Air Papoose

For a generation Englishmen have played with the idea of mounting one airplane on the back of another on the theory that if they could be separated in midair it would "solve the fundamental problem of launching long-range aeroplanes with a full load . . . eliminate the take-off altogether." In 1916, an air force lieutenant named Day crudely accomplished this by lifting a Bullet scout plane from the wing of a Porte flying boat. Since then blue-eyed, middle-aged Major Robert Hobart Mayo, Cambridge graduate, airplane designer, and technical adviser to Imperial Airways, has worked on the idea. Backed by Imperial Airways, the British Government and Short Bros., famed manufacturer of Britain's famed Empire flying boats, Major Mayo built a seaplane to fit on the back of another (see cut). Last week his seaplanes separated in air for the first time.

The pickaback plane, or "Short-Mayo Composite Aircraft," consists of two seaplanes--a small, swift, long-range ship securely locked on the back of a big short-range "mother" flying boat. The top plane, named Mercury, has a 73-ft. wing span, weighs 20,000 lb. loaded, is powered with four air-cooled 16-cyl. Napier-Half ord 340-h.p. engines, carries a total payload of 1,000 lb. (but no passengers) 3,500 mi. at 160 m.p.h. Its mother beneath, Maia, weighs 40,000 lb. loaded, has four big 9-cyl., 960-h.p. Bristol "Pegasus" radial engines, a wing span of 114 ft., speed of 160 m.p.h. and a range of 730 mi. Though no passengers are intended to ride in mother plane Maia it is equipped as an Empire flying boat, has seats for 16. Fastened together the two planes, all eight engines (5,200 h.p.) roaring, take off. In command is the pilot of Maia, connected by telephone with the pilot of Mercury. On signal both pilots unlock the elaborate hooking device--Mercury soars off with its half-ton load; Maia returns to its base.

Launched last year the two ships were tested separately on the water and in the air. For weeks, coupled together like giant dragon flies, they taxied over the Medway, off Rochester, Kent, finally flew locked together above Short Bros, big plant. One afternoon last week they took off again, Ace Test Pilots John Parker and Harold Piper at the controls of Maia and Mercury, respectively. At 700 ft., flying 140 m.p.h. with conditions perfect, Chief Pilot Parker telephoned up to Pilot Piper: "Is everything all right?" Then: "One, two, three, go." Thousands of Sunday strollers cheered as the two seaplanes separated, took different courses. Said Pilot Parker: "There was no point in mucking about any longer. . . . My only sensation was that I dropped like a bomb."

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