Early Sopwith Camel test flights in France Mar 1917

[Errol Martyn]

(

On p.523 of J. M. Bruce's The Aeroplanes of the Royal Flying Corps (Military Wing) the author refers to reports on a Sopwith Camel as follows:

The sample F.1 sent to the RFC was tested at No. 1 A. D. on 2 March, 1917, By Lt K. L. Caldwell of No. 60 Squadron and on 4 March by Capt A. M. Lowery of No. 70 Squadron. Both reports related to the weapon installation, for both the RNAS and RFC had been swift to point out that the close-fitting decking over the breech mechanisms of the twin Vickers guns made it impossible to rectify stoppages of the starboard gun. Both guns had right-hand feed – inevitably, that being the only type of Vickers gun then available and this meant that normal remedial action could not be taken on the starboard gun as there was insufficient.

My question is, does anyone have a copy of these reports or know of the AIR1 file reference if that is where they can be found?

TIA,

Errol

[Annette Carson]

In the absence of locating anything at the National Archives, have you considered trying Farnborough?

Best of luck with the search - I'd like to see these reports myself.

Regards. Annette

[Errol Martyn]

Thanks Annette,

Do you know if Farnborough holds files of this nature? Have you had any experience in dealing with this organisation?

Cheers,

Errol

[Annette Carson]

The people at Farnborough are top notch. I appealed to them for records of things like First World War aeroplane instruments, spin testing, and the series of immediately post-war experiments carried out (under Roderic Hill) on aircraft that included Camels which produced the report 'The Manoeuvres of Inverted Flight', mentioned on pp. 188-90 of my biography of DV Armstrong. My two contacts were Geoff Butler and Alan Brown: always eager to be helpful. I have Geoff at geoffbutler3@gmail.com. To quote part of a message from him: 

"As an all volunteer organization, we have considerable flexibility in pricing copies of our historical reports and the main criterion I use is that the information is being used to further the world's technical or historical understanding of early aviation. That being the case, I think you are obviously engaged in such an activity" (a donation was requested to FAST).

[Errol Martyn]

Many thanks for this Annette,

I'm now checking with Farnborough.

Cheers,

Errol

[Annette Carson]

Hope you strike lucky. Do please let me know if you turn up anything useful.

Which reminds me to ask whether you know John Lanham, a man lucky enough to be a present-day Camel pilot in NZ?

Cheers, Annette

[Errol Martyn]

Annette,

No luck with Farnborogh, as it turns out, but very good service from the folk there.

Cheers,

Errol