Post by Dave Homewood on Jul 23, 2008 13:50:56 GMT 12
I thought some of us interested in pre-war machines would find this article from the NZ Herald on the 7th of June 1938 of interest.
BOMBER'S CRASH
NEW ZEALAND PILOT
MINISTRY INVESTIGATING
SECRET TYPE OF MACHINE
From our own correspondent
London, May 18
An investigation is being made by the Air Ministry regarding the crash of the Wellesley bomber piloted by Flight-Lieutenant A.C. Washer, of New Plymouth, last week. The machine caught fire in the air. Flight-Lieutenant Washer landed by parachute, but his passenger, also an employee of the Bristol Aeroplane Company, was killed.
It has since been revealed that the machine was a secret type of long range bomber and the Air Ministry is trying to discover how a new bomber, only a few minutes' flight from its own airfield, could catch fire - now almost a million-to-one chance in air disaster.
The petrol tanks in the Wellesley are placed far from the engine. It is understood that the possibility of engine trouble or engine installation defect has been ruled out.
This was the first case of fire in a Wellesley - but the second mystery loss of this type of secret aeroplane which the Royal Air Force will use in September in an attempt to break a long distance record by flying 8000 miles no-stop from Egypt to Australia.
The first Wellesley was lost in the North Sea with her crew, who were training for the Royal Air Force attempt. A small piece of wreckage found on the coast of Norway was the only clue to her fate. Despite these two mysteries the Royal Air Force will go on as planned.
Five specially adapted Wellesley bombers attached to the long-range development flight are being used. Three of them are to make a 5000 mile non-stop test flight next month or early in July, but all five will take part in the record attempt. Russia holds the record with a 6306 mile flight from Moscow to San Jacinto in Texas, United States.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The planning and work that went into such records must easily be the equivalent of its day to the men who went to the moon in my opinion, but sadly most involved have been forgotten by most are their names are not as recognisable as Alcock and Brown, Kingsford Smith, Ulm, Jean Batten, Amy Johnson, Lindberg and co.
BOMBER'S CRASH
NEW ZEALAND PILOT
MINISTRY INVESTIGATING
SECRET TYPE OF MACHINE
From our own correspondent
London, May 18
An investigation is being made by the Air Ministry regarding the crash of the Wellesley bomber piloted by Flight-Lieutenant A.C. Washer, of New Plymouth, last week. The machine caught fire in the air. Flight-Lieutenant Washer landed by parachute, but his passenger, also an employee of the Bristol Aeroplane Company, was killed.
It has since been revealed that the machine was a secret type of long range bomber and the Air Ministry is trying to discover how a new bomber, only a few minutes' flight from its own airfield, could catch fire - now almost a million-to-one chance in air disaster.
The petrol tanks in the Wellesley are placed far from the engine. It is understood that the possibility of engine trouble or engine installation defect has been ruled out.
This was the first case of fire in a Wellesley - but the second mystery loss of this type of secret aeroplane which the Royal Air Force will use in September in an attempt to break a long distance record by flying 8000 miles no-stop from Egypt to Australia.
The first Wellesley was lost in the North Sea with her crew, who were training for the Royal Air Force attempt. A small piece of wreckage found on the coast of Norway was the only clue to her fate. Despite these two mysteries the Royal Air Force will go on as planned.
Five specially adapted Wellesley bombers attached to the long-range development flight are being used. Three of them are to make a 5000 mile non-stop test flight next month or early in July, but all five will take part in the record attempt. Russia holds the record with a 6306 mile flight from Moscow to San Jacinto in Texas, United States.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The planning and work that went into such records must easily be the equivalent of its day to the men who went to the moon in my opinion, but sadly most involved have been forgotten by most are their names are not as recognisable as Alcock and Brown, Kingsford Smith, Ulm, Jean Batten, Amy Johnson, Lindberg and co.
