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Part 14

World-Wide French Services

How Air France serves Europe and links Chile with Indo-China. France is still one of the leaders of world aviation. In 1933 the five principal air lines in France were merged in to one organization, Air France, which now operates about 23,000 miles of air routes. Air France’s development to its present efficiency has maintained the French tradition for pioneering. The five fleets which were taken over by Air France in 1933 had a total of 259 aircraft, of which 226 were land-planes, and thirty-three were seaplanes or flying boats. One hundred and eighty of the land-planes were single-engined machines, and the seaplanes and flying boats were single- or twin-engined craft. These machines were unsuitable for routes which were to extend to about two-thirds of the world’s circumference, and they had to be replaced by various types of aircraft which would suit the conditions of the new routes. How this task was accomplished, and how the routes were developed, form the subject of this chapter by Sidney Howard.

(Pages 383-392)

A Wibault 282 Monoplane

ONE OF THE GOLDEN CLIPPERS. This low-wing Wibault 282 monoplane, named Le Glorieux, has three engines. Monoplanes of this type, seating ten passengers, were used between 1933 and 1938 on the ninety-minutes’ London-Paris service. In 1938 the Golden Clippers were replaced on this service by faster Marcel Bloch monoplanes, which reduced the journey time by fifteen minutes.

(Page 383)

Romance of the Wright Brothers

How the successful Orville and Wilbur Wright aeroplane of 1903 was developed from glider designs. When we reflect on the part that France has played and still plays in world aviation it is a remarkable thing that France should have shared the world’s indifference to the momentous achievement of the Wright brothers, who made the first power-controlled flights in an aeroplane. These historic flights took place on December 17, 1903. If we can imagine a world today without aircraft, but with the publicity that is inseparable from almost all human activities, we can imagine also how the news that man had at last conquered the air would be received. But on December 17, 1903, not only was the world indifferent to this amazing feat; but not even a newspaper thought it worth while to send a reporter to see what was to be one of the greatest news stones of the century, although there was nothing secret about the attempt. The later flights of the Wright brothers also were ignored, and it was not until Wilbur Wright went to France in 1908 that the critics were converted. The story of the Wright brothers’ achievements is the subject of the sixth chapter in the series Makers of Air History. This article is written by H. G. Castle.

(Pages 393-396)

How Bird’s-Eye Views are Used

The scientific applications of cameras specially designed to work from aircraft. Everybody has now become familiar with the bird’s-eye views aptly applied as illustrations. Oblique views are useful in teaching geography. The archaeologist finds these views invaluable. Parliamentary Committees and similar bodies are frequently called upon to study them in connexion with proposals to amend boundaries and with other problems of administration. The coming of the aeroplane enabled the air-view operator to choose his view and his viewpoint instead of being limited in his choice by the wind and other factors inseparable from work in balloons. This chapter is by Squadron Leader P. R. Burchall and is the third article in the series on Air Photography.

(Pages 379-382)

Pan American Flying Boat in the Harbour at Auckland

THE PAN AMERICAN AIRWAYS FLYING BOAT, SAMOAN CLIPPER, in the harbour at Auckland, New Zealand. This flying boat made two trips across the pacific from the United States to New Zealand, to survey the route for a regular service. On the first official flight from San Francisco, the flying boat met with disaster.

(Page 397)

Swinging the Compass of an Avro Anson

SWINGING THE COMPASS OF AN AVRO ANSON. The metal in an aeroplane produces inaccuracies in the readings shown by its compass. These inaccuracies vary with the compass bearing in which the aircraft is pointing. They are corrected as far as possible by small magnets placed in the compass. The residual difference between compass bearings and the correct magnetic bearings are termed deviation. Deviation readings are taken at bearings 45 degrees apart. This process is known as swinging the compass, and is carried out on a circular concrete base on which are marked true magnetic bearings.

(Page 376)

Providence, Rhode Island, USA

OBLIQUE AIR VIEW of the city of Providence, Rhode Island, USA. The camera in the aircraft is inclined at an angle of about twenty degrees below the horizontal to obtain the best effect. It is noticeable how well buildings, trees, roads, rails and waterways stand out in such photographs.

(Page 324)

The European Network of Air France

THE EUROPEAN NETWORK OF AIR FRANCE is centred in Paris. This map shows how various capital and other cities are connected; in addition, it indicates the beginnings of the great trunk routes to South America and to French Indo-China.

(Page 384)

Two Great Trunk Lines Operated by Air France

TWO GREAT TRUNK LINES are operated by Air France. One line, trending south-west, links Paris with South America; the other, or south-eastern line, provides direct air communication between Paris and French Indo-China. The south-western route is normally by way of Toulouse or Marseilles, Barcelona and Alicante to Tangier, Morocco. Thence the west coast of Africa is followed as far as Dakar. The South Atlantic Ocean is crossed between Dakar and Natal, Brazil. From Natal the route is via Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and Montevideo, Uruguay, to Buenos Aires, Argentina. The aircraft cross Argentina to Mendoza,whence they fly over the Andes to Santiago, Chile. Aircraft on the south-eastern route fly from Marseilles, via Naples and Athens to Tripoli, Syria. Motor cars take passengers from Tripoli to Damascus. Thence the route is via Baghdad and Basra, Iraq, Bushire, on the Persian Gulf, and Jask, Persia, to Karachi. British India is crossed between Karachi and Calcutta. Through Burma the aeroplanes fly to Bangkok, capital of Siam, where the route forks. One branch goes north-east to Hanoi, capital of Tongking; the other south-east to Saigon, capital of French Cochin China.

(Pages 390-391)

Distances From New Zealand

THE DISTANCE FROM NEW ZEALAND TO AUSTRALIA is about 1,300 miles. There have been several notable flights across the Tasman Sea which separates the two Dominions. To fly across this sea from New Zealand is more difficult than to fly in the opposite direction, because the east to west flight is against the prevailing winds.

(Page 397)