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Aviation History
1909
1909 - 0685.PDF
OCTOBER 30, 1909. Prize for Competitors' Assistants. £50 to be distributed among the assistants of the competitor who shall have completed the greatest number of circuits, not reckoning the long distance event. 1. Rougier (Voisin biplane) ... ... ... £$O 2. Paulhan (Farman biplane) ... ... — Among the minor flights which took place may be summarised that of Leblanc, who completed a lap on a Bleriot monoplane but failed to commence his circuit from the starting-line, while Fernandez succeeded in flying a short distance on the long side of the course, and A. V. Roe made one or two short jumps. The total value of the prizes awarded was .£4-, 150, exclusive oi the J£IOO cup. The total distance flown was roughly 116 miles. ® ® DONCASTER FLIGHT MEETING. Three Blank Days. THURSDAY, Friday and Saturday saw no flying at Donc?ster, and it was therefore decided to continue the meeting over Monday and Tuesday. Practically the only incident on Thursday was the naturalisation of Mr. S. F. Cody, the actual ceremony taking place in front of the grand stand. After he had taken the oath of allegiance and had signed the certificate of naturalisation on the Town Clerk's back, the band struck up the National Anthem and Mr. Cody stood bareheaded at the salute. Mr. Cody at once sent in his entry for the Daily Mail £1,000 prize for the first British aviator who flies a circular mile on an all-British machine. Friday was re- lieved by a challenge from M. Sommer to Mr. Cody for a series of five flights round the Doncaster course for 10,000 frs. a side. This, how- ever, was not accepted by M r. Cody. Saturday saw an attempt being made in the early morning by Capt. Lovelace on Mr. Ballin Hinde's Bleriot monoplane, and although he succeeded in rising to a good height, his success was short-lived, for he was unable to counteract the sudden attack of a gust of wind, and the machine came to earth with a shock, but the pilot escaped unhurt. Capt Maitland brought out Mr. Moreing's Voisin, which has been fitted with gyroscopes, but no flying was essayed ; and on returning to its shed the machine tipped on to its elevating plane, without, however, doing any serious damage. Monday, 25th. Although there was not very much flying during mid-day, quite a number of sh rt flights were made during the morning and in the twilight, while in the afternoon Le Blon was the centre of a most exciting incident. Sommer was the first to start in the morning, soon after seven, and he made a couple of circuits. Cody also did ihe same, and Delagransje improved the shining hour by giving instruction to his pupils. Sommer also went round the course once with a friend on his Farman biplane. 1 ill the after- noon there was nothing to break the monotony as far as the general public were concerned until Cody made a trip round the course at half-past three. Then Le Bon started off on his Bleriot, but he was caught by the wind and blown out of his course. After the machine apparently had righted itself it suddenly headed for the shilling enclosure, and a catastrophe appeared inevitable. By dextrous and splendid manipulation Le Blon however succeeded in getting his machine to rise just in time, and cleared the crowd as though they were a fence in a steeplechase, although immediately afterwards he fell to the ground. The machine was badly smashed, but Le Blon escaped unhurt. The chief flights were made by Sommer, who covered 16 miles 30 yards, while Delagrange was second with 7 miles 740 yards, and Cody third with 2 miles 1,560 yards. Tuesday, 26th. On the last day most of the flying was done in the forenoon, and Sommer opened the proceedings by making the necessary five circuits for the Chairman's Cup, and as no one else disputed the event, he had a " walk-over." He continued another lap for the Whitworth Cup for the longest distance flown during the day, the total distance of 9 miles 57 yards being completed in 15 mins. 8£ sees. Delagrange then tried for the Tradesmen's Cup for the fastest circuit, and on his Gnome-engined Bleriot completed one lap, during a flight of 5 miles 1,695 yards, in 1 min. 47A sees., and as this worked out at a speed of 49-9 miles an hour, this was announced as a world's record. Molon, also on a Bleriot, completed three rounds, but he was considerably slower than Delagrange. A second essay by Sommer was the best which the meeting produced, for he continued flying for nearly three-quarters of an hour, completing twenty rounds, or 29 miles 1,575 yards in 44 mins. 53 sees. During the afternoon the wind increased, and all prospect of further flying had to be abandoned. This, therefore, concluded the meeting, and later in the evening the Judges announced the following awards :— Whitworth Cup (for longest distance of the day).—Sommer, 38 miles 1,580 yards, winner; Delagrange, 5 miles 1,695 yards; Molon, 2 miles 1,435 yards. Doncaster Cup (for the greatest aggregate distance of the meeting, complete laps only to count). — Sommer, 136 miles 280 yards, winner; Le Blon, 39 miles 1,745 yards ; Delagrange, 29 miles 795 yards ; Molon, 17 miles 1,525 yards. Tradesmen's Cup (for the fastest circuit).—Delagrange, 1 min. 47J sees. GROUP OF JUDGES, &c, AT DONCASTER FLIGHT MEETING.—From left to right—At back: Mr. SuceyHatfield, Capt. Fleming. Middle, behind: Mr. W. Le Queux, Capt. Daney Watt, Major Kenn'dy. Front row: Mr. Staplee Firth, Mr. S. T. Medlicott, Mr. T. H. Wright, Mr. H. Lodge, Mr. A. B. E. Cheeseman,Mr. H. D. Swan, Capt. A. W. Barrett. Seated: Mr. J. E. Speranza, Secretary of the Meeting. 687
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