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Aviation History
1924
1924 - 0660.PDF
OCTOBER 9, 1924 smoking-room, when designers, pilots, directors, Aero Club officials, aeronautical journalists, pioneers, and Air Ministry experts, lit and re-lit their reeking pipes and discussed " c.c." and the prospects of light fiy-abouts, and every other subject above the earth ! But those meetings—and especi ally one incident in which a black and yellow umbrella played a prominent part—will only live in the memory of those who took part in them. The banquet was necessarily more formal and less enthralling, but behind the words of the speeches one could catch the tone of the enthusiasm, the good fellowship, and the good sportsmanship which had reigned throughout the meeting. When the waiters, most competent fellows who wrestled heroically with a task beyond the powers of their numbers, had more or less gratified the solid and liquid requirements of the diners, the Chairman, Col. F. McClean, proposed the loyal toast, and then read out telegrams from the Duke of Sutherland and Mr. Leach, past and present Under-Secre taries for Air, regretting their inability to be present. At once the thought arose, which aeroplane is the Duke going to buy ? Then the Chairman proceeded with his speech. He- admitted that on the second day of the meeting it had seemed as if it could not be a success. Then a change had come over things, and success had been achieved, and next year he was sure that the light aeroplane would be a finished article He expressed his sympathy with those who had failed to pass the elimination trials, especially with those who had got within an inch of success. There had been one brilliant perform ance, when a little band of amateurs " had told the trade to go to the devil." The success of the Cranwell machine was one of the most marvellous things that had ever happened in aviation. Col. McClean remarked that the Royal Aero Club had offered no prize for this meeting—(groans !), but in the orize fund x subscriptions of /l balanced one subscription of £x. Then, beaming genially around, he reminded his hearers that earlier this year the Royal Aero Club had offered prizes for a race, and there had been little or no response from the manufacturers. (Laughter.) Next it was his pleasant duty to distribute the prizes, but he warned the winners that the envelopes mostly contained I.O.U.'s, which he (the Chair man) had declined to sign. Then Mr. Chorlton and Mr. Piercey were summoned to the high table to receive the Air Ministry's first prize, while Sqdn.-Ldr. Barnwell and Mr. Uwins were handed the other envelope. The latter pair were detained to take charge also of the Duke of Sutherland's prize, and as they retired Messrs. Sopwith and Raynham were called up for Capt. Wilson's prize. There were great cheers as this pair of veteran pioneers (very well preserved veterans, too) walked up together, and the cheering rose still higher as Mr. Sopwith handed the envelope to Mr. Raynham. The Chairman insisted on all five Cranwell representatives coming up together for their prize, and at that point the casualties among the hotel spoons must have nearlv equalled the engine casualties of the past week. Lord Edward Grosvenor presented his own cup and an envelope to Mr. Bert Hinkler, who had to go up unsupported and blushing despite clamorous yells for " A. V." Mr. Gaskell received the second prize. Then Sir Seftou Brancker was called upon to present the King's Cup to Sir Charles Wakefield. Sir Sefton read out an anonymous postcard which he had received, which protested cuttingly against the continuous allusions in the press to the movements and doings of Sir Vice-Marshal Sir Sefton Brancker, K.C.B., A.F.C., etc., and concluded by saying " Good wine needs no bush." Sir Sefton delighted the company by saying that he quite agreed with his anony mous correspondent. He recounted Sir Charles Wakefield's past services to the cause of flving, and hoped he would be found equally generous as in the past. Sir Charles, in reply, reminisced very pleasantly, told of his extravagant prophecies in the past that aeroplanes would one day flv at 120 m.p.h. with a pardonable chuckle in the " I told you so " vein. He paid handsome tributes to the work of those who produced the D.H.50 and of Mr. Cobham, who flew it in the race ; while of those who had taken part in the present meeting, he once more indulged in prophecy and foretold that future ages would sav, " They builded better than thev knew." Mr. Chorlton then commented on the world-wide signifi cance of the meeting just concluded, and praised the wayin which the Royal Aero Club had managed it. Col. Darby, in response, dwelt on the sporting spirit of all the competitors, especially those who had suffered from the operation of the rules. Finally, Mr. Sopwith, proposing the health, not of the Chairman, but of " Frank McClean," said there were two outstanding facts about the meeting. There had been no injuries to anybody, and there had not been a single " dud " machine. He had never known a meeting like that before. The end of a perfect day—and of the Lympne meeting. 660
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