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Aviation History
1911
1911 - 0616.PDF
I^GHT] JOLY 15, I9II. at once, and was clear away hall an hour later. The rules stipulated that the competitors must stop at Amiens, and the flying ground there was early filled with an enthusiastic throng of spectators. At a quarter past seven a gun was fired to indicate that the first machine was in sight. It proved to be Vidart, who, on alighting, said that the journey had been fine except that there was some fog. He was quickly followed by Gibert, Garros and Vedrines, the last-mentioned being the victim of a piece of ill-luck. Just as he landed something went wrong with the motor, and the machine capsized. Fortunately, the pilot escaped injury, and he was, in fact, able to complete the stage later on in the day. Vidart stayed only a few minutes, and he was followed away by Gibert, who was on the ground less than five minutes before he was once again in the air and away. " Beaumont " was the next arrival, but he did not stay long, and the fhree biplanes brought up the rear, with the exception of Kimmer- ling, who was somewhat late in getting to Amiens. On landing, he damaged his machine, but another one was waiting, and so he was able to continue. Vedrines resumed the journey at a quarter to eleven on the machine with which he flew to Madrid. At Vincennes there was another huge crowd, among whom was General Roques and several other highly-placed Government officials. At half-past eight an extra sharp eye detected a speck in the sky, while the expert ear caught the sound of the unmistakable hum of a Gnome motor. Within a few seconds the news had spread round the concourse, and the cry went up " They are here !" The next question was " Who could it be ? " as the news of Vedrine's accident had come through, and it was realised that he could not be the arrival. It only needed a few minutes, however, to bring the monoplane nearer into view for it to be seen that it was the Deper- dussin monoplane, and of course piloted by Vidart. He landed at 8.37, and was at once carried shoulder high to the Deperdussin shed to the strain of the Marseillaise. There was then a delay of 7 mins. before the arrival of Gibert, who it should be remembered is the only monoplanist who had completed the full distance on the one machine, whereas the others have changed their machines several times. The third to arrive was Garros, at 9.15, and then the others came in at fairly lengthy intervals, "Beaumont" being fourth at 9.26. Then came Renaux, who naturally felt proud of the fact that he was the only competitor who had taken a passenger over the full course while his Maurice Farman biplane arrived back without having a single piece of wood changed during the trip. Kimmerling was the last to arrive at Vincennes at half past ten, and in accordance with the arrangement, that any who- were unable to reach Vincennes by mid-day should go to Buc, the officials pursued their way there in order to await Barra and Vedrines. Barra arrived at Vincennes at something after five o'clock in the afternoon, and after making a stop went on to Buc for the official finish, but had to land at Villejuif on the way. Vedrines- reached Buc at ten minutes to eight, and after being checked in fiew over to the Morane headquarters at Issy. Tabuteau had to land at Claremont-sur-Oise, from which place he went on to Luzarches and there spent the night, completing the journey to Buc the next morning. Barra's machine was like Renaux's, a Maurice Farman biplane, and this also went through the event without any of the framework having to be replaced. Although the Bristol machine on which Tabuteau was mounted did not succeed in winning any prizes, it yet showed up well, and in many of the stages it was the first of the biplanes to arrive, and another significant fact is that the machine which arrived back at Paris was the same as that which started out. The principal amounts won during the race were as follows:— £ Gibert ... 1,36a " Beaumont" Vidart £ 6,466 2,572 Garros Vedrines . £ . 2,240 . 2,080 The following table gives the cumulative times for the various- stages of the nine competitors who finished. The circuit and the times of those who fell by the way, together with the particulars of all the machines, were given in our last issue. EUROPEAN CIRCUIT.—Times for each stage of those who finished. H a I 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Pilot. "Beaumont"... Garros... Vidart V&lrines Gibert Kimmerling ... Renaux Barra ... Tabuteau Liege (32okils.) h. m. s. 4 2 45* 5 3 H 3 9 541 3 39 i5l 25 8 4 22 44 35f 13 10 0 4 3 34* 23 59 417 Spa-Liege Utrecht (6okils.) J (215 kils.) h. m. s. 1 24 454 2 11 37 0 47 6| 0 42 2I| 1 51 2| 10 4 331 4 4 14 6 40 32 22 15 47 h. m. s. 2 21 4$ 2 10 2lJ 2 17 29§ 22 45 52j 2 4 25| 2 35 38 " 23 57i Brussels Roubaix Calais (145 kils.) (85 kils.); (90 kils.) h. m. s. 37 21 of 38 33 57* 54 3° 22 38 0 57A 38 56 51 37 34 3« 39 49 391 19 1 43f,6i 38 54 10 55 i7i — h. m. s. 1 24 25 1 15 56 I 58 16 0 58 46 2 3 19 1 11 40 1 54 27 — — h. m. s. 1 44 39* 2 36 2| 1 32 8| I l6 2I| 1 45 41 1 56 57 5 58 19 — — London Dover (242 kils.); (172 kils.) 1 h. m. s. 3 34 24 3 48 12 3 26 42 2 56 47 12 17 46 3 3i 8 12 24 38 13 54 3 5 37 16 h. m. s. 2 25 0 2 27 56 2 19 32 1 56 54 2 18 10 8 17 0 13 25 0 3 39 0 3 11 0 Calais (40 kils.) h. m. s. 0 36 1 0 36 13 0 37 23 0 30 14 0 33 28 0 34 23 0 47 56 1 59 15 0 43 51 Paris Total (250 kils.)! time. h. m. s. 3 26 15 3 13 49 2 33 6S 13 44 0 2 3° 4»§ 4 21 24 4 13 9 12 40 48 — h. m. s. 58 38 oi 62 17 7f 73 32 57* 86 34 32 89 42 34* 93 10 24 no 44 5! 206 2 58-J — • & ® ® THE GERMAN NATIONAL CIRCUIT. CONTINUING the story of this competition from where we had to break off last week, the tenth stage from Dortmund to Cassel was made on the 4th inst. Hoffmann, Volmuller, Wiencziers, Koenig, and Lindpaintner started, the first three getting through, but Koenig stopped at Paderborn, while Lindpaintner, still having trouble with his motor, decided not to go on. The next day the journey was continued to Nordhausen, ar.d Buchner, Volmuller, Wiencziers, Hoffmann, and Koenig arrived safely, although the three last- mentioned were some six hours late. A day's rest was indulged in at Nordhausen, and the stage to Halberstadt taken on the 7th inst. Buchner was the first to get through, followed by Laitsch, Koenig, Volmuller, and Wiencziers. The final stage on Monday last was to the Johannisthal ground near Berlin, and as this was a long one of 203 kiloms., a stop was made at Dessau. Koenig was the first away, followed by Volmuller, Buchner, and Laitsch. Two others—Wiencziers and Schauenburg —prepared to start, but the former smashed a wing, while the latter after a preliminary circuit of the ground determined to come down. The first to arrive at Dessau was Buchner, and staying only eight minutes he easily outdistanced the other competitors, and reached Johannisthal safely with his passenger at a quarter to seven, being greeted by Prince Leopold of Prussia. Volmuller and Koenig, each also being accompanied by a passenger, arrived second and third, the latter having had to make a second stop at Truenbritzen. Laitsch was also delayed on the way, at Zahna. The prize of ,£5,000 offered by the Berliner Zciltmg am Mitta& has been divided as follows :—Koenig, who covered 1,182^ kiloms., is awarded the first prize of £2,000; Volmuller, who covered 1,837^ kiloms., second, ,£1,250; Buchner, 1,363! kiloms., third, £500; Lindpaintner, 1,222^ kiloms., fourth, £350; Wittenstein, 9414 kiloms., fifth, £300; Wiencziers, 639 kiloms., sixth, £250; Schauenburg, 585J kiloms., seventh, £203; and Laitch, 5724 kiloms., eighth, £150. Thelen covered 497 kiloms., Muller 143 kiloms., and Jahnow 83 kiloms. ® ® ® PIONEERS. When we are set from earthly fetters free And proudly to heaven's highest points arise ; When dawns the day when human eyes shall see The final mute submission of the skies. When man at last has paid the price so dear, Which fate demands of progress year by year ; ® When every bar lies shattered in the past, And man in truth has won the world at last. May we at least remember thro' the years, To honour still our noble pioneers. Chiswick. ERNEST WARDE Fox- 6l8
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