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Aviation History
1913
1913 - 0961.PDF
SEPTEMBER 6, 1913. (/ycSf) AFT AT THE THE Flying Corps units taking part in the Army operations in England will be the following :— With the Brown Side. No. 3 (Aeroplane) Squadron, R.F.C. Military Wing. With the White Side. Headquarters, R.F.C. Military Wing. Detachments from the R.F.C. Naval Wing. No. I (Airship) Squadron, R.F.C. Military Wing. Detachment from No. 4 (Aeroplane) Squadron, R.F.C. Military Wing. Detachment from No. 5 (Aeroplane) Squadron, R.F.C. Military Wing. Detachment from the Flying Dep6t, R.F.C. Military Wing. No. 2 Squadron (from Montrose) is being employed separately on the Army Manoeuvres in Ireland this year. With the exception of the naval detachments and three officers, who will be attached from the Staff College as observers, all personnel will be found by the Military Wing. The naval detach ments will consist of one of the new naval airships and a flight of four aeroplane?. The airship will work from the airship sheds at Farnborough, and the aeroplane flight will be attached to No. 5 ® ® FROM THE BRITISH Brighton-Shoreham Aerodrome. AGAIN the weather has not been all that could be desired, but nevertheless the Avro School, under the able instruction of Mr. A. Geere, has had all its pupils out in some form or other, and withal a general improvement has been noticed. Mr. Elliott, who seems to be progressing veiy rapidly indeed, was out on Tuesday and Wednesday last week, and Lusteed, whose membership of the school is quite short, made a marked impression last week by putting up some really good work. Friday was somewhat puffy, but Geere made a good show, testing the air and subsequently instructing the pupils. An ideal day followed and everybody was out, Mr. Pashley giving nice exhibition flights. Elliott and Lusteed, as well as Geere, were also flying, the Avro behaving particularly well. Monday and Tuesday good work was done, the weather on the latter day being absolutely perfect. Brooklands Aerodrome. Friday last week was a busy day at the schools, no less than six pupils, four Vickers and two Bristol (including Lord Edward Grosvenor) passing their brevet tests in workmanlike manner. Mr. Harry Hawker, fresh from his plucky attempt to win the Daily Mail waterplane competition round Britain, was busily engaged in testing Sopwith machines for the Admiralty. On Saturday, engine tests were made with the de Bolotoff triplane, the debut of which is much looked forward to, and the Martinsyde waterplane. The former machine is now only waiting for some small parts, and the latter is quite ready for a trial flight. Mr. Raynham flew to Hendon on the Avro biplane. Mr. Barnwell and Mr. Orr Paterson were busy with pupils and passengers on Vickers biplanes, as was Mr. Merriam on the Bristol biplanes. Mr. Dukinfield Jones was further testing the Flanders biplane (60 h.p. Isaacson engine). Mr. Hawker was testing two Sopwith biplanes carrying several passengers, including Mr. Pizey of the Bristol School at Salisbury, who afterwards took advantage of Mr. Sopwith's offer to make a trial flight, and spoke in high terms of the machine's flying capabilities. On Sunday, arrangements had been made for Mr. Hawker to give exhibition flights on the Sopwith machines and to take up passengers, but the pouring rain rendered this quite out of the question. Mr. Hawker however will be at Brooklands again next Saturday and Sunday, on both of which days flights may be booked with him, and also with the other Brooklands pilots. Bristol School.—Sunday afternoon Merriam for test, taking Lieut. Roche as passenger, and found rather bumpy, later for an exhibition flight, then with a passenger. Later up with Lieut. Strong, Lord Ed. Grosvenor and Lieut. Roche. Monday last week very foggy early. 6.20 a.m. Skene made a test taking Lieut. Strong as passenger. Merriam afterwards up with same pupil, who had control all the time. Lieut. Strong then alone for first time doing very good straights and landings. Merriam up with Lord Ed. Grosvenor on several straights and circuits, having also control. Afterwards his Lordship alone, first time doing a circuit right away in fine style and landing perfectly. Merriam then with Capt. Fisher and Lieut. Playfair in succession on several straights and circuits; the former is nearly good enough to go alone, as he flies very well, but his landings are not quite AMffiU¥lES. Squadron of the Military Wing. They will take part in the operations on the White Side, being attached for the purpose to the Military Wing. The observers working in naval aircraft will be military officers, as this work requires military training. The pilots and ground crews of the naval aircraft will belong to the Naval Wing. No. 3 Squadron of the R.F.C. Military Wing, with the Brown side, will also take part in the command and divisional operations which precede the Army exercises proper, and which commence about September 12th. Their aeroplanes will be recognisable by black and white stripes on the under surface of the lower planes. This squadron will as far as possible be on a mobilised basis. The Flying Corps units, with the White side, will take part in the Army exercises only. They will move up to camps in the neighbourhood of Rugby during the week ending September 20th, with the exception of the naval airship, which, as already stated, is to work from Farnborough. No. 4 Squadron will consist of two flights, whilst No. 5 Squadron will comprise, besides \\ flights of the Military Wing, one naval flight. Four umpires are being attached to the aircraft of the two sides. These umpires are officers of the Indian Army at present undergoing training in aeronautics in England prior to starting a flying school in India. ® ® FLYING GROUNDS. perfect. Mr. Gaskell-Blackburn doing straights and circuits very well. Merriam finished with a flight, taking Instructor Skene for a joy ride. After breakfast, all busy erecting new machine. In evening Merriam and Skene testing, the latter instructor up with Lieut. Hinds. Lieut. Strong doing circuits and eights in fine style, Mr. Gaskell-Blackburn also making circuits and eights very well. Lord Ed. Grosvenor flying circuits and landing neatly. Merriam up behind Captain Fisher on several straights, and also with Lieut. Playfair. After Lieut. Strong and Mr. Gaskell-Black burn had another turn, Merriam finished with a solo to sheds, as it was quite dark. Tuesday. Foggy early, later Merriam made a lest of three circuits, taking Lord Ed. Grosvenor as passenger, and found the conditions were not good enough for school work. Too windy in the evening for flying. Next day, 5.30 a.m., Merriam test first, taking Lord Ed. Grosvenor as passenger. Then his lordship alone doing fine figures of eight, and landing well. Merriam then up with Capt. Fisher and Mr. Halford on straights and circuits. Lieut. Strong and Mr. Gaskell-Blackburn doing figures of eight, and both landing well. Skene finished with a solo to sheds as the wind was getting up. In evening, Merriam made a flight, taking Lord Ed. Grosvenor as passenger, and found conditions very bad. Thursday, 5.30 a.m., Merriam tests, then with Lieut. Roche ; afterwards wind got up suddenly. Merriam made a final test, taking Capt. Fisher as passenger, but still very bad. At 6.45 p.m., Merriam test, found bumpy ; later tried again, taking a prospective pupil for a short trip. Lord Ed. Grosvenor following, flying well and practising landings for his brevet. Lieut. Strong and Mr. Gaskell-Blackburn a solo each, both flying very well, and can take their tickets when they like. Merriam giving tuition to Lieuts. Roche and Hinds. Darkness stopped further flying. Friday, 5.15 a.m., Merriam testing, with Lieut. Roche as passenger, but found too foggy. Cleared at 6 a.m., Merriam then giving same pupil straights and circuits, this pupil then alone for first time flying good straights with good landings. Lord Ed. Grosvenor figures cf eight, and vol plane" landings to a spot in good style. Lieut. Strong and Mr. Gaskell-Blackburn circuits each, and practising near a mark, their landings being quite good. Merriam up behind Captain Fisher on several straights and circuits, giving him plenty of landings. This pupil then alone for first time, doing excellent straights, circuits, and good landings. Merriam then behind Mr. Halford on a figure of eight, and teaching him to vol plane". This pupil has the makings of a very good pilot. Lord Ed. Grosvenor, Captain Fisher, Lieut. Strong, and Mr. Gaskell- Blackburn, all another solo each, practising landing near a mark. Merriam gave more tuition to Mr. Halford, afterwards Merriam a solo alone to the sheds. A good morning's work, and all pupils progressing wonderfully well. After breakfast Merriam tried conditions, storm came on ; about 12.15 p.m. tried the air again and found quite good, then Lord Ed. Grosvenor made a solo, afterwards away for his brevet, which he obtained in a most skilful manner with vol plane landings to mark Afternoon, Merriam first up, then Captain Fisher took his ticket very well, making good landings. Lieut. Roche doing fine straights and circuits, Lieut. Strong good figures of eight, Merriam 987
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