Challenge 1932
Encyclopedia
The Challenge 1932 was the third FAI
Fédération Aéronautique Internationale
The Fédération Aéronautique Internationale is the world governing body for air sports and aeronautics and astronautics world records. Its head office is in Lausanne, Switzerland. This includes man-carrying aerospace vehicles from balloons to spacecraft, and unmanned aerial vehicles...

 International Tourist Plane Contest , that took place between 12 and August 28, 1932 in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...

, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...

. The four Challenges, from 1929 to 1934, were major aviation events in pre-war Europe.

Overview

Germany organized the contest, because German pilot Fritz Morzik won the previous Challenge
Challenge 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....

 in 1930
1930 in aviation
This is a list of aviation-related events from 1930:- Events :* The Surrey Aero Club inaugurates recreational flights from Gatwick Race Course .* The German airship LZ 127 Graf Zeppelin makes its first crossing of the South Atlantic....

. The number of aircraft that took part in the 1932 Challenge was smaller - 43 compared to 60, because the contest was getting much more difficult with time, demanding high pilotage skills and more advanced aircraft. This time, most countries developed special aircraft specifically for the Challenge.

Teams from six countries entered the Challenge in 1932: Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...

 (15 crews), France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...

 (8 crews), 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...

 (8 crews), Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...

 (5 crews), Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...

 (4 crews) and Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....

 (2 crews). English aviatrix Winifred Spooner
Winifred Spooner
Winifred Evelyn Spooner was an English aviatrix of the 1920s and 1930s, and the winner of the Harmon Trophy as the world's outstanding aviatrix of 1929. She died aged 33 from pneumonia....

 entered the contest in the Italian team, being the only woman among the pilots. One Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...

 (John Carberry) and one Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...

n pilot (Alexander Papana) entered the contest in the German team.

The opening ceremony was on August 12, 1932 at Berlin-Staaken
Staaken
Staaken is a locality at the western rim of Berlin within the borough of Spandau. In the west it shares border with the Brandenburg municipalities of Falkensee and Dallgow-Döberitz in the Havelland district. Buildings range from small detached houses in the west to larger 1960s and 1970s housing...

 airfield. The contest consisted of three parts: technical trials, a rally around Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...

 and a maximum speed test. Since one of the aims of the Challenge was to stimulate progress in aircraft development, it was not only pilots' competition, but technical trials also included a construction evaluation that promoted more advanced designs.

Aircraft

The Challenge was to be a contest of tourist aircraft, so competing aircraft had to be able to take at least two persons aboard, take off and land on a short field and cover a distance with a good cruising speed. In fact, Germany, Poland, Czechoslovakia and Italy developed modern sports aircraft specifically to meet the demands of the Challenge. In the beginning of the contest, six fast German Heinkel He 64
Heinkel He 64
|-References:* Heinze, Edwin P.A. Flight: 848-50, 9 September 1932. Retrieved: 24 April 2008.* Nowarra, Heinz. Die deutsche Luftrüstung 1933-1945. Bonn: Bernard and Graefe, 1983, pp. Teil 2, 173–175....

s were considered favourites. Most numerous German aircraft was the three-seater Klemm Kl 32 (7 plus one in Swiss team). Both were wooden low-wing monoplane
Monoplane
A monoplane is a fixed-wing aircraft with one main set of wing surfaces, in contrast to a biplane or triplane. Since the late 1930s it has been the most common form for a fixed wing aircraft.-Types of monoplane:...

s. Italy and Czechoslovakia developed similar strutted low-wing monoplanes, the Breda Ba.33
Breda Ba.33
-References:* *-External links:* in Flight, August 19, 1932...

 and Praga BH-111
Praga BH-111
|-References:*Marian Krzyżan: "Międzynarodowe turnieje lotnicze 1929-1934", Warsaw 1988, ISBN 83-206-0637-3 -See also:...

. Poland developed a high-wing RWD-6
RWD-6
-See also:-References:*Andrzej Glass: "Polskie konstrukcje lotnicze 1893-1939" , WKiŁ, Warsaw 1977...

 and an all-metal low-wing monoplane PZL.19
PZL.19
|-References: Glass, Andrzej. Polskie konstrukcje lotnicze 1893-1939 , pp. 242-244.. Warsaw: WKiŁ, 1977.-See also:...

. All these aircraft had enclosed crew cabins, fixed landing gear
Landing Gear
Landing Gear is Devin the Dude's fifth studio album. It was released on October 7, 2008. It was his first studio album since signing with the label Razor & Tie. It features a high-profile guest appearance from Snoop Dogg. As of October 30, 2008, the album has sold 18,906 copies.-Track...

 and advanced wing mechanization (flaps
Flap (aircraft)
Flaps are normally hinged surfaces mounted on the trailing edges of the wings of a fixed-wing aircraft to reduce the speed an aircraft can be safely flown at and to increase the angle of descent for landing without increasing air speed. They shorten takeoff and landing distances as well as...

 and slat
Leading edge slats
Slats are aerodynamic surfaces on the leading edge of the wings of fixed-wing aircraft which, when deployed, allow the wing to operate at a higher angle of attack. A higher coefficient of lift is produced as a result of angle of attack and speed, so by deploying slats an aircraft can fly at slower...

). The other aircraft, especially French, modified from serial designs, were less modern and had lower chances in technical trials.

Aircraft participating: Klemm Kl 32 (8), Breda Ba.33
Breda Ba.33
-References:* *-External links:* in Flight, August 19, 1932...

 (8), Heinkel He 64
Heinkel He 64
|-References:* Heinze, Edwin P.A. Flight: 848-50, 9 September 1932. Retrieved: 24 April 2008.* Nowarra, Heinz. Die deutsche Luftrüstung 1933-1945. Bonn: Bernard and Graefe, 1983, pp. Teil 2, 173–175....

 (6), Praga BH-111
Praga BH-111
|-References:*Marian Krzyżan: "Międzynarodowe turnieje lotnicze 1929-1934", Warsaw 1988, ISBN 83-206-0637-3 -See also:...

 (3), PZL.19
PZL.19
|-References: Glass, Andrzej. Polskie konstrukcje lotnicze 1893-1939 , pp. 242-244.. Warsaw: WKiŁ, 1977.-See also:...

 (3), RWD-6
RWD-6
-See also:-References:*Andrzej Glass: "Polskie konstrukcje lotnicze 1893-1939" , WKiŁ, Warsaw 1977...

 (2), Potez 43
Potez 43
|-See also:-References:*Marian Krzyżan: "Międzynarodowe turnieje lotnicze 1929-1934", Warsaw 1988, ISBN 83-206-0637-3 * at Aviafrance-External links:*...

 (2), Farman 234 (2), Farman 250 (1), Darmstadt D-22
Darmstadt D-22
-References:*Marian Krzyżan: "Międzynarodowe turnieje lotnicze 1929-1934", Warsaw 1988, ISBN 83-206-0637-3 -External links:**...

a (1), Raab-Katzenstein RK-25/32 (1), Breda Ba.15
Breda Ba.15
|-See also:-References:* * "La Contribución Italiana en la Aviación Paraguaya". Antonio Luis Sapienza Fracchia. Author's edition. Asunción, 2007. 300pp....

S (1), Monocoupe 110 (1), Guerchais T.9 (1), Caudron C.278 (1), Mauboussin M.12 (1), Comte AC-12 (1).

The German aircraft had starting numbers from a range: A4-A9, B1-B9, C2-C8, E1-E2, French: K1-K8, Italian: M1-M8, Polish: O1-O6, Swiss: S1-S2, Czechoslovak: T1-T4 (numbers were placed on fuselages in a black square frame).

Technical trials

On August 13 the technical evaluation of the competing planes' construction took place. Since it was a tourist plane contest, features such as: a comfortable cabin with a good view, seats placed side-by-side, a rich set of controls, modern construction, safety devices and folding wings were also awarded points. Most points were given to the Polish designs (86 points to the RWD-6
RWD-6
-See also:-References:*Andrzej Glass: "Polskie konstrukcje lotnicze 1893-1939" , WKiŁ, Warsaw 1977...

 and 84 points to the PZL.19
PZL.19
|-References: Glass, Andrzej. Polskie konstrukcje lotnicze 1893-1939 , pp. 242-244.. Warsaw: WKiŁ, 1977.-See also:...

), behind them the Italian Breda Ba.33
Breda Ba.33
-References:* *-External links:* in Flight, August 19, 1932...

 (83 points) and Praga BH-111
Praga BH-111
|-References:*Marian Krzyżan: "Międzynarodowe turnieje lotnicze 1929-1934", Warsaw 1988, ISBN 83-206-0637-3 -See also:...

 (80 points). This gave them more than ten points' advantage over most feared German designs (Kl 32 - 71-72 points, He 64c - 66 points), and placed them as favourites from this point. Worst planes scored 44 points (Caudron C.278 biplane and Mauboussin M.12).

On August 14, there was a short take off trial, which required the crews to fly over an 8-m high gate. The German pilot Wolfram Hirth (Kl 32) was the best, taking off from the closest distance (91.6m - 40 pts), two Italians Colombo and Lombardi scored 40 points as well, other Klemms and Bredas were also at the head. Polish RWD-6s scored 37 points (111.5 and 115 m).
Top results of the short take-off trial
  Pilot country aircraft   distance   points
1. Wolf Hirth  Germany Kl 32 91.6 m 40 pts
2. Francesco Lombardi  Italy Ba.33 97.5 m 40 pts
3. Ambrogio Colombo  Italy Ba.33 100 m 40 pts
4. Reinhold Poss
Reinhold Poss
Reinhold Poss was a German flying ace and racing pilot. Poss enlisted with the German Navy during World War I and scored eleven kills as a naval pilot. In May 1918 he took command of the Seefrontstaffel and in September 1918 of the IV. Marinefeldjasta, which he led until 15 October, when he was...

 
 Germany Kl 32 100.3 m 39 pts
5. Robert Fretz Kl 32 102.6 m 39 pts
6. Vittorio Suster  Italy Ba.33 105.6 m 38 pts


Next, a short landing trial followed, from behind an 8 m high gate. The best result, 92.4 m (40 pts), was achieved by Winifred Spooner. Good results were scored by Klemms, Bredas, RWD-6s and French Potez 43
Potez 43
|-See also:-References:*Marian Krzyżan: "Międzynarodowe turnieje lotnicze 1929-1934", Warsaw 1988, ISBN 83-206-0637-3 * at Aviafrance-External links:*...

s. After the technical evaluation and these two trials, the leaders in the general classification were: the Italian Ambrogio Colombo and the Pole Franciszek Żwirko on the RWD-6, with 161 points each. The next places were taken by an Italian team, then by the Germans and Poles, then the rest.
Top results of the short landing trial
  Pilot country aircraft   distance   points
1. Winifred Spooner
Winifred Spooner
Winifred Evelyn Spooner was an English aviatrix of the 1920s and 1930s, and the winner of the Harmon Trophy as the world's outstanding aviatrix of 1929. She died aged 33 from pneumonia....

 
Ba.33 92.4 m 40 pts
2. Reinhold Poss
Reinhold Poss
Reinhold Poss was a German flying ace and racing pilot. Poss enlisted with the German Navy during World War I and scored eleven kills as a naval pilot. In May 1918 he took command of the Seefrontstaffel and in September 1918 of the IV. Marinefeldjasta, which he led until 15 October, when he was...

 
 Germany Kl 32 97.8 m 40 pts
3. G. Viazzo  Italy Ba.33 101.9 m 39 pts
4. Georges Detré Potez 43
Potez 43
|-See also:-References:*Marian Krzyżan: "Międzynarodowe turnieje lotnicze 1929-1934", Warsaw 1988, ISBN 83-206-0637-3 * at Aviafrance-External links:*...

 
102.8 m 39 pts
5. Franciszek Żwirko  RWD-6 105.8 m 38 pts
6. Ambrogio Colombo  Italy Ba.33 107.3 m 38 pts
7. Robert Fretz Kl 32 107.4 m 38 pts


On August 15, there was a minimal speed trial, to evaluate the aircraft safety. Flying on the edge of stall
Stall (flight)
In fluid dynamics, a stall is a reduction in the lift coefficient generated by a foil as angle of attack increases. This occurs when the critical angle of attack of the foil is exceeded...

ing, Franciszek Żwirko was the slowest with 57.6 km/h speed, the second was another Pole flying an RWD-6, Tadeusz Karpiński. Behind them were the Italians, the German He 64s and the French Raymond Delmotte (C.278) with good results ranging from 61.2 to 65.7 km/h, and then the rest. The regulations did not expect such low speeds and therefore all seven results below 63 km/h were awarded with 50 points.
Top results of the minimal speed trial
  Pilot country aircraft   speed points
1. Franciszek Żwirko  RWD-6 57.6 km/h   50 pts
2. Tadeusz Karpiński RWD-6 60.8 km/h 50 pts
3. Francesco Lombardi  Italy Ba.33 61.2 km/h 50 pts
4. Ambrogio Colombo  Italy Ba.33 61.4 km/h 50 pts
5. Winifred Spooner
Winifred Spooner
Winifred Evelyn Spooner was an English aviatrix of the 1920s and 1930s, and the winner of the Harmon Trophy as the world's outstanding aviatrix of 1929. She died aged 33 from pneumonia....

 
Ba.33 61.5 km/h 50 pts
6. Werner Junck
Werner Junck
Werner Junck was a German World War II Luftwaffe Generalleutnant and the one time commander of Fliegerführer Irak...

 Germany He 64c 62.1 km/h 50 pts
7. Hans Seidemann
Hans Seidemann
Hans Seidemann was a World War II Luftwaffe general. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves...

 Germany He 64b 62.4 km/h 50 pts


August 16 saw a trial of quick folding of wings, which was a feature to save place in hangars, and then a trial of quick engine starting. The general classification changed little after these trials, with Żwirko and Colombo holding on to a joint lead with 222 points each.

A fuel consumption trial on a 300 km distance was held on August 19, and the German aircraft won in that category. After all technical trials, Ambrogio Colombo led the general classification, with Franciszek Żwirko second, Italy's Francesco Lombardi third.
Top results of the technical trials:
  Pilot country aircraft points
1. Ambrogio Colombo  Italy Breda Ba.33
Breda Ba.33
-References:* *-External links:* in Flight, August 19, 1932...

2. Franciszek Żwirko  RWD-6
RWD-6
-See also:-References:*Andrzej Glass: "Polskie konstrukcje lotnicze 1893-1939" , WKiŁ, Warsaw 1977...

3. Francesco Lombardi  Italy Breda Ba.33
4/5. Winifred Spooner
Winifred Spooner
Winifred Evelyn Spooner was an English aviatrix of the 1920s and 1930s, and the winner of the Harmon Trophy as the world's outstanding aviatrix of 1929. She died aged 33 from pneumonia....

 
Breda Ba.33 - 241 pts
4/5. Renato Donati  Italy Breda Ba.33 - 241 pts
6/7. Tadeusz Karpiński RWD-6
6/7. Mario Stoppani  Italy Breda Ba.33 - 238 pts
8. Vittorio Suster  Italy Breda Ba.33
9. Reinhold Poss
Reinhold Poss
Reinhold Poss was a German flying ace and racing pilot. Poss enlisted with the German Navy during World War I and scored eleven kills as a naval pilot. In May 1918 he took command of the Seefrontstaffel and in September 1918 of the IV. Marinefeldjasta, which he led until 15 October, when he was...

 
 Germany Klemm Kl 32
10. Robert Fretz Klemm Kl 32


Before the next part, Winifred Spooner was forced to land near Berlin due to sabotage
Sabotage
Sabotage is a deliberate action aimed at weakening another entity through subversion, obstruction, disruption, or destruction. In a workplace setting, sabotage is the conscious withdrawal of efficiency generally directed at causing some change in workplace conditions. One who engages in sabotage is...

 of her fuel
Fuel
Fuel is any material that stores energy that can later be extracted to perform mechanical work in a controlled manner. Most fuels used by humans undergo combustion, a redox reaction in which a combustible substance releases energy after it ignites and reacts with the oxygen in the air...

, and she decided to withdraw.

Rally over Europe

The second part of the Challenge was a 7363 km rally over Europe, on a path: Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...

 - Warsaw
Warsaw
Warsaw is the capital and largest city of Poland. It is located on the Vistula River, roughly from the Baltic Sea and from the Carpathian Mountains. Its population in 2010 was estimated at 1,716,855 residents with a greater metropolitan area of 2,631,902 residents, making Warsaw the 10th most...

 - Kraków
Kraków
Kraków also Krakow, or Cracow , is the second largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland. Situated on the Vistula River in the Lesser Poland region, the city dates back to the 7th century. Kraków has traditionally been one of the leading centres of Polish academic, cultural, and artistic life...

 - Prague
Prague
Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...

 - Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...

 - Zagreb
Zagreb
Zagreb is the capital and the largest city of the Republic of Croatia. It is in the northwest of the country, along the Sava river, at the southern slopes of the Medvednica mountain. Zagreb lies at an elevation of approximately above sea level. According to the last official census, Zagreb's city...

 - Vicenza
Vicenza
Vicenza , a city in north-eastern Italy, is the capital of the eponymous province in the Veneto region, at the northern base of the Monte Berico, straddling the Bacchiglione...

 - Rimini
Rimini
Rimini is a medium-sized city of 142,579 inhabitants in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy, and capital city of the Province of Rimini. It is located on the Adriatic Sea, on the coast between the rivers Marecchia and Ausa...

 - Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...

 - Bellinzona
Bellinzona
Bellinzona is the administrative capital of the canton Ticino in Switzerland. The city is famous for its three castles that have been UNESCO World Heritage Sites since 2000....

 - Cannes
Cannes
Cannes is one of the best-known cities of the French Riviera, a busy tourist destination and host of the annual Cannes Film Festival. It is a Commune of France in the Alpes-Maritimes department....

 - Lyon
Lyon
Lyon , is a city in east-central France in the Rhône-Alpes region, situated between Paris and Marseille. Lyon is located at from Paris, from Marseille, from Geneva, from Turin, and from Barcelona. The residents of the city are called Lyonnais....

 - Stuttgart
Stuttgart
Stuttgart is the capital of the state of Baden-Württemberg in southern Germany. The sixth-largest city in Germany, Stuttgart has a population of 600,038 while the metropolitan area has a population of 5.3 million ....

 - Bonn
Bonn
Bonn is the 19th largest city in Germany. Located in the Cologne/Bonn Region, about 25 kilometres south of Cologne on the river Rhine in the State of North Rhine-Westphalia, it was the capital of West Germany from 1949 to 1990 and the official seat of government of united Germany from 1990 to 1999....

 - Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...

 - Rotterdam
Rotterdam
Rotterdam is the second-largest city in the Netherlands and one of the largest ports in the world. Starting as a dam on the Rotte river, Rotterdam has grown into a major international commercial centre...

 - Hamburg
Hamburg
-History:The first historic name for the city was, according to Claudius Ptolemy's reports, Treva.But the city takes its modern name, Hamburg, from the first permanent building on the site, a castle whose construction was ordered by the Emperor Charlemagne in AD 808...

 - Goteborg - Berlin. 39 aircraft took part in the race. Main waypoints were Rome and Paris.

The rally started on August 21. From the beginning, the German crews tried to take advantage of faster aircraft and make up for the points lost in the technical trials. The Italians tried to be the first in Rome, racing against the Germans. On the other side, the Poles, with slower planes, tried to keep a good cruise speed and flight regularity, which were awarded with points in the rally. On the first day, most crews reached Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...

 or Zagreb
Zagreb
Zagreb is the capital and the largest city of the Republic of Croatia. It is in the northwest of the country, along the Sava river, at the southern slopes of the Medvednica mountain. Zagreb lies at an elevation of approximately above sea level. According to the last official census, Zagreb's city...

, while the Italians reached Vicenza
Vicenza
Vicenza , a city in north-eastern Italy, is the capital of the eponymous province in the Veneto region, at the northern base of the Monte Berico, straddling the Bacchiglione...

. Ambrogio Colombo and three Germans (von Massenbach, Seidemann and Marienfeld) got as far as Rimini
Rimini
Rimini is a medium-sized city of 142,579 inhabitants in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy, and capital city of the Province of Rimini. It is located on the Adriatic Sea, on the coast between the rivers Marecchia and Ausa...

. Three crews withdrew on the way due to breakdowns.
On August 22, the competitors landed in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...

, but the German pilot Hans Seidemann
Hans Seidemann
Hans Seidemann was a World War II Luftwaffe general. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves...

 was first. Only 33 crews reached Rome, three had forced crash landings (among others, the Romanian Aleksander Papana flying Monocoupe 110).

On August 23, the competitors took off from Rome. On that day, two Italian Bredas crashed due to weak wing construction (one mechanic died bailing out). As a result, Italy decied to withdraw all the Italian teams from the Challenge, Ambrogio Colombo being the leader by then. On August 24, the 25 remaining crews reached Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...

. On August 27, the competitors finished in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...

. The first pilot in Berlin, and the fastest in the whole race, was the German Hans Seidemann
Hans Seidemann
Hans Seidemann was a World War II Luftwaffe general. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves...

 with a cruise speed of 213 km/h, flying the Heinkel He 64
Heinkel He 64
|-References:* Heinze, Edwin P.A. Flight: 848-50, 9 September 1932. Retrieved: 24 April 2008.* Nowarra, Heinz. Die deutsche Luftrüstung 1933-1945. Bonn: Bernard and Graefe, 1983, pp. Teil 2, 173–175....

b. The next seven results were also German. Franciszek Żwirko arrived in 11th place, with a cruise speed of 191 km/h.
Top results of the rally:
  Pilot country aircraft average speed points
1. Hans Seidemann
Hans Seidemann
Hans Seidemann was a World War II Luftwaffe general. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves...

 
 Germany Heinkel He 64b 213 km/h - 220 pts
2. Wolfgang Stein  Germany He 64c 208 km/h
3. Dietrich von Massenbach  Germany He 64c 206 km/h
4. Walter Marienfeld  Germany Darmstadt D-22
Darmstadt D-22
-References:*Marian Krzyżan: "Międzynarodowe turnieje lotnicze 1929-1934", Warsaw 1988, ISBN 83-206-0637-3 -External links:**...

a
205 km/h
5. Wolf Hirth  Germany Klemm Kl 32 203 km/h
6. Fritz Morzik   Germany He 64c 200 km/h
7. Otto Cuno  Germany Kl 32 198 km/h - 218 pts
8/9. Reinhold Poss
Reinhold Poss
Reinhold Poss was a German flying ace and racing pilot. Poss enlisted with the German Navy during World War I and scored eleven kills as a naval pilot. In May 1918 he took command of the Seefrontstaffel and in September 1918 of the IV. Marinefeldjasta, which he led until 15 October, when he was...

 
 Germany Kl 32 197 km/h - 217 pts
8/9. Robert Fretz Kl 32 197 km/h - 217 pts
10. Robert Lusser  Germany Kl 32 193 km/h - 213 pts
11/12. Franciszek Żwirko RWD-6 191 km/h - 211 pts
11/12. Josef Kalla Praga BH-111 191 km/h - 211 pts
13. Jerzy Bajan
Jerzy Bajan
Jerzy Bajan was a prominent Polish sports and military aviator, winner of the Challenge 1934 contest.-Early military career:...

PZL.19
PZL.19
|-References: Glass, Andrzej. Polskie konstrukcje lotnicze 1893-1939 , pp. 242-244.. Warsaw: WKiŁ, 1977.-See also:...

188 km/h - 206 pts

After the technical trials and the rally, Franciszek Żwirko held first place in the general classification with 456 points, with Reinhold Poss
Reinhold Poss
Reinhold Poss was a German flying ace and racing pilot. Poss enlisted with the German Navy during World War I and scored eleven kills as a naval pilot. In May 1918 he took command of the Seefrontstaffel and in September 1918 of the IV. Marinefeldjasta, which he led until 15 October, when he was...

 in second with 451 pts, Wolf Hirth in third with 450 pts and Robert Fretz (Suiss) in fourth with 448 pts. Fritz Morzik was fifth with 444 pts.

Maximum speed trial

The last part of the Challenge was a maximum speed trial, on a 300 km triangular course. The beginning and landing was on August 28 at the Berlin-Staaken
Staaken
Staaken is a locality at the western rim of Berlin within the borough of Spandau. In the west it shares border with the Brandenburg municipalities of Falkensee and Dallgow-Döberitz in the Havelland district. Buildings range from small detached houses in the west to larger 1960s and 1970s housing...

 airfield.

The fastest was the German Fritz Morzik (He 64c) with 241.3 km/h. The next four places were also occupied by Heinkels. Żwirko's closest rival, Reinhold Poss
Reinhold Poss
Reinhold Poss was a German flying ace and racing pilot. Poss enlisted with the German Navy during World War I and scored eleven kills as a naval pilot. In May 1918 he took command of the Seefrontstaffel and in September 1918 of the IV. Marinefeldjasta, which he led until 15 October, when he was...

 flying a Klemm Kl 32, was in 7th position (220.7 km/h). The fastest Pole was Tadeusz Karpiński (8th position, 216.2 km/h, RWD-6), while Franciszek Żwirko took the 13th position with 214.1 km/h.

Due to a handicapping
Handicapping
Handicapping, in sport and games, is the practice of assigning advantage through scoring compensation or other advantage given to different contestants to equalize the chances of winning. The word also applies to the various methods by which the advantage is calculated...

 system, contestants took off in order of general classification, with proper intervals, and an amount of points given in the speed trial meant that the first on the finish line would be the winner of all contest. As a result, minutes could decide the final victory in the Challenge. Taking off 12 minutes after Żwirko, Morzik landed 83 seconds after him - if he had overrun Żwirko, he would have won. Poss, starting five minutes after the leader, was 2 minutes 30 seconds short.

Results

A closing ceremony was held after the maximum speed test on August 28. The winners were the Polish crew: pilot Franciszek Żwirko and mechanic Stanisław Wigura, with 461 points. Their success was not only a result of their aviation skills, but also of the technical features of their Polish-designed RWD-6
RWD-6
-See also:-References:*Andrzej Glass: "Polskie konstrukcje lotnicze 1893-1939" , WKiŁ, Warsaw 1977...

 (which Wigura had co-designed). Due to Żwirko's victory, the next Challenge 1934
Challenge 1934
The Challenge 1934 was the fourth and last FAI International Tourist Plane Contest , that took place between August 28 and September 16, 1934 in Warsaw, Poland. The four Challenges, from 1929 to 1934, were major aviation events in pre-war Europe...

 was organized in Warsaw.

The second and third place was occupied jointly by Germans: Fritz Morzik (Heinkel He 64
Heinkel He 64
|-References:* Heinze, Edwin P.A. Flight: 848-50, 9 September 1932. Retrieved: 24 April 2008.* Nowarra, Heinz. Die deutsche Luftrüstung 1933-1945. Bonn: Bernard and Graefe, 1983, pp. Teil 2, 173–175....

c, the winner of the Challenge 1930
Challenge 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....

) and Reinhold Poss
Reinhold Poss
Reinhold Poss was a German flying ace and racing pilot. Poss enlisted with the German Navy during World War I and scored eleven kills as a naval pilot. In May 1918 he took command of the Seefrontstaffel and in September 1918 of the IV. Marinefeldjasta, which he led until 15 October, when he was...

 (Klemm Kl 32V) with 458 points. The 5th place was taken by Switzerland's Robert Frenz flying German Klemm Kl 32. Tadeusz Karpiński flying the other RWD-6, took the 9th place. The best Czech, Josef Kalla, took 16th place, the best French contestant, Raymond Delmotte - 20th place. The Challenge was completed by only 24 crews out of 43 (12 German, 4 Polish, 4 French, 3 Czechoslovak and 1 Swiss).
  Pilot country aircraft registration
/ starting number
points: technical
+ race + speed
= total
1. Franciszek Żwirko  RWD-6
RWD-6
-See also:-References:*Andrzej Glass: "Polskie konstrukcje lotnicze 1893-1939" , WKiŁ, Warsaw 1977...

 
SP-AHN / O6 245 + 211 + 5 461
2/3. Fritz Morzik   Germany Heinkel He 64
Heinkel He 64
|-References:* Heinze, Edwin P.A. Flight: 848-50, 9 September 1932. Retrieved: 24 April 2008.* Nowarra, Heinz. Die deutsche Luftrüstung 1933-1945. Bonn: Bernard and Graefe, 1983, pp. Teil 2, 173–175....

c
D-2304 / C6 224 + 220 + 14 458
2/3. Reinhold Poss
Reinhold Poss
Reinhold Poss was a German flying ace and racing pilot. Poss enlisted with the German Navy during World War I and scored eleven kills as a naval pilot. In May 1918 he took command of the Seefrontstaffel and in September 1918 of the IV. Marinefeldjasta, which he led until 15 October, when he was...

 Germany Klemm Kl 32  D-2261 / B9 234 + 217 + 7 458
4. Wolfgang Stein   Germany Heinkel He 64
Heinkel He 64
|-References:* Heinze, Edwin P.A. Flight: 848-50, 9 September 1932. Retrieved: 24 April 2008.* Nowarra, Heinz. Die deutsche Luftrüstung 1933-1945. Bonn: Bernard and Graefe, 1983, pp. Teil 2, 173–175....

c
D-2302 / A8 221 + 220 + 12 453
5. Robert Fretz  Klemm Kl 32 CH-360 / S2 231 + 217 + 4 452
6. Wolf Hirth
Wolf Hirth
Wolfram Kurt Erhard Hirth was a German gliding pioneer and sailplane designer. He was a co-founder of Schempp-Hirth, still a renowned glider manufacturer....

 
 Germany Klemm Kl 32 D-2328 / E1 230 + 220 + 0 450
7/8. Otto Cuno   Germany Klemm Kl 32 D-2310 / C2 224 + 218 + 5 447
7/8. Hans Seidemann
Hans Seidemann
Hans Seidemann was a World War II Luftwaffe general. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves...

 
 Germany Heinkel He 64b D-2260 / A9 214 + 220 + 13 447
9. Tadeusz Karpiński  RWD-6
RWD-6
-See also:-References:*Andrzej Glass: "Polskie konstrukcje lotnicze 1893-1939" , WKiŁ, Warsaw 1977...

 
SP-AHL / O4 238 + 200 + 5 443
10. Robert Lusser
Robert Lusser
Robert Lusser was a German engineer, aircraft designer and aviator. He is remembered both for several designs significant during World War II, and for his theoretical study of the reliability of complex systems...

 
 Germany Klemm Kl 32 D-2311 / B6 219 + 213 + 5 437
11. Jerzy Bajan
Jerzy Bajan
Jerzy Bajan was a prominent Polish sports and military aviator, winner of the Challenge 1934 contest.-Early military career:...

 
PZL.19
PZL.19
|-References: Glass, Andrzej. Polskie konstrukcje lotnicze 1893-1939 , pp. 242-244.. Warsaw: WKiŁ, 1977.-See also:...

 
SP-AHK / O3 223 + 206 + 4 433
12/13. Georg Pasewaldt   Germany Klemm Kl 32 D-2320 / C4 219 + 202 + 5 426
12/13. Theo Osterkamp
Theo Osterkamp
Theodor "Theo" Osterkamp was a World War I and World War II Luftwaffe fighter ace. He flew in the first World War, scoring 32 victories...

 
 Germany Klemm Kl 32 D-2312 / B7 219 + 204 + 3 426
14. Werner Junck
Werner Junck
Werner Junck was a German World War II Luftwaffe Generalleutnant and the one time commander of Fliegerführer Irak...

 
 Germany Heinkel He 64c D-2305 / E2 225 + 186 + 13 424
15. Dietrich von Massenbach  Germany Heinkel He 64c D-2303 / A6 183 + 220 + 12 415
16. Josef Kalla Praga BH-111
Praga BH-111
|-References:*Marian Krzyżan: "Międzynarodowe turnieje lotnicze 1929-1934", Warsaw 1988, ISBN 83-206-0637-3 -See also:...

OK-BAH / T2 192 + 211 + 5 408
17. Walter Marienfeld  Germany Darmstadt D-22
Darmstadt D-22
-References:*Marian Krzyżan: "Międzynarodowe turnieje lotnicze 1929-1934", Warsaw 1988, ISBN 83-206-0637-3 -External links:**...

a
D-2222 / B8 145 + 220 + 10 375
18. Ignacy Giedgowd  PZL.19
PZL.19
|-References: Glass, Andrzej. Polskie konstrukcje lotnicze 1893-1939 , pp. 242-244.. Warsaw: WKiŁ, 1977.-See also:...

 
SP-AHI / O2 198 + 142 + 5 345
19. Jan Anderle  Breda Ba.15
Breda Ba.15
|-See also:-References:* * "La Contribución Italiana en la Aviación Paraguaya". Antonio Luis Sapienza Fracchia. Author's edition. Asunción, 2007. 300pp....

S
OK-WAL / T1 143 + 130 + 0 273
20. Raymond Delmotte  Caudron C.278  F-ALXB / K4 192 + 73 + 0 265
21. František Klepš Praga BH-111
Praga BH-111
|-References:*Marian Krzyżan: "Międzynarodowe turnieje lotnicze 1929-1934", Warsaw 1988, ISBN 83-206-0637-3 -See also:...

OK-BEH / T4 196 + 25 + 0 221
22. Piere Duroyon Potez 43
Potez 43
|-See also:-References:*Marian Krzyżan: "Międzynarodowe turnieje lotnicze 1929-1934", Warsaw 1988, ISBN 83-206-0637-3 * at Aviafrance-External links:*...

 
F-AMBN / K3 171 + 43 + 0 214
23. Maurice Arnoux Farman F-234  F-ALLY / K5 89 + 73 + 0 162
24. André Nicolle Mauboussin M.12  F-A??? / K6 111 + 40 + 0 151


The first prize in the Challenge was 100,000 French franc
French franc
The franc was a currency of France. Along with the Spanish peseta, it was also a de facto currency used in Andorra . Between 1360 and 1641, it was the name of coins worth 1 livre tournois and it remained in common parlance as a term for this amount of money...

, the 2nd - 50,000 FRF, the 3rd - 25,000 FRF, the 4th - 13,000 FRF, 16 other crews would get 7,000 FRF.

Less than a month after the Challenge, Franciszek Zwirko and Stanislaw Wigura
Stanislaw Wigura
Stanisław Wigura was a Polish aircraft designer and aviator, co-founder of the RWD aircraft construction team and lecturer at the Warsaw University of Technology. Along with Franciszek Żwirko, he won the international air contest Challenge 1932.He was born in Warsaw...

 died in an accident, flying their RWD-6 to Czechoslovakia in a storm on September 11, 1932. Reinhold Poss
Reinhold Poss
Reinhold Poss was a German flying ace and racing pilot. Poss enlisted with the German Navy during World War I and scored eleven kills as a naval pilot. In May 1918 he took command of the Seefrontstaffel and in September 1918 of the IV. Marinefeldjasta, which he led until 15 October, when he was...

 also died in an accident in 1933. Winifred Spooner
Winifred Spooner
Winifred Evelyn Spooner was an English aviatrix of the 1920s and 1930s, and the winner of the Harmon Trophy as the world's outstanding aviatrix of 1929. She died aged 33 from pneumonia....

died the same year.

External links

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