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Aviation History
1914
1914 - 0345.PDF
MARCH 28, 1914. engine, which had been fitted with new rings, bushes, &c, was not developing maximum power. On Sunday afternoon, J. L. Hall was out on Avro, and in evening taking passengers. Salisbury Plain. Bristol School.—Hurricane over 80 miles an hour, Monday last week. All the second line of Army sheds were outrooted by the wind and flew off into bits, totally demolished. Parts of the roofs were to be found half a mile away. Voigt, two trials with Lieut, llarman and Lieut. George. Tuesday very bumpy, and wind rising immediately to a gale the whole day. Wednesday morning and evening very windy, snowstorm until 5 p.m. Jullerot trial, then tuition to Lieuts. George (1), Bonham- Carter (1), Rabagliati (2), Mr. Hay (1), Mr. Chambers (1), Lieut. Bolitho (1); then two trials on new biplane, Capt. Fell two solos, Mr. Stutt one solo. Jullerot trial, Thursday morning, then tuition to Lieuts. Bolitho, Bonham-Carter, Rabagliati. Voigt tuition to Lieut. George (2), Mr. Hay, Mr. Chambers. Stutt two solos. ® ® TH£ LONDON AE IN the Great Gallery of the R.A.C. in Pall Mall, at 8 p.m. on Friday evening last, commenced the first annual dinner of the London Aerodrome, and although there are wild rumours flying about that it has not yet finished, we have no authority to give this as a fact, though there certainly were no signs of it coming to an end when we took a regretful leave in the early hours of the morning. It was a splendid dinner, splendidly served to as great and as repre sentative a gathering of those interested in matters aviation as has probably ever been seen. With Lord Lonsdale as a generous and popular chairman, sport was represented by one of its greatest figureheads, and his smiling face and buttonhole sat it well out to the bitter end with no sign of fatigue. The Royal Navy had a fitting representative and spokesman in Commander Samson, whose speech was crisp and to the point; full of the breezy sailorman, tingling with wit, and given staccato, for all the world like a quick-firer. He greatly praised the civilian flyer of the early days, of whose experience, he said, the Army and Navy pilots were now reaping the benefit. He much regretted that civilian pilots did not take up waterplaning to any- great extent, and that he would like to see them go in for this branch of flying more than they had done up to now. There was, he said, a great scarcity of good waterplane pilots, and the flying of these machines now seemed to be left almost entirely to the Navy fliers. His reference to the claim of Hendon, that " No matter what the weather flying always took place there," being followed by his comment—" And on those days, there is also flying at OTHER places," is a specimen of his speech, as was also his final sentence, " I think I've said enough." On Lord Lonsdale as Chairman, of course, fell the most arduous task in the speech line, which he got through with his proverbial urbanity, or as he said, with his usual want of diplomacy. His reference to the selling of the Grahame-White fleet of aeroplanes to the Government last year, in order to figure on the list for the benefit of Mr. Joynson-Hicks, was received with uproarious laughter, in which Mr. White himself had to join. His Lordship was rather unfortunate in that he did not make himself quite clear with reference to the taking of strong drink by those engaged in sport of any kind, and although his remarks were perfectly true, and his advice to pilots perfectly honest and sincere as coming from one who has probably had more experience in the sport ing world than any living man, was yet taken by some to mean that he accused pilots of doping themselves before going aloft. This was resented by Mr. Richard Gates, who, on behalf of the pilots, rather vigorously took the chairman to task, and for some moments the guests were treated to the unusual spectacle of these two bobbing up and down at their respective ends of the table in a battle of words of explanation, meanwhile everybody sitting in breathle;s silence. It was a regrettable little incident, but was soon smoothed over. Mr. T. O. M. Sopwith replying for " British Aviators," made quite a neat little speech, though, as he said, he did not think he was entitled to call himself an aviator now, seeing that he had not flown for nearly a year. We do not forget, however, his prowess in the past, and only'regret that it is no longer necessary for him to take the air. In a few brief words he commented on Commander Samson s reference to civilian pilots taking up waterplane work, and said he thought it only wanted a little encouragement and the granting of facilities for them to enter this branch of the sport with equal alacrity to flying land machines. He suggested that perhaps Mr. Grahame-White would be able to see his way later on to add a waterplane branch to the London Aerodrome, though he could [/OCHT) Thursday evening, Jullerot trial, then tuition to Lieuts. Bolitho, t>eorge, Bonham-Carter, Heavy snow and wind, Friday morning. In evening, slightly misty. Jullerot trial, then with Capt. Fell, Lieut. Barrett (2|, Lieut. Kolitho. Voigt with Lieut. Bonham-Carter (3) Ueut. Bolitho (2) solo, Lieut. Barrett one solo, Capt. Fell three solos, Mr. Stutt two solos. Saturday, Voigt and Jullerot trials; wind is m.ph. lullerot tuition to Lieuts. Harman (2), Myburgh (1), Bonham-Carter (i), Bohtho (1). Voigt tuition to Lieuts. Myburgh (a), Bonham- Carter (2), Mr. Hay (i), Mr. Chambers (1) and Lieut. Bolitho 2). Capt. tell two solos in good wind, then rain and blowing a gale again. Shoreham Aerodrome. A STRONI. wind most of the week prevented much work. A. D. Grey behind pilot, C. L. Pashley ; on Wednesday, wind too had to take full control. Mr. Hale, first lesson on Thursday behind pilot. Mr. Phil Kay, the well-known comedian, visited the school and made several (lights on Saturday. ® ® ODROME DINNER. not see at the moment just where it might be established. It only- required a few aerodromes to be opened up on the coast, he thought, to overcome the entire difficulty. Referring to unfair methods usually met with in nearly all branches of sport, he was of opinion that in no other direction was there the same facilities for unfairness »s in flying. It was the easiest thing in the world tto fly unfairly, and so embarrass another competitor, yet in the whole course of his flying career he had never heard of one single instance of a complaint being made by one pilot against anothei, which he thought reflected great credit on all concerned. With reference to Mr. Hawker's attempt at the "Circuit" last year, he said he would like to take that opportunity of correcting a report that had somehow got about, that the failure was due to engine trouble. "Our old gas engine ran splendidly throughout, didn't it, May?" he said, turning to Mr. Fred May, who was seated near him, and the latter smilingly corroborated. Mr. Gustnv Hamel, replying to the same toast, had much to say, but seemed to find great difficulty in saying it, finally cutting things short by saying that he had no more to sny, with his hands still full of notes. We all know Mr. Darnel's skill as a pilot, than whom there is probably no better in England, or possibly in the world to-day, and if he finds himself not so good at " »)>eechifying" as he would like, he has nothing to worry about—some of our greatest men in deeds have been even worse than he. Mr. Mervyn O'C.orman's effort was of the kind that one would expect, he WUK courteous and entertaining ; whilst apparently frank he was discreet; he said much and he said little. One applauded his speech and felt that one had been highly entertained, and then suddenly came the conviction that one wasn't quite sure what it was all about, yet it had lieen very good. Mr. Claude Grahame-White is a past master in the art of after-dinner speaking. He knows exactly what he wants to say and can say it without any effort and in a way that is always entertaining. On this occasion he had naturally much to do. He made reftrence to the crossing of the Atlantic, which he thought would become an accomplished fact, but said that the undertaking was too big for any one man or firm, from a financial point of view, but that something might be done in the nature of a subscription. In speaking of his own aerodrome at Hendon, he commented on the fact that over two millions of people had paid for admission to view the flying sinee the ground was open to the public, and that although some thousands of passengers ()»ying and otherwise) had been carried by their machines, not a single accident had taken place amongst these, nor had a single member of the public ever been injured. In praising the mechanics in his employ, of whom he said he had some of the very best, he advised all pilots to supervise their work, and to themselves look after their machines and see that everything was carried out in the proper order. " No matter how good or how willing a mechanic might be," he said, " he was after all only a human being, and liable to overlook some little thing, which in an aeroplane, might be just that little thing that would bring disaster in its train." It is not possible here to give a full report of the speeches, all of which were good, and many excellent, nor to give in detail a list of those present, but in addition to those gentlemen already mentioned were to be seen : Col. Sir Charles Allen, R. Airey, Major Baden- Powell, William Birchenough, A.J. Wallace Barr, Massac Buist, H. Barber, D'Arcy Baker, A. E. Berritnan, Gordon Bell, E. Baumann, G. W. Beatty, Maj.-Gen. Sir J. S. Cowans, Com. Mansfield Cumming, Capt. Bagot Chester, R. 0. Crawshay, R. H. Can, W. A. Casson, J. M. R. Cripps, N. Chercau, J. Cates,
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