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Aviation History
1910
1910 - 0641.PDF
AUGUST 13, 1910 Radley is to fly his machines at the present meeting. It will be remembered that Gibbs was the actual aviator in the mysterious War Office experiments carried out in Glen Tilt, near Blair Atholl, three years ago. Lieut. Dunne, it appears, was the inventor of the machine, but Gibbs was the pilot, which makes him the first man to have flown in these Islands. Monday, August 8th. Some magnificent flights were made on this day, and incidents were plentiful, although the inadequacy of the board and imperfect communication made it very difficult to know exactly what was happening at any particular moment. The first competition of the day was the starting test, for which Cattaneo, Dickson, Cockburn, Ogilvie, McArdle, Grace, Radley, Audemars, Gilmour and Blondeau entered. The weather was perfect, the air being clear and the course bright with sunshine ; while, most important of all, a dead calm reigned, and for the greater part of the day the wind was less than a mile per hour. McArdle, at the second attempt, rose, after a run of a little over 77 ft., a very creditable performance, considering that Gilmour, who was second, ran 104 ft. 2 ins. before rising; Radley came third, some 5 ft. behind. McArdle, therefore, wins the daily prize of .£20. All three machines were Bleriots, and the monoplane certainly has an advantage over the biplane in quick rising. The Demoiselle, which was rather fancied, had engine trouble, but the short flights it has made show that it is an exceptionally quick riser, and has a great turn of speed. Cattaneo, Dickson, Radley, and Grace com peted in the five lap speed event, but their performances were nothing out of the way, and it was in the long distance flights that the first serious mishap of the meeting occurred. Blondeau was seen to be in difficulties, and flying low over the rough ground beyond the plantation at the northern end of the course, and presently it was obvious that he was endeavouring to find a place to aiight, and also that his Farman was not under proper control. It appears that his lever stuck, and at a critical moment the wire broke, and he decided that to take the 30 ft. drop was the safest course. He accordingly shut off his engine ; the machine fell, turning a half somersault, but Blondeau jumped out of the ruins unhurt. Exami nation showed that the lower plane was wrecked, the propeller in splinters, the stays broken and twisted, and the engine damaged. Champel made a very good show with his Voisin in the duration flight, but owing to his misjudging the starting line it is doubtful whether his performance will count. Cattaneo on his second long flight was seen to alight, and at first it was feared that he was in trouble, but it transpired that he had merely run out of petrol. The cross country flight brought out Dickson and McArdle. The point selected was near Dunsise, giving a course of 11^ miles, which Dickson successfully negotiated at an average of 25 miles an hour. McArdle, however, instead of turning, headed away to the north, (/ygmg Audemars, Kuller and Cattaneo (from left to right) waiting tor the wind to abate at the Lanark Flight Meeting. and soon his white-winged Bleriot was lost to sight. As time passed some little anxiety was felt, but later a message by 'phone was received from the daring flyer himself. He had continued his journey in the direction of Edinburgh, but a fog rendered a descent necessary, only a mile out of the historic capital. No damage was done to the machine, and later in the evening McArdle returned by car with his machine in tow. The news that the aviator had all but succeeded in reaching the Scottish capital brought home to the spectators, perhaps, more than anything hitherto the stage to which the aeroplane has already attained. Dickson and Drexel entered their biplane and monoplane in the weight carrying contest during the afternoon, but both drew blank. Dickson attempted to carry a passenger of some 14 stone, and to preserve his fore and aft trim, had weighted the front of the machine with sheet lead. The machine rose slowly, and kept low, till at last it came down on Getting the Bristol biplane of the BriUsh and Colonial Aeroplane Co. ready for M. Edmonds, who is in charge of this machine, at the Lanark Flight Meeting. 639
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