Vintage Postbag, December 1979

“The Diaries of an RFC Officer”

Sir,

The War Time Diaries of an RFC Officer — what interesting reading this makes. Although you may meet criticism from motor racing purists who cannot bear anything but cars in “their” magazine I am sure there are many readers — like myself — who find old aircraft more understandable than modern racing cars.

It is interesting that “X” refers to his aircraft as Armstrong Whitworth BE2Cs whereas most records of the time show them as Armstrong Whitworth FK3s: It appears to be the same aircraft and the confusion probably arises as the FK3 was a cleaned up BE2C built by Armstrong Whitworth. 5330 and 5331 were two from the original batch of seven of this type and differed from the later production versions by having the pilot sitting behind the observer as in the BE2C whereas the later ones adopted what was to become standard practice in two-seaters of putting the pilot at the front so the observer had a better field of fire for his machine gun. This is supported by your photograph on page 1486 where our hero is in the rear cockpit.

The BE8 was another attempt to make a silk purse from the pig’s ear that was the BE2C, this time by fitting a radial engine the cowling of which led to the nickname “Bloater”. Although you refer to it as a “Harry Tate” I think this nickname was reserved for the RE8, another unlovely product of official design although an aircraft which did sterling work in France, particularly as an artillery spotter . . . and provided von Richthofen with eight of his victories!

Incidentally, a month or two ago you published a photograph of an aeroplane which had crashed on a roof and I suspect this may have been the original BE1. Only one of this type was built, its appearance altered during its life with modifications and it certainly sustained a crash of this kind. Have you had any more suggestions?

Thurston

John Aley

[Yes. I agree — RE8 — “Harry Tate”. — Ed.]

* * *

Sir,

The War-Time Diaries of an RFC Officer brought back so many memories of experiences related to me by my own late father, who was a one time member of No. 84 Squadron, RFC.

This background has left within me, a more than passing interest in the history of the times.

It is Interesting to note that “X” would be able to enjoy flying a variety of aircraft, because the main activity of the RFC in 1915 was of course artillery reconnaissance, carried out by Squadrons of mixed aircraft, Squadrons equipped throughout with the same type of aeroplane were not common until the beginning of 1916.

No. 21 Squadron became part of the Corps Reconnaissance Squadrons which came into being in January, 1916, when increasing specialisation prompted the High Command to divide Squadrons attached to Armies into two Wings. The “Corps” Wing containing Squadrons devoted to the direct assistance of land forces by tactical reconnaissance, artillery observation and photography, and the “Army” Wing, containing fighter and bomber Squadrons.

If “X” remained in No. 21 Squadron, we shall learn in subsequent diaries that this Squadron was the first to be equipped with RE8s in February 1917, as replacements for BE12s (which was a single-seater version of the famous BE2C but with a 140 h.p. RAF engine). The BE12 in No. 21 Squadron had in turn been the replacement for the RE7 which this Squadron had used until August, 1916.

No. 21 Squadron was generally held to have been the finest artillery reconnaissance Squadron on the Western Front.

I look forward with great anticipation to future extracts from the diaries.

Braunstone

H. E. Hefford

* * *

Sir,

Pleased that the “War-Time Diaries of an RFC Officer” series is now continuing in Motor Sport. Just one or two small points which ought to be corrected.

The CO at Netheravon was Col. T. I. Webb-Bowen not Webb-Brown. The aeroplanes X flew at this aerodrome were not true BE2Cs but Armstrong Whitworth FK3s known as “Little Acks”. (The A-W FK8 was the “Big Ack”). The FK3 was an A-W design-improvement on the BE2C; the machines he flew came from the first production batch of seven, serialled 5328 to 5334. Surely it was the RE8 and not the BE8 which was known in the RFC as the “Harry Tate”. [Yes. — Ed.)

I look forward to the further instalments.

Freeland

Peter Wright

Scott & Bradshaw

Sir,

With reference to G. E. Clifford’s interesting letter about H. P. Blake’s re-worked ABC, I would like to point out that without Bradshaw’s original design it would not have been possible for Mr. Blake to make his “improvements”. The car was, no doubt, originally designed within the joint constraints of a budget and production feasibility, and without these Bradshaw (whose genius is recognised by Audi in their current adverts) would doubtless have eradicated most of the problems himself.

What prompts me to write this letter, however, is not so much a desire to spring to the defence of Bradshaw, as to defend one who died 40 or so years earlier — the great A. A. Scott — whose work Mr. Clifford arrogantly denigrates by saying that his modified Scott was described in the press as “better than anything that ever came from those Yorkshire moors”. As a Scott owner, would not deny that some features of these machines can give rise to a certain amount of frustration, but to use the technology of a later age, and means not suitable for production when the machine was designed, to eliminate these shortcomings does not automatically make the machine better, it simply makes it different. We could all “improve” the contents of the Science Museum if this were the case.

It amazes me at times that people like Mr. Clifford still exist in this country, as one might reasonably have expected them to have been snapped up by the Japanese motorcycle industry long ago, to sort the bugs out of their designs. After all, to a chap who has “made his own Scott motorcycle” (five moving parts in the engine!) the apparent complexities of six-cylinder d.o.h.c. four-valve per cylinder engines must seem like child’s play.

What became of the Omega engine, designed by Bradshaw in his later years?

Puckeridge

M. C. Jackson

A 2.3 GP Bugatti

Sir,

Following your excellent report in the October issue of the VSCC event at Cadwell Park I write to correct part of the printed word concerning my Bugatti.

My car is not one built out of parts. It started life in 1925 as a Type 35A sold from the Paris Showroom. I bought it in France in 1965 in a derelict condition but through the tremendous assistance given to me by certain members of the Bugatti Owners Club I have been fortunate to find all the original parts and get the car rebuilt to full 2.3 supercharged alloy wheel specification. The rebuild was complete at the end of 1976 so this hardly fits the “recently assembled” description.

If you wish to ponder over the correct description of the various Type 35 models there is nowadays a familiar way of calling them A, B, C etc. I am not sure that the works used these nor have I found any similar use in magazines of the period.

To suit the specification of my car I call it a “Targa” (i.e. 2.3-litre) supercharged. The works used “avec compresseur“. This gets shortened to T and blown TC. I wonder if you or any readers have any thoughts or information on these letter descriptions and if in fact they were ever used when the cars were new.

I still enjoy Motor Sport each month, long may it continue.

Stratford-on-Avon

John Ward

[The race programme surely explained the conversion from Type 35 to Type 35B but we are glad to have the correct facts. — Ed.]

The Suffolk Automobile Club

Sir,

With reference to your article “Another Link With Parry Thomas” in the October Motor Sport, you mention your visit to The Angel Hotel in Bury St. Edmunds. You may be interested to know that this hotel was once the headquarters of The Bury and West Suffolk Automobile Club. The club was established in October 1904 and became affiliated to the Automobile Club of Great Britain & Ireland in March 1905. The club President was The Right Hon. The Earl Cadogan KG of Culford Hall and amongst other Vice-presidents were Lord Iveagh, KP, Sir Henry Bunbury, Bart, Sir T. G. Biddulph, Bart, and the Hon. Walter Guinness. The Chairman was Charles Sparke, a local solicitor, who was also a representative on the General Committee of The Motor Union. The club Secretary was another solicitor, Kenneth W. Greene. Total membership in 1907 was 44, the annual subscription was 10/6d. By 1910 the club was known as The Suffolk Automobile Club and in common with other provincial motoring clubs, used the Royal Automobile Club’s Associates car badge. This was quite a handsome thing, the centre of which bore the three arrow-pierced crowns of King Edmund in a blue enamel background.

I have no record of the club existing after 1911.

Bury St. Edmunds

R. B. Ashton

The 1923 200-Mile Race Newton

Sir,

I read with great interest your reference to the 1923 200-Mile-Race Newton that I took over early in1965 from Nick Sloan. I would like to try and correct the widely-held misconception that the car had anything at all to do with Ceirano (S.A. Giovanni Ceirano, Turin). As you mention, the car was commissioned by Newton & Bennett through Noel Newton. Both the design and construction was by 26-year-old freelance Olivio (not Oliver) Pellegatti in Milan, without any involvement from Ceirano. I believe that Pellegatti finished his career in the USA as chief designer for Johnson, the outboard-engine people, and died in Northern Italy in 1968.

All the evidence available to me suggests that three cars and four engines were built in 1923, two of the cars being for the 200 Mile Race and the other one a longer touring chassis. In the 14 years in which I have owned the Newton I have been unable to find any reference to the other racing car — or the touring car — after the October 1924 London Motor Show. They were interesting chassis — what happened to them? Perhaps one of your readers knows?

As you say, the engine with my car was in poor condition — mainly through poor castings rather than wear or misuse. The crankcase (and many of the other light-alloy castings) was of magnesium and daylight could be seen through the main bearing webbs! Corrosion over the years had not improved matters. Very few people could cast magnesium in 1923 and I assume that Newton was supplied (back door?) by the Milan works of Isotta-Fraschini. Certainly I.F. is clearly stamped on several of the timing gears. The spare engine came through Neil Smith to Gordon Stewart-Brown, and finally Julian Beresford most kindly agreed to let me have the engine in 1971. I think this touring-specification engine must have been the fourth, or spare, as it does not seem to have had any use. It also had a very nice cast-aluminium crankcase! A complete engine has now been put together for me by Bob Danaher of Stradishall using the ex-Beresford castings and lovely Martlett pistons, but the more sporting crankshaft/flywheel/clutch and valve gear from the original engine. The long restoration of the car is now well advanced but sadly the need to earn a living, family, a house, an Anzani Nash and a twin-cam Sunbeam will together make it unlikely the Newton will be running in 1979. However in 1980 — we shall see!

Abbots Langley

G. M. Hare

Vauxhalls of the 1920s

Sir,

Thank you for your most enjoyable article in the July issue on Vauxhalls of the 1920s. My father had a 14/40 in that era and always swore it was one of the finest. The registration number was XR 2866 and if the present owner cares to get in touch I can tell him much of the car’s long history. One anecdote of general interest: My father shipped the car to India in 1924 and told me this did not involve any formalities at all: the number, the licence and the insurance were valid throughout the Empire in those days!

Market Harborough

Julian De Lisle

Memories!