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Aviation History
1909
1909 - 0569.PDF
SEPTEMBER 18, 1909. PROGRESS OF FLIGHT ABOUT THE COUNTRY. (NOTE.—Addresses, temporary or permanent, follow in each case the names of the clubs, where communications of our readers can be addressed direct to the Secretary.) Model Aeroplanes at Wembley Park. ON Saturday last two competitions for model aeroplanes were carried out at Wembley Park under the auspices of the Aeroplane Club. Fine weather prevailed, and a very interesting afternoon was spent. The first competition was for models exhibited at the recent Sport and Travel Exhibition at Olympia, for gold, silver and bronze medals presented by the Aerial League. Five of the thirteen ;• entrants took part, but no definite awards were made. In the second contest there were no entrants in the heat-motor- driven section, but nine competed in the two classes for models driven by elastic springs. In Class I, for machines not exceeding one square foot of surface, Mr. W. Burge Webb secured first prize, while Mr. W. G. Aston was second ; and in the second class, for bigger machines, Mr. G. P. B. Smith was first and Mr. Burge Webb second. Mr. Smith's model was of the biplane type, with the bottom plane curved up to meet the top plane, and with this model Mr. Smith secured the two longest flights of 16J sees, and 18J sees, respectively. Coventry Aero Institute (18 and 19, HERTFORD STREET). A VERY enthusiastic meeting was held on Tuesday night, at the King's Head Hotel, Coventry, when the formation of this institute was decided on. Mr. P. V. Pugh was in the chair, and Mr. Eric W. Walford, who has done such good work in connection with the Coventry Motor Club, acted as hon. secretary. The idea is that a technical institution should be formed, as opposed to a club, with a view to advancing knowledge on the subject, assisting inventors, providing a ground in the neighbourhood, a technical library, &c. Owing to its industries, Coventry is in a position to manu- facture practically the whole of an aeroplane from home products. The local weaving industry appears to be able to deal with the fabrics, while the cycle and motor firms have the necessary plant for dealing with the rest of the machine. Liverpool Aviation Society (1, EXCHANGE STREET, WEST). AT the inaugural meeting of this Society, held on the 8th inst., to which we referred last week, Mr. Marks said he was concerned with the formation of the Liverpool Aero Club, in connection with which four gentlemen had formed a fund of .£700, and he mentioned that they were willing to merge with the Aviation Society. They had been negotiating for the use of Aintree race course for experi- mental purposes. The Society proposes to arrange a series of lectures and debates, then to organise exhibitions and competitions for models, and eventually to have contests for man-lifting machines. Promises of support have been received from Major Baden-Powell, Hon. C. S. Rolls, Mr. W. H. Lever, M.P., Mr. S. F. Cody and many others. Manchester Aero Club (9, ALBERT SQUARE). VERY largely attended and immensely enthusiastic was the meeting held on the 9th inst. at the Midland Hotel, Manchester, for the purpose of forming an Aero Club for Manchester. As the result of a preliminary meeting, a set of rules, almost entirely based on those of the Aero Club of the U.K., had been drawn up, and these were submitted and approved, and a Committee appointed. Sir W. H. Bailey, who presided, in opening the meeting, thought that Manchester was called to occupy in aeronautics as great a position as she held in other departments of science and invention. He thought there were great facilities in the neighbourhood, as there was no more suitable aerodrome than the flat lands of Cheshire. He also mentioned that the Trafford Park directors (of which he is one) would give their best consideration to the requirements of the Club. He thought the Park offered a fine landing place, and he suggested that there was no better flying line than over the Ship ' Canal. As a result of his own experience, he advised inventors to thoroughly thrash out their plans in the drawing office before com- mencing actual construction work. Sir W. H. Bailey was elected Hon. President of the Club, and Mr. F. Ashworth, President of the Manchester Chamber of Com- merce, a Vice-President, while the Committee consists of Messrs. E. H. Coombs, J. E. Leigh, G. S. Lipman, Leo Swain, Sidney Norris, F. J. Norbury, Cedric Lee, G. H. Woods, E. A. Gadd, and — Reeve ; with the Hon. Secretaries, Mr. M. Stafford Threlfall and Mr. Charles Stevenson. Mr. E. H. Coombs was appointed Hon. Solicitor, and Messrs. Smethurst and Sharp, Hon. Auditors. Mr. H. Nuttall, M.P., Mr. Joynson-Hicks, M.P., Mr. S. F. Cody, and M. Bleriot were elected hon. members, and the latter sent a message of congratulation, while similar messages were received from the London and Liverpool Clubs and MM. Voisin Freres. Already the membership exceeds 200. The Club is arranging to assist Mr. Cody in his flight between London and Manchester, and also between Manchester and Liver- pool. It is proposed that strips of canvas, 40 ft. long by 4 ft. wide, should be laid down at various points, and signallers, with flags, will also be stationed at different places to guide Mr. Cody in his journey. Midland Aero Club (THE BUNGALOW, STECHFORD, BIR- MINGHAM). AT a Council meeting held on the 8th inst., a great amount of business was transacted, which indicates that the Club is destined to do a great deal of useful work in promoting aviation in the Mid- lands. Capt. John H. Cooke, F.G.S., F.L.S., of Wolverhampton, presided, and after a provisional programme of meetings, lectures and model exhibitions had been decided upon, it was decided to elect a General Purposes Committee consisting of Messrs. F. H. Pepper, Charles Sangster, Gilbert Dennison, Herbert A. Pepper, G. E. Osmond .and Ivy-Rogers, the Hon. Sec. The question of flying grounds came before the Council, and it is hoped that a definite announcement will be made within a few days, and it is proposed that a fund should be started with the object of obtaining flying machines and other equipment. The Council, too, are making every endeavour to secure the attendance of prominent aviators at Birmingham as soon as possible. Scottish Aeronautic Society (185, HOPE STREET, GLASGOW). ON Saturday last the Scottish Aeronautic Society held their first kite-flying demonstration at Houston, and the experiments proved of great interest to the large gathering of members. Among the large number of kites which were flown, one of the Hargreave box-type, sent up by Mr. D. Gordon Anderson, was conspicuous for the successful way in which it was manipulated. Mr. W. G. Duncan, the Hon. Secretary, flew a kite modelled after Dr. Barton's design, which attracted a good deal of aitention, while Mr. M'Gill had a kite of his own design which had 60 sq. ft. of surface. Other exhibitors were Mr. Henderson, who had a small Indian kite and one with tetrahedral cells, as experimented with by Dr. Graham Bell, while Mr. Adamson had a small Hargreave kite. Shropshire Aero Club (3, CASTLE STREET, SHREWSBURY). AT a meeting held on the 9th inst., the conclusion was reached that it was desirable to form an Aero Club for Shropshire. A general meeting of the present members and of all those desirous of joining will be held at the George Hotel, Shrewsbury, on the 24th inst., at 8 p.m. A glider is being built so that members may obtain practice, and it is hoped that later on funds will be forth- coming to purchase a full-sized machine. At present, Mr. Eric Billing, 3, Castle Street, Shrewsbury, is acting as Hon. Sec, and he will be pleased to answer any enquiries regarding the Club and give all particulars regarding membership. Yorkshire Aero Club (59, WADE LANE, LEEDS). AT the meeting held on Tuesday evening at Leeds for the purpose of forming an Aero Club for Yorkshire, the audience numbered 100, and included many of the prominent engineers of Leeds. Mr. Herbert Dunn, C.E., who brought the idea into being, presiding, said that the encouragement they had already received augured well for the future, and he hoped that the well-known men throughout the county would give their support to the Club. The sub-committee submitted a resolution which set forth that the Club should be a county organisation, with headquarters at Leeds, with branches in various parts of Yorkshire ; that the chief objects should be to encourage the study of all branches of aeronautics ; to organise flying ascents, exhibitions, races, and trials for records. The resolution was carried and'the provisional rules which had been drawn up on the lines of the Aero Club were adopted. With regard to affiliation with the Aero Club of the U.K., Mr. H. A. Jones suggested that they should act with the Liverpool, Manchester and Leeds clubs in arranging for proper representation on that important central authority. It was, therefore, decided to leave the matter over for the present. Twelve of the sixteen places on the Committee were filled, the Provisional Committee of seven being elected, as well as two other gentlemen who had taken a prominent part in the formation of the Club, while the other three were elected by ballot. At present the Committee consists of Messrs. Herbert Dunn (Leeds), H. A. Jones (Bradford), Albert Farnell (Bradford), Ivan Fawcett (Leeds), Norman Hirst (Leeds), F. Sheridan (Leeds), R. G. Macpherson (Leeds), Herbert Knowles (Leeds), E. E. Faiers (Frizinghall), Dr. Vaughan Bateson, F.R.G.S. (Bradford), S. W. Fitzgerald (Leeds), and R. J. Isaacson (Leeds). 573
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