AN ALBUM OF AEROPLANES (CIVIL) Issued by John Player & Sons Extracts from the album

ARMSTRONG WHITWORTH "ARGOSY" CLASS (Great Britain). The "Argosy" is one of the earlier types of air liner used by Imperial Airways. A three-engined cabin biplane carrying twenty passengers, two pilots and a steward, it has proved itself a highly dependable aeroplane and its brilliant record has done much towards popularizing air travel. Machines of this type have flown millions of miles and carried thousands of passengers between London and the Continent. The "Argosy" class has now been superseded by the "Heracles" and "Scylla" classes.

ARMSTRONG WHITWORTH "ATALANTA" CLASS (Great Britain). Imperial Airways and Associated Companies operate a fleet of these air liners on the Empire routes between Karachi and Singapore, and between Kisumu (Kenya Colony) and Cape Town. The type is a four-engined high-wing cabin monoplane; cruising speed 125 m.p.h. It is designed to carry a maximum load of seventeen passengers and luggage, but this number is reduced in order to give each passenger the space and comfort necessary for travel in hot climates. The high-wing position enables the passengers to obtain an unrestricted view.

DE HAVILLAND "DIANA" CLASS (Great Britain). This four-engined air liner, one of the fastest commercial aeroplanes built in this country, although not quite as fast as some American types, carries eight passengers and two pilots on a comparatively small engine power and can reach a speed of 170 m.p.h. Its cruising speed is about 145 m.p.h. These air liners fly on the air lines operated by Railway Air Services between London and Glasgow and other towns, and are being used on the Singapore-Brisbane section of the Empire route between England and Australia. The machine illustrated is one of the latter.

HANDLEY PAGE "HERACLES" CLASS (Great Britain). This air liner is probably the most luxurious of its type. Used by Imperial Airways on both the European and Empire routes, it has accommodation for thirty-eight passengers and a crew of four, consisting of a Captain, Chief Officer and two Stewards. The interior is divided into two compartments with lavatories and buffet facilities in the centre. On the London-Paris route, luncheon and other meals are provided. Cruising speed is 95-105 m.p.h., and with four engines there is little possibility of forced landings through engine trouble.

SHORT "SYRINX", "SCYLLA" CLASS (Great Britain). "Syrinx" of the "Scylla" class is one of the great air liners which serve Imperial Airways on their European services. It is a four- engined machine with a capacity for thirty-nine passengers and a crew of four. Its cruising speed is about 105 m.p.h. There are two passengers' compartments, the forward cabin being 10' 4" and the rear cabin 10' 9" wide. This air liner is equipped with a Kitchen (from which breakfast, lunch, and tea or dinner may be served) and like all Imperial Airways liners, carries two-way wireless.

WESTLAND "WESSEX" (Great Britain); a three-engined cabin monoplane, cruising speed about 105 m.p.h., used principally for short-distance lines and special charter (air taxi) journeys. The spacious passenger cabin seats six-eight, and the pilot's cockpit is fitted with dual control. If any engine fails the "Wessex" can continue to fly with perfect safety on the other two and in the rare event of two failures the remaining power is sufficient to keep the aeroplane in the air until a landing place is found. The machine illustrated has carried thousands of passengers between Portsmouth and the Isle of Wight.