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Aviation History
1927
1927 - 0412.PDF
JUNE 9, 1927 Greig on " Genet-Moth " OU, Gray on " Avian " ON, Watton " Avian " QL (together), Broad on " Moth X " QH, Hinkler on " Avian " OV, and Openshaw on " Widgeon " PW(scratch). With so many machines starting together, there was trouble at the very outset, and collisions during the actualtake-off were narrowly averted. However, all machines got away safely, but as they returned from the first lap the - wereuncomfortably close together, and considerable " bunching " took place at the aerodrome turning point. Sparks was inthe lead, with Longton second. At the other end Openshaw had overtaken Hinkler. All the way around the course themachines were flying very close together, passing one another as the faster overtook the slower. On finishing the second lapCourtney had taken the lead from Sparks. Hinkler was still last, but Openshaw had overtaken Broad, and was rapidlygaining on other machines in front of him. It was during this that disaster, swift and complete, over-took two of the pilots. From the aerodrome those who happened at the time to be looking towards one of the fieldturning points, suddenly saw a machine tilt over, dive and disappear behind the trees. That a collision had occurred wasevident, but the distance was too great to make out the identity of the machines involved. Nor was it possible toascertain this by noting the machines that completed the race, since several competitors, upon seeing the accident,circled around the spot, some landing and others coming back to report. One pilot, on returning to the aerodrome, expressedthe opinion that the two machines •were the " Bluebird " and the " Widgeon," and after a short wait, during whichambulances were rushed to the spot, this was confirmed. How the accident happened will probably never be definitelyascertained. Several daily papers reported the story of eye-witnesses that the biplane flew into the monoplane.Although naturally impossible to say, this does not appear at all likely. Longton, in the " Bluebird," was much slower thanOpenshaw in the " Widgeon," and when these two machines passed the aerodrome turning point at the end of the secondlap, the following machines were between them : " Moth PU, " Avian " QL, " Avian " ON (which landed immediatelyafterwards), " Genet-Moth " O~U, and " Moth " NO. Thus, Openshaw would have to overtake these before getting toLongton, or at any rate such of them as had not, themselves, overtaken the " Bluebird.'\ Those who saw the earlier stagesof the race will realise .how ,ver_y little it would take to cause a collision. A very ^ight- swerve, or dive, or climb, anddisaster was threatening, , The fire which broke out immedi- ately the machines struck devoured everything of a com-bustible nature, and so presumably it will not be possible to deduct anything of value from an examination of the wreckage. In Longton and Openshaw we have lost not only two excel-lent pilots but also two extremelv popular friends, and to their wives, who were both on the aerodrome when theaccident occurred, everyone will extend the most heartfelt svmpathy in their feers^vcment. Mrs. Openshaw, who is adaughter of Mr. Ri-AJj.Briice of Westlands, had only beer, married a few weeks.•"•• After this tragedy there was little interest in knowing thatthe race had been won by.Courtney on the Hampshire " Moth " OI, with Watt on " Avian " QL second and Hinkler on" Avian " OV third. A meeting was immediately held to discuss whether to abandon the rest of the meeting or to carryon with the racing in a modified form. We gather that the pilots insisted that the number of competitors in each raceshould be limited, and after a long wait it was ultimately decided to continue the meeting. For the rest of the day no event included more than threemachines, and this was rather going from one extreme to the other, since there was but little interest in watching races with so few runners. The finishes were still very close, it is true,but during the laps the machines were necessarily well separated. However, this was better than risking a repetitionof the accident which, in any case, spoilt the day for most of those present. The High-Power Handicap drew but three startersSquadron Leader Rea on the Boulton and Paul P9 (VVS), Mr. Bramson on an S.E.5A, (IA), and Flight-LieutenantLeach on the Vickers " Vixen III " (IP). Bramson appeared uncertain of the course, and went considerably out of hisway, otherwise he might have won this race. As it was, he was second, with Rea first and Leach third. While the officials were discussing how to organise the re-maining event, The Bournemouth and District Business Houses Sivjepstake, the three Gloster " Gamecocks " from Tangmere-went out and again gave a superb demonstration of stunting in formation. It is useless to attempt to describetheir exhibition. It must be seen to be believed. Ultimately it was decided to run the next event in five-heats, two semi-finals, and one final. Originally it had been intended to run two heats and a final, but as the entries forthe first heat were 13 and for the second a similar number, and in view of what had happened earlier in the day, this wasruled out and the above arrangement decided upon. Heat 1 was not without a humorous element, since thelimit man was Trench on the Halton " Mayfly," with 30 h.p. Bristol " Cherub " engine, while Leach on the " Vixen "'with 500 h.p. Napier " Lion " was scratch. 30 h.p. against 500 ! The third " man " in this heat was Lady Bailey onher " Moth " PU, and she won the race, although Leach all' but caught her up on the finishing line. Heat 2 was flown by the following : Sparks on " Moth "MF, Broad on " Moth'" OH, and Bramson on S.E.5A (IA). Bramson won this race fairly easily. Heat 3 was contested by Richards on D.H.53 QP, Summers-on " Moth " PR, and Watt on " Avian " QL. Summers flew a very poor course, wandering a!I over the countryside,and tried to make up for this by taking his turns in the form of very imperfect " Immelmanns." Needless to say, he-finished a very poor " third." The heat was won easily by Watt on the " Avian." Heat 4 saw the following three starters :—Comper onC.L.A.4,de Havilland on" Moth "NO, and Gray on " Avian " QN. This was the order of starting, and also proved tobe the order of finishing. Heat 5 was between Rea on the P9, WS, Greig on " Genet-Moth " OU, and Hinkler on his " Avian " OV. Again the- order of starting was maintained to the finish, Rea winningeasily. Incidentally, Hinkler's new undercarriage is very much of a " brain wave." Not only does it greatly facilitate-wheeling the machine with wings folded, but in taxying it seems to be possible to swing the machine about as if it hada steering tail skid vwhile the wide track practically precludesthe possibility of " cartwheeling " on the ground. First Semi-final Mas contested by the three firsts fromHeats 1, 2 and 3, and provided a very close finish, with Bramson first on I A, Watt second on QL, and Lady Baileythird on PU. Second Semi-final.—Comper on PB, Rea on WS, andCourtney on OI. Rea caught up Comper on last field turning point and won the race. Courtney was third.Final.—With only two machines flying, the last race of the meeting was not exactly full of tense excitement, the more soas Rea had an absolute walk-over on his Boulton and Paul P9. Thus ended the Bournemouth Whitsun Meeting, and itcan only be described as a thoroughly ill-fated and dis- appointing event, the effects of which will take a good dealof living down. The Khartum-Kisumu Air ServiceTHE East African air service, which, unfortunately, suffered the loss of its own machine and one lent by theR.A.F., so soon after commencing operations in East Africa, in the care of Captain Gladstone, will resume next monthwhen the original machine, the " Pelican," now being repaired at the Blackburn Aeroplane Company's works near Athens,Greece, will be returned. So far, five of the 24 flights sub- sidised by the Sudan, Kenya, and Uganda Governments havebeen flown. Despite these early mishaps the opinions of the experts concerned in this fine effort to connect Khartum andKisumu by air are very optimistic yet. It brings these places within fifteen hours' flying time of each other com-pleted over two days' journey. The distances between the fuel depots on the route conveniently become shorter as thealtitude above sea level rises, which is very important from a commercial consideration, as during the period when nor-mally the machine would not be able to carry the same load owing to the variations in altitude it is possible to reduce thepetrol carried, and thus maintain an even balance of load throughout the 1,350 mile line. This service, even in its shortlife, has proved the value of the aeroplane in scattered areas for it was instrumental in saving the life of an officer in thiColonial Service by transporting a medical colleague and special drugs to him quickly. He was at work in a sleepysickness area at Nimule, Sudan, and became stricken with blackwater fever. He was put on the river steamer to l«taken down to Butiaba, Uganda, but it was feared that tht fever would prove fatal to him before proper treatment wa-available. Captain Gladstone heard of this when the boa. was 100 miles away, and he immediately flew over with .doctor who was able to save the life of his stricken colleague. 374
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