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THE " DEUTSCHLANDFLUG," 1931 (Flight 1931)
Of a national character, the 1931 "Deutschlandflug," just concluded, was limited to German pilots on German light planes with German engines. The rules and regulations were slightly different from those which have been in force at previous competitions of this kind, chiefly because it was desired so to design the regulations that at the finish the first man to cross the line at Berlin should be the winner.
As in previous national and international light plane competitions, the " Deutschlandflug," 1931, organised by the Aero Club of Germany, was divided into two sections: A series of technical tests, and a handicap race around a two-days' circuit. The innovation lay therein that the technical tests were made the basis of the final handicapping in such a way that the points gained in the technical tests were converted into minutes' difference in starting time.
Thirty light aeroplanes had been entered for the " Deutschlandflug." For a time it looked as if the present financial crisis in Germany might necessitate a postponement or the total abandonment of the competition, but after mature consideration the German Aero Club decided to carry on, as the postponement of the contest would have imposed heavy financial sacrifices on competitors.
The technical tests took place at the Staaken aerodrome, Berlin, in the days from August 11 to 13 The race started from Staaken on August 15 and finished at Tempelhofer field, Berlin, on August 16.
Technical Tests
The preliminary technical tests were of the same general character as on previous occasions, i.e., points were awarded for folding or dismantling the wings and reerecting them, for engine starting (prop-swinging not permitted), for take-off and pull-up (this time not over an obstacle), for minimum speed, for fuel consumption, and for certain practical qualities, equipment, comfort, etc.
In the technical tests, especially in the take-off and alighting tests, competitors did less well than they have done in previous competitions. I! is thought that this may have been due to the absence of any obstacle by which the pilots could be guided.
By good organisation, and to some extent due to suitable weather conditions, it: was found possible to get tintechnical tests through in one day less than had been set aside for them. This was all to the good, as it enabled the pilots to get a much needed day's rest before starting on the race.
As a result of the technical tests, Keinhold Poss, who was flying a Klemm L.26, with Argus As 8 engine, secured first place with a total of 61 points. Second was Lieut. Dinort (also on a Klemm L.26-Argus) with 56 points, and third, Wolf Hirth (Klemm-Hirth) with 51 points. The machine flown by Wolf Hirth was of particular interest in that it was lifted with the new Hirth engine, designed by Wolf Hirth's brother, the famous German pioneer pilot, Hellmuth Hirth.
Yet another interesting machine entered was a Mes.serschmitt, with spats over the wheels and an auxiliary aerofoil mounted above the main wing surface in such a manner as to smooth out the airflow, much as does the Handley-Page slot, but, being away from the leading edge, presumably the slot action was supposed different from that of the H.P. It appears that the slot arrangement on Theo. Croneiss's BFW M.27-Argus availed him nothing, for, although it may have prevented the machine from going into a spin, Croneiss was not able to score any points in his slow-flying tests, whereas Poss and others scored as high as 20 points in this test.
The Rnce
The race which followed the technical tests took place on August 15 and 16, and was over a total distance of 1,325 miles. On the first day the machines flew from Staaken to Munich, via Lubeck, Minister and Boblingen, and on the second they covered the route Munich-Berlin, via Vienna and Breslau.
The first man to arrive at Tempelhofer Feld was Lieut. Dinort, who was thus the winner of the competition. Second was Wolf Hirth. Both were flying Klemm L.26 monoplanes, but, whereas Dinort's machine was fitted with the Argus As 8 engine, Hirth's machine had, as already stated, the new Ilirth engine. It is gratifying to find that one of Germany's pioneer pilots should thus score a success in the first competition in which his new engine takes place. Hellmuth Hirth was a well-known figure at flying meetings before the war, and older readers of FLIGHT may remember that on one occasion lie and the famous French pilot, Garros, were at Hendon together, walking about with arms around each others' shoulders. A short time later they were at war with each other, nationally, of course, and not personally. We could have wished Germany's famous pioneer pilot the success of a first prize in the Deutschlandflug," but, at any rate, his second place was no mean recompense.