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Aviation History
1917
1917 - 0240.PDF
1/ycHT MARCH 8, 1917. I always thought that Walter L. Brock, the unceasingmasticator and the winner of many notable aerial races, was the most modest American England had ever seen, untilC. B. Prodger came over. The latter is so modest that very- few of his friends have any idea of how varied a career he hashad, and a brief outline of his history may be of some interest. Clifford B. Prodger was born at Alexandria, Minnesota,U.S.A., in 1890. As far as I can gather he went through the usual kind of American childhood—was told he mightone day be President, attended school and stayed away, and had prizes and measles and all the rest of it. He thendeveloped a taste for " punching cows," and for seven years was ranching in the Little Missouri Valley, which is, inci-dentally, the region in which Roosevelt acquired his reputa- tion as a roughrider. Why anyone should ever want topunch cows I do not know. I never had any special desire that way myself, and there would always be the uncertaintyas to what retort the cow might feel called upon to make ; but evidently the life suited Prodger, even if it didn't suitthe cows, and it is probably at this stage in his career that he got the taste for fresh air which, later on attracted himtowards aviation. After seven years' ranching he decidafl1 to have a change,and accepted 'an appointment on the Northern Pacific Railway. No doubt our Dreamer could philosophise acolumn or two from the depths of his noted armchair on the subtle connection between punching cows and punchingtickets, though I hasten to add I do not know if the latter was included among Prodger's duties. His new occupation,however, gave him an excellent chance to, see a good deal of his native country, and also gave him a taste for speed, for henext went into the motor business and became well known as an amateur racer. He won many prizes, including theMontana Speed Trophy in 1910. It was in the latter part of 1911 that he turned his attentionto aviation., After some most useful experience in aeroplane construction at Louisville, Kentucky, he came to Nassau Aero-drome, Long Island—which might be described as the Hendon of New York—to learn to fly. While he was trainingthere the school was moved to Hampstead Fields, and after eight lessons of 15 minutes each Prodger secured his ticketon a Wright biplane, his instructor being Mr. G. W. Beatty. Later on he went back to Louisville, where he gave exhibitionnights on a Curtiss " pusher," and took part in the Chicago meeting in September, 1912, returning the following monthto New York to join Beatty as instructor. He did a good deal of special work for the Pathe Film Co., never once be,ingmistaken for Charlie Chaplin, and also went in for night flying. In the spring of 1913 he went to Montana to giveexhibitions on his own machine—a monoplane with an 8-cylinder V-type Boland motor. After this it"seemed, as Prodger expresses it, that there was" nothing doing " in aviation in the U.S.A., and he gave up flying for a time. The change of conditions, however, broughtabout by the European War induced him to resume his activities, and in February, 1915, lie came over to Hendonand rejoined Beatty as an instructor. He did some excellent work, and in the" following September became associatedwith Mr. Sydney Pickles in testing machines for active service. Since Mr. Pickles retired he has " carried on," withMr. Bernard Isaac as business manager. He has put some hundreds of machines through their official tests, and madecountless cross-country flights. He has flown practically all types, both land and sea. His report on a machine isaccepted without question, because he thoroughly under- stands his work. What is more, he enjoys it. He neverstunts merely for the sake of stunting, but only when some special object is to be attained, and then he will " throw aloop " as neatly as he once threw a lasso, or stall a 'bus as easily as he formerly stalled an ox. There is no better all-round aviator in the country thanClifford B. Prodger, and his services are in constant demand. He has had exceptionally wide experience, and his manyadventares—of which his record flight with 20 passengers is only one episode—would make a volume of surpassing interestif he could be persuaded to write one. At present he is almost too busy to eat even the restricted meals of 1917.He has been very successful, and he has deserved it. HE H H Heat Treatment. SIR WILLIAM BEARDMORE, Bart., is to read a paper on " Heat Treatment of Large Forgings," and Mr. H. H. Ashdown one - n " Heat Treatment of Steel Forgings," before the Institute of Mechanical Engineers, on Friday, March 16th, at 6 p.m. The meeting will be held at the Institution of Civil Engineers, Great George Street, Westminster, S.W. Fatal Accidents,AT an inquest on March 1st on Lieut. Charles Michael Needes, R.F.C., and Sergt. Henry Liddle, R.F.C., who werekilled on February 27th, the evidence showed that pieces were seen to fly from the machine, which crashed to earth envelopedin smoke, and alighted bottom upwards, both occupants being dead when extricated. A verdict of "Accidental Death"was returned. Two fatal accidents occurred in Wiltshire on March 1st.2nd Lieut. H. T. White was flying at a height of about 800 ft. when he was seen to make a spiral descent to about 400 ft.After going straight for a short distance he turned sharply to the left, and the machine made a spinning nose-dive to earth.The pilot was killed instantaneously. 2nd Lieut. A. D'A. Sutherland, R.F.C. (S.R.), left his aerodrome at about 8 o'clockin the morning, and rose to a height of 1,000 ft. He was seen to dive towards another machine which was considerablybelow him. When he had nearly reached the same level he tried to straighten his machine too quickly, with the resultthat the right wing crumpled up. The left wing subsequently gave way and the machine nose-dived to earth. At the inquest on the body of Lieut. F. A. Perraton, R.F.C.,who met with a fatal accident when piloting a biplane on March 1st, it was stated that he might possibly have faintedand fallen forward on the controls, which would cause the machine to make a nose-dive. A verdict of " AccidentalDeath " was returned. A verdict of " Death through Immersion in the Sea " wasreturned at an inquest held at Dover on February 28th on the body of Sergt. W. P. Thompson, an observer, picked upin the Channel. He, with an aviator named Lincoln, was flying to France, but after leaving the coast they apparentlycame down, and were lost. Lincoln has not yet been found. H H H H COMPANY MATTERS. Auster (1914), Ltd.THE accounts of Auster (1914), Ltd., for the year ended December 31st last show a net profit of £6,884, and £2,043was brought forward, making £8,928. The directors propose a dividend of y\ per cent, on the ordinary shares for yearended December 31 st last, less tax, and to carry forward £4,917- NEW COMPANY REGISTERED.AEROPLANE AND MOTOR BODIES, 9, Ravenscourt Avenue, Golders Green, N.W.—Capital £3,500, in £1 shares.Under agreement with A. Ravelli'and Luc M. Dartois. First directors : Luc M. Dartois, O. M. Gilliaux, S. Michotte andA. Ravelli. H H H H PUBLICATION RECEIVED. Machine Guns and Their Uses, By "Simplex." London: Forster Groom and Co., Ltd. Price 15. net. H H H H Index and Title Page for Vol. VIII. The 8-page Index for Vol. VIII of "Flight" (January to December, 1916) is now ready, and can be obtained from the Publishers, 44, St. Martin's Lane, W.C., Price 6d. per copy, post free. If you require anything pertaining to aviation, study " FLIGHT'S " Buyers' Guide and Trade Directory, which appears in our advertisement pages each week. 44. FLIGHT. ST. MARTIN'S LANE, LONDON, W.C. Telegraphic address : Truditur, London. Telephone : 1828 Gerrard. FLIGHT UNITED SUBSCRIPTION RATES. will be forwarded, post free, at the following rales 3 Months, Post Free. 6 ,, 12 ,, ,, KINGDOM. 5. 2 48 d. 2 4 ABROAD. 3 Months, Post Free 6 „ .. 12 ,, ,, s. d. 13 oCheques and Post Office Orders should be made payable to the Proprietors of " FLIGHT," 44, St. Martin's Lane, W.C, and crossed London County and Westminster Bank, otherwise no responsibility will be accepted. Should any difficulty be experienced in procuring " FLIGHT " from local nemsvendors, intending readers can obtain each issue direct from the Publishing Office, by forwarding remittance as above. 240
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