Long Distance Flights Cook-Up

[cliff strachan]

Hi Mark,
I've been intending to comment on your Puss Moth for quite some time. It is a very beautiful model and is a model of possibly one of the most unique aircraft of all times. In Vol 30 No.1 Spring 1992 pp 14 - 22 of the CAHS Journal the article "Bert Hinkler and Canada"  described his successful solo flight from Toronto to London, England in 1931. The map accompanying the article shows where he flew CF - APK from Toronto via New York, Kingston, Trinidad, Natal, Brazil to cross the South Atlantic to West Africa and on to London. Regrettably "the type was beginning to demonstrate structural idiosyncrasies" and "accidents were happening involving wing separation in flight." Bert crashed on his way to Australia later and it was determind that the cause was separation of the wing.
Such long distance flights is what I had in mind when I suggested that such flights might be the subject of a future "cook up".

Cliff.

[Mark Braunlich]

Sometimes I think it must have been nerve wracking to fly in some of those 1920s-30s airplanes with folding wings such as the Puss Moth.  Only a simple pin held the wing in the unfolded position.

I can think of two models I'd be interested in doing for a long distance flights cook up.   Unfortunately, my modeling time is limited and my "must build" list keeps getting longer and longer so my participation would be long delayed.  I've got all the information to do both, colors etc.  

1.  Replica of 1:72 Skybirds Percival Gull Four G-ACJV "Miss Southern Cross", as flown by Sir Charles Kingsford Smith from England to Australia in '33.

2.  1:72 modified DH-4B flown by Lt. W.D.Coney in two transcontinental record attempts in 1921.

[cliff strachan]

Hi Mark,
Your remarks accompanying your photos of the Percival Gull and DH4-B support my effort to encourage you to second a recommendation that "long distance flights" be the subject of a future "cook-up". I'll herein make the primary recommendation for such a cook-up. It, as I understand, only takes two to have a cook-up proceed. I would not be concerned about the length of time it may take. They are open for an unending period. Personally I have two Hellcats - construction completed but awaiting to be painted - to submit as part of what now appears to be an ancient cook-up.
Cliff

[Mark Braunlich]

Cliff,
OK, consider it seconded.
As mentioned, I don't know when and with what airplane I would enter at this point in time.   Maybe "none of the above"; I have to think about it as I have a solid already started that would fit the category.  It's been on the proverbial "back burner" for years and this might be the motivation to finish it.

There are lots of subjects suitable for Long Distance Flights category.  Consider the P-38s that shot down Admiral Yamamoto's Betty for example. 

Cheers,
Mark

[cliff strachan]

Hi Mark,
I believe it's up to Lou now. Also I'm of the opinion that an account of the historical importance or uniqueness of a flight or its contribution might accompany the model's posting.
Cliff.


Lou,
Can you move this thread to the Cook-ups and Ongoing Builds section please?

Thanks,
Mark

[lastvautour]

The Long Distance Cook-Up is on. I will play also, but don't have a subject yet. There are quite a few. Do you wish to narrow the time line? Let's say between the wars period?

Lou

[Ken Pugh]

This is only my personal opinion and I would like to suggest, but not to offend, that we let it be wide open.  The more I think about it the more subjects come to mind on this topic.  We have the opportunity to get a varied response to this one and maybe expand interest to others.  The first modern plane that came to mind was Rutan's non-stop around the world flight but then I remembered that a group of B-52s also made the non-stop flight with refueling.  I think there were also B-52 flights that tested atomic clocks to verify general relativity, though it might have been the same flight.  This cookup could also extend to balloons!  Bleriot's cross-channel flight to Voyager, what a great collection of aircraft!

Ken Pugh

[Oceaneer99]

There are even a couple of modern solar planes being readied for around-the-world flight.  My model of the Lisa Hybird is one of those, but there is also the Solar Impulse.  And I've always been a fan of Voyager -- used to visit it at the Air and Space Museum all the time, where it is suspended over the welcome desk.  I loved seeing where the winglets rubbed off the wingtips during take-off, because it made the museum plane seem very real.  It must have been scary, but always reminded me of the unpredictability of efforts like that.

Garet

[cliff strachan]

I would also like to enter this cook-up but as yet I haven't picked an aircraft to model to say nothing of the workload involved. I believe, as others have indicated, that the subject approach to cook-ups will require a bit of defining of goals. Perhaps, as Lou has suggested, a period should become generally acceptable. Recently there has appeared an emphasis on older aircraft. Those extending back to the First World War and featuring biplanes. If an historical approach is assumed then perhaps we could begin by focusing on the aviation events that occurred primarily before the Second War. I have thought that such flights when they were individually inspired were generally the most daring as one was never compelled to make them in the first place but did so on a very individualistic basis - no backups such as maintenance, planning, briefings and rescues.  Also, very many of the later aircraft have already been modeled and are available in kit form.
Just a few things to consider but possibly the grounds for a significant contribution by SMM to Aviation History the Individuals and their dedication to the development of this mode.
Cliff.

[Mark Braunlich]

My own preference would be to have the entire time-line of human flight open to the cook-up if only to broaden the prospect for more participation.  My personal choice would be within the 1919-1939 "Golden Age" but I have no objection of earlier and later eras being included as well.   I would also like to point out that many of the early long distance flights were military efforts and were not the efforts of individuals.   I'm thinking of the 1924 Douglas World Cruisers, the US Army's flight of four DH-4Bs from New York City to Alaska and back in 1920 <see link> or the 1926 return formation flight of RAF Fairey IIIDs from Cairo to Capetown.  The list is long and I personally would like to keep it that way but I am happy to consult with Cliff, Lou and other prospective participants to come to a consensus.

http://www.litsite.org/index.cfm?section=digital-archives&page=Land-Sea-Air&cat=Aviation&viewpost=2&ContentId=2627

[lastvautour]

I hear you loud and clear. The restriction was only a suggestion that I now want to ignore as I enter my CP-107 Argus in the mix. The following is a quote from the RCAF web site

The Argus had a reputation as a workhorse and had tremendous endurance. With a flight crew of five, and an additional six sensor operators, the Aircraft flew missions in excess of twenty hours frequently. An Argus flown by 407 Maritime Patrol Squadron held the record for the longest flight by an unrefuelled Aircraft, slightly over 31 hours. This record stood for almost twenty years until broken by a Rutan experimental Aircraft which circled the globe unrefuelled. The Aircraft served from the 50's to the 80's until it was replaced by the current CP-140 Aurora Aircraft.

My Argus needed a shot in the arm, or I should say I did.

Lou

[Balsabasher]

This cookup could bring in some really interesting subjects as solid models,there have been quite a few long distance flights over the years.
I have one up my sleeve for this and just searching out some plans for it.
Looking forward to it,is it on Gentlemen ?
Barry.

[Mark Braunlich]

I will be participating with an already started (18-19 years ago  ) 1:72 scale Fairey IIID of the 14,000 mile Cairo-Cape-Cairo-England flight, one of the four IIIDs which completed the flight in formation and without mishap between 1 March and 27 May 1926.   See pic.  It is made to drawings which appear in the May, 1965 issue of Model Aircraft.

A Portugese Navy IIID named Santa Cruz was part of the first aircraft crossing of the South Atlantic and survives in Lisbon.

[cliff strachan]

I would think that Barry would indeed have lots in the line of history to contribute to this cook-up. What might be still required is: how  to present an historical account of the place in aviation or role that the aircraft modeled and posted played. That is, how to simultaneously post both photos of the model and a brief history. Such an account may provide a valuable service that the Group may offer both to the general public and potential members.
Cliff.

[Balsabasher]

You are right Cliff,in fact it was the romantic flight that my aeroplane made that places it in this category,here you have it,can you guess the type of aeroplane ?
My flight started from a tiny grass airfield in the UK,the pilot who owned a tea plantation in India had purchased his aircraft new and wanted to deliver it himself,his adventures would see him force landing in the desert in a sandstorm and having to clean the engine himself of abrasive sand before he started it by hand unaided,then he had to drop into a small field being used for a polo match out of fuel ! and all of this with no radio or any other navigational devices,he eventually completed the flight and landed proudly on his own airstrip in the remote areas of India with his workers cheering him.
How about that for high adventure ! and if it was not enough he did the trip again in reverse,fantastic days of adventure when the skies were relatively empty of aeroplanes.
A book was written about this adventure incidently.
All will be revealed soon,I just need to find the plans which are stashed away deep in my archives ?
Barry.