Italia News 1916 & 1917

[ctwaterman]

The Caldera Cup Day One

The Port of Taranto Italy was decked out in splendid colors and banners and dawned warm and with a stiff breeze from the West across the bay.  The sponsors of the race announced that they had discovered a horrid mistake in the announcements as the race was supposed to be a 150 Nautical Mile race not a 150 Km race but that the course had been set up to the announced 150 Km.

In the Early Morning traffic their was an unexpected car accident as Suzio the Primary Pilot of the Japanese Ki-11R entrant crashed his automobile on the way to the first practice runs and was taken to the hospital with a broken leg.

The Afternoon started with a fly over by 12 massive Caproni Ca.36 Float Plane bombers thundering overhead.  While slow the bombers were carrying an impressive array of practice bombs and machine guns.
The first plane to take off was the Lougheed 02L from the CSA on its practice run.  Unfortunately while on the 2nd leg of the flight it suffered and Engine fault and was forced to make a rough landing eliminating it from the competition.  Until its crashed the Lougheed O2L was averaging an impressive 142 Km/h.

Next the Ki-11R from Japan piloted by Lt. Genzo flew the course in an unofficial practice run with an average speed of roughly 200 Km/h.  The after noon continued with practice flight after practice flight with only the Rinaldo Piago SPA.2F and the Grigorovich M-19 posting speeds in excess of 170 Km/h.  Unfortunately the Grigorovich M-15 suffered a strut failure upon landing and crashed.  The Pilot was quickly rescued from the aircraft and was taken to the near bye Naval Hospital.  Shortly after dinner however Lt. Genzo of the Empire of Japan was taken to the Naval Hospital apparently a victim of over celebration concerning his practice flight.

The day ended with fire works and frantic effort by the crews of the surviving participants to squeeze just a little bit extra speed out of their planes.  As dusk set the plane were all moored inside a large sea boat hanger and only the crews were allowed near the aircraft as the planes needed to pass their float test before the official runs the next afternoon.

[ctwaterman]

The Caldera Cup Day 2

The day of the official races began with a lot less fan fair and an early morning mist and light rain.  But by noon the bay was relatively calm with low clouds and a fresh breeze blowing from West to North West across the bay.   The crowds were jubilant and the betting stiff with the favorite being the new Pilot of the Japanese Ki-11R Oonishi Manzo.  

First up was the Sopwith Baby from the UNK which completed the 150km course with a top speed of 162 Km/h.

Next up was the favorite in the Japanese Ki-11R.  Unfortunately the wait distribution was not correct on the Floats and the plane tipped over before take off.  It appears that Oonishi Manzo tried to continue the race with the float on top of the water and the plane beneath but after about a minuet Lt. Manzo was fished from the water unconscious but alive.

Next was the RRC Fly Fish Fy-II with sedately flew the course but set no speed records completing the course with an average speed of 110.4 Km/h.

Next the Fluegzegbau Friedrichshafen FF.29A from Bavaria successfully completed the course with an average speed of 121.3 Km/h however the plane was disqualified due to an engine fire shortly after it landed mandated that the plane could not complete the 4 hour after race float test.

The Next two planes were the Grigorovich M-11 which set the second fast pace so far at 152.5 Km/h.  Russia' second plane the M-19 completed the course with an average speed of 177.4 Km/h easily surpassing her older sister.

The CSA was up next and their Lougheed Model 13 competed the course in a respectable 125.7 Km/h.  But then began a series of ever more spectacular accidents.  The First was the CSA Reynolds Model B Special which suffered and engine mechanical break down on the second leg of the course.  The Pilot was able to set the plane down despite the loss of power and his pace up till that time was approximately 157 Km/h.

Next was the Caproni Caldera M1 flown by Lt. Commander Baracca who was setting a relatively fast pace of 163 Km/h when within sight of the cheer crowds his engine turned rough spouted burning exhaust which set the planeon fire.   Lt. Commander Baracca valiantly tried to land the plane but the wings broke off upon landing and the plane cart wheeled extinguishing the flames.   The Badly burned Baracca was rushed to the Naval Hospital where he died later that night.

A subdued crowd watched as the Avianco De Caraces AC-4 competed the course with an average speed of 146.2 Km/h and the Escurza Corporacion EC-III completed the course with an average speed of 137.3 Km/h.

The next and last two contestants were both from Italy.  The First the Rinaldo Piago SPA.2F  which was expertly flown and completed the course with an average speed of 177.45 Km/h.   The Final contestant the Caproni MPB.1a also finished but its average speed was only 135.4 Km/h.

The Judges upon reviewing the results and recalculating the times have declared that a statistical tie exists between the Rinaldo Piago SPA.2F and the Russian Grigorovich M-19 both completing the course in almost the exact same amount of time and at the same calculated speed of 177.4 Km/h.  A Race off will be held the next day at noon.

[maddox]

OOC, for more clarity.

Walters contribution behind the scenes.
French influence.

[ctwaterman]

Caldera Cup Races Day III

The Third day of the races dawned with a freshening breeze and the threat of worsening weather for the rest of the week.   A Summer Storm was slowly working its way up the Med from the South and West and would bring rain starting latter that evening.

Both the Rinaldo Piago SPA.2F and the Grigorovich M-19 were flown expertly and the increased head winds on the third leg of the journey appeared to effect both aircraft nearly equally.  When the judges met to review the results 3 hours after lunch it had already started to cloud up in West.  The results were for a second time inconclusive.  The two aircraft were less then 2 minuets apart in the time it took to compete the course and the Judges felt that the increased wind over the course for the latter aircraft the Grigorovich M-19 explained the difference.   The Judges indicated that once again the race had ended in a tie.

After conferring with the rules established for the Race the Judges decided that worsening weather conditions would prohibit yet another tie breaking race.  Their ruling was that a tie existed and that their was no winner of the 1917 Caldera Cup.  As the sponsoring club would have been the winning club for the next race the sponsorship would stay with the Empire of Italia until the next race in 1918 hopefully produces a winner.   In addition the Judges ruled that the 1918 races should be held over the 150 Nautical Mile course and not the 150 Km course as a longer race might prove to separate the planes more in time.

[ctwaterman]

Office of Publius Rutilius Rufus

Present- Consul Publius Rufus
                 Magistrate Sextus Aurelius Cotta

Consul Rufus – Well Sextus I have discussed the matter with the Emperor and the Senate and they are in agreement.  The treaty with Egypt was really a good piece of work and you are to be rewarded appropriately for your efforts.

Magistrate Sextus - I thank the Senate and the Emperor for their praise but what exactly do they have in mind for a reward???

Consul Rufus - It is very simply really I am going to finally retire at the end of the year and your Sextus Aurelius Cotta will be the new Imperial Consul for Foreign Affairs.

Magistrate Sextus - "shocked" I would have assumed they would have gone with someone older but I greatly appreciate the trust the Empire is putting in me.

Consul Rufus – Speaking of your new job, I have here a letter from the office of Military Procurement.  It appears that our "Ally" the Confederates put up a large number of old ships for auction.   The Office of Military Procurement appears to be upset that the CSA did not even discuss the sale with us after our original offer and sold the ships to a foreign source.

Magistrate Sextus – "reading the letter from Military Procurement" I see I take it we are not upset about the sale to Japan??

Consul Rufus - No Japan is viewed as a friendly neutral nation.  We simply do not see a profit to be made by sailing the ships 15,000 Miles and for several months to reach Japan.

Magistrate Sextus - So what we are discussing is why the CSA did not at least show the Empire the courtesy of discussing the transaction and what they were looking for and what we wanted out of the transaction???

Consul Rufus – Exactly, I knew you would see to the heart of the matter.   I have a job for you while we find someone to replace you in North Africa.  I want you to work with me as my aide.  We will be drawing up a position paper on the CSA.   There is something going on in the CSA with the attacks on France in all the CSA newspapers.  We were sure that President Roosevelt was a firm friend of the Empire very pragmatic.  We are concerned with President Wilson's actions during the New Zion affair and with the actions of the CSA towards the Nassau treaty since his election and the Public attacks in the CSA news papers against France.
Magistrate Sextus- I will enjoy the time at home and working with you Sir.