FlightGlobal.com
Home
Premium
Archive
Video
Images
Forum
Atlas
Blogs
Jobs
Shop
RSS
Email Newsletters
You are in:
Home
Aviation History
1916
1916 - 0362.PDF
1/llGHT APRIL 27, 1916. FLYING AT HENDON, IT was clearly evident tbat the season for flying at Hendon had opened in earaeu daring the Easter holidays, ana, judging from the crowds that visited the aerodrome on all four days, from Friday to Monday, that there is a considerable amount of interest in aviation which if catered for—as Mr. Claude Grahame-White assured me it will be-—will secure for this popular aerodrome the success it enjoyed in Hit; days of old. Whether it will be possible to hold race meet ings as before is a* yet impossible to say, but even if racing is out of the question there is still much to attract the visitor, for in addition to exhibition and passenger flights—and the latter are extremely popular now—machines of various types and the testing of new machines are often in evidence. On Good Friday the weather was ideal, and with the early arrival of a goodly crowd of visitors flying also commenced early. Claude Grahame-White was one of the first out, testing a new Henry Farman type biplane, fitted with an 80 h.p. Gnome, which had just been completed in the G.-VV. works. This machine is a tbree- seater, and has been designed mainly for passenger work. In the hands of its pioneer pilot it proved itself a first-class machine eminently suitable for the work required of it, which it began in earnest during the afternoon, piloted in turn by C. Pashley and M. Osipenko. Both these pilots, in addition to H. C. Biard, B. F. Hale, and J. S. B. Winter, were also very busy all the afternoon, with and without passengers on the 60 h.p. G.-W. school buses. The feature of the day, however, was the flying—literally— visit of the Handlcy Page biplane, alias " flying elephant," but^ a vastly different class of machine to the famous Brooklands " Elephantoplane " of pre-war days. It was, indeed, a strange and wonderful sight to see this machine come gliding majestically along, with scarcely a sound from its two engines of goodness only knows what h.p. each, and alight in the aerodrome at certainly not more than 20 m.p.h. An L. and V. biplane passed close by at the same time, and afforded an opportunity for some interesting comparisons. After the " flying elephant " came to rest, a trap-door in the body opened, and our old friend C. B. Prodger was lowered down on to terra firma, and then his mount was replenished with petrol—a process which made one cease to wonder why we are told not • to use a motor car for pleasure" when one saw so much fuel put into one machine. The interval for refreshments— for the machine—being over Prodger took it up and made a couple of circuits (but did not loop perhaps because there was not enough air space) and a Hitle later on he took the monster back to its den. In the meanwhile other flying was ki progress, in spite of the fact that there was not much room left in the aerodrome. W. G. Smiles and G. V. Aimer were out on 45 h.p. L. and P. biplanes, J. L. Hall stunted around on his 45 h.p. Caudron, and Sydney Pickles spiralled and banked high up on a Curtiss. In the evening some schcol work was got through. On Saturday the weather failed to maintain its neutrality, and blew in turns from 15 to 35 m.p.h., but in spite of this there was plenty of flying. Claude Grahame-White once more put up some fine exhibitions on the new 80 h.p. G.-W. 'bus, at one time taking up the well-known one-time racing motorist, Charles Jarrot. Messrs. Biard, Hale, Winter, Osipenko and Pashley also made numerous flights on the 60h.p. school 'bus, the two latter pilots also taking up passengers on the 80 h.p. three-seater 'bus. A very fine altitude flight was put up by two R.N.A.S. pilots on a Curtiss biplane which remained aloft for about an hour and a half reaching an altitude of over 5,000 ft. On several occasions the machine disappeared from view amongst the clouds, and during the descent many graceful right and left hand spirals were made. Whilst this flight was in progress, Harry Hawker came over from Brooklands with a passenger on a Sopwith Bullet, giving us a very fine display before landing. On Sunday and Monday the weather was again hostile, but failed miserably in its attempt to stop flying. The pilots out on the Sunday were the G.-W. stud on the 80 h.p. and 60 h.p. 'buses- Claude Grahame-White gave further exhibitions on the "80"—and W. T. Warren on a 45 h.p. L. and P. biplane. On Easter Monday about 5,000 people visited the aerodrome, and some very good flying took place. Passenger flights were very much in evidence, the charge being reduced to £1 is. for the occasion. Most of the passengers were taken up on the new 80 h.p. three-seater by Claude Grahame-White, M. Osipenko, and C. Pashley, and the remainder by the other G.-W. pilots on the 60 h.p. 'buses. Later in the after noon the wind dropped somewhat, and Sydney Pickles came out and gave demonstrations of looping on a Curtiss tractor. He gave two demonstrations, executing three loops in one and five in the other, in addition to numerous tail slides. There was also a B.E. up at about 1,000 ft. banking and spiralling for nearly an hour. ® ® ® ® PERSONALS. UNDER the above heading will be published weekly particulars of a personal character relating to those who have fallen or have been wounded in the country's service, announcements of marriages and other items concerning members of the Flying Services and others well known in the world ofaviation. We shall be pleased to receive for publication properly authenticated particulars suitable for this column. Casualties, Lieutenant-Colonel DONALD SWAIN LEWIS, D.S.O., R.E. and R.F.C., whose death is officially announced, was killed while flying on April loth, aged 30 years. He was the youngest son of Captain I•:. Lewis, of Guildford, and received his first appointment in the Royal Engineers in December, 1904. In December, 1913, he was gazetted to the Royal Flying Corps, and was promoted Captain in October, 1914. He became Squadron-Commander in April, 1915, was mentioned in despatches in October, 1914, and on January 1st, 1915, was awarded the D.S.O. " for valuable information repeatedly furnished to the Royal Artillery in regard to the position of the enemy's guns. His direction of our artillery fire, whilst flying, has constantly led to direct hits on the enemy's batteries and the silencing of their guns." Lieutenant-Colonel Lewis was married. Captain WALTER GERARD PALMER, Indian Army, attached R.F.C., killed on March 5th, was the second son of the late C. E. Palmer, of the Military Accounts Department, Government of India, and of Mrs. Palmer, of Instow. Born in 1888, he was educated at Tonbridge School and Sandhurst, passing out with honours. He joined the Connaught Rangers in March, 1903, and was gazetted to the Indian Army in March, 1904, being promoted captain in 1912. He was quartermaster and adjutant of his regi ment, and graduated from the Staff College, Quetta, in January last. In June he joined the Royal Flying Corps as an observer, and was mentioned in despatches for June and July, 1915. He afterwards obtained his pilot's certificate. He was one of five brothers, all of whom held commissions in the Navy and Army before trie outbreak of war. Second Lieutenant NIGEL DENNISTON SCOTT, Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment), attached R.F.C., who was killed while flying near Thetford, on April 19th, was the son of the late G. D. Scott and of Mrs. Scott, of St. Quintin Avenue, London. He was 24 years old, and received his commission last June. Wounded. Lieutenant CON. WILLIAM ERIC COLE-HAMILTON, Royal Scots and R.F.C., wounded, is a son of the late Captain William A. T. Cole-Hamilton, Royal Irish Fusiliers, and is a kinsman of the Earl of Enniskillen. Born in 1894, he joined his regiment in January, 1914, and got his promotion in the following October. Lieutenant Cole-Hamilton has been in the Royal Flying Corps since the beginning of this year. Married and to be Married. Captain STEELE HUTCHESON, 3rd Brahmaos and R.F.C., son ol Colonel G. Hutcheson, M.D., late I.M.S., Brunswick Place, Hove, was—at St. Martin's-in-the-Fields Church, on April 15th—married to ESTHER, eldest daughter of ROBERT MANNERS DOWNIE, Cornbrook, Knutsford, Cheshire. At St. Andrew's, Ashley Place, on April 19th, Lieut. GEOFFREY DENZIL PIDGEON, R.F.C., only son of Mr. and Mrs. W. R- Pidgeon, of Lynsted Lodge, St. Edmund's Terrace, Regent's Park, to MURIEL, elder daughter of Mr. and Mrs. ARTHUR HICKS, of 7, Evelyn Mansions, Westminster. The engagement is announced between Lieutenant-Commander PuiLir SHEI-HERD, R.N. and R.N.A.S., son of the late Mr. George Shepherd, of The Poplars, Bishopsthorpe, York, and Miss JESSIE ANNE CAMPBELL, only daughter of the late Mr. Donald Campbell, Kalmeta, Connel, Argyll, and niece of Mr. Alexander Campbell, St. Brannocks, Eastbourne, and Shanghai, China. Items. The King has authorised Ftight-C immander Lord EDWARi' GROSVENOR, R.N.A.S., to wear the decoration of Officer of the Order of St, Maurice and St. Lazarus, which has been conferred upon him by the King of Italy in recognition of valuable services rendered. The will of the late Lieut. BURNET GEORGE JAMES, R.F.A., attached Royal Flying Corps, tobacco manufacturer, killed on September 26th whilst on an aerial reconnaissance, elder son o: Sir Edward James, has been proved at .£11,231. 362
Sign up to
Flight Digital Magazine
Flight Print Magazine
Airline Business Magazine
E-newsletters
RSS
Events
