Post by Dave Homewood on May 23, 2014 22:54:03 GMT 12
I just came across this article, referring to the New Zealand Prime Minister Peter Fraser's trip to England, in the Evening Post, Volume CXXXVII, Issue 120, 23 May 1944, via Papers Past:
NOVEL AIR TRIP
(Official News Service.) Rec. 11 a.m. LONDON, May 22.
Mr. Fraser had a preview of a type of aircraft that may one day become the popular "motor-car of the air" when he visited the Miles Aircraft Factory.
With no more fuss and much less time than it would take to drive, the chief designer took him by plane from one corner of the factory to another. The machine took off easily from a runway no bigger than a small field, skimmed round a group of buildings, and deposited Mr. Fraser almost at the door of the next factory wing he was to inspect.
At the moment this type of aircraft is designed primarily for artillery observation purposes, and machines like it have proved invaluable in the operations in Italy.
Mr. Fraser was greatly impressed with the experiment being carried out at the factory in the way of a school to train young boys and girls from 15 to 17 years of age, as aircraft designers and craftsmen. They come in most cases straight from secondary schools, and immediately begin designing, machining, and assembling equipment which is actually used. They even designed and are now flying a two-engined plane.
First of all I'm interested to know what the aircraft type was that Fraser was flown in. if it's like the types being used in the role of artillery spotting in Italy at that time it must have been similar to a Piper Grasshopper. Any ideas what this might have been?
Also the mention of the school for teenagers is interesting. My late friend Pat Monk, who designed the Airtrainer and Cresco, was one of those kids in that scheme at Miles.
NOVEL AIR TRIP
(Official News Service.) Rec. 11 a.m. LONDON, May 22.
Mr. Fraser had a preview of a type of aircraft that may one day become the popular "motor-car of the air" when he visited the Miles Aircraft Factory.
With no more fuss and much less time than it would take to drive, the chief designer took him by plane from one corner of the factory to another. The machine took off easily from a runway no bigger than a small field, skimmed round a group of buildings, and deposited Mr. Fraser almost at the door of the next factory wing he was to inspect.
At the moment this type of aircraft is designed primarily for artillery observation purposes, and machines like it have proved invaluable in the operations in Italy.
Mr. Fraser was greatly impressed with the experiment being carried out at the factory in the way of a school to train young boys and girls from 15 to 17 years of age, as aircraft designers and craftsmen. They come in most cases straight from secondary schools, and immediately begin designing, machining, and assembling equipment which is actually used. They even designed and are now flying a two-engined plane.
First of all I'm interested to know what the aircraft type was that Fraser was flown in. if it's like the types being used in the role of artillery spotting in Italy at that time it must have been similar to a Piper Grasshopper. Any ideas what this might have been?
Also the mention of the school for teenagers is interesting. My late friend Pat Monk, who designed the Airtrainer and Cresco, was one of those kids in that scheme at Miles.
