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Aviation History
1915
1915 - 0987.PDF
Deperdussin firm, and later took over the piloting of the Breguet biplanes for a short time. The other Hendon pilot who is now a tester is Lieut. F. Goodden, R.F.C., who enjoys a most enviable reputation as a pilot. It was very sad news indeed to hear of the death of Flight Sub-Lieut. J. H. Rose, R.N.A.S., whose loss will be deeply mourned by friends at Hendon and elsewhere. Rose, who will be remembered as being at one time chief instructor at the Hall school of flying, was one of those modest unassuming men who usually "get there " without making any fuss about it. His engineering knowledge combined with his skill as a pilot makes his loss all the more regrettable. To his relatives and friends it may perhaps be some slight consolation to think that he died as he would probably have wished to finish, when it had to be—in the thick of it. Personally, the loss of J. H. Rose affects me in very much the same way as did the death of poor Cody affect my colleague "The Dreamer"; I keep expressing my regret in one short word. XXX It was a dull sort of day when I walked down Collin- dale Avenue towards the aerodrome the other day. The rain was apparently trying to make up its mind whether to do a vol pique or not. Before I reached the gates, it had decided to go straight for the 'drome and surrounding country. Prospects of flying—Nil. Suddenly, however, the roar of an engine made the corrugated fence rattle, and a machine shot upwards at a very steep angle. From the way she banked on the turns I concluded that it was Mr. de Havilland on one of his scouts, although, somehow, there was a difference. It is curious, as I think I have previously pointed out in " Eddies," how, by watching the flying of a certain pilot, one gradually learns to identify him by his piloting, much as one does a pedestrian by his walk. But, to return to the de Havilland scout, when the machine landed again after a few rounds in the rain, mist and gathering dusk, I found that the pilot in charge was Mr. M. D. Manton, and moreover that this was actually the first time he had flown the machine. Con sidering that fact and that most of Manton's daily work in the air is done on box kites, with an occasional spin on the Grahame-White tractor scout, his manipulation of this mount was extremely good. This also seemed to be the opinion of everybody else up there who watched the flight and knew who was at the wheel. XXX Of French pilots who have distinguished themselves in the war mention may be made of a few, who were known to all readers of " FLIGHT " as civilian aviators before the war. Maurice Tetard, who was one of the batch of " Bristol" graduates who helped to make history when aviation was yet in its infancy, has been awarded the Medaille Mililaire, the comment in the Journal Officiel stating that he has been at the front without interruption since the outbreak of war, and has rendered services of incalculable value. He has always carried out completely the missions entrusted to him, which were frequently very difficult, and has had his machine damaged by enemy fire more than twenty times. Tetard has also been mentioned in Army Orders. XXX Another recipient of the Medaille Militaire is Adjudant pilote aviateur Jules Vedrines, whose name, as far as British Aviation is concerned, is best known in connection with the Circuit of Britain, when he was a close runner- up of Lieut. Conneau. He has carried out voluntarily seven missions of the most daring character. Geo. Chemet, adjudant pilote a I'eseadrille M.S. 48, was one of the'best-known pilots of the Borel monoplanes, flying in the old days land machines as well as seaplanes of this make. He has been doing great work ever since the beginning of the war, and has spent about 100 hours in the blue above enemy territory. On July 30th he had an aerial fight with four enemy machines, two of which he forced to retire behind their own lines. He has also been mentioned in Army Orders. XXX In view of the scant success attained by the helicopter it is quite surprising how many inventors are still tackling the problem, refusing to believe that the future of avia tion will be found to rest with a development of the aeroplane as we know it to-day. In this connection an interesting letter has come to hand recently from a reader in S. Africa, Mr. Joe Naude\ who says, among other things : " I am and have been a keen experimenter with the helicopter type in model form. But I dare say we would like to hear of man-lifting machines. Not merely ' jumps,' but miles of actual flight. I am sure that the direct-lift machine will come, and will be propelled either by combustion engine, electric motor (wireless and storage batteries), or human power. I am working on figures for the latter, of which, when patented, I will send photos, and data. It is strange but a fact that Boers and even natives reckon a direct-lift aeroplane will come. They have basic ideas too. Ignorant as some of these ' back-velders' are, they, too, believe that once reliable power and strong ' revolving wings,' as they call the gyrating planes, are established, men can go over mountains instead of a long way around." xxx I do not envy the R.F.C. men on duty at the Horse Guards' Parade, where, from morning till dusk, they have to answer questions, most of them of the hopeless order, about the captured German aeroplanes. Sometimes, however, they manage to get " a bit of their own back." One of the A.M.'s, who is a little of a philosopher, has come to the conclusion that the wisest course to follow is to agree to everything said by the onlookers. For instance, one dear old lady, who had for a long while been admiring the big silencer on the Albatros biplane, said to our worthy friend, the A.M.: "That is a funny gun, is it not?" "Yes, Madam," he replied, "it is a funny gun." " ^EOLUS." A point on Lake Cayuga, as seen from a Thomas hydro aeroplane. I
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