the mastery of the air(操纵空气)-第20章
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Oban； then on to Dublin； thence to Falmouth； and along the south coast to
Southampton Water。
Two important conditions of the contest were that the flight was to be
made in an all…British aeroplane； fitted with a British engine。 Hitherto our
aeroplane constructors and engine companies were behind their rivals
across the Channel in the building of air…craft and aerial engines； and this
country freely acknowledged the merits and enterprise of French aviators。
Though in the European War it was afterwards proved that the British
airman and constructor were the equals if not the superiors of any in the
world； at the date of this contest they were behind in many respects。
As these conditions precluded the use of the famous Gnome engine；
which had won so many contests； and indeed the employment of any
engine made abroad； the competitors were reduced to two aviation firms；
and as one or these ultimately withdrew from the contest the Sopwith
Aviation Company of Kingston…on…Thames and Brooklands entered a
machine。
Mr。 T。 Sopwith chose for his pilot a young Australian airman； Mr。
Harry Hawker。 This skilful airman came with three other Australians to
this country to seek his fortune about three years before。 He was
passionately devoted to mechanics； and； though he had had no opportunity
of flying in his native country； he had been intensely interested in the
progress of aviation in France and Britain； and the four friends set out on
their long journey to seek work in aeroplane factories。
All four succeeded； but by far the most successful was Harry Hawker。
Early in 1913 Mr。 Sopwith was looking out for a pilot； and he engaged
Hawker； whom he had seen during some good flying at Brooklands。
In a month or two he was engaged in record breaking； and in June；
1913； he tried to set up a new British height record。 In his first attempt he
rose to 11；300 feet； but as the carburettor of the engine froze； and as the
pilot himself was in grave danger of frost…bite； he descended。 About a
fortnight later he rose 12；300 feet above sea…level； and shortly afterwards
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he performed an even more difficult test； by climbing with three
passengers to an altitude of 8500 feet。
With such achievements to his name it was not in the least surprising
that Mr。 Sopwith's choice of a pilot for the water…plane race rested on
Hawker。 His first attempt was made on 16th August； when he flew from
Southampton Water to Yarmoutha distance of about 240 milesin 240
minutes。 The writer； who was spending a holiday at Lowestoft； watched
Mr。 Hawker go by； and his machine was plainly visible to an enormous
crowd which had lined the beach。
To everyone's regret the pilot was affected with a slight sunstroke
when he reached Yarmouth； and another Australian airman； Mr。 Sidney
Pickles； was summoned to take his place。 This was quite within the rules
of the contest； the object of which was to test the merits of a British
machine and engine rather than the endurance and skill of a particular pilot。
During the night a strong wind arose； and next morning； when Mr。 Pickles
attempted to resume the flight； the sea was too rough for a start to be made；
and the water…plane was beached at Gorleston。
Mr。 Hawker quickly recovered from his indisposition； and on Monday；
25th August； he； with a mechanic as passenger； left Cowes about five
o'clock in the morning in his second attempt to make a circuit of Britain。
The first control was at Ramsgate； and here he had to descend in order to
fulfil the conditions of the contest。
Ramsgate was left at 9。8； and Yarmouth； the next control； was reached
at 10。38。 So far the engine； built by Mr。 Green； had worked perfectly。
About an hour was spent at Yarmouth； and then the machine was en route
to Scarborough。 Haze compelled the pilot to keep close in to the coast； so
that he should not miss the way； and a choppy breeze some what retarded
the progress of the machine along the east coast。 About 2。40 the pilot
brought his machine to earth； or rather to water； at Scarborough； where he
stayed for nearly two hours。
Mr。 Hawker's intention was to reach Aberdeen； if possible； before
nightfall； but at Seaham he had to descend for water； as the engine was
becoming uncomfortably hot； and the radiator supply of water was rapidly
diminishing。 This lost much valuable time； as over an hour was spent here；
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and it had begun to grow dark before the journey was recommenced。
About an hour after resuming his journey he decided to plane down at the
fishing village of Beadwell； some 20 miles south of Berwick。
At 8。5 on Tuesday morning the pilot was on his way to Aberdeen； but
he had to descend and stay at Montrose for about half an hour； and
Aberdeen was reached about 11 a。m。 His Scottish admirers； consisting of
quite 40；000 people at Aberdeen alone； gave him a most hearty welcome；
and sped him on his way about noon。 Some two hours later Cromarty was
reached。
Now commenced the most difficult part of the course。 The Caledonian
Canal runs among lofty mountains； and the numerous air…eddies and swift
air…streams rushing through the mountain passes tossed the frail craft to
and fro； and at times threatened to wreck it altogether。 On some occasions
the aeroplane was tossed up over 1000 feet at one blow； at other times it
was driven sideways almost on to the hills。 From Cromarty to Oban the
journey was only about 96 miles； but it took nearly three hours to fly
between these places。 This slow progress seriously jeopardized the pilot's
chances of completing the course in the allotted time； for it was his
intention to make the coast of Ireland by nightfall。 But as it was late when
Oban was reached he decided to spend the night there。
Early the following morning he left for Dublin； 222 miles away。 Soon
a float was found to be waterlogged and much valuable time was； spent in
bailing it dry。 Then a descent had to be made at Kiells； in Argyllshire；
because a valve had gone wrong。 Another landing was made at Larne； to
take aboard petrol。 As soon as the petrol tanks were filled and the machine
had been overhauled the pilot got on his way for Dublin。
For over two hours he flew steadily down the Irish coast； and then
occurred one of those slight accidents； quite insignificant in themselves；
but terribly disastrous in their results。 Mr。 Hawker's boots were rubber
soled and his foot slipped off the rudder bar； so that the machine got out of
control and fell into the sea at Lough Shinny； about 15 miles north of
Dublin。 At the time of the accident the pilot was about 50 feet above the
water； which in this part of the Lough is very shallow。 The machine was
completely wrecked； and Mr。 Hawker's mechanic was badly cut about the
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head and neck； besides having his arm broken。 Mr。 Hawker himself
escaped injury。
All Britons deeply sympathized with his misfortune； and much
enthusiasm； was aroused when the proprietors of the Daily Mail presented
the skilful and courageous pilot with a cheque for L1000 as a consolation
gift。
In a later chapter some account will be given of the tremendous
development of the aeroplane during four years of war。 But it is fitting that
to the three historic flights detailed above there should be added the
sensational exploits of the Marchese Giulio Laureati in 1917。 This intrepid
Italian airman made a non…stop journey from Turin to Naples and back； a
distance of 920 miles。 A month later he flew from Turin to Hounslow； a
distance of 656 miles； in 7 hours 22 minutes。 His machine was presented
to the British Air Board by the Italian Government。
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CHAPTER XXXIV The Hydroplane and Air…boat
One of the most recent developments in aviation is the hydroplane； or
water…plane as it is most commonly called。 A hydroplane is an aeroplane
fitted with floats instead of wheels； so that it will rise from； or alight upon；
the surface of the water。 Often water…planes have their floats removed and
wheels affixed to the chassis； so that they may be used over land。
From this you may think that the construction of a water…plane is quite
a simple task； but such is not the case。 The fitting of floats to an aeroplane
has called for great skill on the part of the constructor； and many
difficulties have had to be overcome。
Those of you who have seen an acroplane rise from the ground know
that the machine runs very quickly over the earth at a rapidly… increasing
speed； until sufficient momentum is obtained for the machine to lift itself
into the air。 In the case of the water…plane the pilot has to glide or 〃taxi〃 by
means of a float or floats over the waves until the machine acquires flying
speed。
Now the land resistance to the rubber…tired wheels is very small when
compared with the water resistance to the floats； and the faster the craft
goes the greater is the resistance。 The great problem which the constructor
has had to solve is to build a machine fitted with floats which will leave
the water easily； which will preserve the lateral balance of the machine；
and which will offer the minimum resistance in the air。
A short flat…bottomed float； such as that known as the Fabre； is good at
getting off from smooth water； but is frequently damaged when the sea is
rough。 A long and narrow float is preferable for rough water； as it is able to
