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Aviation History
1953
1953 - 0748.PDF
742 FLIGHJ NATIONAL AIR RACES A Guide for Spectators Visiting Southend Airport on June 20th AS already announced, the 1953 National Air Races—organized by Southend-on-k- Sea Corporation in conjunction with the Royal Aero Club—are to be held at Southend Municipal Airport on Saturday, June 20th. Gates will be open at 10.30 a.m., and flying is to start at 2.30 and continue until 6 p.m. The races for the Grosvenor, Norton-Griffiths, and Kemsley Challenge Trophies will be flown first, and will be followed by an air display. In this, the items will be: Individual aerobatics by Meteor 7; demonstration by four R.A.F. (101 Sqn.) Can- berras; individual aerobatics by a Sabre of the R.C.A.F. Fighter Wing; team aerobatics by four Sabres of No. 441 Sqn., R.C.A.F.; winch demon stration by a Dragonfly helicopter of No. 705 Sqn., Royal Navy. Next will come the King's Cup Air Race, for which there will be twelve entrants—the first four finishers (of British nationality) from each of the three preceding events. Finally, the proceedings will be concluded by an aerobatic display by the Patrouille d'Etampes, followed by the prize-giving. It cannot, unfortunately, be said that the entry lists, given below, display anything particularly novel or striking in the matter of aircraft; most of them, including some veritable veterans, have been competing, in the hands of the same pilots, in air races during the past few seasons. It is, however, worth noting that Nat Somers has entered his "new" Mew Gull, which he first raced at Wolverhampton on May 16th; perished oleo-leg oil seals kept him out of the Swansea Race a fortnight ago, but he hopes to have replacements in time for Southend. This year there is but one foreign competitor—Norway's Capt. Christie, flying a D.H. Leopard Moth Holding the National Air Races over such a short course (it is shown above) is a new venture. The basic reasons for making the change were given in some detail in Flight of January 9th this year. Briefly, they are that expense for competitors is much reduced and radio equipment can remain optional; difficulties in regard to flying through controlled areas are obviated (especially in regard to I.F.R. conditions suddenly descending when aircraft are spreadeagled around a long course); and the paying public, on whom the whole future of such events depends, is most likely to get its money's worth—at least so long as relatively slow aircraft The short (ten-mile) course is a near-rectangle. THE NORTON-GRIFFITHS CHALLENGE TROPHY RACE (Aircraft capable of 130-150 m.p.h.) No. 30 35 37 39 41 45 46 54 68 76 77 88 Entrant K. fi. Freeman W. P. Bowles C. H. Bennion D. C. Jemmett Sir Frank Spriggs Miss F. M. Leaf A. J. Spiller W/C. C. A. Pike S/L.J.A. R.King D. J. Bennett R. Blackburn H.R.H. Prince Alexander of Jugoslavia Pilot Entrant Entrant C. W. W. Turner Entrant G. F. Bullen Entrant Entrant W. P. I. Fillingham F/O. M. R. T. Chandler Entrant G. R. I. Parker Entrant Aircraft Hawk Tr. 3 Messenger 2A Messenger 2A Hawk Tr. 3 Miles Whitney Straight Hawk Maj. Leopard Moth Chipmunk 1 Hawk Tr. 3 Proctor 5 Proctor 5 Proctor 5 Engine Gipsy Maj. 1 Cirrus Maj. 3 Cirrus Maj. 3 Gipsy Maj. 1C Gipsy Maj. 1 Gipsy Maj. 1 Gipsy Maj. 10-2 Gipsy Maj. 10C Gipsy Maj. 1 Gipsy Queen 2 Gipsy Queen 2 Gipsy Queen 2 Reg. G-AIYD G-AJYZ G-AJFH G-AKPE G-AEUJ G-ACYO G-ACMA G-AKDN G-AKRV G-AHWU G-AHWR G-AMTJ THE GROSVENOR CHALLENGE CUP RACE (Aircraft capable of up to 130 m.p.h.) No. 1 12 13 20 21 22 23 25 26 28 36 40 Entrant Dr. W. L. James C. Gregory B. G. K. Maile D. R. Robertson Capt. D. M. Spencer-Smith S/L. P. E. Hindmarsh F. A. Laker C. R. Purley A. N. Spriggs E. W. Westbrook N. M. Browning Capt. J. H. Christie Pilot Entrant Entrant Entrant Entrant Entrant D. F. Ogilvy J. R. Batt G. A. Farley S/L. N. F. Duke Entrant Entrant Entrant Aircraft Chilton D.W.1 T'craft Plus D T'craft Plus D Moth Minor Tiger Moth Moth Major Autocar Autocar Tomtit Messenger 4A Messenger 4A Leopard Moth Engine Carden Ford Cirrus Min. 1 Cirrus Min. 1 Gipsy Min. Gipsy Maj. 1 Gipsy Maj. 1 Gipsy Maj. 1 Gipsy Maj. 1 Mongoose 3C Gipsy Maj. 1D Gipsy Maj. 1D Gipsy Maj. 1 Reg. G-AESZ G-AHGZ G-AHSB G-AFPN G-ALSH G-ADHE G-AMFP G-AJYY G-AFTA G-ALBE G-AKZX LN-TVT THE KEMSLEY CHALLENGE TROPHY RACE (Aircraft capable of over 150 m.p.h.) No. 31 69 71 72 73 78 91 93 94 95 96 97 Entrant G. Marler H. J. G. Turner P. G. Lawrence W/C. R. H. Mcintosh A. S. K. Paine J. P. Crowther T. O. M. Sopwith G/C. C. M. M. Grece F. Dunkerley S/L. J. Rush R. R. Paine J. N. Somers Pilot Entrant Entrant Entrant Entrant Entrant Entrant F. Murphy Entrant Entrant Entrant Entrant Entrant Aircraft Falcon Six Proctor 3 Proctor 1 Proctor 1 Proctor 1 Proctor 3 Hart Nighthawk Gemini 1a Falcon Six Hawk Speed Six Mew Gull 2 Engine Gipsy Six 1 Gipsy Queen Gipsy Queen Gipsy Queen Gipsy Queen Gipsy Queen Kestrel 16 Gipsy Six 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 Cirrus Minor 2 Gipsy Six 1 Gipsy Six 1F Gipsy Six 2 Reg. G-ADTD G-AIKJ G-AHVG G-AHGA G-AHNA G-AKWV G-ABMR G-AGWT G-AKKB G-AECC G-ADGP G-AEXF
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