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Aviation History
1913
1913 - 1068.PDF
VflML OCTOBER 4, 1913. THE FIRST INTERNATIONAL AIR CONTEST AT HENDON. SOME interesting contests of an international character took place at the aerodrome on Thursday and Saturday of last week. As a result, no doubt, of the interest caused by the Aerial Derby both days produced a very large gate. The International Air Contest for the Hendon Trophy and ^1,000 was secured by Great Britain, represented by Claude Grahame-White and Gustav Hamel, three events out of six being won by the combined efforts of these two pilots. Early on Thursday afternoon B. C. Hucks on his 80 h.p. B16riot the " Tornado" and Lieut. Spencer Grey on a Sopwith tractor left for Brooklands, Marcus D. Manton coming out a little while later on the "G.-W. " 'bus and making a high flight. W. L. Brock on the 80-h.p. Bleriot, Louis Noel on the " G.-W. " Maurice Farman, and P. Marty on the 50 h.p. Morane-Saulnier followed immediately afterwards. Brock ascended again a little later, followed by G. Lee Temple on his Bleriot, after which Claude Grahame-White made a test flight on his Maurice Farman. Just before 4 o'clock a start was made for the 12 miles speed contest. In this event there was no handicapping, 3 biplanes— the Maurice Farman with Grahame-White up (Great Britain), a "G.-W." biplane with Louis Noel (France), and the 50 h.p. Gyro Wright with G. W. Beattie in the pilot's seat (U.S.A.)—started simultaneously on the falling of the flag and flew four laps of the aerodrome. As each biplane crossed the line a team-mate piloting a monoplane started off for another four laps, the first home being the winner. Such an imposing " get-off " as this event provided had not been witnessed at Hendon for many a long day. White, for Great Britain, was third with 566 ft. 5 ins. The next event was the Alighting Contest, each competitor having to land on an " island "—or as near to it as possible—of about 50 ft. diameter. Quite the best attempt was made by Beattie who skimmed along the surface of the " water" and landed just ahead of the breakers, coming to rest almost on the opposite edge. The next best attempt was Noel, who, however, landed in the water some distance from the shore and came to rest in the centre of the " island." Grahame- White also came down in the water. So America won this event with a distance of 48 ft. 6 ins., France being second with 140 ft. and Great Britain third with 202 ft. In addition to these contests, numerous exhibition and passenger flights were put up by Beattie on his Wright, Manton on the "G.-W." 'bus, Noel on the Maurice Farman, Marty on the Morane-Saulnier, Baumann on the Caudron and Brock and Temple on their Bleriots. Just before 6 o'clock, N. Spratt, late of the Deperdussin School, made a very nice flight in a Breguet biplane, and while he was up Pierre Verrier returned from Brooklands on the Henry Farman biplane accompanied by a pissenger. Saturday. Saturday's meeting was an unqualified success, the weather was fine, the flying and races were good, and there was a large attend ance, whilst an imposing aspect was given to the surroundings by the presence of 2,000 members of the Royal Naval Volunteers and the Legion of Frontiersmen, who took charge of the various aero- "Flight" CopyrifiLL NAVAL AND MILITARY DAY AT HENDON.—The machines in line ready for inspection. All three biplanes rose into the air like a trio of birds, and made for No. I pylon, the first to get round this being Beattie, Noel and Grahame-White, almost abreast, coming next. Grahame-White soon drew up alongside and just ahead of Beattie and 1 continued thus for the first two laps. For the last two laps, Grahame-White got several lengths ahead and Noel got in front of Beattie. The first monoplane to start, therefore, was Hamel's wing-clipped Morane- Saulnier, which had no sooner got off than Noel crossed the line thereby releasing his team-mate Marty on the 50 h.p. Morane- Saulnier. Beattie was not far behind Noel, so Brock on the 50 h.p. Bleriot soon followed the first two monoplanes. Hamel's speed round the course was astounding to behold, the other two hardly having a " look in." In fact, by the time Hamel crossed the line after completing four laps, Brock, the last man, had only com pleted his third lap some twenty seconds before. The first event, therefore, went to Great Britain. Shortly after this event Hamel left for Brooklands to see Pegoud. There being a rather heavy mist hanging low down, it was decided to postpone the cross country team race and the altitude contest till Saturday, and have instead the quick starting and alighting competitions. The former was held first, opposite the sixpenny enclosure—an excellent idea, for the visitors down this end of the aerodrome do not see very much of the machines at close quarters. This event was for biplanes only, and each competitor had three attempts. France, represented by Louis Noel, got off in the shortest distance and time, his aggregate distance being 239 ft. 6 ins. Brock, on behalf of the U.S.A., was second with an aggregate of 297 ft. 6 ins., whilst Grahame- planes assembled round No. I pylon. Capt. E. L. Ellington, repre senting the Secretary of State for War, inspected the aeroplanes before they started their duties of the afternoon. Not the least important item on the programme was the presentation of the prizes in connection with the Aerial Derby by Sir Thomas Lipton, who together with Sir William Bull, M.P., was an interested spectator of the afternoon's proceedings. The first event to be held was a 12-mile International Speed Contest, similar to that flown on the Thursday. In this event Beattie banked round the pylons in fine style, and only just managed to get in first with Grahame-White almost alongside. Brock's Bleriot, therefore, was the first monoplane to get away, but Hamel, starting immediately after, soon got well ahead, and again won this event for Great Britain, Brock (U.S.A.) being second, and Marty (France) third. The next International event was an 8-mile Cross-Country Contest, the biplanes and monoplanes each completing a lap of the Bittersea Hill course. In this event also, Beattie was the first to release his team-mate, Grahame-White being the next. Hamel's superior speed, however, soon enabled him to obtain a good lead and win yet another event for Great Britain. U.S.A. was again second and France third. The remaining International event was an altitude contest, each competitor being allowed 15 minutes- in the air. Only Brock (U.S.A.) and Marty (France) took part in this event, Hamel having gone to Brooklands, accompanied by Miss Trehawke Davies, onaBleriot. Brock won thisevent for America with a height of 2,700 ft. in 13 mins. 10 sees., France being second with a height of 2,200 ft. in 14 mins. An additional event, a 16-mile IO94
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