FlightGlobal.com
Home
Premium
Archive
Video
Images
Forum
Blogs
Jobs
Shop
RSS
Email Newsletters
You are in:
Home
Aviation History
1911
1911 - 0007.PDF
JANUARY 7, 1911. Had the whole distance flown over been reckoned, it would have come out at about 230 miles. Seventy-seven laps of 12,711 ft. each, the distance being officially recorded as 185'46 miles, and the time 4 hrs. 47 mins. Not only did Mr. Cody win the Michelin Trophy, but by this flight he also established an all-British record for dura tion and distance. Almost immediately after the flight Mr. S. F. Cody was offered considerably over £1,200 for the machine with which he established the record. This particular machine has now flown 1,230 miles since October 10th last (two and a half months), which in itself is a record. The entire performance is indeed one upon which Mr. S. F. Cody must be heartily congratulated, for his win after 50 many strokes of ill luck is well deserved. He has worked long and patiently, and this demonstration of the capabilities of his machine, which was fully illustrated and described in our issues of Nov. 12th and 19th, reflects the greatest credit upon its designer and pilot, while a word of praise must also be extended to the makers of the British Green engine with which it was fitted. The engine ran regularly and without incident from start to finish, and in spite of the buffeting to which the aeroplane was subjected. This goes to prove that British flyers at last have at their disposal motors capable of, at least, holding their own against the foreign machines. Mr. Sopwith's Final Try. HAVING been displaced from the leading position by Mr. Alec Ogilvie, Mr. T. Sopwith determined not to let the prize slip from his grasp too easily. On the 29th, at Brook lands, he started off at 9 o'clock in the morning, but after going for a matter of two hours found a gusty wind made the conditions too trying, and so came down after covering just on 70 miles. The following day he was up at 8 a.m., but, curiously enough, again was beaten by the wind when nearly 70 miles had been traversed. On the Saturday he started oft about twenty minutes to nine, but a necessary adjustment to the ignition brought him down after 17 miles. At twenty minutes to ten Mr. Sopwith was off again, and put up a splendid flight of over four hours, during which time he covered about one furlong over the 150 miles. This distance, although surpassing that of Mr. Ogilvie, was not sufficient to secure the cup, Mr. Cody having exceeded it by 30 miles or so. The course was a little ovet.l mile 5 furlongs round, and 92 laps were made, the machine going on until the petrol was exhausted. The timing was done by Mr. G. F. Joseph, the Assistant Secretary of the Royal Aero Club. The Howard Wright machine uspd by Mr. Sopwith was the same which carried him across the Channel to Belgium in his try for the Baron de Forest prize, and was also used by him for his magnificent first attempt for the Michelin Cup. This machine was fully described in our issue ol December 24th, while the E.N.V. engine, which ran so splendidly, was also described in these pages on October 15th last. Mr. Alec Ogllvle's Second Try. MR. OGILVIE was the victim of very hard luck, because although his flight of 140 miles on the previous Wednesday gave him the leading position for the time being, he could have continued for very much longer but for the fact that a serious leak developed in the water system, while on Saturday last at Camber Sands he was [pjGHT] Mr. Alec Ogilvie returning to his quarters after he had his slight mishap during a flight last week. compelled to come down owing to faulty ignition after covering 55 miles in about an hour and a half. Mr. Ogilvie's two flights are particularly interesting for those watching the all-British side, for the British built Short-Wright biplane used was fitted with the first of the new type two-stroke N. E.C. engines described in our issue of the 24th ult. The Previous Record. As I the British Michelin prize was only offered at the end of March, 1909, the first competition did not close until March 31st, 1910, when the Trophy and cash prize of ,£500 was awarded to Mr. J. T. C. Moore-Brabazon for his flight of 19 miles in 31 mins. on a Short biplane at Eastchurch on March 1st, 1910. .'••:'• . •.---",'. • .' ''--••i-,'"1 Mr. Alec Ogilvie making his flight of 140 miles in 3 hrs. 55 mins., for the British Michelin Cup on his British- built N.E.C.-engined Wright flyer, on Camber Sands last week. 7 D 2
Sign up to
Flight Digital Magazine
Flight Print Magazine
Airline Business Magazine
E-newsletters
RSS
Events
