1935 Drone aircraft doing engine runs.
Moderators: John Dean, Moderator
1935 Drone aircraft doing engine runs.
For those interested in rather older aeroplanes you may be interested to see the 1927 Bristol Cherub engine running in our 1935 BAC Drone aircraft. I used my still camera with its video function for the first time, these links should work - http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=hHh38DHKsV0 and http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=YBtSzvXVqj0
Bob
The name Drone is perhaps rather confusing 70 years on, it was in no way any sort of what we know today as a target drone, but it was simply called a Drone. It was a conversion of a two seat BAC glider of that era, whereby the manufactures deleted the rear seat and installed a pylon with various pusher engines fitted. I seem to remember about 30+ were built and were one of the cheapest aircraft to learn to fly on. In fact one could learn to fly a Drone and obtain a licence without any form of dual instruction, as there was a wingless trainer that one could hurtle back and forth across the aerodrome until one got the hang of it, then one would progress on to the real thing but with the engine throttle locked from full power. After these stages had been successfully accomplished one was allowed to actually venture aloft harnessing the full might of 30hp!
Only three Drones are still in existence, apart from ours, there is G-AEKV in the Brooklands Museum fitted with a Carden Ford engine and a rather famous Drone G-ADPJ that flew from London to Berlin in 1936 on fifteen shillings worth of petrol, that’s 75p in today’s money.
The name Drone is perhaps rather confusing 70 years on, it was in no way any sort of what we know today as a target drone, but it was simply called a Drone. It was a conversion of a two seat BAC glider of that era, whereby the manufactures deleted the rear seat and installed a pylon with various pusher engines fitted. I seem to remember about 30+ were built and were one of the cheapest aircraft to learn to fly on. In fact one could learn to fly a Drone and obtain a licence without any form of dual instruction, as there was a wingless trainer that one could hurtle back and forth across the aerodrome until one got the hang of it, then one would progress on to the real thing but with the engine throttle locked from full power. After these stages had been successfully accomplished one was allowed to actually venture aloft harnessing the full might of 30hp!
Only three Drones are still in existence, apart from ours, there is G-AEKV in the Brooklands Museum fitted with a Carden Ford engine and a rather famous Drone G-ADPJ that flew from London to Berlin in 1936 on fifteen shillings worth of petrol, that’s 75p in today’s money.
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Frank Parker
- Posts: 72
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So how many gallons of petrol would fifteen shillings purchase in 1936? That would have been about 20% of the average weekly pay back then, I imagine.
I remember seein G-AEKV fly into White Waltham in the late 50's. It seemed to take forever to make it into the circuit pattern as one could hear the engine buzzing away for quite a while before it appeared. The flight from London to Berlin must have been quite time consuming at the low cruising speed of the Drone!
I remember seein G-AEKV fly into White Waltham in the late 50's. It seemed to take forever to make it into the circuit pattern as one could hear the engine buzzing away for quite a while before it appeared. The flight from London to Berlin must have been quite time consuming at the low cruising speed of the Drone!
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Frank Parker
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- Joined: Mon Jan 07, 2008 6:49 pm
The Drone was not exactly a speed demon. Allowing for en-route stops, the flight distance to Berlin had to be at least 600 statute miles. Assuming an actual over the ground speed of 50mph, that would be a flight time of 12 hours, consuming 6.67 Imperial gallons of petrol assuming Ron's figures for fuel cost are correct. That would be an amazing 0.56 gallons per hour, or 2.5 litres per hour. Even if there was no tax on aviation fuel, The amount used would have been about 9.5 gallons, for 0.79 gallos per hour or 3.55 litres per hour. Does anyone have actual statistical information on this flight?
Two shillings and three pence per gallon sounds like it would have been a lot to pay in 1936. I suppose that people complained about high fuel prices back then!
Two shillings and three pence per gallon sounds like it would have been a lot to pay in 1936. I suppose that people complained about high fuel prices back then!
The following is taken from a piece printed in the January edition of Aeropilot 1937.
“…the Drone took the world of aviation by storm two years ago, when practical aviators and others were wont to sneer at “these toy aeroplanes”. Since its inception many notable flights have been made in this type, the most memorable being that of Colonel Lord Sempill, who in April last, flew one of these machines from Croydon to Berlin, 600 miles non stop, in the time of 11 hours. Two days later he returned to England in 9 hours aided by a north east gale, which, though to much on the beam to be of great assistance was far enough astern to take 2 hours off the out going time.
Since then the Drone has consistently proved its worth. It has flown 20,000 miles with C.W.A. Scott’s “Circus” and has several times been flown over the Alps”
That particular Drone was powered a Douglas Sprite engine of 750cc developing 25hp and using 1 ¼ gallons per hour. Our Drone is now almost ready to go and we hope to fly her later in the summer.
“…the Drone took the world of aviation by storm two years ago, when practical aviators and others were wont to sneer at “these toy aeroplanes”. Since its inception many notable flights have been made in this type, the most memorable being that of Colonel Lord Sempill, who in April last, flew one of these machines from Croydon to Berlin, 600 miles non stop, in the time of 11 hours. Two days later he returned to England in 9 hours aided by a north east gale, which, though to much on the beam to be of great assistance was far enough astern to take 2 hours off the out going time.
Since then the Drone has consistently proved its worth. It has flown 20,000 miles with C.W.A. Scott’s “Circus” and has several times been flown over the Alps”
That particular Drone was powered a Douglas Sprite engine of 750cc developing 25hp and using 1 ¼ gallons per hour. Our Drone is now almost ready to go and we hope to fly her later in the summer.
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Bill McCarthy
- Posts: 488
- Joined: Mon Jan 07, 2008 4:06 pm
- Location: Caithness
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Bill McCarthy
- Posts: 488
- Joined: Mon Jan 07, 2008 4:06 pm
- Location: Caithness