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Aviation History
1910
1910 - 1059.PDF
DECEMBER 24, 1910. JjjCHT] BARON DE FOREST PRIZE. Mr. Thomas Sopwith's Splendid Flight. AFTER waiting patiently, and one might say anxiously, in view of the fact that the competition closes next Saturday, the 31st, the various competitors for the Baron de Forest prize who had been watching the weather at different points in the South-East of Eng land were vouchsafed a short spell of calm weather on Sunday last. Mr. Thomas Sopwith, who only comparatively recently has taken up aviation, keenly on the alert, determined at once to take advantage of the change. As will be remembered, he recently had his Howard Wright machine transferred from Brooklands to the Royal Aero Club's ground, at Eastchurch, in the Isle of Sheppey, which point he had fixed upon for "jumping off." Starting from there with the favourable wind at half-past eight on Sunday morning, he headed for Canterbury, gradually rising until when passing over the Cathedral city, he was 950 ft. high. About half an hour from the start Mr. Sopwith was over Dover, by which time he had risen about another 150 feet. Flying perfectly he continued his straight course over the Channel, and in 22 minutes was crossing the French coast line, the passage, by the aid of a favouring breeze, having been made at a speed of close on 60 miles an hour. Mr. Sopwith had fitted a compass to his machine, but as this persisted in sticking at N.W., in whichever direction the machine was steered, Mr. Sopwith backed his own judgment in preference and steered by the sun. After making the French coast a few miles west of Cape Grisnez he intended to steer for Chalons Camp, but the sun electing to hide its rays behind some dense clouds, Mr. Sopwith was left to his own resources, and so continued straight ahead. Without incident he traversed the north-eastern part of France, passing to the south of Lille, continuing on to Valenciennes, reaching soon thereafter the hilly country by the Belgian frontier, where he experienced some nasty gusts of wind. At one time the machine rolled so much that he was thrown out of his seat, but fortunately kept hold of the levers and so righted the machine. The wind continued to be very trying, and with still more mountainous country looming ahead, Mr. Sopwith deemed it wise to descend at the first suitable spot. This proved to be near Beaumont, Hainault, a few miles on the Belgian side of the frontier. This enforced termination of the grand achievement was the more disappointing as of the 20 gallons of petrol which Mr. Sopwith carried with him he had no less than 11 gallons still left, a sufficient quantity to have easily accomplished a further 300 miles under decent weather conditions. Except for the uncertainty of the country, and the treacherous winds, which were undoubtedly due to the hilly district, not a hitch occurred with either the machine or its gear. The E.N.V. engine went through without a missfire from first to last during the journey of three and a half odd hours, and the only regret is that Mr. Sopwith was unable, by reason of the eccentricities of his compass and the disappearance of the guiding sun, to continue with his original intention ol getting to Paris, which would have given him from the start from Eastchurch grounds, a distance of about 240 miles. As to the machine, when Mr. Sopwith alighted within about a kilometre of Beaumont, beyond a couple of farm hands no other help was within reach, and he consequently left his biplane in the middle of the field where he came down until such time as he could send over two of his mechanics to fetch it back, ready, if necessary, for further efforts to ensure his securing the prize against a better performance. According to the rules of the prize, the distance which counts is that from the point of ascent to the point of descent measured in a straight line as the crow flies, and this in the case of Mr. Sopwith is returned as 177 miles, which was covered in about three hours and a half. The machine with which this magnificent performance was madejwill be found fully illustrated and described on page 1045. Other Competitors for the Prize. SOON after noon on Sunday Mr. Cecil Grace also started from Eastchurch in an attempt for the prize. He was using his Short biplane, and like Mr. Sopwith flew direct for Dover. On nearing there he found a rising wind, and in view of the mist which was hanging over the sea he deemed it expedient to land, a manoeuvre which he accomplished safely on Swingate Downs. He had accomplished the 29 mile journey from Eastchurch in about the same number of minutes, and during the trip rose to a height of about 1,000 feet. During the same day Mr. Grahame-White had his first taste of real misfortune. Having got his Bristol machine repaired from the effects of the gale on Friday night, he had it brought out with a view to making a preliminary trial flight. The wind was said to be blowing at a rate of about 30 miles an hour, but in spite of this Mr. Grahame-White determined to make an attempt at half-past eleven. Rising to a height of about 40 ft. from the Swingate Downs, the machine flew over in the direction of Dover. In the course of carrying out a wide turning movement the machine was caught by a strong gust of wind, and in spite of the aviator's afforts to get it round it was driven sideways by the wind and dropped to the ground from a height of about 40 ft. or so. The machine itself was badly smashed by the fall, but Mr. Grahame- White was able with assistance to crawl out from the wreckage. His face was badly cut, and the aviator within a few minutes fainted from loss of blood. He was, however, taken to the Lord Warden Hotel in a motor car, and there was attended to. Soon after the accident Mr. Grahame-White pluckily expressed his intention of making another attempt to win the prize, and gladly accepted the offer of Sir George White to place another machine at his disposal. On Tuesday he had sufficiently recovered to be able to journey to London, and it is with the greatest satisfaction that we learn there are no bones broken and no serious complications anticipated. Lieut. Watkins, who is to pilot Capt. Maitland's Howard Wright machine, made a practice flight on Sunday morning at Shorncliffe to test his machine. This proved satisfactory, but in view of the rising wind he determined to postpone his attempt for the prize. On the Tuesday following, in a further attempt, he experienced a slight mishap. On the previous Friday night Dover was visited by a very severe gale, which blew down the hangars sheltering Mr. Loraine's and Mr. Gresswell's biplanes. Both these machines were very severely damaged, but their owners immediately set to work to get the repairs made, and hoped in spite of their great handicap to make a Where the " Valkyrie" Aeroplanes of the Aeronautical Syndicate, Ltd., live at the London Aerodrome, near Hendon. These machines, our readers will remember, are doing daily, when the elements permit, some very fine flying work. IQ57
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