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Aviation History
1913
1913 - 1320.PDF
(/LIGHT ARMCHAIR ] By THE " Arabian Nights " Up-to-Date. FATIMA ! There is something about the word which is pleasing ; it conjures up things of beauty and pleasures of youth—Oriental carpets and sherbet. My faith in Oriental carpets has been somewhat shaken of late years owing to the proximity of Birmingham, and I fear the Borough is about as far east as Persia, so far as sherbet is concerned. But Fatima ! I really had faith in Fatima, till to-day. My "Arabian Nights " still finds a place on the book-shelf, but I shall never read it more. Fatima has become western—Fatima perhaps even wears hobble- skirts and Louis heeled shoes—Fatima has become up-to-date—she has eloped in an aeroplane! The Star says the name of her romantic youth is Mahmed Ali-Bey, and for this I tender her my humble thanks ; if she had eloped with John Smith I should never have recovered. Mahmed Ali Bey, according to the Daily Citizen corre spondent, is a major in the Turkish Army, and Fatima Hanum is the daughter of a wealthy financier. So far, it is as Oriental as may be in these days, and if the gallant major had only used a camel, I could have figured them eloping in the beautiful dress of their DECEMBER 13, 1913. DREAMER. country—but an aeroplane! I really cannot imagine Fatima in a Roold helmet and goggles, her beautiful face streaming with castor oil. The major, it appears, is young, handsome, courageous, but poor, and although he had won many decorations and crosses during the war, the financier would have none of him ; a wealthy man only should marry his daughter. But Mahmed was resourceful—he would learn to fly, and fly away with his love to the very letter. Why on earth he did not fly in a taxi, goodness only knows ; certainly it rather discounts the romance of the thing, I should imagine, to whisper love's sweet wooings whilst the beastly clock keeps ticking up 2>d. a mile—it's so horribly commercial. Well, the major learned to fly at San Stefano, so the story goes, and, when all was ready, Fatima sped to the aerodrome in a fast motor car, hopped into the aeroplane in which her lover was waiting, and away to Adrianople. The story does not say whether her sisters waved handkerchiefs from the north tower, but no doubt it was so. In any case, I believe Fatima is the first Turkish woman to go up in an aeroplane, to say nothing of eloping in one, which is something of a record. THE FARtS AhRu 6ALOIN.—General view irom trie north. ® ® ® ® '"Flight" Copyngh.. Ae.C.F. Proposes Big Water-plane Event. THE Aero Club of France has been considering the possibility of organising a big event for hydroaeroplanes next year, over a course from Dunkerque to Biarritz and following the French coast line. It has referred the matter to the Chambre Syndicate des Industries Aeronautique, who, however, are not enthusiastic. Russian Military Aviation. IT is announced from St. Petersburg that the Military authorities have concluded a scheme for the provision of 400 aeroplanes during I9 J.4: .The machines are to be built by four works in Russia, one of which is under English control. It is also s:ated that Janoir has been engaged as a technical expert.; „ 1346
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