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Aviation History
1912
1912 - 0345.PDF
APRIL 20, 1912. Ij^ML MISS QUIMBY FLIES THE CHANNEL. ALTHOUGH Miss Harriet Quimby has made an enviable reputation for herself as a capable pilot in America, her native country, she has not been very well-known on this side of the Atlantic, and no doubt few of our readers who read the announcement in FLIGHT a week or so back that she was coming to Europe, looked for her so soon to make her mark by crossing the Channel. Contrary to what one would expect, the feat was carried through without any fuss or •elaborate preparations, and only a few friends, including Mr. Norbet left Deal, rising by a wide circle and steering a course, l>v tin- lid of the compass, for Cape Grisnci. Dover Castle was passed at a height of 1,500 feet, and by the time the machine was over the sea, it was at an altitude of about 2,000 feet. liuided solely by compass, Miss Quimby arrived above the Grisnez Lighthouse a little under an hour later, and making her way towards Boulogne she came down at Equihen by a spiral zo!plant' not far from the Bleriot sheds. Miss Harriet Quimby, who on Tuesday last, on a Ble'riot monoplane, flew the Channel from Dover to Equihen— the first time the feat has ever been accomplished by a lady pilot unaccompanied. Chereau and his wife and Mrs. Griffith, an American friend, knew that the attempt was being made and were present at the start. Miss Quimby had ordered a 50-h.p. Gnome-Bleriot, which arrived from France on Saturday, and was tested on Sunday by Mr. Hamel. On Tuesday morning, as previously arranged, after Mr. Hamel had taken the machine for a preliminary trial flight, Miss Quimby, who had been staying at Dover under the name ofj Miss Craig, took her place in the pilot's seat, and at 5.38 ® ® Royal Flying Corps (Military Wing). IN connection with the memorandum on Naval and Military- aviation, which we reproduce elsewhere, a special Army order has been issued dealing with the Royal Flying Corps (Military Wing). This elaborates the information given in the memorandum as to the method of applying for admission to the Corps, the terms of service, &c. It also states that the grades of officers will be Com manding Officer, Squadron Commander, Flight Commander and Flying Officer, and officers holding either of the first three appoint ments will, if of lower rank, be granted temporary rank of Lieut. - Col., Major and Captain respectively while holding the appointments. The order also states that the Air Battalion will cease to exist as a unit of the Corps of Royal Engineers on May 13th next. Appendices to the OTder explain in detail the peace and war establishment of an Aeroplane Squadron from which it appears that the Headquarters Staff will consist of a Commander, six officer flyers, (to act as reliefs or observers), two warrant officers and twelve air mechanics, while for each of the three flights making up the squadron, there will be To Miss Quimby, therefore, belongs the honour of being the first of the fair sex to make the journey, unaccompanied, across the Channel on an aeroplane ; and, appropriately enough, as the first crossing of an aeroplane by a " mere man" was on a Blcriot machine, her mount was of that type. Miss Trehawke Davies, it will be remembered, was the first lady to cross the Channel in an aeroplane, but she was a passenger with Mr. Hamel on his Bleriot monoplane. ® ® four officer flyers, seven sergeants, and thirty-two air mechanics making a total of 150 officers and men for the squadron. For each squadron there will also be thirty-seven motor vehicles, including cycles, cars, lurries, repair vans, &c. The Royal Flying School. IN reply to questions in the House of Commons on Tuesday last, Col. Seely stated that work had been commenced on the buildings of the Central Flying School, but the date upon which it will be opened cannot yet be stated. At present 16 aeroplanes are in possession of the War Department, and there are 24 officers employed in the airship and aeroplane work. It is intended that detachments of the Royal Flying Corps should take part this year in Army manoeuvres. The Upavon estate was chosen as a flying school upon the recom mendation of a committee containing a flying expert and also of Brigadier-General Henderson and Mr. Mervyn O'Gorman. 345 D
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