HUGE FLYING-BOATS

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVII, Issue 202, 27 July 1937, Page 8

HUGE FLYING-BOATS

USE ON EMPIRE ROUTES. EXPERT’S FORECAST. Per Press Association. AUCKLAND, July 26. The time is not far distant when giant flying-boats of 100 tons, twice as large as any yet built, will be in regular use on the commercial air route between England and Australia and New Zealand. This view is taken by Mr H. E. Wimperis, formerly Director of Scientific Research in the British Air Ministry, who is passing through Auckland on his way to Australia. Mr Wimperis resigned only recently from his post with the Air Ministry and is visiting Australia at the invitation of the Commonwealth Government to act in an advisory capacity in the local manufacture of aircraft. He is an acknowledged authority on aerodynamics and on aeroplane constructional and engineering design. “The most striking feature in modern aviation,” Mr Wimperis eaid, “is the enormously-improved efficiency of the large flying-boat. Until recently it was thought that the land machine, from the point of view of economical fuel consumption and general efficiency, would be most suitable for long-dis-tance services, but recent experience has proved that the flying-boat is by far the best form of machine for commercial services.” With the application of modern, principles of design, Mr Wimperis continued, flying-boats were growing steadily in size. The new Empire flying-boats for ii6e on the service to -Australia and New Zealand ■were machines of 20 tons, but already machines of 50 tons were being planned, and built. A few r years ago the Germans had built a flying-boat of 50 tons, but it had not been a success. Improvements in design mere so marked that machines of that size would shortly be common, and there was no reason why fly-ing-boats should not be built up to 100 tons. “Engineers and designers all over the world are hard at their tasks,” Mr Wimperis added. “Enormous developments in aviation are taking place and it must he realised that before long the public will insist on all firstclass trans-oceanic ma.ils being carried by air. Machines will have to be provided which can give the desired service.”