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Aviation History
1912
1912 - 0635.PDF
JULY 13, 1912 ffi'GHT FROM THE BRITISH FLYING GROUNDS. Brighton-Shoreham Aerodrome. ON Wednesday last week, Mr. G. N. Humphreys out rolling for the first time. Mr. F. B. Dowland on Friday doing straights, while Mr. G. N. Humphreys, getting more used to the machine, •was rolling again. Saturday, Mr. G. N. Humphreys started doing hops. Sunday afternoon, Pierre Verrier arrived in a 70-h.p. Renault- Maurice Farman biplane, carrying a passenger, having made a splendid flight. Starting from Hendon at 4.17 p.m., and travelling •via Richmond, he was sighted frorr. the aerodrome due north, flying about 1,000 ft., and very steady, a stiff breeze having sprung up. He made one circuit of the aerodrome, and then with a splendid vol plant landed close to the hangars at 5.35 p.m. Mr. F. B. Dowland doing—Monday morning—right and left turns in excellent style, and Mr. G. N. Humphreys good straight flights. Tuesday morning at 4.15 Pierre Verrier started from the aerodrome to proceed to Spithead, carrying a passenger who was to take photos of the naval scene. Brooklands Aerodrome. LIKE other flying centres, the weather has interfered con siderably with the flying work at Weybridge. On Saturday last at Brooklands the many spectators that came down to see the flying were provided with as good an assortment of machines and flying that could be wished. First machine out was Mr. Spencer on his biplane, who made a circuit or two close to the people in the enclosure. Then came Mr. Sopwith on the Burgess- Wright biplane who seemed in one of his playful moods by the way he shot up 50 ft. or so in jumps at an incline of about 1 in 3, and buzzing round at wonderfully sharp angles. Then out came Mr. Hotchkiss on the well-known old Bristol biplane, the type that holds the English record by a long way for turning out pupils. He ran this up a couple of hundred feet or so and flew round the sheds and enclosure, doubling in and out as much for his own pleasure as that of the spectators. In the meanwhile Mr. Gordon Bell went off •on the Burgess-Wright with Mr. Smith Barry as passenger and piled on the bank at the turns till the machine nearly turned within its own dimensions. The next machine to appear was Mr. Sopwith's new biplane after the fashion of the Burgess-Wright, but with a 70-h.p. Gnome tractor. Mr. Sopwith had got two passengers up besides himself and went soaring up to about 600 ft. then turned out for Weybridge and disappeared, returning in about 10 mins. to the aerodrome. Mr. Merriam was to be seen on the Bristol biplane with a passenger up behind controlling doing several circuits. Mr. Hotchkiss then brought out the Bristol-Anzani monoplane, and after flying for about 10 mins. to test its abilities handed it over to Mr. Bettington, a pupil who went away rejoicing. Lieut. Hewlett brought out the small Farman biplane and circled round for perhaps 20 mins., then handed it over to Mrs. Hewlett, who handled it as she always does in a skilful manner. By this time the ground had got so crowded with machines that it was getting quite hazardous to be flying within the aerodrome, so Mr. Hotchkiss took a pupil, Major Higgins, up in a biplane and went off to Chertsey, dropping down when over the river to see the fun and excitement his appearance had caused to the many hundreds out boating. While this machine was away Mr. Sopwith appeared upon a third machine, the latter being the large 100-h.p. Coventry Ordnance. She went lopping away in a very steady manner, and flew many circuits and vol planed at an exceedingly comfortable angle, and although the wheels are in no way sprung she lands more comfortably than scarcely any other machine. The very large tyres seem to be an excellent method of shock-absorbing. Mr. Gordon Bell appeared upon the new Martin Handasyde 'bus, and when testing its engine in front of the enclosure a general murmur of admiration could be heard of the workmanship put into this splendidly turned out machine. Unfortunately, since its appearance the engine has been giving a little trouble, and although it was not pulling as it ought, Mr. Bell made several circuits at about a couple of hundred feet, and gave a good demonstration of the machine's abilities. Lieut. Porte was out on two-seater Deperdussin doing circuits at about 300 ft. A new and very good arrival at Brooklands is the Flanders monoplane, which was flying round amongst the other machines piloted by Mr. Raynham. This machine was very distinctive from the rest, and the way Mr. Raynham flew her is indeed worthy of praise. This was the first time she appeared flying circuits, and she certainly does great credit to both designer and pilot. Mr. Macdonald was also out on the Vickers monoplane, flying at a good altitude and putting up a really fine show. He is an exce ptionally fine flyer. On Sunday evening a larger crowd of spectators saw equally as good a show of machines and flying. Mr. Spencer, Mr. Sopwith and Mr. Hotchkiss were first out on biplanes, when a thunderstorm looked like bursting over the ground, and all machines were housed for safety for about half-an-hour. In the meantime, Mr. Hotchkiss, to provide interest to everyone, offered a free passenger flight to be FAMILIAR OBJECTS ON SALISBURY PLAIN.—A couple of the double-seater Bristol monoplanes. 635
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