M.Goodall, A.Tagg British Aircraft before the Great War (Schiffer)
Deleted by request of (c)Schiffer Publishing
MINES biplane (Edward Mines, Brightholme, W. Kirby, Cheshire)
This impractical machine appeared at the Doncaster Meeting of October 1909 but did not fly. It was variously nicknamed 'the meat safe' or 'the coffee stall'. It was for sale in February 1910.
The machine was a pusher biplane with bicycle front wheel and handlebars. There was no tail, but a large elevator flap was hinged on the front of the top wing; rudders were fitted to each outboard front interplane strut, and the lower wingtips could be pivoted for lateral control. The power was supplied by a 10hp JAP or Anzani vee-twin, air-cooled engine driving the propeller by chain and shaft. Mines is reported to have attempted to fly a glider at Llandudno in 1908.
In March 1910 Mines registered a company Edward Mines Aviation Syndicate Ltd. to raise funds to purchase a Farman type all-British aeroplane from the Aerial Manufacturing Company of Great Britain and Ireland. Nothing further is known of this venture.
Data
Span 14ft
Chord 6ft
P.Lewis British Aircraft 1809-1914 (Putnam)
Mines Biplane
Nicknamed the "Coffee-Stall", the freakish Mines Biplane appeared at the 1909 Doncaster Flying Meeting and was the creation of Edward Mines. The machine was a single-seat pusher with wings of 14 ft. span and of 6 ft. chord. No tail was fitted, and control was by means of a rudder at each wing-tip hinged to the front outer interplane struts, and by a strut-operated elevator on the leading-edge of the upper wings. The lower wing-tips were also adjustable. The engine was an air-cooled vee-twin of about 10 h.p. with chain-drive to the propeller shaft. The Mines Biplane was not successful and did not fly.
