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Aviation History
1922
1922 - 0232.PDF
APRIL 20, 192a experience was clear when,rshortly afterwards, he went up as passenge r with Raynham "and brought down three balloons with a sports gun, the first two being particularly pretty shots. While visitors were waiting for the last race to start, Mr. Newall made a double parachute descent in " Guardian Angel " parachutes from a very low altitude, demonstrating how quickly these parachutes open. The last race was to have been for machines occupying the first three places in the Waddon and Croydon Handicaps, the race being described as the First Spring Handicap, and the course consisting of four laps. There were, however, only three starters : Petre (9 mins. 36 sees.), Hinkler (3 mins. 43 sees.), and Stocken (scratch), and the finishes were : Stocken first, Petre second, and Hinkler third. A long interval now followed before the start of the balloon sniping competition. Ultimately this event was run off, in about the best weather of the whole day. It consisted in sending up a machine with a gunner in the rear cockpit, provided with an ordinary shot gun. After the machine had climbed for 3 minutes, three balloons were released at intervals of 2 minutes, and competitors had to destroy the balloons in the shortest time, a limit of 10 minutes being imposed. There were two competitors in this event, Admiral Mark Kerr, who was piloted by F. P. Raynham on an Avro, and Lieut.-Col. Risk, whose pilot was Capt. Muir, also on an Avro. Both competitors did some extremely pretty shooting, and the event was won by Admiral Kerr, who brought down his three balloons in the shortest time. This was hailed with satisfaction by such of the visitors as had had the hardihood to remain to watch this competition, as it was by then getting pretty late. There had been great concern when there was a possibility of the popular Admiral having been injured, and his excellent shooting was an indication that his hand was steady enough after his experience in landing the B.E. Everyone admired his sporting spirit, and it is highly probable that if one could have taken a ballot among the visitors, the gallant Admiral would have topped the list for popularity. May he long live to give his splendid example to the younger generation. E H H H THE DEATH OF SIR ROSS SMITH AND LIEUT. BENNETT Sad Fatality on the Eve of Great Flight IT is with the deepest regret that we have to record this week the death of Sir Ross Smith and Lieutenant Bennett in an aeroplane crash, following a test flight at Brooklands, on the machine on which these two and Sir Keith Smith were to have attempted the flight around the world, to which detailed reference was made in FLIGHT last week. The happenings on the day of the accident have been dealt with at such length in the daily press that there is no need for us to do more here than give the briefest resume of the facts, such as they have emerged. During the morning of Thursday, April 13, the Vickers " "Viking IV " Amphibian, 450 h.p. Napier " Lion " engine, was brought out of its shed at the Weybridge works of Vickers, Ltd., and, at 11.30 a.m., Capt. Cockerell, the well-known Vickers test pilot, having with him as passengers Sir Ross Smith and Lieut. Bennett, took the machine off, and flew for about half an hour. Sir Ross Smith was sitting on Capt. Cockerell's left in the front cockpit, while Lieut. Bennett sat in the cockpit behind, just in front of the wings. According to Captain Cockerell, the machine behaved splendidly, and there was nothing to indicate that anything whatever was wrong, either with it or with the engine, which ran perfectly. On landing, Capt. Cockerell handed the machine over to Sir Ross Smith, who took it up in a perfect manner, still with Lieut. Bennett in the aft cockpit. The machine climbed to a height of 1,200 to 1,500 ft., when it was seen to get into a spin. At first it was thought that Sir Ross was " stunting," which surprised everyone, but it was soon realised that the spin was not intentional. After coming down in a spin to about 700 or 800 ft., it looked as if Sir Ross was regaining control, but immediately afterwards the machine commenced spinning again, until quite close to the ground. By then the spin had stopped, and the machine was in a straight nose dive. It was then, however, too late to flatten out, and the machine crashed nose first into some tall fir trees, both occupants being killed instantly. At the inquest the coroner returned a verdict of death by misadventure, stating it was not known how the machine got into a spin. Whether it was an error of judgment on the part of Sir Ross would never be known. It was proved by the evidence that there was no defect in the actual machine itself, and there was no collapse oi any part. The engine behaved perfectly. The jury expressed sympathy with the relatives. We are sure all readers of FLIGHT will join us in adding our expression of sympathy to all the others. To Sir Keith, who saw the accident, and to his and Lieut. Bennett's parents, the loss is the heaviest of all, but the death of these two gallant officers and gentlemen will be keenly felt the world over, wherever indomitable will and the courage to undertake great things are appreciated. To the directors of Vickers, of Napiers, of " Shell's," and last, but by no means least, all those workers who had had a part in building the machine, into which they had put the very best of which they were capable, the blow is, indeed, a heavy one, and the loss is in this case in actual fact irreparable. The flight may be carried through—we sincerely trust it will be carried through—but a second attempt can never be quite the same, no matter how successful nor by whom undertaken. Messages of Condolence SIR KEITH SMITH has received the following telegram from the King and Queen :— The King and Queen are shocked to hear of the terrible accident in which your brother, Sir Ross Smith, and Lieut. Bennett lost their lives yesterday as they were preparing to embark on yet another daring exploit. Their Majesties feel that by their death the Empire has lost two of its foremost pioneers of flight, and I am desired to assure you of their heartfelt sympathy with you in your sorrow. '• PRIVATE SECRETARY, " Windsor Castle, Friday " From the Duke of York, Sir Keith Smith has received the following letter :— " The Duke of York was deeply grieved to hear of the tragic death of your brother. His Royal Highness has commanded me to express to you his very real sympathy in the heavy- loss you have sustained in the death of your brother, who had done so much splendid work, not only for British aviation, but the British Empire as a whole. " Louis GREIG, " Comptroller,to the Duke of York " Air-Marshal Sir Hugh Trenchard wrote :— " I am intensely grieved to get the news of the fatal accident that has overtaken your brother, and I hasten to express on behalf of all ranks of the Royal Air Force our deep sorrow. May I say on my own behalf that I am inexpressibly grieved, and that you have my great sympathy with you in the loss of your brilliant brother." The Minister for Air has sent the following message to Sir Keith Smith :— ' " On behalf of the Air Ministry and myself, please accept my most sincere condolences on the tragic death of your brother and of Lieut. Bennett on the eve of your round-the-world flight. ' FREDERICK GUEST " The Air Ministry has sent the following message to the Australian Government :— " On behalf of the Secretary for Air and the Air Council, I am commanded to request you to convey to the relatives of Sir Ross Smith and Lieut. Bennett their profound sym pathy at the tragic accident which has brought about the deaths of these two distinguished pioneers of aviation, on the eve of their flight round the world, a flight which it had been hoped would not only have eclipsed their historical flight to Australia, but would also have been a further step forward in the linking up by air of the many countries of the world as well as of the different parts of the British Empire. The sudden ending of two lives of such promise will every where be felt as an irreparable loss." The following telegrams have been exchanged between the French and British Air Services :— From M. Laurent Eynac, Under-Secretary of State for Air, Paris :—'-" Deeply touched by the fatal accident of which Messrs. Ross Smith and Bennett are the victims. The entire French Air Service shares the mourning for the cruel loss sustained by the British Air Service of the two pilots of great renown." From the Under-Secretary of State for Air, London:—• " Deeply grateful for your telegram of condolence conveying sympathy of France in the terribly sad accident to Ross Smith, and Bennett. The loss to aviation is indeed world-wide." 232
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