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Aviation History
1920
1920 - 0710.PDF
The second race of the day then took place. This was a relay race, for a cup presented by Viscount Northcliffe, competed for by teams of three pilots and machines, repre- senting Uxbridge, Kenley, Andover, Netheravon, Upavon, Duxford, and Gosport. The three machines of each team were an Avro, a Bristol Fighter, and a Sopwith Snipe. The Avros got away first, and flew the same course as before, R.A.F. PAGEANT "Flight" Copyright. Mr. H. G. Hawker is leisurely inclined landed behind their respective teams, each Avro pilot handing a message to the pilot of the Bristol, who then got away and flew over the same course. On landing the pilot of each Bristol handed the message to the Snipe pilot of his team, who in turn got away and completed the last lap of the same course. This race produced some very fine piloting, and plenty oi excitement, and the Kenley team (consisting of Flight- Lieut. T. E. Salt, A.F.C. (3 Huns), Avro ; Flying Officer F.L. Luxmore (4 Huns), Bristol; and Flight-Lieut. R. W. Chappell, M.C. (18 Huns), Snipe) proved an easy winner. A mere civilian then gave an excellent exhibition of stunt flying. Our old friend, Harry Hawker, ascended on the JULY 8, 1920 sort of " jerk "—the machine coming to normal attitude quite suddenly and evenly. After Hawker's much appreciated " turn " came the event of the day—the strafing of Herr Von Rupert. Rupert, an obsolete kite balloon, had been dozing peacefully for the greater part'of the afternoon amongst the long grass at the far end of the aerodrome. But now he rose, shivered with "Flisjht" Copyright R.A.F. PAGEANT : The R.A.F. mascot views the proceedings from a Snipe fright and shook his ears angrily at being disturbed. How- ever, after making his way ponderously towards the centre of the aerodrome, he made a good get off, with his tail well up. Flight-Lieut. Hazell, D.S.O., M.C., D.F.C. (34 Huns, 16 balloons) on a Sopwith Snipe, had been waiting up aloft the meanwhile, and as soon as Rupert got well up, he made three successive swoops on the latter, discharging a burst of the latest pattern invisible incendiary bullets each time. Presently smoke was seen to issue from Rupert's starboard side, followed almost immediately by a burst of red and yellow flame, and volumes of dense black smoke. As Rupert, R.A.F. PAGEANT : Hendon redivivus. pretty Sopwith Swallow parasol monoplane—the only mono, on the day's active list—and executed many extraordinary evolutions. They seemed quite different from the others we had been witnessing previously—but what the exact difference was we cannot well define. For one thing, Hawker had a peculiar way of terminating each loop, roll, or spin with a - night • A corner of one of the crowded enclosures Copyright now a mass of flame and smoke, fell earthwards, the " obser- ver," with parachute, also decided to return home, and an exciting race ensued. It ended in a " dead heat." The next event was another very realistic representation aerial warfare. A formation of five Bristol Fighters,of flying in line, dived to about 300 ft. towards some " trenches," 710
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