WesWorld

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October 17
An end of an era came today with a mass flypast of nine Gloster Gladiator biplanes. 615 Squadron of the Auxiliary Air Force has finished its transition to the Supermarine Spitfire. There are now no frontline biplane aircraft left in RAF service and the Fleet Air Arm also retired its last biplane fighters when HMS Furious decommissioned for transfer to the Royal Canadian Navy earlier this year.

October 20
Today at Boulton Paul’s new Wolverhampton factory the prototype P.97 Nighthawk took off at 11am for its first flight. This massive twin-engined aircraft took off under the control of Boulton Paul’s chief test pilot Cecil Feather. It is clear the flight did not go well. After a long take-off run Cecil Feather noted a degree of lateral instability and that it was sluggish in turns at low speeds, soon his attention was distracted by an oil pressure warning on the port Napier Sabre II and followed immediately afterwards by overheating on the starboard engine. He cut the flight short and quickly returned and landed at Wolverhampton. Both engines have been removed and Napier is endeavouring to send two new 2,180hp Sabre II engines from its factory.
The Boulton Paul P.97 Nighthawk is one of the world’s first purpose-built night fighters designed to incorporate the weapons and equipment required to destroy enemy bombers at night and in poor weather. The production P.97 three-seater will be powered by two 2,300hp Napier Sabre III engines and armed with six belly mounted 20mm cannon and a quad .303in Browning powered dorsal turret. The second crewman is to be an airborne radio location operator. Rumour has it that a passive IR detection system will also to be fitted. Service entry is planned for 1940/41 to replace the Boulton Paul Defiant in RAF service and 150 are on order.

Neville Chamberlain was having his morning cup of tea in his office at 10 Downing Street and reading that morning's Times when David Margesson, the Tory Party's Chief Whip, walked in.

"Hullo David have a seat, have some tea."
"Morning Prime Minister, sorry I'm late but you know what the rush hour traffic is like."
"Yes, well. Have you seen the headlines this morning David?"
"No, I haven't had time."
"It seems the King is in another scandal, he's been seen with another society woman. That's the third this year. I thought when when we talked him out of marrying that dreadful American woman that Edward would have seen sense but every other week he rates the front page in the gossip magazines and illustrated features. Everyone follows his latest fashions, goes to shops he does, visits the places he goes."
"But Prime Minister he is the King, he's a world famous person and a batchelor too."
"But he's the King David. His image affects the nation's image. He has to sell Britain to the world, not the latest fashion in flannel trousers. Worse this morning I had a letter from the Director General of MI5 this morning who says he can no longer keep spying on the King's mistresses any longer. He claims its unconstitutional. That and Mrs Wallis was spotted at Windsor last week.
"What can we do? Maybe send him to see Halifax in Atlantis, you know to have a man-to-man discussion?"
"Halifax can't stand the man, besides he's more friendly with George. Everyone knows George was the better candidate for King despite his flaws. Even Edward's father knew he wasn't cut out for King."
"Well then why not marry him off to some Royal stock somewhere in Europe. Surely there's some young Princess waiting for a hot-blooded King in some loney part of Europe?"
"Sigh, the trouble is David is that even if he was married he'd still be foot-loose and fancy-free. That would make even more scandal and the government would have to cover his back. Then the Labour Party would really give us a swing. Don't forget this time next year we'll be approaching the elections."
"It's damn tricky."
"It is. Anyhow I think he has a European tour planned for next year so maybe something will turn up?"
"Monte Carlo?"
"You see David that's the problem, he hasn't realised that Kings don't go to Monte Carlo. Anyway he doesn't have to go there, half the damn lonely actresses and money-grabbers and title-horders get invites to go up to Balmoral for a weekend anyway!"

November 7
Two Vickers Wellesleys of the RAF Long Range Development Unit have captured the world long distance record. Piloted by Sqn. Ldr. R.G. Kellett and Flt. Lt. A. Combe and despite adverse headwinds they flew non-stop from Ismalia to Darwin, a distance of 7,162 miles. A third Wellesley was forced to land at Koepang, Timor owing to lack of fuel but later completed the flight.

November 8
A report leaked today suggests that Army scientists have developed a new type of explosive filling named RDX. Its use and properties are not yet known (classified top secret) but it is thought to have been developed at the Royal Gunpowder Factory at Waltham Abbey, Essex.

November 12
Today after a ceremony attended by several dignitaries including the Lord Mayor of London the newly electrified LNER (London North Eastern Railway) Liverpool Street suburban line was opened. LNER hopes to have the King’s Cross line completed early next May.

November 19
The DGD of the Admiralty has issued the go-ahead to Vickers to begin work on a new 4.5in dual-purpose gun and a new enclosed twin-mount. If adopted it will be the 4.5in Mk V. Firing trials are to begin around July 1941 and pre-production mounts should be ready in 1942 and production is predicted for 1943.

November 21
Mr Alexander Lance, member of the County Flying Club and recent purchaser of licence rights to the Taylorcraft light aircraft of the USA today formally inaugurated Taylorcraft Aeroplanes (England) Ltd in a converted shed at the Crowthers textile mill in Thurmaston, Leicester. The first new-build aircraft with several design changes are hoped to commence flying next year.

December 12
Boulton Paul has surprised its critics and the first production P.90 Birmingham bombers have been declared operational with 10 Squadron. At this stage only nine production aircraft have been released for squadron service (another six are with various RAF and RAE trials units) and are as yet equipped to a very limited standard with no tail turret (Boulton Paul ‘dumbbell’ aerodynamic type which is late owing to development delays) but instead has two manually-trained .303in LMG in the tail location. New turrets will be retrofitted from next March. Although the standard bomber was to be equipped with the Napier-Paxman Pilates diesel engine the third prototype has been fitted with four RR Merlins and was flown earlier this month. 120 Birmingham bombers are on order.
The Birmingham has a crew of six and can carry 14,000lbs of bombs at 248mph at 15,000ft. The 28 500lb or 250lb bombs are carried on Boulton Paul rotating magazine carriers and are interchangeable with other standard RAF carriers and carriers for seven 2,000lb bombs [not that such bombs exist yet in RAF service]. Defensive armament is one nose turret with twin .303in Browning MGs, one retractable twin ventral turret and, eventually, a Boulton Paul ‘dumbbell’ type tail turret armed with four .303in Browning MGs in stub winglets to cut drag.
Dimensions; 100/ 77.3/ 20.5/ 1,450 sq ft; 4x 1,150hp Napier-Paxman Pilates II; max speed 290 mph; range 2,900 miles and service ceiling 35,000ft.

December 17
A leaked memorandum published in the press today has brought rumours that King Edward VIII wishes to change the name of the Royal family back to Saxe-Coburg-Gotha from Windsor, the name adopted at the height of the Great War for patriotic reasons. Rumour suggests that Buckingham Palace officials and the King’s Brother George the Duke of York are believed to be against the change of name.

December 20
British European Airways (BEA) revealed today that it made profits of £296,000 this year as British Allied Airways. The corporation has 3,600 staff in 30 countries and operates six weekday services to Paris and five on Sundays with the cost of a return £6 6s. The government is now subsidising new routes to other cities. Others cities now served are Brussels, Copenhagen and Stockholm. An order for 14 Lockheed Super Electras has been placed (planned by British Allied Airways before the Cadman report) and should be delivered nest year to operate alongside its de Havilland Flamingos.

Quoted

Originally posted by Hood
December 17
A leaked memorandum published in the press today has brought rumours that King Edward VIII wishes to change the name of the Royal family back to Saxe-Coburg-Gotha from Windsor, the name adopted at the height of the Great War for patriotic reasons. Rumour suggests that Buckingham Palace officials and the King’s Brother George the Duke of York are believed to be against the change of name.

Dear King Edward VIII,
I hear you've considered returning to use the old family name. We bear no ill-will for that little tiff about the name-change during the Great War. My wife and I would be very happy to welcome our British cousins again at the family reunions, which are now held in Sofia. We have pie and Cabernet Sauvignon. Even if you don't return to the family name, drop by sometime and we'll go fox-hunting in the Stara Planina.
Signed,
Your (rather distant) cousin,
Tsar Boris III of the House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha

OOC: I'm planing to have Edward go on a European tour to visit his extensive family. I'm assuming old Queen Vic had as many children as OTL and that her offspring did as well as historical and that her husband's family was equally well connected. It would be interesting to see how many of them survived in WW.

All in all though at the moment the King is a pain in the ass for Chamberlain who keeps having to cover for him. The public don't adore the King the higher classes do as a trend setter and playboy but he has not yet grown into his responsibilites as King and Imperial Overlord.