Evening star., 1927-09-11
ENGLAND TO RACE
MYSTERY PLANES
viii Seek to Capture Schnei-
der Cup From Italy
With Tiny "Ships."

Correspondence of the Associated Press.
CALSHOT AIR STATION, Eng
land.--Great Britain will make bold
bid to recapture the Schneider Cup,
blue ribbon of the air, at Venice, Italy,
on September %. with planes which it
expects to achieve a speed of nearly
8 miles minute.
Seven hush hush" seaplanes have
been constructed under conditions OF
strictest secrecy and six of them are
being sent to Italy. Three of these
will finally be selected to compete in
the race, after trials over the blue
waters of the Adriatic near the IA
NOUS Lido Beach.
England is banking its hopes on the
performance of two of these flying bull
let's, the Bluebrd and Bronzwing. They
are the smallest airplanes ever seen in
England, smaller even than Moth light
airplanes. and they are so constructed
that the cockpitS fit the pilots bodies
like gloves.
Like Flying Fish.
The Bluebird. officially known as
Super-Marine Napier S5 is a mono
plane. development of the Napier
S4, which won the worlds speed record
and the Schneider Cup in 1922. Fuel
is carried in its starboard float and is
fed to the engine by means of an en-
gine-driven pump. 1t is built on the
same Streamlines as a racing motor
car and in the air looks like flying
f1sh. The wing surface radiators are
an entirely new development and cool
the engine without adding resistance.
Twelve-cylinder Napier-Lion en-
gines are being used in both of these
machines. The engines are very tiny
but they have been boosted to give
an unparalleled power for every pound
of weight. The hullS, wings and floats
have been streamlined to offer the
least possible resistance to movement
through the air. which. at their veloc
Fy, assumes the consistency of water.
Air-Breather Equipment.
Bronzwing is wooden biplane, Off
cially recorded as GloSter- Napier a.
IT is so named because of it's bronzed
wing tips. The body is sky-blue. 1t
is not quite as speedy a machine as
the Bluebird. Included in it's equip
ment is an airbreather designed to
supply the pilot with pure air at rae
ing speed and to obviate the danger of
strangulation while rounding corners
at terrific speed.
So fast are these two machines that
a spectator does not hear the full
force of their engines roar until the
machines have passed. At such We
loclty pilot dare not lift his head
above the fuselage.
A third machine, favored by Squad |
ron Leader Slater, who captains the |
British pilots, is the short Bris- |
tol Crusader monoplane. 1t has a |
metal propeller, made of a secret al |
10y and polished by new process un-
til it CLEANS like silver. Two long |
narrow floats support a short, slim |
fuselage, from which project two short |
round-tipped wings.
Protected by Guards.
For months these mystery machines |
have been hidden from all but the eyes |
of 'the designers. pilots and mechanics |
Night and day they have been under |
the protection of armed guards.
Last years Schneider Cup races in |
the United States, where the cup was |
held, were won by an Italian machine, |
which achieved speed of 259 miles an |
hour, or more than miles a min- |
ute. Despite the considerable improve |
ment of the Italian teams machines. |
and the reputed strength of this years |
American super-speed craft driven by |
1.400-horsepower engines. the British |
experts feel that, barring accidents. |
Britain will win the contest this year. |