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"Mercury" Makes Good

- Mercury, an upper component of a composite aircraft launched from Ireland, made the fastest transatlantic crossing on record from Ireland to Canada and the US, giving validation to the composite aircraft concept. - Piloted by Captain Bennett and W/O Coster, Mercury arrived in Montreal in just over 20 hours, averaging 141 mph over 2,860 miles, and arrived in New York in under 22.5 hours over 3,240 miles total. - Facing average headwinds of 25 mph, Mercury's record-breaking flight demonstrated the commercial viability of transatlantic aviation.

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65 views1 page

"Mercury" Makes Good

- Mercury, an upper component of a composite aircraft launched from Ireland, made the fastest transatlantic crossing on record from Ireland to Canada and the US, giving validation to the composite aircraft concept. - Piloted by Captain Bennett and W/O Coster, Mercury arrived in Montreal in just over 20 hours, averaging 141 mph over 2,860 miles, and arrived in New York in under 22.5 hours over 3,240 miles total. - Facing average headwinds of 25 mph, Mercury's record-breaking flight demonstrated the commercial viability of transatlantic aviation.

Uploaded by

seafire47
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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JULY 28,

1938.

FLIGHT.

79

"MERCURY" MAKES GOOD


Upper Component's Crossing in Record Time Gives Mayo-Composite Scheme its First Commercial Vindication

ITH Mercury's record-breaking flight from Foynes Harbour, Ireland, to Montreal and New York, Imperial Airways, in conjunction with the Air Ministry (not forgetting the makers of the machine and engines), have achieved a second and most interesting step towards making transatlantic aviation a commercial proposition.

Mercury, Rapier-engined upper component of the ShoreMayo composite aircraft, was launched at normal all-up weight of 20,800 lb., including 600 lb. of freightnewsreels. Press photographs, and so forth. The separation from Maia was accomplished at 19.58 hours on Thursday, July 21. By passing over Cape Bauld, Newfoundland, 13 hr. 29 min. later, Mercury had made the fastest EastWest Atlantic crossing on record (the best time was previously made by the Short boat Cambria last August, in 14 hr. 24 min.). Boucherville, Montreal, was reached in 20 hr. 20 min., representing an average '' ground '" speed of 141 m.p.h. for the 2,860 miles covered. Manhasset Bay, Port Washington, Long Island, was the next stop, and was reached in 2 hr. 11 min., making a total flying time of 22 hr. 31 min. for an approximate mileage of 3,240. Mercury was piloted by Captain D. C. T. Bennett, who was accompanied by W / O . A. J. Coster. Capt. Bennett's "report is not yet available, but it appears from meteorological data that they encountered an average headwind of approximately 25 m.p.h. Several long stretches were covered against winds considerably in excess of this speed. The flight was made for the most " Fli'jlU" drawinu part at altitudes varying The layout of the between 5,000ft. and Napier Rapier 11,000ft. engines. Mercury Interest centres, of course, has four units of the new 355/370 on the 2,860-mile leg of the flight f r o m F o y n e s to h.p. Mark VI type. Boucherville, Montreal. Mer-

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