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Aviation History
1912
1912 - 0010.PDF
FROM THE BRITISH FLYING GROUNDS. Brcoklancis Aerodrome. ON Wednesday, last week, Lieut. Spencer Grey was at work on his Blackburn, which, after covering several circuits, he took up to over 1,000 ft. At the Avro School, Setti and Graves (a new pupil, better known as " Uarracq " of looping-the-loop fame), were both practising on the Green-engined machine. Lieut. Parke, R.N., came over and took out the Viale-Avro, which he flew over Addle- stone at a considerable height. On Thursday, Spencer Grey was again out on the Blackburn doing some well-banked circuits in a gusty wind, also Setti and Graves, On Friday, Setti was on the Green-engined Avro for a short while, and Gill put in some rolling practice on the school Deperdussin. Game made an attempt to pass the second half of his brevet on the Bristol. Finding that .the engine was not pulling well he came down, and after making an inspection Fleming took it up to assure himself that everything was right. Game then accomplished several figures of eight, but on the fifth turn found that the machine wanted to climb more than he liked, and as he was then on a right-hand turn, his attempt to make her drop her nose by turning to the left spoilt the figure. He did not go up again, but Fleming took Nesham out for instruction in lever-control. Later Naval Cadet Wheeler went out on the same machine and flew about a dozen circuits at over 2,000 ft. Fleming was up with Lieut. Smith, Capt. Raleigh, Nesham and Lane as passengers at various times during the day. Saturday was an excellent flying-day, and there was a fair atten dance of visitors, considering the time of year. Gill did hops on the school Deperdussin, seeming to have a pretty good idea of handling the controls. Setti flew two circuits on the Green-Avro, and Parke took out the other Avro, with the intention of passing the altitude and landing tests for his superior brevet. Making the machine climb rapidly, he made off over Addlestone, and soon reached well over 1,000 ft., being occasionally lost to view in some comparatively low-lying clouds. He came down well, en vol plant, and his landing, which, however, was decidedly bumpy, brought him within the prescribed distance from his observers, thus being the first Naval officer to pass the height test. After lunch Sopwith was up first on the Martin-Handasyde, which machine he flew almost continuously till dark, taking numerous passengers. It flies splendidly, but the extent to which Sopwith trusts it is not always pleasant to watch. Blondeau, on his biplane, cleverly avoided what might have been a close shave. When only a short distance from the ground he was confronted by another machine which had just landed. Elevating quickly, he put on a tremendous " bank," and got clear in a most masterly fashion. Lieut. Hewlett afterwards was out on the same machine. Spencer flew his biplane as usual at various intervals during the afternoon. Parke again had out the Viale-Avro, and circled the aerodrome for some time. Setti and Sabelli were practising on the Avro and Deperdussin respectively. Pashley tried his Humber-Bleriot, but as it did not seem by any means satisfactory, the propeller was changed. By this time, however, it was nearly dark, so flying was discontinued. At the Bristol School, Fleming took Lieut. Smith up for three circuits, then the latter did some short straight flights. After landing with a bump, he found himself in the air again, but prevented any damage by switching the engine on again, which brought the machine to earth in safety. In the afternoon, Fleming was up with Lieuts. Stephen and Nesham, allowing them lever-control. Gordon-England then made a flight on same machine. Captain Raleigh was doing straight lines, his landings being greatly improved. On Sunday, Sopwith started off for St. Albans on the Martin- Handasyde. We hear later that on arriving there he landed in a small field and being unable to check his speed sufficiently unfor tunately ran into a bank, which broke the first skid and the propeller. Spencer and Parke were flying, but Blondeau was unable to do so, as a petrol-can , which had been left on one of the planes of his machine flew back into the propeller and smashed it. Gill was out on the Deperdussin, doing short straight flights. On Monday, Fleming, on the Bristol, was up first, and went over Weybridge at 3,000 ft. When at that altitude his engine failed him, forcing him to come down in a spiral vol plane. Users of Gnome engines here, by the way, have all experienced trouble the last few days, apparently due to atmospheric conditions. Fleming then took Smith and Nesham out in passenger's seat for practice in lever control. S. V. Sippe took out the Viale-Avro, flying well for nearly three-quarters of an hour, doing the required number of eights at about 300 ft., but he landed too far from the observers. He went up again, and landed right among the observers from about a 300 ft. vol plant. Setti was up on the Green-Avro, and Blondeau was flying his biplane. In the afternoon Fleming was flying with Warren, Nesham, and Smith. On Tuesday, Sippe flew the Viale-Avro in excellent style for some time, then finding his engine was not doing its duty he came down again. When this was remedied he found that the wind had got up, and was blowing treacherously, so left off for the day. Grahame FROM TERRA FIRM A AND FROM ON HIGH.—The "Bristol" aviation schools at Salisbury Plain, with a Bristol two- seater monoplane in (light; and inset is a view of the same scene from a Bristol biplane. 10
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