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Aviation History
1913
1913 - 0536.PDF
I/PGHT] MAY 24, 1913. F SUMMER MEETING, HENDON. APPROPRIATELY enough, last Saturday's "Summer" meeting at Hendon was held under summer conditions—or, at least, a very fair representation of them. But for a light wind blowing, King Sol would have made himself felt enough to bring back memories of the dog days. The " gate "—taking advantage of these conditions, and encouraged by the promise of a busy programme—turned up in their thousands (the official figure given was 20,000). The proceedings, shortly after the firing of the commencing bombs, went off with a splendid spurt, all the pilots bringing out their machines for pre liminary flights one after the other. Louis Noel, on the Grahame- White Maurice Farman biplane, got away with several passengers, Pierre Verrier being out on a similar machine. Lewis Turner piloted the 60-h.p. Caudron biplane, J. L. Hall made a short flight on his Bleriot monoplane, and Sydney Pickles flew the Handley- Page monoplane, having returned that morning to Hendon from Winchester, where he had been giving exhibition flights on the same machine. Whilst Hall and Pickles were up, three other pilots ascended—Verrier on the Maurice Farman, Jules Nardini on his 50-h.p. Gnome-Deperdussin monoplane, and Brindejonc des Mou- linais on the fast Morane-Saulnier monoplane. After this more passengers were taken up by Verrier, and Gustav Hamel gave an exhibition flight on his Bleriot monoplane. Then the machines lined up for the cross-country handicap ; but, just before this event started, r cu machines could be seen bound for home in a bunch, and it was difficult at first to name the leader. It was Slack who crossed the line first, followed by Turner and Nardini, with 3 sees, between them, Verrier and Noel, after an interval of 15 sees., following, the latter having lost a few seconds in getting off at the start, was not able to overtake his rival. A badly-running engine caused the Handley Page monoplane to come in last. In the meanwhile, Lieut. L'Estrange Malone, R.N., made a fine high flight on the Admiralty 80-h.p. Gnome-Caudron biplane, and des Moulinais was seen returning from his trip to the stars. He landed at 5.5 p.m., having been aloft for 55 mins. The two barographs that he carried registered an average height of 10,200 ft., which, although not beating de Havilland's record, tops that of Salmet's for Hendon. After a rest of a few minutes he made another short trip, and a little later on Hamel was seen returning, having been away for about half an hour. The Grand Speed Handicap was then flown ; this was held in two heats of six laps and a final of eight laps. Three started in the first heat: L. Turner, on the 60-h.p. Caudron biplane, with 1 min. 40 sees, start; P. Verrier, on the Maurice Farman biplane, 40 sees, start ; and J. Nardini, on the 50-h.p. Dep., was at scratch. For the first two laps they kept in the order in which they started, but during the third lap Verrier obtained first place, only to lose it " Flight " Copyright THE 45-H.P. CAUDRON BIPLANE.—Three-quarter back view of the new British built Caudron biplane, which the W. H. Ewen Aviation Co., Ltd., have sold to the War Office. The machine has been constructed for Mr. Ewen by Messrs. Hewlett and Blondeau at their Clapham works. The workmanship is extremely good and the machine is very neatly finished. A new type of cowi has been fitted, and several improvements have been effected in the 45-h.p- Anzani engine. The auxtliary exhaust ports have been done away with and a new form of exhaust pipe fitted. The result is that the engine may now be throttled down to run very slowly indeed. Another advantage is that all the oil thrown off by the engine passes through the exhaust pipes and is carried away underneath the body. des Moulinais, accompanied by a lady passenger, set out on his attempt to beat the British height record with a passenger—held by G. de Havilland, with a height of 10,500 ft., Salisbury Plain, August, 1912. In a remarkably short space of time he was a mere speck in the sky, and a little later he was lost sight of altogether. Immediately after des Moulinais ascended, Hamel got in the air again on his Bleriot for a cross-country trip to Brooklands. The cross-country handicap, which then started, was one of the prettiest seen at Hendon. Six machines started, and kept close together the whole time. The course was to Elstree and back twice, a distance of about 18 miles, and the starters were:—L. Turner, 60-h.p. Caudron biplane (4 mins. 31 sees, start); Sydney Pickles, Handley-Page monoplane (2 mins. 20 sees, start) ; L. Noel and P. Verrier, both on 70-h.p. Maurice Farman biplanes (2 mins. 15 sees, start) ; R. Slack, 50-h.p. lileriot monoplane (1 min. 55 sees, start); and J. Nardini, 50-h.p. Deperdussin monoplane (scratch). Turner was leading at the end of the first lap, Verrier and Slack coming in close together shortly after, then followed Noel with Sydney Pickles close behind ; Nardini was last, although overhauling the others rapidly. The finish was most exciting, for all the to Nardini on the fourth lap. Nardini, therefore, was first, Verrier second (22 sees, behind), and Turner third, 20 sees, after the latter. The limit man in the second heat was E. Whitehouse, on the Handley Page monoplane, receiving 49 sees, from scratch—Slack, on the B16riot monoplane—while Noel, on the Maurice Farman, got 22 sees. Whitehouse flew high and wide, and so lost "air," Noel catching him up at the end of the third lap. Noel kept the lead throughout the rest of the race, and came in first, 6 sees, ahead of Slack, who had passed Whitehouse on the fifth lap. By this time the wind had increased somewhat in strength, and when the start for the final was made it had risen to about 40 m.p.h. The start for this last race was quite exci'ing, for Noel and Verrier, on their Maurice Farmans, were off within a few seconds of one another, the latter having a rough time of it in the former's backwash. Slack followed close upon Verrier, and Nardini last. The latter was just about to rise from the ground when a strong gust of wind struck the monoplane, causing it to swerve sharply to the right. Nardini pulled up just a few feet in front of the enclosure, much to the amusement of those sitting behind, who took it quite calmly, and apparently thought it part of the show. At about the same 558
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