High Speed Flight RAF
Encyclopedia
The RAF High Speed Flight, sometimes known as 'The Flight' , was a small flight
of the Royal Air Force
(RAF) formed for the purpose of competing in the Schneider Trophy
contest for racing
seaplane
s during the 1920s.
The Flight was together only until the Trophy was won outright, after which it was disbanded.
race of 1926 both competing countries, Italy
and the USA, had used military pilots. There had not been time to arrange a British team to compete. The British defeat of 1925 was held to be the result of technical inferiority and lack of organisation. The Air Ministry
financed a British team drawn from the RAF, with the result that the High Speed Flight was formed at the Marine Aircraft Experimental Establishment
Felixstowe
in preparation for the 1927 race.
: a pair of Supermarine S.5
s, three Gloster IV
s and a single Short Crusader
. The Crusader was slower than the others, and was intended for training, but crashed on 11 September 1927. The cause was later identified as a control rigging error, following re-assembly after the journey from the UK to Venice.
The Supermarine S.5s came in first and second, with neither the Gloster nor the three Italian aircraft completing the race. As the winning nation, the UK would host the following event. This was the last annual competition. Subsequently, the race was held on a biannual schedule, to allow more time for development between races.
agreed to fund the aircraft for the next event but the Air Ministry objected initially to the use of serving pilots. This was sorted out and the High Speed Flight reformed. In March 1928, Samuel Kinkead
made an attempt on the air speed record
using a Supermarine S5. However at the approach to the start of the course, the aircraft plunged into the water, killing him.
. With little money forthcoming from the Ministry aircraft and engine development had to be private ventures, with government money only being used to purchase the completed product. The costs of the 1927 and 1929 meetings was stated to be £196,000 and £220,000 respectively. Rolls-Royce had now developed the supercharged R
engine, giving Supermarine's designer R.J. Mitchell far more power for his new S.6
than the naturally aspirated Napier Lion VIIB
of the S.5
. Gloster's first racing monoplane, the Gloster VI
, had stayed with the Lion, but was also now supercharged as the Lion VIID.
S.6 N247 came first, piloted by Waghorn, with Atcherley and N248 disqualified for cutting inside a turn.
The Gloster VI had been withdrawn before the race, but Stainforth used it to set a new speed record the following day. A record which soon fell in turn to one of the S.6s.
Under the rules of the Schneider Trophy, a third win would be an outright win in perpetuity. The official attitude after 1929 was summed up by the Prime Minister Ramsay MacDonald
, "We are going to do our level best to win again."
By 1931 though, attitudes had changed again. The Cabinet
vetoed RAF involvement and Government funding in a sporting event. Trenchard's view that there was no advantage as aircraft development would continue whether the UK competed or not. The public however had other ideas and backed the idea of a national team. A wealthy benefactor, shipping heiress Lady Lucy Houston, offered to pay £100,000 towards its cost. With the financial burden removed, the Government generously allowed the RAF to compete again.
The delay in funding had reduced the time available to prepare; the R engine was given 400 more hp to 2,300 hp and the S.6 strengthened to give the S.6B
. The two previous S.6 were upgraded and renamed as S.6A.
In the event, the race itself was an anti-climax - no other countries entered a team. All that had to be done was for one of the aircraft from the flight to complete the course. The plan was thus to attempt to beat the previous race time with one of the S6.Bs, then to either go all-out for a new record attempt, or to use the S6.A to secure the Trophy.
The first goal was met according to plan; Flight Lieutenant Boothman
, won in S.6B S1595 at 340.08 mph, 12 mph faster than the 1929 time.
Work then began on the record attempt, which suffered a setback when a minor accident led to S1596 sinking. As a result, both the race and the record were flown by S1595 (now in the Science Museum
, London). The engines were swapped for this attempt though, from the "reliable" race tune to the ultimate performance "sprint" engine and its special fuel. Flight Lieutenant Stainforth then achieved a record of 407.5 mph, the first person to travel faster than 400 mph; "the mark that matters", in the words of Ernest Hives. In comparison, land speed record
s didn't achieve this for 15 years, until after the Second World War and John Cobb
's Railton Mobil Special.
The Flight was wound up within weeks of the 1931 victory, it having served its purpose.
The Flight was under the command of Group Capt. E. M. Donaldson
DSO, AFC
and would include such notable pilots as Flt. Lt. Neville Duke
DSO, DFC, Wing Cdr. Roland Beamont
DSO and Squadron Leader
W.A. Waterton
AFC. Two Meteor IV
s, EE549 and EE550, were prepared for the speed record attempts."World-Beaters at Home: Grooming and Proving the High-Speed Meteors: Background to the Record." Flight, 1 August 1946, p. 105. Their modifications were small, the significant ones being a small uprating to the thrust of the Derwent engines, an aluminium cockpit hood as the normal Perspex hood was softening in the heat at over 600 mph.
The course was set out over 3-km between Littlehampton
and Worthing
. Over 5 laps Donaldson achieved 616 mph; Waterton 614 mph.
Flight (military unit)
A flight is a military unit in an air force, naval air service, or army air corps. It usually comprises three to six aircraft, with their aircrews and ground staff; or, in the case of a non-flying ground flight, no aircraft and a roughly equivalent number of support personnel. In most usages,...
of the Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
(RAF) formed for the purpose of competing in the Schneider Trophy
Schneider Trophy
The Coupe d'Aviation Maritime Jacques Schneider was a prize competition for seaplanes. Announced by Jacques Schneider, a financier, balloonist and aircraft enthusiast, in 1911, it offered a prize of roughly £1,000. The race was held eleven times between 1913 and 1931...
contest for racing
Air racing
- History :The first ever air race was held in St. Louis, Missouri, in 1908. The participants piloted the only 4 airships in the U.S. around a course located at Forest Park...
seaplane
Seaplane
A seaplane is a fixed-wing aircraft capable of taking off and landing on water. Seaplanes that can also take off and land on airfields are a subclass called amphibian aircraft...
s during the 1920s.
The Flight was together only until the Trophy was won outright, after which it was disbanded.
Background
In the Schneider TrophySchneider Trophy
The Coupe d'Aviation Maritime Jacques Schneider was a prize competition for seaplanes. Announced by Jacques Schneider, a financier, balloonist and aircraft enthusiast, in 1911, it offered a prize of roughly £1,000. The race was held eleven times between 1913 and 1931...
race of 1926 both competing countries, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
and the USA, had used military pilots. There had not been time to arrange a British team to compete. The British defeat of 1925 was held to be the result of technical inferiority and lack of organisation. The Air Ministry
Air Ministry
The Air Ministry was a department of the British Government with the responsibility of managing the affairs of the Royal Air Force, that existed from 1918 to 1964...
financed a British team drawn from the RAF, with the result that the High Speed Flight was formed at the Marine Aircraft Experimental Establishment
Marine Aircraft Experimental Establishment
The Marine Aircraft Experimental Establishment was a British military research and test organisation. It was originally formed as the Marine Aircraft Experimental Station in October 1918 at RAF Isle of Grain, a former Royal Naval Air Service seaplane base, to design, test and evaluate seaplanes,...
Felixstowe
Felixstowe
Felixstowe is a seaside town on the North Sea coast of Suffolk, England. The town gives its name to the nearby Port of Felixstowe, which is the largest container port in the United Kingdom and is owned by Hutchinson Ports UK...
in preparation for the 1927 race.
1927
For the 1927 competition, six aircraft, from three manufacturers, were taken to VeniceVenice
Venice is a city in northern Italy which is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks. It is the capital of the Veneto region...
: a pair of Supermarine S.5
Supermarine S.5
|-See also:-References:NotesBibliography* Andrews, C.F. and E.B. Morgan. Supermarine Aircraft since 1914, 2nd edition. London: Putnam, 1987. ISBN 0-85177-800-3....
s, three Gloster IV
Gloster IV
|-References:*"". Flight, 6 October 1927. pp. 695—699.*"The “Gloster IV”". Flight, 1 March 1928. pp. 129—134.*James, Derek J. Gloster Aircraft since 1917. London:Putnam, 1971. ISBN 0 370 00084 6....
s and a single Short Crusader
Short Crusader
-See also:-References:*http://www.airracinghistory.freeola.com/aircraft/Short%20Crusader.htm accessed 23 April 2008...
. The Crusader was slower than the others, and was intended for training, but crashed on 11 September 1927. The cause was later identified as a control rigging error, following re-assembly after the journey from the UK to Venice.
The Supermarine S.5s came in first and second, with neither the Gloster nor the three Italian aircraft completing the race. As the winning nation, the UK would host the following event. This was the last annual competition. Subsequently, the race was held on a biannual schedule, to allow more time for development between races.
| Pilot | Aircraft | Race position |
|---|---|---|
| Flight Lieutenant Flight Lieutenant Flight lieutenant is a junior commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many Commonwealth countries. It ranks above flying officer and immediately below squadron leader. The name of the rank is the complete phrase; it is never shortened to "lieutenant"... S Kinkead Samuel Kinkead Samuel Marcus Kinkead DSO, DSC & Bar, DFC & Bar was a South African fighter ace Captain with 33 victories during World War I. He went on to serve in southern Russia and the Middle East postwar.-Early life:... |
Gloster IVB Gloster IV |-References:*"". Flight, 6 October 1927. pp. 695—699.*"The “Gloster IV”". Flight, 1 March 1928. pp. 129—134.*James, Derek J. Gloster Aircraft since 1917. London:Putnam, 1971. ISBN 0 370 00084 6.... N223 |
did not finish |
| Flight Lieutenant S Webster | Supermarine S.5 Supermarine S.5 |-See also:-References:NotesBibliography* Andrews, C.F. and E.B. Morgan. Supermarine Aircraft since 1914, 2nd edition. London: Putnam, 1987. ISBN 0-85177-800-3.... N220 |
1st place, at 281.65 mph |
| Flight Lieutenant Worsley | Supermarine S.5 N219 | 2nd place, at 272.91 mph |
| Squadron Leader Squadron Leader Squadron Leader is a commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence. It is also sometimes used as the English translation of an equivalent rank in countries which have a non-English air force-specific rank structure. In these... L Slatter Leonard Slatter Air Marshal Sir Leonard Horatio Slatter KBE, CB, DSC & Bar, DFC, RAF was a naval aviator during World War I and a senior Royal Air Force commander during World War II. Slatter ended his career as the commander-in-chief of Coastal Command.-Early life and World War I:Slatter was born in Durban,... |
Short Crusader N226 | |
| Flying Officer Flying Officer Flying officer is a junior commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence... H M Schofield Harry Methuen Schofield Harry Methuen Schofield was a British test pilot who participated in the Schneider Trophy competition in 1927, and who won the King's Cup Air Race in 1934.... |
Short Crusader Short Crusader -See also:-References:*http://www.airracinghistory.freeola.com/aircraft/Short%20Crusader.htm accessed 23 April 2008... N226 |
did not compete, injured in Crusader crash |
1928
The High Speed Flight was disbanded after the race. The TreasuryTreasury
A treasury is either*A government department related to finance and taxation.*A place where currency or precious items is/are kept....
agreed to fund the aircraft for the next event but the Air Ministry objected initially to the use of serving pilots. This was sorted out and the High Speed Flight reformed. In March 1928, Samuel Kinkead
Samuel Kinkead
Samuel Marcus Kinkead DSO, DSC & Bar, DFC & Bar was a South African fighter ace Captain with 33 victories during World War I. He went on to serve in southern Russia and the Middle East postwar.-Early life:...
made an attempt on the air speed record
Air speed record
An air speed record is the highest airspeed attained by an aircraft of a particular class. The rules for all official aviation records are defined by Fédération Aéronautique Internationale , which also ratifies any claims. Speed records are divided into multiple classes with sub-divisions...
using a Supermarine S5. However at the approach to the start of the course, the aircraft plunged into the water, killing him.
1929
The 1929 Trophy race was to be held at CowesCowes
Cowes is an English seaport town and civil parish on the Isle of Wight. Cowes is located on the west bank of the estuary of the River Medina facing the smaller town of East Cowes on the east Bank...
. With little money forthcoming from the Ministry aircraft and engine development had to be private ventures, with government money only being used to purchase the completed product. The costs of the 1927 and 1929 meetings was stated to be £196,000 and £220,000 respectively. Rolls-Royce had now developed the supercharged R
Rolls-Royce R
The Rolls-Royce R was a British aero engine designed and built specifically for air racing purposes by Rolls-Royce Limited. Nineteen R engines were assembled in a limited production run between 1929 and 1931...
engine, giving Supermarine's designer R.J. Mitchell far more power for his new S.6
Supermarine S.6
|-See also:-References:NotesBibliography* Andrews, C.F. and E.B. Morgan. Supermarine Aircraft since 1914, 2nd edition. London: Putnam, 1987. ISBN 0-85177-800-3....
than the naturally aspirated Napier Lion VIIB
Napier Lion
The Napier Lion was a 12-cylinder broad arrow configuration aircraft engine built by Napier & Son starting in 1917, and ending in the 1930s. A number of advanced features made it the most powerful engine of its day, and kept it in production long after contemporary designs had stopped production...
of the S.5
Supermarine S.5
|-See also:-References:NotesBibliography* Andrews, C.F. and E.B. Morgan. Supermarine Aircraft since 1914, 2nd edition. London: Putnam, 1987. ISBN 0-85177-800-3....
. Gloster's first racing monoplane, the Gloster VI
Gloster VI
-External links:* Royal Air Force....
, had stayed with the Lion, but was also now supercharged as the Lion VIID.
S.6 N247 came first, piloted by Waghorn, with Atcherley and N248 disqualified for cutting inside a turn.
The Gloster VI had been withdrawn before the race, but Stainforth used it to set a new speed record the following day. A record which soon fell in turn to one of the S.6s.
| Pilot | Aircraft | Race position |
|---|---|---|
| Flight Lieutenant S Kinkead Samuel Kinkead Samuel Marcus Kinkead DSO, DSC & Bar, DFC & Bar was a South African fighter ace Captain with 33 victories during World War I. He went on to serve in southern Russia and the Middle East postwar.-Early life:... |
killed in 1928 record attempt | |
| Flying Officer Flying Officer Flying officer is a junior commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence... HRD Waghorn |
Supermarine S.6 Supermarine S.6 |-See also:-References:NotesBibliography* Andrews, C.F. and E.B. Morgan. Supermarine Aircraft since 1914, 2nd edition. London: Putnam, 1987. ISBN 0-85177-800-3.... N247 |
1st place, at 328.6 mph |
| Flying Officer Moon | Engineering Officer | |
| Flight Lieutenant D D'Arcy A Greig | S.5 Supermarine S.5 |-See also:-References:NotesBibliography* Andrews, C.F. and E.B. Morgan. Supermarine Aircraft since 1914, 2nd edition. London: Putnam, 1987. ISBN 0-85177-800-3.... |
|
| Squadron Leader A Orlebar Augustus Orlebar Air Vice Marshal Augustus Henry Orlebar CBE AFC & Bar was a British Army and Royal Air Force officer who served in both world wars.... |
Flight Commander Record 357.7 mph in N247 |
|
| Flight Lieutenant G H Stainforth George Stainforth Wing Commander George Hedley Stainforth AFC RAF was a British Royal Air Force pilot and the first man in the world to exceed 400 miles per hour.-Early life:... |
Gloster VI Gloster VI -External links:* Royal Air Force.... N249 |
|
| Flying Officer R L R Atcherley Richard Atcherley Air Marshal Sir Richard Llewellyn Roger Atcherley KBE, CB, AFC & Bar was a senior commander in the RAF who also served as chief of Air Staff for the Royal Pakistan Air Force.-Early life:... |
S.6 N248 |
1931
Ramsay MacDonald
James Ramsay MacDonald, PC, FRS was a British politician who was the first ever Labour Prime Minister, leading a minority government for two terms....
, "We are going to do our level best to win again."
By 1931 though, attitudes had changed again. The Cabinet
Cabinet of the United Kingdom
The Cabinet of the United Kingdom is the collective decision-making body of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom, composed of the Prime Minister and some 22 Cabinet Ministers, the most senior of the government ministers....
vetoed RAF involvement and Government funding in a sporting event. Trenchard's view that there was no advantage as aircraft development would continue whether the UK competed or not. The public however had other ideas and backed the idea of a national team. A wealthy benefactor, shipping heiress Lady Lucy Houston, offered to pay £100,000 towards its cost. With the financial burden removed, the Government generously allowed the RAF to compete again.
The delay in funding had reduced the time available to prepare; the R engine was given 400 more hp to 2,300 hp and the S.6 strengthened to give the S.6B
Supermarine S.6B
|-See also:-References:NotesBibliography* Andrews, C.F. and E.B. Morgan. Supermarine Aircraft since 1914, 2nd edition. London: Putnam, 1987. ISBN 0-85177-800-3....
. The two previous S.6 were upgraded and renamed as S.6A.
In the event, the race itself was an anti-climax - no other countries entered a team. All that had to be done was for one of the aircraft from the flight to complete the course. The plan was thus to attempt to beat the previous race time with one of the S6.Bs, then to either go all-out for a new record attempt, or to use the S6.A to secure the Trophy.
The first goal was met according to plan; Flight Lieutenant Boothman
John Boothman
Air Chief Marshal Sir John Nelson Boothman KCB KBE DFC AFC RAF was a senior Royal Air Force officer during World War II who went on to high command in the post-War years.- RAF career :...
, won in S.6B S1595 at 340.08 mph, 12 mph faster than the 1929 time.
Work then began on the record attempt, which suffered a setback when a minor accident led to S1596 sinking. As a result, both the race and the record were flown by S1595 (now in the Science Museum
Science museum
A science museum or a science centre is a museum devoted primarily to science. Older science museums tended to concentrate on static displays of objects related to natural history, paleontology, geology, industry and industrial machinery, etc. Modern trends in museology have broadened the range of...
, London). The engines were swapped for this attempt though, from the "reliable" race tune to the ultimate performance "sprint" engine and its special fuel. Flight Lieutenant Stainforth then achieved a record of 407.5 mph, the first person to travel faster than 400 mph; "the mark that matters", in the words of Ernest Hives. In comparison, land speed record
Land speed record
The land speed record is the highest speed achieved by a wheeled vehicle on land. There is no single body for validation and regulation; in practice the Category C flying start regulations are used, officiated by regional or national organizations under the auspices of the Fédération...
s didn't achieve this for 15 years, until after the Second World War and John Cobb
John Cobb (motorist)
John Rhodes Cobb was a British racing motorist. He made money as a director of fur brokers Anning, Chadwick and Kiver and could afford to specialise in large capacity motor-racing...
's Railton Mobil Special.
| Pilot | Aircraft | Race position |
|---|---|---|
| Flight Lieutenant E.J.L. Hope | ||
| Lieutenant Lieutenant A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank... RL "Jerry" Brinton (Fleet Air Arm Fleet Air Arm The Fleet Air Arm is the branch of the British Royal Navy responsible for the operation of naval aircraft. The Fleet Air Arm currently operates the AgustaWestland Merlin, Westland Sea King and Westland Lynx helicopters... ) |
||
| Flight Lieutenant Freddy Long | S.6B S1596 | |
| Flight Lieutenant George Stainforth George Stainforth Wing Commander George Hedley Stainforth AFC RAF was a British Royal Air Force pilot and the first man in the world to exceed 400 miles per hour.-Early life:... |
S.6B | record attempt planned with S1595, actually with S1596 after accident |
| Squadron Leader A Orlebar Augustus Orlebar Air Vice Marshal Augustus Henry Orlebar CBE AFC & Bar was a British Army and Royal Air Force officer who served in both world wars.... |
Flight Commander | |
| Flight Lieutenant John Boothman John Boothman Air Chief Marshal Sir John Nelson Boothman KCB KBE DFC AFC RAF was a senior Royal Air Force officer during World War II who went on to high command in the post-War years.- RAF career :... |
S.6B Supermarine S.6B |-See also:-References:NotesBibliography* Andrews, C.F. and E.B. Morgan. Supermarine Aircraft since 1914, 2nd edition. London: Putnam, 1987. ISBN 0-85177-800-3.... S1595 |
1st place, at 340.08 mph. |
| Flying Officer Leonard Snaith | S.6A N248 | |
| Flight Lieutenant W.F. Dry | Engineering Officer |
The Flight was wound up within weeks of the 1931 victory, it having served its purpose.
Aircraft operated
- 1927
- Gloster I (training)
- Gloster IVBGloster IV|-References:*"". Flight, 6 October 1927. pp. 695—699.*"The “Gloster IV”". Flight, 1 March 1928. pp. 129—134.*James, Derek J. Gloster Aircraft since 1917. London:Putnam, 1971. ISBN 0 370 00084 6....
- Supermarine S.5Supermarine S.5|-See also:-References:NotesBibliography* Andrews, C.F. and E.B. Morgan. Supermarine Aircraft since 1914, 2nd edition. London: Putnam, 1987. ISBN 0-85177-800-3....
- Short CrusaderShort Crusader-See also:-References:*http://www.airracinghistory.freeola.com/aircraft/Short%20Crusader.htm accessed 23 April 2008...
- 1929
- Gloster VIGloster VI-External links:* Royal Air Force....
- Supermarine S.6Supermarine S.6|-See also:-References:NotesBibliography* Andrews, C.F. and E.B. Morgan. Supermarine Aircraft since 1914, 2nd edition. London: Putnam, 1987. ISBN 0-85177-800-3....
- Gloster VI
- 1931
- Supermarine S.6A
- Supermarine S.6BSupermarine S.6B|-See also:-References:NotesBibliography* Andrews, C.F. and E.B. Morgan. Supermarine Aircraft since 1914, 2nd edition. London: Putnam, 1987. ISBN 0-85177-800-3....
Post-war reformation
In 1946 the High-Speed Flight was re-formed, to attempt the World Air Speed Record.The Flight was under the command of Group Capt. E. M. Donaldson
Edward Mortlock Donaldson
Air Commodore Edward "Teddy" Mortlock Donaldson CB, CBE, DSO, AFC & Bar was an RAF Second World War Flying ace, and former holder of the airspeed World Record.-Biography:...
DSO, AFC
Air Force Cross (United Kingdom)
The Air Force Cross is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the United Kingdom Armed Forces, and formerly also to officers of the other Commonwealth countries, for "an act or acts of valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying, though not in active operations against the enemy"...
and would include such notable pilots as Flt. Lt. Neville Duke
Neville Duke
Squadron Leader Neville Frederick Duke DSO, OBE, DFC & Two Bars, AFC, FRAeS,Czech War Cross was a British Second World War fighter pilot. He was the top Allied flying ace in the Mediterranean Theatre, having shot down at least 27 enemy aircraft, and was acknowledged as one of the world's foremost...
DSO, DFC, Wing Cdr. Roland Beamont
Roland Beamont
Wing Commander Roland Prosper "Bee" Beamont CBE, DSO & Bar, DFC & Bar was a British fighter pilot and test pilot for the Royal Air Force during the Second World War, and the years that followed...
DSO and Squadron Leader
Squadron Leader
Squadron Leader is a commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence. It is also sometimes used as the English translation of an equivalent rank in countries which have a non-English air force-specific rank structure. In these...
W.A. Waterton
Bill Waterton
Squadron Leader Bill Waterton GM AFC* was a Canadian test pilot and correspondent for the Daily Express. He was awarded the George Medal for saving the flight data when he landed at great risk the prototype Gloster Javelin after it lost its controls during a test flight.-Early years:Born in...
AFC. Two Meteor IV
Gloster Meteor
The Gloster Meteor was the first British jet fighter and the Allies' first operational jet. It first flew in 1943 and commenced operations on 27 July 1944 with 616 Squadron of the Royal Air Force...
s, EE549 and EE550, were prepared for the speed record attempts."World-Beaters at Home: Grooming and Proving the High-Speed Meteors: Background to the Record." Flight, 1 August 1946, p. 105. Their modifications were small, the significant ones being a small uprating to the thrust of the Derwent engines, an aluminium cockpit hood as the normal Perspex hood was softening in the heat at over 600 mph.
The course was set out over 3-km between Littlehampton
Littlehampton
Littlehampton is a seaside resort town and civil parish in the Arun District of West Sussex, England, on the east bank at the mouth of the River Arun. It lies south southwest of London, west of Brighton and east of the county town of Chichester....
and Worthing
Worthing
Worthing is a large seaside town with borough status in West Sussex, within the historic County of Sussex, forming part of the Brighton/Worthing/Littlehampton conurbation. It is situated at the foot of the South Downs, west of Brighton, and east of the county town of Chichester...
. Over 5 laps Donaldson achieved 616 mph; Waterton 614 mph.