March 1938

Volume 6 Number 12 (but incorrectly labelled Vol. VI  No. III on the contents page)  (72 of 88)

 

 

 

This issue of Popular Flying magazine features NO “Biggles” story.  The last “Biggles” story was published in the May 1934 issue

 

Contents

This issue runs from page 669 to page 720 (52 pages)

 

Page 670 – Contents Page

(The contents page is by an advert for Wills’s Gold Flake cigarettes)

 

 

Page 672 – Popular Flying? – A photograph of a newly-graduated air-hostess sitting on the loading ramp of her “office” – a T.W.A. “Skysleeper”

 

Page 673 – The Editor’s Cockpit – W. E. Johns

(Subtitled – “This and That” -  Johns writes about the slow progress of production of aircraft.  “Dare I take a photograph of them?  I dare not.  Do you know that it is forbidden to publish photographs of formations – except, of course, of very old types – the idea being, presumably, that from these, unfriendly governments might be able to work out our rate of output.  He goes on to talk about the cancellation of R.A.F. Displays at Hendon, mentioning that he worked under the Committee for two years but says the real reason for the cancellation is not the danger if an engine fails but that it would interfere too much with the training programme.  Johns also talks about organising a “Reunion Number” for a future issue of “POPULAR FLYING” dealing with squadrons, pilots and machines as they were during “the Big Fuss”, and as they are now.)

 

Page 676 – Coming Down to Earth on the Sea – Some notes on the creation of Air Liaison Craft – by “Helmsman”

(“Twenty years has seen an almost incredible development in Marine Aircraft”.

This article deals with the ground organisation behind the flying boat service particularly aircraft liaison boats)

 

Page 680 – Loewenhardt’s Seventh – B. B. Perry

(The author relates how he became the seventh victim of the German Ace and not only met him but obtained his autograph)

 

Pages 685 – Modern Aircraft – A New British Twin-Engined Commercial Aeroplane – The Percival Q 6

 

Page 686 – ‘Planes and Personalities – A Monthly Causerie of Men and Machines

(This page includes a small cartoon entitled “Notice to Airmen: A.D. 2000, “Cloud Parking Prohibited”.

There is also a quote from Samuel Goldwyn that “Aviation films are the Westerns of the skies – without horses”)

 

 

Page 688 – Oblique Aerial Photography – G. W. Miller (Photographic Instructor, Air Service Training, Hamble)

(“To those readers who are unfamiliar with the taking of air pictures, the term “oblique” conveys the angle taken by the camera from the aircraft in flight to the subject.   It has been found that the most suitable angle of camera inclination lies between 30 deg. And 35 deg. and this will result in rendering truly the perspective of the subject – though success, or course, is also dependent on the altitude of the aircraft and the nearness of the camera to the subject.”)

 

Page 690 – It Looks Easy – A Few Words on Formation Flying – K. M. Sclanders

(“Flying formation looks easy, but it takes more out of a man in an hour than an ordinary day’s work.  It calls for nerves of steel, perfect co-ordination of the senses, lightning mental reactions, considerable physical strength and stamina and a “team-work attitude” more highly developed than that of the hardest trained rugger squad.”)

 

Page 692 – Flying Wires – Brief News from Far and Near

(Interesting items include “Cmdr. Thompson is reported to have said that the Navy’s new anti-aircraft guns had reduced the number of rounds needed to bring down an aeroplane from about 8,000 which was the average during the war, to from nine to twenty” and “Work has already been started on the lighthouse at Howland Island, which is being built as a memorial to Miss. Earhart.  When finished it will be 25 feet high.”  With regard to aircraft production there is “The Hawker Hurricane is now being steadily supplied to the R.A.F.” and “The Vickers Supermarine Spitfire monoplane will very shortly be delivered in quantities to the R.A.F.  The speed of the Spitfire is well over 300 m.p.h.  A specially tuned machine may attack the world landplane speed record sometime this year.”  A rather misleading item is “Mr. “Jimmy” Angell (his name is actually spelt with only one ‘L’), a well-known American airman, recently discovered a waterfall while flying over an unfrequented part of Venezuela, which is claimed to be the world’s highest.  The waterfall is estimated to fall sheer for 6,000 feet.  In fact, Angel falls (named after Angel as he bought it to world wide attention), was first seen by him when he flew over it on 16th November 1933.  It was on 9th October 1937 when he landed at the top of the falls.  His plane was damaged and it took him and his companions 11 days to make their way back to civilisation.  The plane remained there for 33 years before being lifted out by helicopter and it now sits outside the airport at Ciudad, Bolivar.  The falls are actually 3,212 feet high.)

 

 

Pages 694 and 695 – The Centre Pages – Nice Work for Nice Girls – Eight black and white aviation photographs of Air Hostesses

 

Page 696 – Air Hostess – A New Profession for Modern Girls

 

 

Page 697 – War Birds on Parade (6) – How many can you name? - Six glossy black and white photographs of aircraft from the Great War

(“No prize is offered for this memory test, but the Editor will present a book to the reader who sends in the first correct list.

The Editor’s decision must be final.

 Last month’s list: (25) B.E.2.C.; (26) B.E.12.a; (27) R.E.7; (28) Armstrong Whitworth F.K.3.a; (29) R.E.5; (30) B.E.2.E.)

No correct result was received, but Mr. H. Noel Keats, of Derby, was so near that a book has been sent to him.)

 

Page 698 – H.M.S. “CAMPANIA” – A Short Account of the Development Work in Naval Flying carried out by the First Fleet Seaplane Carrier

– H. J. C. Harper

 

Page 701 – Under the Windstocking

(“Readers’ Correspondence, conducted by the Editor”

This contains a letter from Bertram B. Perry about his article on being Loewenhardt’s seventh victim which was published on page 680 of this months issue - see above)

 

Page 702 – The United Stated Air Service and the World War – W. J. Boylhart

(“On April 6th, 1917, when the United States declared war, the Air Service, which was known as the Aviation Section of the Signal Corps, consisted of fifty-five aircraft, most of which were obsolete.  The personnel was made up of 65 officers and 1,087 men”.  The article goes on to say that “the estimated cost of training a pilot was $5000, or approximately £1000”)

 

 

Page 705 – Our Jokes Page

 

Page 706 – Aviation Bookshelf

(Four books are reviewed, including “Last Flight” by Amelia Earhart which include

“details of the immense advance organisation for her Round the World Flight which terminated so tragically”)

 

Page 707 – A New Unit – Construction Hangar – C. O. Boyse

(“An interesting new type of structural steel hanger has recently been developed and put on the market by Callender’s Cable & Construction Company, in conjunction with Painter Brothers, Ltd., of Hereford”).  (Interestingly for me, Painter Brothers Ltd. were less than a mile from my house.)

 

Page 720 – The Buyers’ Log

 

Inside Back Cover – Adverts for Men Only – the famous pocket size magazine for men - (“the spice of life”)

(not to be confused with the later pornographic magazine with the same title) and for Player’s  Airman mixture cigarettes

 

Back Page – An Advert for Lodge Spark Plugs (“The best plug in the world”) noting the new World’s Land Speed Record of 312 miles per hour

 

Click here to see a much larger picture of the cover artwork – the artist is Howard Leigh

 

 

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