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Aviation History
1911
1911 - 0961.PDF
NOVEMBER 4, 1911. the foolish virgins who tried to buy oil only to discover that it was early-closing day. Had they started preparing two months ago they might have overcome their difficulties in time to put up a good show. Anyway, the prize goes to the best man, and I do not know of any one who deserved it more than Cody, so good luck to him. Wednesday, though windy at times, calmed down now and again and allowed some flying to be done. Raynham, on the Avro, made a few circuits, and, later on, straight flights, testing new propeller and preparatory for the Michelin; Bell was out on the new Deperdussin, flying a few circuits to see if the planes were quite true, and Wilkins made some good straight flights on the brevet machine. Mrs. Hewlett flew for several circuits in excellent style, afterwards handing the machine over to her son, Francis Hewlett, who flew some good straight flights. Spencer was out with his pupil, Frank Ballard. The latter has made very good progress indeed and executed some excellent figures of eight at about 200 feet. Rippen was out on the Hanriot, making straight flights in good style, though the engine was not pulling very well. The Bristol biplane, piloted by Fleming, was out for a few circuits, Lieut. Harford then took the helm and succeeded in making some circuits and figures of eight in capital style. Thursday was a good old-fashioned Ocotber day, with the frost lying thick on the ground and the air perfectly still. The star performance was Bell's flight at 1,500 feet on the Deperdussin two-seater with Baldwin as passenger. He flew for about half an hour and finished up with a splendid vol plant. Game, when doing circuits on the pupils' 'bus, had a sideslip at the shed turn and completely atomised the machine. It was hardly worth collecting except for the engine and strainers. He himself was not hurt a bit, being thrown clear. Raynham started for the Michelin, but after getting through a few circuits he came down, as the carburettor had frozen up, causing the engine to starve. Ballard gave an excellent exhibition of figures of eight, banking at the turns in quite Spenceresque style. Francis Hewlett was flying this time, doing turns and runs. Pizey, on the Bristol, flew for some time and then took up as passenger Mr. Roberts for a few circuits. Afterwards Mr. Robert made some long hops. Harford started for his ticket, and after doing a few eights the engine commenced missing badly and he was forced to descend. Fleming then took up Mr. Roberts as passenger. Friday was also a glorious morning, so Raynham again tried for the Michelin. He did a complete circuit very well, and then decided to start in earnest. At the second circuit, the carburettor, despite desperate efforts to warm it, froze again and he descended in the sewage farm. He did not come down with much of a bump, but owing to the recent rains the sewage farm was almost under water and very soft, so the machine gently turned over till the tail was nearly touching the ground or rather mud. Raynham just fell out of the seat, which was upside down, into one of the irrigation channels about 18 ins. deep and all we could see was a leg waving in the air. However, he managed to swim to the bank, and all he suffered was a soaking. Ballard, flying excellently on the Spencer biplane, passed the tests for his pilot's certificate, landing quite close to the ob servers. Francis Hewlett took a few circuits very low, following the style of his instructor, Blondeau. Wilkins, Baldwin and Sabelli, of the Deperdussin school, were out on the taxi, making straight flights. Fleming went up for a few circuits and then took up as passenger R. J. M. Milner, R.F.A. He was very pleased with his experience and expressed his intention of joining the Bristol School at an early date. Saturday was very windy and the only flyers out were Kemp, who made some straight flights, and Fleming, on the Bristol. Kemp started on Sunday for the Michelin on the Flanders monoplane and flew seventeen circuits in excellent style; but the pressure for the petrol was leaking so that he had to descend to have things fixed up. He started again later and flew for about an hour, when something else went wrong and he was forced to come down again. Very hard luck indeed, as the machine was lifting about 45 gallons of petrol. Snowdon Smith, on his British-built Farman, was flying across country with a passenger and finished up with an excellent vol plant; Francis Hewlett was flying circuits, and Graham Wood was making straight flights. The Pashleys brought out their Humber monoplane, fitted with tank, for the Michelin, but after flying a few circuits, found that the weight was too far forward and had to abandon the idea of further efforts. Fleming flew a few circuits and then took Capt. Harrison and Mr. Roberts for flights. Lieut. Harford flew tests for his ticket, with the exception of altitude, and Harrison put up a couple of circuits. Monday was a beastly day, very windy and raining. Fleming was the only one out and he did j ust one circuit before dark. Tuesday dawned fine and still and Kemp again started for the Michelin on the Horden. He flew strongly for a few circuits and then found that his oil circulation was wrong, so had to come down and gave up the idea of trying. Spencer, who had taken on the flying of the Howard Wright in the place of Longstaffe, did not seem to be able to get tilings going right and only made a few straight flights. Rippen made some straight flights at a good height on the Hanriot. Francis Hewlett flew some circuits on the Blondeau-Farman, and Fleming, with Roberts as passenger, made a few circuits, Roberts following with straights, Harrison finishing up with a couple of circuits. Filey School (Blackburn Aeroplane Co.). THE weather during last week was altogethor much too stormy for flying, but on Wednesday Scott was out doing rolling practice, although he had to keep to a straight line on account of the wind. The school has been kept pretty busy getting Oxley's Michelin Cup machine ready. On Sunday morning Oxley had the machine out and from a preliminary run believes that he will be able to attain a speed of between 65 and 70 miles an hour, for which the Blackburn monoplane was designed. He intended to have a trial for the Michelin Cup in the afternoon, but the weather was much too rough and got worse instead of better, so that all thought of flying had to be abandoned. Freshfield Aerodrome MR. FENWICK was "out on the new monoplane of Planes, Limited, for a trial trip on Thursday morning last week and got in the air for a short distance. He made rather a bad landing, damaging two struts, one skid and propeller, the wind being very gusty at the time. This machine, which it was hoped would compete for the British Michelin prize, is again ready for the air and hopes are high that very shortly there will be a good account of its flying to give. On Saturday last Mr. Pochin got in the air on his small biplane on three occasions for short distances, and as he has only had a few rolls on it so far, his performance must be regarded as distinctly good. His new machine is to be completed shortly. Mr. Higginbotham is giving his machine a thorough overhaul, putting quite a lot of new wood in and re-covering it, so that it will be about a month before it is again ready for the air. Lanark Aerodrome (Lanark, N.B.). ON Saturday afternoon last Mr. Ewen made a fine flight to Edinburgh on his Deperdussin monoplane. Leaving the Lanark aerodrome at 12 mins to 4 and rising rapidly to a height of well over 1,000 feet, he disappeared in the direction of Carstairs. Here he picked up the Caledonian Railway, which he followed to Edinburgh, landing safely at Gorgie Farm, which is on the outskirts of the city, at 4.23. The distance is roughly about 30 miles. The Deper dussin behaved splendidly and Mr. Ewen landed in the farm grounds without a mishap, and was hospitably received by the Rev. Father Forsyth. This performance is of consider able merit, considering the hilly country which had. to be flown over and that the Anzani engine was only 28-32-h.p. His flight was witnessed by thousands of people along the route, and he was easily identified by the word " Ewen," which was painted in large letters under the wings. Liverpool Aviation School, Sandheys Avenue, Waterloo. THERE is little work to record for the past week owing to the continual stormy weather. Mr. Hardman, however, was out rolling for a short time on Saturday afternoon, and succeeded in making two short flights of 40 or 50 yards each, only rising a few feet from the ground and landing quite true and in such style as to give promise that he will shortly be making extended straight flights. London Aerodrome, Collindale Avenue, Hendon. Bleriot School.—On Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday morning last week, most of the pupils of the Bleriot School were practising, and on the Wednesday afternoon Mr. Driver
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