Challenge International de Tourisme 1930

The International Touring Competition in 1930 () was the second FAI international touring aircraft contest, that took place between July 18 and August 8, 1930 in Berlin, Germany. Four Challenges, from 1929 to 1934, were major aviation events in pre-war Europe.

thumb|The aircraft before contest, in Zeppelin Staaken hangar. Among others, [[Hubert Broad's Gipsy Moth G-AAHR is visible, in front of it, Caudron C.193 F-AJSG.]]

Overview

Germany organized the contest, because the German pilot Fritz Morzik won the previous contest in 1929. The regulation based upon the FAI rules, but details were worked out by the German Aero Club. The international Sports Committee was headed by the German Gerd von Hoeppner. 98 crews applied, but eventually 60 aircraft entered the Challenge in 1930, from six countries: Germany (30 crews), Poland (12 crews), United Kingdom (7 crews), France (6 crews), Spain (3 crews) and the Swiss (2 crews). In the British team there was one Canadian, and in the French team – one Belgian. It was the first major international event in which the Polish aviation took part, with second most numerous team in addition, equipped with own design aircraft. On contrary to a previous contest, there appeared also some special aircraft, better suited to meet the Challenge demands. First of all, they were German BFW M.23c and Klemm L 25E, being new variants of successful machines of 1929 – wooden low-wing monoplanes with closed canopy, belonging to lighter category, yet fitted with powerful Argus engines, having better chance in technical trials. All aircraft in the contest had fixed conventional landing gear and had no wing mechanization (slats or flaps) yet.

Aircraft participating were BFW M.23c (10), BFW M.23b (1), Klemm L.25 (4), Klemm L.25E (3), Klemm L 26 (2), Klemm VL 25 (1), Junkers A50 (3), Arado L II (4), Albatros L 100 (1), Albatros L 101 (1), Darmstadt D-18 (1), de Havilland DH.60G Gipsy Moth (6), Avro Avian (1), Spartan Arrow (1), Monocoupe 110 (1), RWD-2 (3), RWD-4 (3), PZL.5 (2), PWS-50 (1), PWS-51 (1), PWS-52 (1), PWS-8 (1), Caudron C.193 (3), Caudron C.232 (1), Peyret-Mauboussin PM XI (1), Saint Hubert G1 (1), Breda Ba.15S (1), CASA C-1 (1). (numbers were painted in a circle, with inscription: Challenge International and 1930).

Circuit over Europe

thumb|Circuit over Europe

The contest in 1930 was the only Challenge, in which a rally was the opening phase. In spite of attempts of many pilots at being the first man home, it was not a race, but rather a reliability test. A regularity of flights was the most important factor, the second was a cruise speed (minimal cruise speed had to be 80 km/h for Class I aircraft or 60 km/h for lighter Class II aircraft. Cruise speeds above 175/155 km/h respectively did not give extra points). The original time limit for the return to Berlin was 4 p.m. on July 31, but it got extended later for some crews, due to bad weather in Pau. Apart from 75 points for regularity, up to 195 points could be gained for a high cruise speed. On July 21 the weather enabled flying only about mid-day, but then most crews flew over the English Channel, and the fastest 23 planes managed to return to France. Three British and three French crews reached Paris that day, flying 843,5 km.

Twelve fastest crews were the lucky ones to get to Spain, because on July 23 and 24, all the remaining crews were grounded in Pau due to bad weather over the Pyrenees. Lady Bailey was the last to try to fly to Zaragoza, but she was forced to return to Pau. Due to flight prohibition, there were no penalties for not flying farther, and the return time limit was extended by 24 or 48 hours, depending on time when the crew arrived at Pau. Four crews dropped out that day, among them the best Polish pilot Franciszek Żwirko, flying RWD-4 (due to engine failure), also two German and the only Belgian crew of Jacques Maus (St. Hubert G.1).

thumb|upright|Alan Butler and Hubert Broad in Berlin-Tempelhof

On July 27 the first pilots finished in Berlin. The first came Hubert Broad, then Sidney Thorn followed closely by Reinhold Poss. In an hour, there flew also Fritz Morzik, Maurice Finat, prince Antonio de Habsburgo-Borbon, Georg Pasewaldt, H. Andrews and A.S. Butler. Some crews dropped out or were disqualified in these last days as well.

The circuit over Europe appeared to be quite difficult for aircraft and pilots. Only 36 crews out of 60 finished in time. Further 6 crews completed the circuit in spite of being disqualified due to time infringement or propeller repairs, in case of not carrying a spare propeller. Among those, who dropped out, were 9 German crews (3 of them completed the circuit), 8 Polish (3 completed the circuit), 4 French, 2 Spanish and 1 British (completed the circuit). After the rally, a leader in the general classification was Hubert Broad (DH-60G, 270 points), behind him: John Carberry (Monocoupe, 268 pts), Reinhold Poss (Klemm L.25E, 264 pts), fourth was Fritz Morzik (BFW M.23c, 263 pts). The fastest German pilot was Dietrich von Massenbach (151 km/h), but he lost 10 points for regularity.

Technical trials

The first was a trial of quick wings' folding, which was a feature to save place in hangars. The quickest were the crews flying DH-60s (Hubert Broad's crew folded and unfolded wings in mere 48 sec), awarded with 19 points. Crews of the German BFW M.23c scored 17-18 pts, of the Klemm L.25E – 16-17 (F. Morzik – 18 pts, O. Notz and W. Polte – 17 pts, R. Poss – 16 pts).

thumb|Polish RWD-2 in the Challenge markings

The next was quick engine starting test, in which equipping with a starter was extra awarded. The best Klemm L.25Ia of Theo Osterkamp, with Salmson AD.9 engine, earned 11 points. The German Walter Spengler (Klemm L.25) was disqualified for not carrying his spare propeller aboard during this trial.

On August 4 there took place a technical evaluation of competing planes' construction. Since it was a touring plane contest, such features, like comfortable cabs, side-by-side seats, rich set of controls, twin controls, safety devices (anti-fire devices and places for parachutes and water safety equipment) were also awarded. In a technical evaluation, a maximum of 104 points could be won, of a total of 230 points for technical part. Most important feature was a comfortable cab (up to 42 points). Most points was given to the American Monocoupe of John Carberry (74 pts), then to three German Junkers A50s (67-69 pts), then Breda Ba.15S and Arado L IIa (65 pts). 62 points were given to Klemm L.25E of Reinhold Poss, the same to Polish RWD-4 of Jerzy Bajan. DH-60G's of Hubert Broad and Winifred Spooner were awarded only with 56 pts, while the BFW M.23c of Fritz Morzik with 54 pts. The worst was evaluation of Hans Böhning's BFW M.23b, with 39 pts (a winning type of the previous Challenge), the second worst was Sidney Thorn's Avro Avian – 43 pts.

Additionally, in a meantime, the sports commission evaluated possibilities of dismantling the aircraft for transport (the points were added to results of wings' folding and unfolding). The German crews, flying BFW M.23c, along with F. Morzik, received additional 6 points, and Klemms L.25E, along with Poss and Notz – 3 points. No points were given to the British, Polish or French aircraft.

After these trials, leaders in a classification became the Germans: Reinhold Poss (382 pts), Oskar Notz (380 pts), Fritz Morzik (378 pts), then John Carberry (377 pts), Hubert Broad (375 pts) and Winifred Spooner (370 pts). Last trials however brought some changes to this classification.

From evening August 5 until August 7 there were carried short take-off and landing trials. Short take-off trial demanded flying over an 8.5m-high gate, which consisted of two masts with a stretched tape. Each crew had two training attempts and two trials. The German pilot Ernst Krüger was the best, starting from the lowest distance of 125.5 m, then Fritz Morzik (126.4 m) – both flying the BFW M.23c, and awarded with 30 pts. Next places were occupied also by the Germans, the sixth was Winifred Spooner flying DH-60 (142 m – 25 pts). Hubert Broad was given only 12 points (198.4 m), and John Carberry – 21 points (153.7 m). In both last trials, the Polish and French aircraft performed poorly as well.

!colspan=4|Take-off – best results