of flight the bird is The pilot begins soaring while the ground usually not aware of the sailplane. How­ observers scan the sky for birds. As soon as ever, if the pilot sp::aks too !o\l

-146- r TII I I TRACKING HISTORY FOR SAIL.PLANf: Vs CORAGYPS et" f..I,2:-~ Q::t -»lolll:

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-147- CORACYPS

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general arrangement of the aircraft under ornithologists. The captured bird technique consideration in this paper. The bird is may be an improvement in this re~peet, commonly called a black buzzard or since the specimen (flight test article) can. be scientifically Coragyl'S atralt's. He is an weighed at take-off and also measured for excellent S03lrer, though not .as goud as the its geometry. turkey buzzard (Catha/us aura). However, inspection of Fig. 5 shows that there are the Coragyps happened to b~ quite plentiful two distinct speed polars for the bird's two in the autumn skies during the time the phases, soaring and gliding. The vertical research was" made. Fortunately, Coragyps velocity curve for the soaring phase appears is also 30% heavier in wing loading than the quite similar to that of conventional sail­ Cathartes. He is therefore easier to track plane.s. However, the gliding phase- curve with the sail'plane used for this research. has a much flatter polar. This is particularly Since the sailpl'ane had a wing loading evident if one views the gliding ratio curves. ne.ady 2.5 times that of Coragyps, he had a 1n sailplane terminology the bird wouid be distinct advantage in manoeuvrability over said to possess a good speed range when the sailplane. Because of this any evasive gliding. tactics of the bird were completely SllI;1CesS­ There 3re a number of other points whi,ch ful. merit emphasjs-the very low minimum In Fig. 5 are shown the measurements sinking speed of the bird in soaring flight obtained by means of the sailplane tracking and the very low speed at which he can fl,y. a numbet ofdifferent black buaard~. There If one computes the power required for the may have been variations between one bird bird to sustain level flight at a speed of] 3.8 and the next but in these results the data metres per second cn~ finds the" phenomer.­ are treated as· a statistical average ally low value of ().019 horsepower for a representation of the birel's aerodynamics. bird weighing 2.3 kilograms. This value The wing loading and aspect ratio shown corresponds to a power loading of 122 are also averages obtained by numerous kilograms per horsepower. The lowest

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FIG. 5 4- • III I~ If- I~ 18 2.0 1.2 2+ soaring speed, 8.5 metres per second, was his parasite drag. Actual measurements of determined by timing the bird around a the induced drag and consequently the complete circle and measuring the diameter effective aspect ratio can best be done at of the circle in terms ,of the known wing lift coefficients much higher than those span of the bird. The lift coefficient ,at this measured here. There is still left to be speed is 1.57, a relatively large value investigated the region 0.7 <: CL <: ) .57. On con~dering the Reynold's number at which the drag polar Fig. 6 this represents a region this lift ~urs, namely 140,000. three times more extensive than that shown, If the same data shown in Fig. 5 are For this purpose a specially designed low plotted in terms of the non-dimensional speed sailplane is required, one which can coefficients of lift and drag, there results soar at 8.5 metres per secortd and has a wing the so-called drag polar Fig. 6. In this polar loading ofnot over 7.0 kilograms per square the lift coefficient is plotted as the square metre. This low wing-loading would also so that th:: drag polar, normally a parabola, insure good manoeuvrability provided the is linearized. 'The reason for the bird's controls were' properly designed for low closing his tip feathers for gliding flight is speed operation. immediately apparent from this plot. He With such a research sailplane it will be does this to leduce his drag. With slots possible to accurately inve~tigate the flight open he could not attain a lower drag of birds near their stalling lift coefficient. coefficient than 0.019, but with the slots Some preliminary results obtained by extra­ closed he can reach a minimum of 0.0058 polation indicate that the Cathartes can in drag coefficient. It is also clear that the utilize his wing tips as diffusors so as to dosing of the tip slots reduces the effective attain an effective aspect ratio greater than aspect ratio. At high speeds (Iow lift his geometric. This means, in ,essence, that coefficients) the bird already has a ver) low this bird may be controlling tooflow beyond mduced drag and strives rather to reduo: his wing tips or that he is extracting some

-149- energy f!"Om the wing tip vortex. The does this can only be suspected. Victor 'CIelilileation ofthis effect .awaits the very low Lough!:Cd cl.aimed that bird's feathers .speed measurements. The very fact that possess an asymmetrical porosity according the Coragyps is able even at cOfnpara,jve!y to the direction of flow. He stated that a low lij;t coefficients to control ,his effective measmement shows the ratio of porosities aspect ratio is evideACe that there should be to be 10: I. If this is 'true then we must expected even larger effects at the high suspect the birds of having priority on coefficients. suction through a porous surface as a Th:: very low minimum drag coefficient boundary layer control means. 0.0058 becomes all the more interesting This paper is intended to show how when one compares this with that obtained powerful a research tool the sail,plane by some of the cleanest modern aircraft. becomes when applied to bird night studies. The lowest measured drag coefficient which The results reported, while precise as has been published is that of the Lippisch measurements to plus or minus '5 %, may designed ME 163 which was 0.010. To not be truly representative of the static exphilil the I'aradoxieally low drag of the aerodynamics of the bird. He may after all Coraro- ps the drag coefficient based Olil total be extracting energy from the atmospheric wetted area was computed and found to be turbulence. If it is found by measurements 0.0020. The Reynolds number of the in still air that a good portion of the energy highest measured speed of this bird i'; for the bird's flight comes from this source 4.4 x 105 .. At this Reynolds number the then it will have been established that drag coefficient of a flat plate in laminar dynamic soaring is rea11y practised by birds flow is 0.0021. Comparing this value with and that man must learn from them the that of the Coragyp·s leads one to conclude mechanism. that the bird must be able to ,contr,ol the From these measurements on the flow over bis body and wing so that it is Coragyps it was shown that this bird is able laminar over its entire surface. How he to fly with an extremely small expenditure I J)RAG POLAR - CORAOYPS

FiG. 6

.~I ..03 .H .05 -150- of energy. His power leading at minimum energy balance is established by these power required was found to be 122 kilo­ measurements; when the mechanism is grams per horsepower. It has been found better understood, then and only then will by biophysi<:ists that 45 kilograms ofanimal man fly. muscle is able to deliver one horsepower Tt is the author's good fortune to have the for several hours. These two values encouraging support in this work of Or. represent the power required and the power Harold Flinsch, director of the Engineering available. If man coula devise a flying Research Station. To the very skilful bird machine utilizing the fine aerodynamic tracking by Richard H. Johnson, the author principles of a bird, yet weighing together attributes the precision of these measure­ ",ith the powerplant (man) not over 122 ments. The author owes a debt ofgratitude kilograms, and if 45 kilograms of muscle ~o him and to Fred Obarr, who might have could be brought to work, then the dream been soaring had he not volunteered his of da Vinci would become a reality. The help on the ground.

OSTIV Meeting 1950

HE "Organisation Scientifique et out the membership. The scientific and T Technique Internationale de Vol a technical papers read at each conference Voile," which was started two years ago are to be published, and each member­ to take the place of the pre-war ISTUS, country is to contribute annually a biblio­ held its third meeting at Orebro, Sweden, graphy and a copy of every pertinent during the period of the International publication appearing' in that country. A Contest. There ",ere 18 delegates present catalogue of films of value to soaring is to from nine different countries; Beligum, be kept by OSTIV, Any informa.tion IXnmark. France, Holland, Norway. received which concerns safety will be Switzerland, United Kingdom, U.S.A. and distributed without delav. Yugoslavia; also a Swedish observer. The During the period the OSTIV organised delegates met on 3rd, 6th and 8th July, and three evening sessions at which papers were devoted nearly their whole time to working read and discussed and films shown; the out a new constitution, which was deemed competing teams were invited and took necessary as the OSTIV had not been part in the discussions. We publish one of sufficiently active under the old one. the most interesting of these papers in the The Netherlands delegate, L. A. de present issue of GUDING, by kind per­ Lange, took the initiative in this action, and mission of Dr. A. Raspet. and as the texts was unanimously elected President for the of the others become available, we expect next two years. The former President, 10 publish abstracts of them; or possibly, M. Jarlaud, who founded the OSTIV, had in some cases, the whole paper. The sent a message intimating his desire to following lectures were given on 4th and resign, owing to pressure of business. 5th July:- The new constitution proposes that the W. F. Ledermann (Switzerland): OSTIV should be "an independent organis­ Experiences during Instruction Courses in ation. working within the framework of Blind Flying. tQe F.A.I.", instead of a sub-committee of K. E. Ovgard (Sweden): Time­ the F.A.I., which it was previously. A compression Films of Standing Waves and Board ofTrustees is to be elected every two Rotors, years. A. Raspet m.SA.): Performance lbe trustees select a chairman for each of Measurements of a Soaring Bird. the committees, scientific and technicaL Mr. Jocker: Results of Exploration of Dr. Raspet (U.S.A.) and MT. Eichenberger Waves by Soaring Flight. are the present chairmen of these two A. Raspet: T~.e Air Flow over an committees respectively. The function of Extended Ridge. each committee is to foster and co·ordinate W. B. Kiernperer (U.S.A.): Time­ international efforts in their respe:tive compression Film of Standing Waves at spheres, and distribute information through- Bishop, Ca'liforni3.

-15t- CLUB NEWS

Bristol Gliding Club been \Ised to convert a liule-used Cadet, and a Ford V-S Saloon. which is intended UE mainly to poor weather, and partly mainly for cross country retrieves, but 'can D to glider and tug unserviceability, also be used as a reserve auto-tow car. the season ha.s ~n a disappointing one for Up to the en.d of July we had fiown 264 thermal soaring at Lu!sgate. Apart from hours, covered :565 cross-country miles and one Qr two short flights to Filton and made 2,922 launches. Whitchurch the only cross-countries made .I.N.C. so far this year have been G. E. Miller's 40 miles to Gloucester amd D. J. Farrar's out ana return to Wells (35 miles). At the National Contests, however, we had more Cambridge Univenity success; the Club Olympia flown by K. W. Gliding Club Turner and C. Staffurth came in 8th, aM a jxivately entered Olympia 16th. E. A. HE year began well. In February, J. ThompsonandJ. M. Heron completed their _.T Grantham and P. J. Sullivan took the "Silver Cs." In all the two aircnft did 460 Kranich 34 miles to Matching, gaining a cro:.s-country miles during the week. consolation prize in the Kemsley Winter Cross-Country competitions. Successes Several camps have been held at our hill continued into the Spring. Flights in the site at Roundway, where we have been month of April alone include one of 96 flying since the beginning of the year. At miles to Hastings by Sullivan in the Easter 40 hours were flown and at one time Olympia; 88 miles to Canterbury in the five aircraft were on the ridge together. Kranich by T. G. PhiUips and D. D. Visiting machines were P. A. Wills's Weihe Canow; 80 miles from the Long Mynd to and -a Surrey Club Olympia. Another Silverstone by Grantham and D. L. successful camp was held at Whitsun, but Martlew, also in the Kranich. On a single the August camp failed to provide a soaring day three cross.country flights were made: wind. So far we have got three "Silver C" A. L L. Alexander took the Olympia 50 durations and nine "Cs" there. The site miles to Sutton Bridge. Grantham took the has also shown consIderable possibilities Cambridge I 27 miles to Royston and back, for thermal soaring, though our present and G. S. Brown took the Prefect 22 miles field is too short for high win<;h-Iaunches or to Hadstock and. back. aero-tows. The two deserted. farm eottages Then the prangs began: three sailplanes have been -converted into a clubhouse, and in one season, a shameful record. First: a barn serves as ·l hangar. Roads have been Grantham climbed over 14,000 feet from a made and electric l,ight has been installed, motor·towed launch at Bourn to gain the but much: work still remains to be done. first leg of his Gold C, but was blown so Thanks to an intensive advertising far out to sea in the climb that he was campaign, this year's weekly training forced to dit,ch the Olympia about a mile coUrses have been well attended. most ofthe off the -coast near Clacton. Second: W. 100 or so vacancies being filled. Use of the Parr. a pupil pilot on one of his first two-seater has made results less dependent circuits in the Prefect, thought he found lift on the weather and a large number of "A" at 200 feet and splln into a hangar roof. and "B" certificates have been gained. Third: Phillips. at the end of a 73 mile race from Camphill to Bost-on in the National At the beginning of the year a great many Competitions, landed the Kranich in a field man-hours and not a little midnight oil of fully-grown corn with dive-brakes open were expended on overhauling the club's and broke off one wing and the tailplane. seven aircraft. Preseot constructional work These accidents have had a damping effect includes a universal trailer, r;lOW near.Jy on the season's achievements at a rather complete, and a win.ch rebuild. critical time in the Club's history. Recent addition~ to dub equipment have At the eQd of April a Slingsby Sedbergh been a pair of Tutor wings, which have arrived to replac.e the Kadets which we

-152- formerly used for initial training at Bourn. "C's" have to be earned on tbermals on The change from solo to dual training which this site) than our Prefe::t, it is becoming this involves has been combined with a more and more popular. Geoff Brian also change in the site at which the initial demonstrated that its cross-country training takes place. All aircraft have now capabilities a~e not to be sneezed at. The been transferred to Cambridge, since the same pilot, however, became very Un­ Airport authorities have been kind enough popular when, on another occasion recent!}'. {O allow us full facilities for training there. he stooged about in the vicinity for over We are hoping to eliminate the relatively three hours in the same aircraft without large cost of solo training due to the going more than 10 miles from the site. His number of small accidents of inexperienced previous experience of landing at a uclosed pilots who had been thrown up into the air aerodrome" and nearly being ~locked up for for the first time. the week-end in the guardroom must have Meanwhile, as we a"ait the. repair of the dampe(l~d his venturesome spirit. damaged aircraft, we have been making do Mr. W. T. Fisher entered his Olympia with the Cambridge I. IlOW about sixteen in the National Competitions and was ably years old and familiarly known as the Pons. supported by a ground crew from club At a camp at the Long Mynd in June,this members. Another member, Lt. Col. aircraft was flown for three separate five­ N. J. Dickson, D.S.O., represented the hour sorties in a single day. Since then she Army Flying Club at the competitions. has been taken on a 50-mile goal flight to Search is still going on for a suitable Soutbend by R. E. J. fbbotson, and has also permanent hill-soaring site, and the latest borne a number of first soloists. So, efforts are being concentrated on the handicapped as we are, we are not entirely Nympsfield district. crippled. The flying capabilities of glider pilots D.S.B. was admirably demonstrated recently by two members of this gliding club who joined the local j)Qwer-f1ying club, when both were sent solo on powered aircraft Gloucestershire Gliding Club after only It hours dual instruction each. The IWO pilots in question both started their ESPITE the inclement weather and a flying careers with the Club. D certain amount of ham-handedness on the part of one or two of our members, Indian Gliding Association some good soaring has been cJlperienced on our site at Staverton, thermals having been N appreciation of the interest taken by on tap most days when flying has been in I the Communications Ministry of the progress. Membership has not shown the Government of India, the Association bas increase that was hoped for, but old stagers named the first two-seater sailplane have admired the progress made by imported from the U.K. for training youngsters who were but a year ago budding purposes "Kidwai." The second, due to raw reCruits. A new winch, the designing arrive in Bombay later, will be named and building of which has been in the "Khurshid La!." The Association has capable hands of Oave Dennett, is now already named its Olympia sailplane almost ready far christening. In fact, "Jawahar," after the Prime Minister. dur,ing the serious deliberations of a session The first two-seater was successfully test­ of the Committee recently, speech was flown at the Fersinji glider-drome On suddenly made inaudible by the shattering 10th July, by Mr. F. H. Irani, Chief Pilot roar from the V.8 engine from the adjoining InstTuctor of the Association. workshop as some final adjustments were To popularise gliding among the youth being made. Had an exhaust manifold been of the country, the Association proposes fitted the noise might have been bearable, to organise joy-rides for students ofschools .but this is still one of the items needed for and colleges in the State of Bombay at the completing the unit. end of the monsoon this year. The recently acquired Kite I has become The Air Headquarters ofthe Government a great favourite, and owing to the fact that of India proposes to train 59 gliding It has obtained mOle "C" certificates (and instructors shortly.

-153- Ljmon-on-Ouse Gliding Club for more' intensive study of the technique of catching thermals off winch launches, T the beginning of this year 12 Group before full advantage can be taken of the A withdrew its support from the duo and improvement. Another capital outlay is the so the 12 Group Gliding Club ceased to smoothing of two runways, each 12 yards exist and the Linton-on-Ouse Gliding Club wide, to speed up winch launches byallow­ came in its place. About the same time the ing faster retrieve of the cable. Further R.A.F. Gliding and Soaring Association speed-up has been attained by fitt.ing the was created and this club became affiliated Rice winch with two drums, but greatcare to it. is needed to avoid contact between the two We started the year very badly off for cables during the launch. both aircraft and members, and struggled Of the many cross-country flights, only a slowly on to the summer, by which time we few C.an be mentioned here. One of the had flying I Kite, I Tutor, J Cadet, anct­ Kemsley Winter Prizes, that for cross­ bouncing along the ground-I Dagling. country flight from a bunjy launch, was won With these, about 8 ab-in'tio pupils were by Stephenson with a flight to Southend on taught well beyond drcuit stages, and 17th December, 1949. It was in very several power pilots were initiated into the unstable air straight from the Arctic. secrets of gliding and instruction. In moving so fast that he could nQt throw a addition to this several members learned circle without at once burning his boats. how to drive the winch. Another wintry cross-country was 70 miles Before the end of Augu~t, Wing Cdr. to Shoreham by Hiscox, on 12th March. A. J. M. Smyth, Ollr C.P.I. led a sortie to On April 16th, Stephenson, flying from the Sutton Bank with the Tutor. Surrey Cluo, broke the U.K. out-and­ Readet~ who know the Club will realise return record with a flight of 126 miles. how SOl ry we a,re to say goodbye to Wing Among more recen~ flights of note was Cdr. Jacksoll, who is posted away. onc by Lawrence Wrigl1t to Coltisball on 1st August, described in a separate article; it was the longest goal flight yet made from the Club. On the same day Renshaw took London Gliding Club the Grunau to CambTtidge, and next day Peter Riv...rs went there in the Prefect. HE Club started the new year with 279 ;:;mering cloud for the first time in his life T flying members, plus 39 associate and and reachil'\g 8,000 feet. honorary, and a fleet of 12 aircraft. This Jack Rice has come over several times to figure doe~ not include the many privately­ do aero-towing in his Tiger, usually at owned machines which relieve the con­ Luton, but it has also been shown possible gestion on the CLub fleet, and E. J. Furlong's to ae.ro-tow from the Club ground, and T-2IB tWQ-seater, named "Dragonfly," Slazenger has knt his Gemini for this which he has generously loaned to the Club purpose_ We used to do some before the in return for maintenance and help with the W;lr, but it needed an Avro to get over the insurance. The Club's Gull r was soLd to power cables. the RoE. Club early in the year, and was Three instruction courses, open to non­ replaced in the summer by an Olympia, members and lasting 12 days each, have subscribed for by free loan from members. been run, and in June FIt. Lt. Anderson A second Olympia is also available by supervised a course for A.T.e. instructors. arrangement with the .Leicester Club. The during wh:ch four of them made their Gull IV is also kept busy on high­ Silver "C" duration flights. The second performance work and the Prefect and week in August was given over to a meeting Grunau take a share in the cross-country for "Silver C" aspirants. flying. Owing to rising costs of insurance, the The power ,cables crossing the S.W. Club decided this year not to insure its corner, hitherto the most, troublesome snag machines against crashers, but to have on our site, were interred underground last repairs done by the workshop staff and to year at a cost of£I,35.0 raised by loan from tighten up flying discipline. Dan Smith the Kemsley Trust. This has made higher was appointed C.P.!., and in conjunction winch launches possible, but there is a need with the Flying Committee has produced a

-154- manual of Flying Training Policy and seater recently acquired by the President, Organisation. e.·Espin Hardwick, so that pupils and the An analysis has shown that pilots between public are well catered for. Mr. Hardwick's the "B" stage and 10 hours give most Petrel, which selected members may fly, trouble. A new Flying Training Syllabus has been reconditioned by Hawkridge Air­ has been worked out, in which the "c" craft and looks very smart in cre,am with certificate appears only half way through blue lining and a one-piece transparent and even the "Silver C~ comes before the canopy. His old Falcon 11 is also in end, to be followed by blind flying and working order. aerobatics. The Club is now carefully David Ince is once more a regular building up a panel oftwo-seater instrtlctors attendant, having come down from to put this syllabus into operation. Glasgow 10 a job in Birmingham. Teddy A.E.S. Proll, ground engineer and manager, is always available for week-day launches. The road from Church Stretlon is not now Midland Gliding Club fit for cars, which should come up from LYING time this year, up to the end of Asterton village at the foot of the west face, F August, was 962 hours, or riither more or by the more gentle slope from Ratling­ than last year; this figure includes about hope. 100 hours each by Cambridge Club and the A.E.S. Air Training Corps. In addition to providing camps for its members, the club has become a favourite resort for gliding campers from elsewhere. Newcastle Gliding Club Cambridge University Club came from URING 1950 the Club has continued to 18th to 31 st March with four machines, of D operate from the Morpeth aerodrome which the Kranich did a cross-country to near Stannington. Emphasis has again been Silverstone (85 miles), and again in Jlj,ne, On ab inilio training with the two club when the famous "Pons" put in three aircraft, a T-2l'B and a Tutor, using 5-hour flights in one day. A group from 12S.W.G. mild steel wire for auto-launching Surrey Club, with an Olympia, came for with a 49 h.p. Rolls Royce car. the Easter holidays, and Jack Karran Several members have made their t'r;t climbed 3,800 ft. in an unusual standing solos in the Tutor after dual instruction in wave in a southerly wind. the T-21 B and the system has worked well. 'The College of Aeronautics (Cranfield) Hazel Crawford became the first lady kept a Tutor at the Mynd for three weeks in member of the club to obtain both ")\" and July, which some eight of their pilo~s made "B" certificates on 2nd July. Jack good use of; and in the same month a Artderson, the secretary, and Prosper Southdown Club party came for 10 days Wallace obtained our first "thermal C" with one Qf their Tutors, in which J. Hahn certificates at Morpeth on 17th June and made a cross-country of 22 miles. Starting 16th July respectively. 011I 20th August, the A.T.e. is holding five The best thermal flights from the aero­ camps of a week each, keeping several drome during the year have been:-S. e. machines on the site throughout the period O'Grady and Jack Anderson in the two­ for the use ofsuccessive groups. seater, l-l hours, 4,000 feet; J. E. Andcrson Club cross-countries include a 25-mile in Tutor, 32 mins. on 25th July; S. e. circular tour by J. H. Hickling on 16th O'Grady and Lionel Tate in the two-seater April (the day of Stephenson's out-and­ on same date, 35 mins., reaching 2,800 feet return record in the south) and one to West in cloud. Bromwich (45 miles) by J. Bruce Bowdler The Club took part in the National on 29th August. Gliding Competitions this year for the first The club fleet includes two Tutors, one of time since the war. S. e. O'Grady, flying which is now fitted with a belly-hook and the Petrel, won the Firth Vickers Trophy. can be launched nearly twice as high as His best flight was 73 miles to Boston, before; an Eon Baby, Kirby Kite, Olympia reaching 6,500 ft. on the way. Andy and T·2IB two-seater; and the club has Coulson in the Olympia flew 85 miles to the bought a half sha.re in thl: Venture two- coast near Skegness. His research into air

-155~ currents over the sea w.as terminated by the a great deal learned, even by the ab-initios unwelcome attentions of a four~ngined who oould only watch and help. aircraft which forced him down from 4,000 The Club has made a total number of to 2,000 ft.; as a result he only just regained 883 launches this year, compared with 745 the coast, and damaged his machine on launches this time last year. Our a!J.intlio landing. Dr. A. de Redder,. also flying the training is carried out in the Dagling, and Petrel, flew 59 miles to West Halesbury, the united efforts ofour members are giving completing his "Silver c." shape to the Cadet we are building, and A great deal of work has been put in at which we hope will be in operation before Morpeth and at our City headquarters by long. the honoraFy officials and their willing The Club operates each week-end at the helpers. Operations at Morpeth have Airport, Portsmouth, and our annual proved that, providing we can increase the subscription has recently been reduced to attendance of pilot members and thereby £4 4s. Od. (no entrance fee). Secretary's enable the aircraft to pay their insurance address is now:-l, Bury Close, Gosport, and launching expenses from flying fees, we Hants. will grow again. A.P.l. J.E.A, Royai Air Force Gliding Portsmouth Gliding Club & Soaring Association HE highlight of our flying activities of T the past few months was the Summer National Contests Camp,. held again with the Southdown HIS year, for the first time, Royal Air Gliding Club on their site at Friston, T Foree Gliding and Soaring Association Sussex. Valuable gliding €xperience was teams took part in the National Contests, gained during those ten (jays, apart from held at the Derbyshire and Lancashire the enjoyment of happy comradeship Gliding Club, Great Hucklow, from nnd between the two Clubs. to 30th July. Three teams entered: one from The weather was such that we were Bomber Command and one from Mainten­ fortunat'e enough to fly practically every ance Command, each flying an Olympia day and all day, and the c1ifl' 'and thermal kindly lent by Messrs. El1iotts of Newbury, soaring conditions, which we had ordered, and a team from Flying Training Command arrived with an additional surprise packet equipped with the R.A.F.G.S.A. Sedbergh of an "evening thermal" on two occasions from Detling. Flight Lieutenant Archbold, during the week. We took our Club Grunau of the Bomber Command team, was 11th in and the privately owned Kite r, and clocked the final placing of pilots, but otherwise over 24 hours. their performance was indeed modest. On the second day of the camp, Jack However, it should be borne in mind that Willard, Frank Charles, Audrey Johnson, the two R.A.F.G.S.A. piJots who took part Terry Townsend, "Johnny" Pears and Sid in the British team in Sweden were debarred Hillman made their "C" Certificate flights, from taking part in the National Contests. and on the last day Peter Bogue o:btained From this modest beginning it is hoped in his "C" on the cliff face by staying in the succeeding years to enter more and stronger evening thermal for 33 minutes on his first R.A.F.G.S.A. teams who will constitute a flight in a Grunau. Two-seater training real chall€nge to their civilian and naval under the guidance of the Southdown comrades. instructors resulted in June Humphries and Internation3\ Contests Jimmy Colbourne obtaining their"A" and "B" Certificates. (Celebrations are still For the second time, the British Glidin~ going on!) Association this year invited the A few months ago we visited our hill site R.A.F.G.S.A. to provide ('Wo pilots with at Kithurst, with the aircraft towed by our their aircraft and crews for the British team recently acquired 1931 London taxi, and participating in the International Cootests two ofour "C" Pilots had their first soaring in Sweden, held from 3rd to 16th July. The experience of this kind. Conditions were R.A.F.G.S.A.'s two "Gold C' holders, mugh, but good flying time was logged, and Flight Lieutenants R. C. Forbes and P. G.

-t56- MaIleu, were selected, the former flying a House, Kingsway, london, W.C.2. It is Weihe and the latter'a Gull IV. It is gratify­ hoped that all those members of the ing tO,see that the two R.A.F.G.S.A. pilots Association and its affiliated clubs who can acquitted themselves well, and in the final possibly do so wiU attend this meeting, and placings Flight Lieutenant Forbes was 15th thereby lend a hand in putting the out of a total of 29 of the world,'s best R.A.F.G.S.A. in good form ready for next soaring pilots, and gained the highest marks spring. We have made a good start this amongst the British entrants. At the end of year; a number of dubs are already the second da)'s flying, Flight Lieutenant equipped and flying, and, next year, we Forbes w,as lying 4th, but' unfortunately hope to provide more flying for trainees, as soon lost thi., position in the speed flying well as taking part in the 1951 National competitions.. The best performances of Contests. the two R.A.F. pilots in distance and W.H.1. heights were: Flight Lieutenant Forbes, 293 km. and 2040 metres; Flight Lieutenant Royal Naval Gliding & MaIlett, 232 km. and 2370 metres. Taking part in two international competitions ha~ Soaring Association gr~t taught these two pilots a deal about s stated in the first issue of GUDlNG, it contest flying, and the R.A.F.G.S.A. hopes exp~rience A was hoped that the Admiralty would to be able to use their for tmining shortly agree to recognise gliding as an other pilots for future competitions. "attributable sport" and thus put it on the same foot,ing, as regards injury, as any Reorganisation of the R.A.F.G.S.A. other sport. The Admiralty have now When the Royal Air Force Gliding and agreed, and, as ,a result, the activities of the Soaring Associati,on was originally launched Royal Naval Gliding and Soaring Associ­ its aims were twofold.: to provide gliding ation have increased considerably during and soaring facilitie$ at Detling, Kent, and the past five mOnths. to encourage and assist the formation of Since the last report, a new club, the unit clubs throughout the service. However, Condor Gliding Club at Arbroath Naval after the first year's experience, it has Air Station, has joined the Association and become apparent that the site at Detling the other four, at Gosport, Eglinton, is too remote for the majority of our Lossiemouth and Stretton have all been members and, for various other reasons, it actively engaged in circuiting interminably has been decided to attempt a programme in Eon Primaries; though the good offices of founding unit clubs at a much earlier of the Kemsley Flying Trust have been stage in the development of the Association able to obtain a Slingsby T.2IB from which than was originally intended. In order to a marked improvement in flying skill has effect this reorganisation, discussions ale resulted. now taking place as a result of which it is One of the majot' snags in Naval gliding is hop~d th:'It the facilities formerly concen· the lack of properly qualified instructors. It trated at Detling will be spread amongst is for this reason that several other Naval a number ofcentres throughout the country, Air Stations have not also started clubs, and it is thus expected that R.A.F.G.S.A. although primary and intermediate gliders facilities will be more easily available to a are available to them from the Association greater number of members. It is proposed at very modest hire charges. that membership be so arranged that After much discussion the Association members of any unit club can use the decided to enter a team to represent the facilities of any other club on reasonable Navy at the National Competitions. No terms; also, that Associate Membership of team had been entered in 1949, and there the R.A.F.G.S.A. continue as at present, were very few pilots ofany experience from so that those who do not happen to be which to choose the team. stationed near a unit club may use such a In the end the only two pilots available club's facilities On a temporary basis, when who came up to the minimum qualifications o!' leave, for example. These plans are to be laid down for the competitions were the discussed at the First Annual General Lieutenant Commanders Goodbart. Of Meeting to be held at 14.45 hrs. on 20th these, Tony had started gliding in October October, 1950, in Room 269, Adastral 1948, and had only done one cross·country

-157- flight, while Nick, although he had got his trained by the solo method and the general "C" in 1938 at Sutton Bank, had done little standard of flying was considered to be not gliding since and had never done a cross­ so high as was desired. While it was country. realised that a high, performance machine The choice of sailplanes lay between a was neoessary, it was feared that a repetition Mu-13a and a Kranich. As the only towing of the Eon Baby incident may occur. The vehicle that could be produced was Tony decision was therefore made to order a Goodhart's Ford 8, the choice necessarily Slingsby T-ZlB two seater. This meant fell on the Mu-13 and evcn then there were holding over lhe hopes and aspirations of a two hills that, after initial failure, had to. be considerable number of the Club members negotiated in reverse. for another year, but all have co-operated The Mu soon showed that it had a to make maximum use of the existing air­ remarkably low sinking speed, and as some­ craft, despite their limited performance. body was heard, rather unkindly, to remark Much use has been made of auto-towing after the first two days' hill soaring, "The on the runways at Balado, using 0.098 inch Mu is like scum, it always floats on top." diameter solid wire. Tile cost of this wire, In the hope ofspeeding up retrieving, the which is J10 tons per square 'inch tensile Mu had been fitted with "walkie-talkie" strength, is 10s. per 1,000 feet, and the life radio (the fitting consisted of hanging the approximately 250 launches. However, set round the pilot's neck). This worked petrol consumption on our towing vehicle well while soaring the ridges, but the range IS high, and this partly offsets the advantages was insufficient to enable it to be used of this method of launching. effectively on cross-country and it was later No flights worthy of special note have discarded. been made, mainly because of the absence Rather to everybody's surprise, and ofa suitable machine. Despite fine displays certainly to the Naval team's, the Mu of s'tanding waves on week-days, the week­ showed itself capable of very reasonable ends produced nothing better than a few cross-country flights and was finally placed ripples, barely sufficient to support a glider. 2nd in the competitions, winning the du Th,eir presence, however, makes the winter Garde Peach trophy and three of the daily season at Balado as interesting as the prizes. Which all goes to show that you summer, especially as the waves :an be don't have to have been gliding for years reached by winch or auto-tow launch in all and years in order to put up quite a reason­ wind directions from S. through W. to N.E. able showing when competing against the Five seven-day Holiday Gliding Courses real "Pundits"! for ab initios were held during July and August and these have been most success­ Scottish Gliding Umon ful. It is intended to make these a regular ULL development of our soaring site at feature of the Club's programme. F Bishopshill has again been retarded by On the maintenance. side, we have difficulties ofaccess, but Balado Airfield has employed a full-time ground engineer since been most active. In the first eight months January, thus solving many problems. With of 1950, over 3,000 launches were made and the progressive reduction of aircraft main­ 28 "A" and seven "B" certificates gained. tenance facilities in Scotland since the end Bishopshill produced eight "Cs" in this ofthe war, we would have been faced with a period. most difficult transport situation in the When the Eon Baby was crashed and event of damage to gLiders. written off in November, 1949, we were G.H. faced with a considerable problem. The Club machines at this stage were I Dagling, 2 S.G.38's, 2 Cadets and I Tutor-all Short's Gliding Club training types. As a fair percentage of the This Club was officially opened on 1st value of the Baby had been recovered, the June by Mr. E. D. A. Herbert, director of committee had a relatively free choice in Sh,ort Bros. and HlU'land Ltd., who referred the matter of a replacement, provided to the good work done by the original Kemsley Flying Trust assistance could be Short's Gliding Group at Rochester, which obtained. resulted in the' prodwction of the Nimbus, Club pilots had !:reen almost entirely the world's first high-performance low-

-158- A.R.B. and A.l.D. /ns~clio" approval. A.R.D. D(si.qn Appro,·al. I

F. G. MILES LIMITED

AIRCRAFT DESIGNERS Consultants on all aviation matters Glider - towing installations

Redhill Aerodrome, Surrey Tele: Nutfield Ridge 2200

I R VIN BEEN

SUPPLIED TO

Redhill Flying Club; Flyin Cardiff Aeroplane Club. VINf~ IR CHUTES ICKNIELD WAY lETCHWORTH HERTS Aerial view from above Southdown Club's site, sho~'illg Seaford town and ewhaven harbour beyond. wing two-seater sailplane. After the by Johnny Billeness was quickly loaded ceremony the Nimbus was demonstrated with one of our Tutors and. despatched 10 on the aerodrome and Rear-Admiral Firle. Caule were graling on the selected Slattcry, among others, was given a flight. site, a mile 10 the east of Firle Beacon, 650 feet above the Lewes-Eastbourne road. The machine therefore had to be rigged near Sourhdown Gliding CJub the entrance gate and was then dragged up TEADY progress has been maintained this the slope to the highest point, where our S- year at our seaside site. Flying hours C.F.I., Ray Brigden, made the first flight. totalled 350 to the end of August against He attained 1,200 feet above point of 260 for the whole of last year, and the launch, and was followd by those members difference is accounted for by the fact that qualified to attempt a bunjy launch, each our enemy, the east wind, has been largely doing 30-minute flights. absent, and consequently nearly every The next day a very early start was made week-end has been a soaring one. Two­ from Friston with the first Tutor. Dave seater training has been in action since Parsey went off first at 9.45 a.m. and Mareh and is an unquestionable success. succeeded in getting his five-hour duration Recently a "c" certificate was obtained by flight; he was hill-scraping for at least two an ab initio member after nine weeks' hours before being able to settle down to a tuition only, and such progress is by no steady height of 600-700 feet. Meanwhile, means unusual. the trailer had returned to Friston to collect Only this year has the club become strong the second Tutor and more members. enough to justify operating at other sites. Johnny Billeness set the r·eoord for height The long-awaited N.E. wind arrived 6n at 1,400 feet, which was not beaten. 13th May. and the new trailer constructed In July a party of eight members visited

-160- THE COSIM VARIOMETER

The latest in Variomet~r des;gp

Negligible lag

Simple installation

Choice 0" two c~lib,ation.. in both ft.'sec. or metres'sec.

Use.d all ....e.. th~ world

TAKES PRIDE OF PLACE ON ALL SAILPLANE INSTRUMENT PANELS COBB-SLATER INSTRUMENT CO, LTD. RUTLAND STREET MATLOCK

5 L IN G 5 BY SED BERG H (T21B) Two-seater dual trainer with wide reputation for eJ\cellent performance and handling qualities I1 I

A SLJNGSBY SAILPLANE IS THE VERY BEST (It', ..,ntH aU D~er the Glldi", World) Um aeroveleiro SlIngsby e .0 maxlmo expoente --:=;:::7 ~J~~~~~

ten "Slingsby Sc111p1ane" zweefvliegtuig Is het anerbeste 'Ett Slingsby segelplan ar altidbast SLlNGSBY SAILPLANES LTD., KIRBYMOORSroE, YOlKS Designers and Manufacturers of Sailplanes and Gliders the Long Mynd, 40 hours were flown, This year a large number ·of out-and­ including a cross-country flight of 22 miles. rcturn flights have been attempted. This In August our usual joint camp was held at has been encouraged because of the special Friston with our good friends and neigh­ technique required. In addition, people bours the Portsmouth Gliding Club. This appreciate the smaller (or non~xistent) was a great success, with 80 hours and retrieving fees. Another special feature this 13 certificates, including nine "C's." year has been the number of visits to other On 20th August one of the best days' clubs. Quite apart from send.ing four air­ flying ever was seen at the home site. craft to Camphill for the National Com­ Operations commenced at 4.15 a.m., rigging petitions, visits have been made to tbe Long a visiting Olympia. This was launched at Mynd, Staverton, Friston and Dunstable, 5.40 and was soon 1,900 feet above Beachy in some cases more thalli once. In our turn, Head, with the pilot settling down to do his we have welcomed a much larger number of five hours. After breakfast the home visitors than in previous years. machines were launched until there were It four gliders at Beachy Head. The lift fadw is hoped to carry out fairly extensive in the afternoon but a total of 30 hours was investigations into standing waves during logged for the week-,end. the coming winter, particularly in hitherto In a dub that is fully operational but has unexplored areas. no full-time staff, it may be of interest to The figures for the pericd are' mention how the work gets done. In the first place, no attempt is made to conceal Number of launches 4,000 from the new or intending member that he Club aircraft, hours 710 will be expected to work and sometimes Cross-country miles in club air­ work hard for his flying. Then, after a week craft (including Weihe at Inter­ or two. each new member is assigned to a national Competitions) 3,600 working party-aircraft servicing, vehicle These figures do not include numerous maintenance, et;:. Then it is up to the leader flights carried out by private owners, of the party (these leaders must be binders starting from Redhill. as well as technicians) to see th3t he does a reasonable amount ofwork for his flying, Since two-seater training started, the Details of the outstanding flights are:­ primaries have been put aW3Y. leaving the Welch in Weihe. 28th February. 58 miles club with a small but fully utilised fleet of to Birch aerodrome in 3 h. 40 m. (Kemsley T-2IB and two Tutors. It is hoped in due second prize for winter cross-country); time to add a high-efficiency machine, but Welch in Weihe, 12th April, 203 miles to not before there are between fifteen and Brussels (described in last issue OfGUIilINO); twenty members in regular attendance '."he BeCK In Olympia. 11 th June. 113, miles to could be considered suitable to fly it. Lulsgate in 3 h. 50 m.; Kahn in Olympia Fin.ally. in this club, which has grown 2nd July, 141 miles' out-and-return to from almost nothing since 1946, it is Netheravon and back (would have been a considered that the answer to the difficulties record but Karran completed the same that confront British Gliding lies in hard course half an hour earlier); Kendall in work in the clubs, not in the granting of a Weihe, 4th August. 114 miles out-and­ government subsidy. We do not desire to return to Welford and back in 5 h. 10 m. see the Welfare State extended to cover our Also the following by private owners: sport, even though this might mean that Karran in Olympia, 28th February, 68t the taxpayer would pay for our Saturday miles to Boxted (Kemsley first prize for afternoon flying. D.C.S. & K.H.A. winter soaring); Stephenson in Olympia, 16th April, 126 miles out-and-return to Thru.xton and back in 5 h. 8 m. (U.K. Surrey Gliding Club & Local Rfcord); Garnett in Olympia, 11th June. 176 miles to Instow (described in last Imp::rial College Gliding Club issue); Karran in Olympia, 2nd July, 141 HE following is a summary of out miles out-and-relUrn to Netheravon and T activities from Ist January to 31 sr back (V.K. Local Record, to be described August:- in next issue.).

-162- FASTER PROMOTION AND LONG SERVICE CAREERS

~at the NEW HIGHER PAY RATES

~ Rank and pay will depend upon If/( expel'lence and individual abillty THE NEW TRADE STRUCTURE rather than on mere vacancies. recentl.y announced for the Royal AIr Force Ground Trades will The regrouping of over 100 greatly widen the opportunities different Trades into 22 Trade that the Service can offer to Groups will provide increased present and future members. opportunities for advancement, The benefits may be summarised and in most of them thel'e will as follows:- be the opportunity of reaching top I'

A skilled man in any Royal All' ~ All qualified airmen will have the Force Trade will have the added lit opportunity to sign on for long . opportunity to qualify for pro­ service careers up to the age of 55 X motion as a technician in with prospects of pensions up to addition to normal opportuni- £.5 a week. ties. ~ -~ NOW MORE THAN EVER THE R.A.F. 1$ A , .... , TARG£T FOR MEN WITH AN AIM IN UFE ~ Send coupon ,

TO, AIR MINISTRY (O.l.121 VICTORY HOUSE. LONDON. W.C.2 now for more ,

NAME. o _ -".".-. -_. _. -- details I ADDRESS , AGE -' ------_ ....

-163- 00 the jungle drums sound 011 key to raise sufficient funds between us to purchase an intermediate machine from the -.-Are your smoke signals producing Canberra Gliding Club. The machine is Q.8.1. - Has your favourile dicky bird called the "Currawong," whatever that may ?• been serving the dull gen recently- mean, and it appears to have a fairly good performance; it has a fully enclosed cockpit '~~~~::eLMEMBEIRSH and seems to have similar lines to a Grunau IP Baby. The price was £A350 which includes trailer and 2,000 yardS of cable, so r think t;:! B. G. A. it is fairly reasonable. We hope to have it ;s open 10 everyone over from the mainland next week and and keeps you- Shl;Hlld be operating within a fortnight. ---ON THE BEAM "The climate and country here are just I with a regular issue o,f ideal for gliding, and even in mid-winter pukka gen for ,there are many days of strong thermal • 10'6 a year. act,ivity, so it is IDcssible to practice the sport all the year round. There is also a Also available, post hee: very strong standing-wave condition which Basic Syllabus of Glider Tr.aining 316 develops frequently in the centre of the Manual 01 Two·Seater Instruction 51. island and often prevents civil air-liners * from maintaining their allotted altitudes; I * Oral Examination for "C" Certificate 11• hope to have the opportunity of investi­ Log Books, Tephigrams, Barograph gating ,it in the very near future. * "We are hoping to have a strong enough Charls, elc., etc. movement to compete in the next inter­ * BRITISH GLIDING ASSOCIATION national contests, and also in the 1956 Londor.derry Ho., 10, Park Lane. Lond'on Olympics which are to be held in Australia. W,' I would like to extend, on behalf of all gliding enthusiasts in Tasmania, our very best wishes for the future success and development of the British Gliding Move­ WESTERN AIIRWAYS ment." Immediate Capacit.y for overho!!lub & repairs Yorkshire Gliding Club biensi've spares slocks l1eld indudinQ fabric, I)op~ and hint, Plywood, A.G.S. paris. INCE January 1950, the scope of the • Keenest prices. Enquiries welcomed. club's activities has been considerably Over 500 major repaiis and over'haub S completed on all types of Sailplanes & Gliders. extended by the inclusion of the soaring :mr(lediale on sil~ repair service. section of Slingsby's gliding club and by Estil:nales free. private ownership. The Petrel is now in the' joint ownership ofO'Grady, de Redder and WESTON AIRPORT, Wcston·.up",·Moro Pick and the blue Kirby Kite belongs to (Phone WESTOIHVPER.MARE 27001 de Redder, Coulson and others. Primary training has not beg\ln; a suitable aircraft (S.G. 38) was bought, but so far there have been insufficient primary trainees to start Tasmanian Gliding c::1ub the ball rolling. It is considered necessary R. ~..W. Sadez~ywrites to the Brit~sh that there should be enough to start a full M Ghdmg ASSociatIOn from Tasmania: working team in Order to do primary work "I was very disappoin,ted to find on my efficiently and with lasting enthusiasm. arrival here that Tasmania did not po,sess It has not beem possible to add any higher an active gliding club, but J am pleascd to performance machines to the club fleet; in say that the interest was here, and r fact, depletion has been suffered due 10 an managed to fcrm a club in the north of the experienced pilot having written off the Island soon after arriving here. We have Kite Mk. 2. Another misfortune was in the now an active membership of over thirty shape ofextensive damage to the T.21 two­ and have half completed our first machine, seater, which was blown over whilst on the which is a Dagling. We h:lVe also managed ground after a .flight, despite ,the fact that

-164- som~one was sitting in the cockpit at the time. The Kite was on loan, and so far it has not been po~sible to replace it; the two-seater W'lS off service for quite a long time, but has now been repaired, re­ conditioned and looks smarter than ever. In both cases th'l wisdom of adding lhe hi(Th~rcost of full inSurance to the already hi~h cost of flying has been amply demon­ "FAIRWAY" ~t.r4ted: in the first case the owner i~ compensated for the loss, and in the' second, the cost of repair defrayed. At the National Competitions at Great UIter freedom. Hucklow in July, d~ Redd~r at last com­ Pivot sleeves. qualification~. Full zip. pleted his "Silver C" Tn Fitted pockets. August the Cr;;lnwell College Gliding Club visited the site for the whole month. Double texture bringing aircraft and catering arrangements: Winda,k Popuda They report a succes~ful month, and the IhroughoUl. Yorkshire Club is grateful for small improvements around the site and for their In Mens Colours ca~e of club property whilst under their FAWN control. TURF TAN Whilst it has not yet been possible to lay SHERWOOD GREEN on catering faCilities, the amenities of the clubhouse do improve slowly, and it seems hopeful that the day will come again when there is a residtmt steward and engineer. The Annual Genel'al meeting was held following the dose of the last financial year-February 28th-and the accounts revealed 'tnatthe Club is solvent al1ld clear of debt. Norman Sharpe and George Hinchlitfe resigned from th~ Committee, due to demands of other work, and the vacancies were and are filled by Alan Pratt (of the Slingsby Club) and by a fairly recent and mighty keen member, Joe Record. There is now very much more activity about the place than has been seen for some years, and it is good to see new, cheerful and sometimes la.tldably anxious faces sticking out of cockpits awaiting the "all oul." One or two incidents amongst the up-and-coming types had been noticed here

The next issue will include Club and Association news up to 30th November, and WINDAK LIMITED, WOODSIDE we should like to receive it immediately after POYNTON CHESHIRE HI6A that date,-Ed. ON SIITE REPAIR AND MIDLAND GLIDING CLUB LTD. OVERHAUL SERVICE 'he Long Mynd. Shrop.hlre Anti-Prllng PiJls Bank Balance funic Tefephone No. linley 206 Claplrap Cough Cure X R'ays for C. of As'.

Fo, Slrakey S"ilplmre.< call the Glider D,..·/O, Ab initio Irain!ng '0 high-performance soaring Club fleet of Seven, S.ilplanes including: Iwo Dual­ A Collegs of Aeronautical Engineer,ing training ancl Conlrol TW'o~Sealers. Res:dent Ground fngineu wide Aircf.ft Inspection and Overhaul Experience are al your s.ervice Catering and dormitory a"ommoaa'ion D. CAMPBELL .'0 New ,members can be accepted, particulars from the London Gliding Club, Tring Rd., Dunstable Mon. Se'.,- F. G. Bott\,. F.C.A.• 2 Lombord St.

B.G.A. App,oved West, West Bromwich, Staffat

BRISTOL GLIDING CLUB SCOTTISH GLlDIING UNION LTD. Ab initio trainin9 ot Lulsgoto, Bristol. Bol040 Alrfiel4. Milnotl>ort. Klnro55-.hJr.. Hill..Soarlng at Roundway Hm, Dc-yjzes.. Ab-initio training at Salado Airfield MINIMUM 5ub.crlptlon. MAXIMUM Facilili~. H,ll Soaring at iBis.hophill. Kinrou fleet of 7 Aircraft includinO Two-s.eater Fleet of 8 aircraft. including Olympia, Grunau, Tutor. Codet & Sedburgh :Z·Str. Excellent cQ,fering and Oormitory Facilities Summer Holiday Courses of scven d'''Y$ dl.lri!llion ------are held eac~ yur. Beginners and others are ·welcome We cordially invite membe"hip Sub.crlptlon [3·3-0 Entry Fee ('.1·0 Write, BRI5TOL GLIDING CLUB Tel., 81790 Launches 3'... Soarln9 15'· per hour 102 Coombo Lone. Brl.tol. 9 Write fo the Secretary for furl her details

THE SURREY GLIDING CLUB Redhill Aerodrome Derbyshire and Lancashire NUTFIELD RIDGE U41 GLIDING CLUB Ab-initio tmining on T21 b two seater with ex, CAMPHILL perJenced qualified instrUCtors. Five sailplanes GREA1 HUCKLOW for cross-count.)' soaring. Winch Launches, DERBYSHIRE Aero-Towing. Hill Soaring. Weekday Flying. TWO·S'EAUR A8·INlnO INSTRUCTION. Full Residential Facilities. Link Tl1liner. INTERMEDIATE AND HIGH P.ERFORMANCE FLYING. Subscription £6.6.0. p.a. EntranCe£3-3-0' Training Flights z/6 each. DORMITORY AND CANTEEN FACILITIES,. Sailplanes 15/0 per hour. Associate i\kmbers (No entrance) £1.1.0. p.a. Write to tho Sccretary tor details 0' mombership. Nearest Cl/lb to London Delads jrmIJ SecretarJ'

Copies of the first two issues of "Gliding" LONDON GLIDING CLUB arc still available. Dunstable Downs. Bedfordshire The April issue "Gliding in Britain" dealt Telephone Dun.loble 4'9 & 10" with the histories of the .British Gliding (]ubs Offers site of 140 acres and Soar ing ridge and since the war. It is priced at ;/8d. (post free). permanent hangar, club house, workshops, dormy The July issue dealt with the International houses and restaurant. and National Gliding Competitions, and with Club fleel includes 2 dual 2 seaters. 20lympias, Gull IV, Prerl.'Cl, Grunau H, Tutors, CadeLs and the several cross-countrv and cross-channel primaries. flights made earlier in the year. It is priced Launching by two drum winch Link Trainer at 2/8d. (post free). Residtnt instructor and engineers Order direct from the Secretary, British Flying every day except Tuesday Gliding Association, Londonderry House, Entrance ,,£5-5-0.\ Annual subscription £6-6-0 Park Lane, London, W.I.

_-J

Printed for Sailflying Press Limited by Young ~:Iycrs fJ Co.. Ltd. and F. A. elements (Chatham) Lld'. of Harrow and' Chalham