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Aviation History
1913
1913 - 1225.PDF
NOVEMBER 15, 1913. (/QGEI] FLYING AT HENDON. Night Flying Demonstration. ON Thursday evening of last week a very successful night flying demonstration took place up at Hendon aerodrome. It differed from those previouly held in that a speed handicap was flown in the dark for the first time on record. Earlier in the evening it was rather showery, but later it turned out bright and clear, and a fairly large number of vi-itors turned up. As usual, the aero drome was illuminated with numerous fairy lamps, and a realistic model of a cruiser "lay to" in the centre of the aerodrome. The first to ascend was Marcus D. Manton on the 50 h.p. G.-W. double-rudder 'bus. He made several circuits of the aerodrome, sometimes in complete darkness and sometimes with the rows of tiny electric lamps that bedecked his machine brilliantly lit up. After this flight of Manton's, which lasted some 15 mins., Pierre Verrier came out on his Maurice Farman and demonstrated that darkness in no way prevented him from executing some of his wonderful banks. R. H. Carr, on a 50 h.p. G.-W. 'bus, and Louis Noel, on the 70 h.p. G.-W.-Maurice Farman, next gave exhibitions, after which a start was made for the speed race. This was flown over four laps of the aerodrome, and was made up of R. H. Carr (56 sees.), Marcus D. Manton (26 sees.) on 50 h.p. G.-W. 'buses, and Louis Noel (scratch) on the 70 h.p. Maurice Farman. This race was undoubtedly the most sensational event that has been seen at Hendon, for the three machines were not only well matched, but raced close together the whole time, finishing in a bunch—and this in the dark ! Noel gradually caught up Carr and Manton and passed them just in front of the finishing line, beating Carr by 1 sec. Manton very nearly got in second, and only failed by a bare 1 sec. After the race W. Birchenough ascended on the 50 h.p. G.-W. 'bus, and then followed a bombard ment of the "cruiser" from the air. The aeroplanes, of course, proved victorious, for eventually the "cruiser" was seen to be in flames and finally "blew up" in magnificent style—thanks to J. W. Wells and Sons. The figures of the speed race are as follows :— First Night Speed Handicap. (4 laps.) TT„„ JJ__ Handicap Hand.cap. Time / m. s. in. s. 1. Louis Noel (70 h. p. Renaul t - M aurice Farman biplane) scratch 8 40 2. R. H. Carr (50 h.p. Gnome-Grahame- White biplane) o 56 8 41 3. Marcus D. Manton (50 h.p. Gnome- Grahame-White biplane) o 26 8 41^ The Hendon-Brighton-Hendon Air Race. Last Saturday's race from Hendon to Brighton and back was an excellent example of the wonderful progress that has been made in aviation, for taking into account the time of the year, and the very unfavourable weather conditions that prevailed on the day in question, it is something to marvel at that ft race of this description should be held at all, let alone the fact that half the number of starters successfully completed the course. This race has also shown that the long distance cross-country handicap can be flown with as much success as a speed handicap round an aero drome, and we think that further events of this character should be held, if not this year, next season. This brings us to the question of handicapping, and once again we have to compliment those responsible for this ticklish subject on Saturday's event, for the com petitors that finished did so one close upon the other. Originally the race was to have commenced at 11 o'clock ; it was, how ever, far too unsettled at this time for a start to be made, but there was every indication of it clearing up. In fact, at 11.15 lt brightened considerably, and Marcus D. Manton went up on the 50 h.p. G.-W. 'bus to see what it was like up above. He climbed THE FINISH OF THE HENDON-BRIGHTON-HENDON RACE, NOVEMBER 8th—Pierre Verrier, the winner, returning to Hendon late in the evening. 1251
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