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Aviation History
1912
1912 - 0352.PDF
(/ycE APRIL 20, 1912. FROM THE BRITISH FLYING GROUNDS. Brookiands Aerodrome. THE first half of last week was rather stormy and only a little work was done. On Tuesday, April 9th, the wind dropped a little after 6 p.m., and Raynham brought out the Burgess-Wright, giving passenger flights to his pupils. Fleming was on the Bristol biplane, finishing with a fine spiral vol plant from over 1,000 ft., while Pixton made a pretty flight on the Bristol two-seater monoplane. Lane on the single-seater machine of the same make was practising straight flights. Fisher took the Flanders monoplane for a short spin, and " f'artridge" was making short flights on the A.B.C.-engined Howard-Wright monoplane. April loth and nth were very bad days, though Kaynham managed to take Medley for a short trip in the mornings. On Wednesday evening Percival brought out his resuscitated biplane but came to grief through side-slipping on a turn, carrying away the bottom right-hand plane. On Thursday afternoon Valentine made a trip on his two-seater Bristol monoplane in a strong wind, no one else venturing out. Friday was a much better day and a number of machines were in evidence. In the early morning Fisher put up a 45-mins. flight on the Inlanders climbing every now and then to about 1,000 ft. and coming down to about 200 ft. with spiral volplanes. Young passed the tests for his pilot's certificate during the day, on Sopwith's Burgess-Wright. Kaynham gave Hedley instruction on the same machine, this pupil being now promoted to the pilot's seat. Sopwith was also out carrying passengers, amongst them Mrs. Loche King and Valentine. Knight was on Vickers No. 2 machine and Pashley made some circuits on the Humber, having at last got the motor to run satisfactorily. At the Bristol School Pizey put in some high flights on the Angani-engined school monoplane and also on the biplane, finishing with long spiral vo/p/a/tJs. During the afternoon Valentine took Sopwith over to Hendon on the Bristol monoplane. Sopwith then flew his 7oh.p. Bleriot liack to Brookiands with I lucks as passenger. Valentine also started on the Bristol, but when over llounslow Heath felt unwell, SO landed near the barracks where he left his machine under a police guard for the night. Next morning he flew back to Brookiands. Saturday was a splendid day, and those of the public who payed Brookiands a visit in the afternoon were given a splendid exhibition of flying. In the morning a good deal of tuition work was done at the various schools. Capt. Wood made some circuits on the Vickers, and Bealty flew a number of part turns on the same machine. Mackworth, on the Bristol biplane, made a good flight, rising about 500 ft. and performing a number of right-hand turns and figures of eight. In the afternoon it was suggested that a short cross-country handicap race should be got up. This proved a great attraction, both to the pilots and spectators. Mr. Handasyde undertook the handicapping, and how well he succeeded is shown by the fact that the first four machines crossed the finishing line within 5 seconds of one another. The course was from a line in front of the sheds to- Chertsey Bridge and back, a distance of about six miles. The starters were :— T. O. M. Sopwith. E. V. B. Fisher... F. P. Raynham ... II. Spencer Collyns Pizey m. s. scratch- 0 2 3 4 39 28 12 35 Bleriot monoplane (70-h.p. Gnome) . Flanders monoplane (60 h.p. Green). Wright biplane (50-h.p. Gnome) Spencer biplane (50-h.p. Gnome) Bristol biplane (50-h.p. Gnome) Pizey took a passenger, thereby improving his handicap slightly. When the machines neared the finish it was seen that Sopwith was fast overhauling Pizey ; Kaynham and Fisher being in close attendance, Pizey crossed the line only about 35 yards ahead of the Bleriot which was travelling at a speed approaching 70 miles an hour. The result was : Pizey, 1st; Sopwith, 2nd ; Fisher, 3rd -r Raynham, 4th. Spencer, who came in last, lost a lot of time by climbing to a greater height than the others and steering too much to the right while making for Chertsey. Altogether the race was voted a great success, and it is proposed to hold similar events every suitable week-end. It was got up- purely on the spur of the moment by the aviators themselves, the Brookiands authorities having nothing whatever to do with it. It would seem well worth the Brookiands Club's while to put up small prizes for these weekly handicaps, in view of the attraction they will be to the public. Beside the race, there was any amount of solo and passenger flying. F'isher on the F'landers was out, on and oft, most of the afternoon, reaching good altitudes. At the Bristol school Pizey took a number of passengers for flights, Capt. Allen on the Anzani-engined mono plane flew well, and Bettington, a new pupil, was out rolling for some time, experiencing the usual difficulties of keeping a straight course. Sopwith made a number of fine flights with passengers on his 70-h.p. Gnome-Bleriot and on the Wright, and Kaynham was also out a good deal on the latter machine. Duigan brought out his Avro biplane and flew a number of circuits with a 35-h.p. E.N.V. Petre on the Deperdussin racer was also in the air. Sunday was another excellent day. As on the previous day a good deal of tuition work was got through in the morning. Allen on the Bristol school monoplane flew four excellent circuits, Bettington then took it out for rolling, showing excellent progress and commenced to make short hops. Unfortunately he landed, rather heavily and bounced into the air, bounced again, and then a third time, finally landing on his nose and wiping out the under carriage. He himself was unhurt. On the Vickers, Knight flew a number of circuits and then handed the machine over to Beatty, who made several figures of eight. In the afternoon another handicap race was inaugurated, Mrs. Raikes kindly presenting a cup for the winner. The course was from the aerodrome to Chertsey Bridge, back round the hangars, and then round a corn mill about a mile or two from Brookiands. As the actual distance was not quite known, the handicapping was more diffi cult than on Saturday. J The entries were- T. O. M. Sopwith E. V. B. Fisher.. F. P. Raynham.. Lieut. Lawrence scratch 52 56 Mr. T. O. M. Sopwith, the winner of the flying handicap on Sunday from Brookiands to Chertsey Bridge and back, with his lady passenger who accompanied him. Bleriot monoplane (70-h.p. Gnome) Flanders monoplane (60-h.p. Green) ... Wright biplane (50-h. p. Gnome) Bristol biplane (5o-h. p. Unome) ... ... 4 48 Collyns Pizey ... Bristol biplane (50-h.p. Gnome) ... ... 5 18 Pizey again took Game as passenger. Sopwith won, flying very low all the time, and making very sharp banked turns. Fisher was second, 35 sees, behind, with Pizey a very good third. The best flight of the day was by Sabelli on the racing Deperdussin with Y Anzani engine. He flew for an hour and five minutes, reaching an altitude of 1,350 ft. Petre and Chinery were both out for long flights on Deperdussins. The two Bristol biplanes were kept busy, Nesham and Mackworth making good flights. While Pizey put in a lot of work, both solo and with passengers. Sopwith had. the Wright out several times as well as his Bleriot. Hedley on the Wright was making straight flights finishing with a bad pancake which broke the two- bottom spars and a strut. 352
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