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Aviation History
1911
1911 - 0718.PDF
[/yGHT] FROM THE BRITISH Royal Aero Club Flying Ground, Eastchurch. BEARING in mind the weather of the past week, which, although fine, has been far from good flying weather, owing to the excessive heat and the gusty breezes, there has been considerable activity in the Aviation Camp here, for the most part in the early morning. Lieut. Samson was out on one of the Short Naval machines at 6 a.m. on Tuesday making a tour of the island, with every inch of which he is now probably thoroughly conversant. After a very prolonged flight he concluded with an excellent vol plane. Mr. Travers, meanwhile, had ascended, also on a Short biplane, and he gave quite a good exhibition during the time he was in the air. In the evening the Naval Officers were busy, Lieuts. Samson and Longmore each making long nights across country. On Wednesday the villagt-rs were awakened at 5 a.m. by the hum of a Gnome engine overhead, and all who turned out recognised one of the Short machines, which was then heading away towards the sea. This we subsequently ascertained was the Hon. Maurice Egerton, who, after making practically a tour of the island, headed for the open sea. Alter flying for quite a considerable distance out over the North Sea he returned home, landing skilfully outside his shed just before 7 a.m. Before Mr. Egerton was out of sight, another machine was seen approaching the village from the direction of Leysdown, whilst yet another was travelling high up and in the direction of Queenborough. These turned out to be respectively Mr. Travers and Lieut. Samson. The former made a wide detour of the village, and then went off in the direction of Elmley, whilst Lieut. Samson skirted Queenborough, and then returned over Elmley, Teynham (on the mainland), Harty and Leysdown. Shortly after this, Lieut. Longmore set out with a passenger, whom he took for a long cross-country flight. The four Naval Officers were again out in the evening, between 6 and 8.30 p.m. Mr. Alec Ogilvie was also out for quite a long flight on the " Baby" Wright, making repeated circuits between Leysdown and the aerodrome. On Thursday Lieut. Samson was out before 6 a.m. and put up nearly two hours' flying before breakfast; Mr. Travers was also out getting some early practice. On Friday Lieuts. Samson and Gregory were at work before 6 a.m. and again in the evening. Lieuts. Samson and Gregory, and also Mr. Travers, were flying about 5.30 a.m. on Saturday, and were fortunate to get in a number of good practice flights before breakfast, for shortly afterwards the wind rose considerably, and in conjunction with the heat which prevailed throughout the day made the atmosphere very tricky. On Sunday morning Mr. Travers was out at 5.30 for a flight of just over an hour, and was flying extremely well. On Monday evening the Naval officers got in their.customary practice, despite a stifnsh breeze. M. Pequet and the Humber monoplane he flies at Brooklands. AUGUST 19, 191». FLYING GROUNDS. M. Pequet in practice flight at Brooklands on the Humber monoplane. Brooklands Aerodrome. ON Wednesday evening last week the wind dropped consider ably and a-good deal of flying was.indulged in. Johnson was out on the Howard Wright with the E.N.V. pulling well, and he ascended very quickly to about 600 feet and then came down in a series of vol planes which put the onlookers' hearts into their mouths. We thought something had gone wrong. However, he explained to us that " it felt awfully nice." It is rumoured that he is going to join Vickers'staff in connection with the R.E.P. De Montalent was also- out on the Breguet making trips before some of the Army officials. He always runs down the field for a start, it has evidently become a habit since the Daily Mail circuit. His machine flies very strongly, and for a biplane glides very well. The Flanders- was out with the versatile and picturesque Fisher on board. He made straight flights and then tried a turn, made several good circuits, but found that once turned to the right there was a distinct tendency to keep on going round. This was explained, on examination, by the fact that the canvas-shrinking varnish put on was too strong, and had twisted the planes. This is being rectified, and we hope to see something good from this machine. Fisher has joined Vickers as pilot to the R.E. P. This machine is,, according to Watkins, "an absolute'bus,'' so some good flying is the near future is being looked forward to. Pixton was flying o» the Bristol just outside the track when the engine took a rest, so he had to land on a very awkward place between a railway embank ment, a river, and some cows. He managed it successfully, and after tinkering the engine he rose, banking heavily to get between some trees—at least, that's what we heard. The Avro-Farman was- out teaching pupils, carrying them bravely despite its decrepit con dition. Spencer was making some circuits, and Pequet, on the Humber monoplane, was around outside the railway, ending with a vol plan£. Thursday was windy all day, and although Friday was also we had an interesting demonstration of the use of the aeroplane i* naval warfare. Early in the afternoon several strangely garbed sailors were noticed taking down the shutter of one the sheds, a cinematograph camera was placed in position, and at the word of command ot a very dapper officer of apparently four different ranks, the sailors grasped the machine, which was of the Bleriot type, and rushed it out. Scene II: Excitement grew intense as the machine 720
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