Gliding Gossip and News
Gliding Gossip and News
THE LONDON GLIDING CLUB, after operating from Ivinghoe Beacon, near Tring, Herts, for several months, is now faced with the problem of seeking a fresh site. This is the outcome of their failure to come to a satisfactory agreement with the National Trust, which controls the ground. As a result of this, the Club’s activities are suspended for the time being, but the Committee is making efforts to secure another site nearby.
The ” Prufling ” Match which was run off last month between the Lancashire Club and the L.G.C., provided a good day’s sport and concluded with a win for the home team. The teams were :—London—Mr. Marcus D. Manton, Captain Latimer Needham, Flight-Lieut. Atcherley, 170. Buxton, Colonel The Master of Sempill and Mr. M. L. McCulloch. Lancashire—Messrs. P. Michelson, F. B. Tomkins, B. A. G. Meads, A. Goodfellow and J. C. Weale. The total times achieved were : London Gliding Club.-12 nuns. 52 seconds ; Lancashire Club.-8 minutes 5 2/5 seconds. The flights were not very long, owing to the lack of wind. Big crowds collected to watch the competition, and great interest was shown in the ” Professor ” and the two-seater Poppenhausen, which were piloted by Needham at intervals.
A return match, to be flown at the Lancashire Club’s ground, has been provisionally fixed for the 20th and 21st of this month. Members who wish to accompany the team to Lancashire should write to the Club’s offices at 44a, Dover Street, W.1. not later than Wednesday, 10th September.
THE SAILPLANE CLUB of the T.M.A.C., has been doing very well during the past few weeks, and at the beginning of the month a large number of members had their first experience of handling a glider at Smalldale. Mr. Compton Paterson, one of the oldest aeroplane pilots in the country, who is taking a very keen interest in the Club’s activities, has prepared designs for two machines of the primary soaring type, and it is intended that these shall be built by members, as soon as workshops have been acquired.
THE KILMARNOCK GLIDING CLUB, which is one of the pioneers of gliding in Scotland, is progressing well and membership figures are steadily increasing.
IN CERTAIN QUARTERS gliding is being revived in France. In conjunction with M. Massenet, President of the C.A.U., M. Jean Herbe has recently formed a gliding group under the title of the Pierre-Fisbach. At the present time there are about thirty members and they are using a machine of the” Zogling ” type. During the present month, the club will fly their machine at Vauville, which is some miles from Cherbourg. The Vauville site is ideal for gliding. It may be remembered that some years ago several gliding and light-plane meetings were held there, but of recent years it has been closed down.
IN A SPECIAL showroom display held recently by Parker’s, the motor agents of Bolton, the exhibits included a ” Cloudcraft ” glider, which was loaned by the Bolton and District Light Aeroplane and Gliding Club. The firm also showed a number of model aeroplanes and gliding and soaring craft. A NEW COMPANY has recently been formed under the title of The British Aircraft Co. Mr. Lowe Wilde
is the technical director of the concern, and it is understood that as soon as their works at Maidstone have been installed with the necessary plant, regular production will be started of gliding and soaring machines.
The firm is already listing two types, one of the primary training type, and the other a secondary machine. The former is constructed somewhat on the lines of the ” Zogling ” but has the advantage of being devoid of wire bracing, and has strut-braced wings. The section
of the latter is the Gottingen 532. The span is 32ft. 10ins.
the weight 180 lbs., and it has a gliding angle of 1 in 11. The other machine is of the fuselage type, with the main planes and tail unit braced with wooden struts. It has the following dimensions :—Span 34ft. 10ins., chord 5ft., wing area 170 square ft., overall length 20ft. 6 inches, height 5ft. 6inches. Special attention has been
given to the matter of rapid erection of the wings and empennage, and it is claimed that this can be done in ten minutes. The price of the primary glider is £48, and the secondary training machine £61.
ONE OF THE NEWER CLUBS which has been progressing well during August is the Portsmouth and Southsea Gliding Club. The initial membership numbered over 100 and this figure is steadily growing. The club is fortunate in having been presented with two ” Zoglings,” and also in having the use of the southern slopes of Portsdown Hill. An innovation, which is so far unique as regards gliding clubs, is the provision of a club house for members. Officers of the Club comprise :—Chairman : Councillor J. Webb ; Vice chairman : G. Knight ; hon. secretary : E. Finley Day ; hon. treasurer : J. M. Whitecross ; ground captain :
C. A. Price. The Club’s secretary’s address is :— King’s Terrace, Southsea, to whom all communications in relation to the Club’s activities should be sent. AMONG CLUBS recently formed and in process of formation is one for employees of the London General
Omnibus Co., the Thanet Gliding Club, and the Ilkley & District Gliding Club. Two separate groups have been formed also in the Birmingham area, while Bridlington; Brighton, Matlock and Stockport will shortly be taking to the new sport. A SUITABLE SITE has been found by the Committee of the Herts & Essex Gliding Club, near Bishop’s
Stortford, Hertz, and a considerable number of members have now flown the Club’s machine. Particulars may be obtained from Mr. C. F. Baker, 110, Dunmow Road, Bishop’s Stortford.
UNDER A NEW REGULATION, brought in recently in the U.S.A., gliders and soaring machines constructed after October 1st, 1930, will not be eligible for the necessary certificate of airworthiness, issued by the Minister of Commerce, unless they have been manufactured by approved firms, or built in accordance with specified conditions.
FROM AUSTRALIA we learn that gliding is growing rapidly in popularity, and several groups of enthusiasts have got together to form clubs, particularly in and around Brisbane. The commercial possibilities offered by the sport are not being ignored, and already one firm— Aircraft of Australia Co.—are supplying complete sets of drawings, and fittings for machines to amateur constructors.
A BRITISH-BUILT SAILPLANE was completed some weeks ago by E. D. Abbott, Ltd., the motor-body builders of Farnham. Designed by ‘Mr. T. C. Letcher, it was intended for the RhOn Competitions, but unfortunately arrangements could not be made in time for it to be shipped to Germany. The machine has a big-span cantilever wing and a very finely-streamlined fuselage.
A MEETING was held some little time ago at Bradford, when a sailplane club was formed. The new body is to be affiliated to the B.G.A., and it is hoped that the club will have several machines before very long. The membership is divided into three sections :—Plying members : entry fee, 21 is.; subscription, £1 is. Nonflying members : subscription, 10s. 6d., no entry fee ; and junior members, subscription 5s., no entry fee.
ACCORDING TO A REPORT, Lieut. Hemmer, the German sailplane pilot who set up a record some time ago at the Wasserkuppe by flying his machine for 9 hours 35 minutes, is coming to England during this month in order to make an attempt at a cross-Channel flight.
A GLIDING SECTION has now been formed by the South Essex Aero Club. A ground has been acquired at Havering, and as soon as a machine has been obtained they will get to work. Besides the purchase of a glider, members also intend to build a second machine during the winter months. The entrance fee and annual subscription are 10s. 6d. and £2 2s. respectively. Prospective members should write to the Secretary, Mr. Morton Hicks, at 19, The Pavement, Chadwell Heath.