ASL VALKYRIE monoplanes, Types A, B and C

   The first Valkyrie Type A was flown during September 1910 at Larkhill on Salisbury Plain, but was moved soon after to Hendon, where new works had been established in three sheds. It is uncertain whether No. 1 was built at Larkhill or by Howard Wright, but all later machines were certainly made there. Flight of 24 September 1910 (p.774) illustrated No.1 in the air and stated that it was the fifth of a series of experimental models tested on Salisbury Plain over a period of seventeen months. This suggestion of two additional types to those identified may refer to major variations of the Barber and ASL2 monoplanes.
   Production of Valkyrie aircraft continued until it was announced in April 1912 that the company was to be closed down, by which time it was reported that nearly 30 machines had been built. Valkyrie No. 11 was the highest number referred to in reports of the time. Most machines were used by ASL for pilot training, some experimental mail flights and the carriage of light freight. On 25 May 1911 pupil Benson was killed in the crash of Type A No.7.
   Barber had been discouraged when refused permission to demonstrate any of his five available aircraft, when the Parliamentary Defense Committee visited Hendon on 12 May 1911. Despite this, he presented four machines to the Government in July, three of which had Green engines and one with a Gnome. Two of these were supplied to the Army and two to the Navy at Eastchurch, later moved to Shomcliffe, but it seems that they were never flown.
   Various versions of these pusher canard monoplanes were built and flown at Hendon, the original being a single-seater, but other types able to carry one or two passengers, including some referred to as "military" types followed. All were of similar basic type and construction with wooden open fuselages with fabric covered wings and flying surfaces, all extensively wire braced.
   The pilot was seated in an exposed position on the level of the top longerons, just in front of the engine; on the three-seater the passengers were positioned on either side of the engine. The radiator on the Green-engined machines was positioned horizontally below the wing center section. A gravity fuel tank above the engine was supplied from a tank by a plunger pump added to the magneto drive of the Green. On the Gnome engined Type B the combined fuel and oil tank was horseshoe shaped and carried on the front of the engine mounting.
   No.1 flew originally with rudders close to the structure and no "blinker" fins at the front. Extensions to mount the rudders further aft and the "blinkers" were added to improve control and became standard for all subsequent machines.


Valkyrie Type A monoplane

   This was a single-seater for solo practice flying. First flight was on 13 September 1910.

   Power: 35hp Green four-cylinder inline driving a 7ft 3in diameter propeller.
   Data
   Mainplane span 34ft Single surfaced
   (The Aero 31ft 6in)
   Foreplane span 14ft Single surfaced
   Mainplane chord 6ft
   Foreplane chord 3ft
   Mainplane area 190 sq ft
   Foreplane area 42 sq ft
   Elevators area 20 sq ft
   Length 22ft increased to 28ft
   Width between skids 8ft
   Weight 520 lb


Valkyrie Type B monoplane

   A single-seater for racing or cross-country work. A passenger could be accommodated behind the pilot. First flight was on 12 November 1910.

   Power: 50hp Gnome seven-cylinder air-cooled rotary driving a 8ft diameter propeller.
   Data
   Mainplane span 31ft Single surfaced
   Foreplane span 12ft Single surfaced
   Mainplane chord 6ft
   Foreplane chord 3 ft
   Mainplane area 168 sq ft
   Foreplane area 42 sq ft
   Elevators area 20 sq ft
   Length 26ft
   Width between skids 8ft 4in
   Weight 550 lb
   Max speed 70mph
   Price ?920


Valkyrie Type C monoplane

   Three-seater with passengers seated either side of the engine. First flight was on 13 September 1913.

   Power: 60hp Green four-cylinder inline water-cooled.
   Data
   Mainplane span 39ft double-surfaced
   Foreplane span 14ft
   Length 29 ft 9in
   Mainplane chord 7ft 6in
   Foreplane chord 3ft
   Mainplane area 302 sq ft
   Foreplane area 42 sq ft
   Width between skids 9 ft
   Weight 800 lb
   Max speed 70mph
   Price ?1000

ASTLEY monoplanes Nos.1 and 2 (H.J.D. Astley, Chequers Court, Ellesborough, near, Tring, Buckinghamshire)

   Astley's first machine was at Brooklands in December 1909, where it was photographed with a damaged undercarriage, an occurrence which took place during trials.
   The aircraft had an enclosed rectangular section fuselage mounted on a rather weak-looking Bleriot-style undercarriage. The wing spars passed through the fuselage just below the top longerons, the pilot being seated behind the rear spar. The wing was braced by a tall cabane and to the undercarriage and carried small triangular ailerons, hinged at the trailing edge. The fixed fin and tail surfaces were triangular and extended well forward along the fuselage. The elevator was rectangular and in one piece, with small triangular rudders above and below. Separate wheels were provided for control of the moving surfaces, that for the elevator being mounted outside the fuselage on the top longeron.
   Astley built a second monoplane in 1910, using the remains of the first, including the engine, in its construction. The undercarriage and front portion of the fuselage were much as before, but the pilot's seat was repositioned on a structure below the bottom longerons. The full length top longerons of No. 1 were shortened and joined to the bottom longerons, midway along the fuselage, where a small tail wheel was fitted on a vertical post. The lower longerons were presumably increased in strength to deal with the loads from the tail, which was of triangular cruciform shape. No fabric was applied to the fuselage. The ailerons were inset into the trailing edges of the wings, which otherwise resembled those of No.1.
   No.2 was probably only capable of taxiing and Astley soon discarded these machines and learnt to fly on a Sommer biplane of the Universal Aviation Co. operating from Shed No. 17 at Brooklands, obtaining RAeC certificate No.48 on 24 January 1911. He subsequently carried out many exhibition flights and flew competitively in the UAC Birdling and Bleriot aircraft, including a cross-Channel flight to France and into Germany. He was regarded as a pilot of considerable ability, but was killed in a Bleriot, while performing aerobatics at low level at Belfast on 21 September 1912.

   Power: 30-40hp NEC four-cylinder two-stroke inline watercooled
   Data
   Span 24ft
   Length 24ft

AVRO (ROE) aircraft (Alliott Verdon Roe, later A.V. Roe and Co.)

   The early machines built by A. V. Roe were initially identified as Roe types, later the name AVRO was adopted. Manufacture of his first machine was carried out at the home of his brother, Dr. H.V. Roe at 47 West Hill, Putney in 1907, with trials at Brooklands from December until 17 July 1908. The Roe 1 triplanes were also partly made at Putney, but erection and flight trials took place at the Lea Valley, Walthamstow, or at Blackpool.
   A.V. Roe and Co. was formed in January 1910 and, from that date, manufacture was carried out at Brownsfield Mills, Great Ancoats St. Manchester with flying at Brooklands. The company became a limited company in January 1913, and moved the factory to Clifton St. Miles Platting, Manchester, in April 1913. The training operations, carried out at Brooklands, had been moved to Shoreham in the previous October, and although some use was made of Brooklands, this ceased by the end of the year. Flying continued from Shoreham and elsewhere until Hamble aerodrome became available much later in wartime.
   AVRO aircraft have been extensively researched and are comprehensively dealt with in many publications, to which reference should be made for more complete descriptions and data. The company became a major part of the British aircraft industry and elements of it continue in being to the present day.

ROE I biplane (Avroplane)

   The machine was a pusher type canard biplane, mounted on an undercarriage consisting of two pairs of main wheels, spaced well apart, and with small wheels at the wing tips. There was covering on the lower surfaces of the wings and flying controls only, leaving the ribs exposed above.
   There was insufficient power to fly with the JAP engine originally used, but towing by car along the Finishing Straight at Brooklands achieved short glides. A later claim to have flown on 8 June 1908 with the Antoinette engine was not accepted officially, through lack of evidence, although hops of a few feet in height were probably accomplished. The Roe I was dismantled in July 1908.
   A modern replica of the biplane, and its shed, now exists at the Brooklands Museum.

   Power: 6hp JAP vee twin air-cooled driving a four-bladed metal propeller. Replaced by a 24hp Antoinette eight-cylinder vee water-cooled driving a two-bladed metal propeller
   Data
   Span top 36ft

   Additional wing surfaces added to the center section on the fitting of the Antoinette, converting the machine into a semi-triplane.

   Length 23 ft
   Weight 650 lb loaded

ROE I Triplane (Bulls-Eye Avroplane)

   Two of these triplanes were built; No.1 was made at Putney and erected and tested at Lea Valley, Walthamstow. Flight trials of No.2 were carried out at Wembley Park and Brooklands.
   A.V. Roe had two triplanes of different types, under construction in the railway arch workshops in the Lea Valley in 1909. The larger one, for car dealer Friswell, was not completed and was auctioned incomplete. The smaller machine was assembled and flown on 23 July 1909, becoming the first all-British machine to fly. It was then taken to Blackpool with second machine of similar type, which was not able to fly at the Meeting. The first triplane was discarded after the Blackpool Meeting and has been on display at the Science Museum since 1925.
   The second triplane, with a tail skid instead of a wheel, was taken to the Old Deer Park, Richmond, but since facilities were unsuitable, was moved in November 1909 to Wembley Park, where it flew on 6 December 1909. Brooklands aerodrome was properly established in 1910, and Roe moved the triplane there, housing it in Shed No. 14. It flew in various forms until dismantled in May 1910.
   Variations were made in the course of development which included a tapered fuselage to the second aircraft, repositioned fuel tank and a later type undercarriage on this machine known as the 'Two-and-a-Bit Plane'.
   On both machines the tailplanes were fixed lifting surfaces and pitch control was by varying the incidence of the mainplanes, which could also be warped to provide roll control. Additional fin area between the outboard struts of the triplane tail was originally fitted to No.1. This system was inadequate for fully controlled flight.

   Power: 6hp JAP vee twin air-cooled with four-bladed metal propeller; also a 9-10hp JAP vee twin was fitted to the first machine at a later stage. A 14-20hp JAP vee four-cylinder air-cooled with four-bladed metal propeller was fitted to the second machine.
   Data
   Mainplane span 20 ft
   Mainplane chord 3ft 6in
   Mainplane area 210 sq ft
   Tailplane span 10ft
   Tailplane chord 3ft 6in
   Tailplane area 105 sq ft
   Length 20 ft
   Weight loaded 450 lb

   Two upper planes later extended and lower planes reduced on the second machine only, then nicknamed 'Two-and-a-Bit Plane'.


ROE II triplanes (No.1 Mercury)

   Two of these machines were built at Brownsfield Mills and flown at Brooklands. They were built of better materials and had improved design features. Most of the fuselage was covered with light wooden sheeting, the rest with fabric. The wings and tail unit were now inter connected, to enable the incidence of both to be controlled.
   A triangulated undercarriage, as fitted to the 'Two-and-a-Bit Plane', was used and although wing warping was used initially, this was superseded by ailerons fitted to the center wing from 27 April 1910, and a rudder the full height of the tail unit. A water-cooled Green engine with small vertical radiator behind, provided the power. A second cockpit in front of the pilot could accommodate a passenger.
   No. 1 was exhibited at the Manchester Aero Club Exhibition at White City, Manchester, on 4 March 1910, when it was named Mercury; then it appeared at the Olympia Aero Show in London between 11-19 March 1910. The first flight trials followed at Brooklands, with several minor incidents, before the machine was prepared for dispatch by rail to Blackpool for the flying meeting. Roe II No.1, with the successor Roe III, were accidentally burnt on the train on 27 July 1910. No.2 was built for W.G. Windham, being ordered by him at Olympia. It flew for the first time on 26 May 1910. And remained at Brooklands, being used intermittently by the owner.

   Power: 35hp Green four-cylinder inline water-cooled driving a 8ft diameter wooden propeller.
   Data
   Mainplane span 26 ft
   Mainplane chord 3 ft 6in
   Mainplane area 280 sq ft
   Tailplane span 8ft 4in
   Tailplane chord 3ft
   Tailplane area. 75 sq ft
   Length 23 ft
   Weight allup 550 lb

ROE III triplanes

   This was a larger machine capable of carrying a passenger in front of the pilot, facing either forward or aft. A major change from Roe II was to fix the wings at the fuselage and rely on the tail unit for control in pitch. Ailerons were fitted to the top wing on the first machine and on the center wing on the three subsequent machines. The substantial undercarriage was of Farman type with four wheels, although it is believed that on the fourth machine, only two were used. A JAP engine was fitted to the first machine and Green engines to the remainder.
   This was the first Avro machine capable of fully controlled flight. 'AV' had flown "straights" on it for the first time on 4 July 1910. By 9 July 1910 he was making turns and figures of eight, being airborne for up to twenty-five minutes. He took his tests for the RAeC certificate on the 20 July 1910 and was issued with No. 18 a week later.

   Power: 35hp JAP eight-cylinder air-cooled vee. 35hp Green four-cylinder inline water-cooled.
   Data
   Top and center span 31ft
   Bottom span 20ft
   Mainplane chord 3 ft 6in
   Mainplane area 287 sq ft
   Length 23ft
   Tailplane span 8ft 4in
   Tailplane chord 3ft
   Tailplane area 75 sq ft
   Weight allup 750 lb

   No.1 35hp JAP first flown at Brooklands 24 June 1910. For sale May 1911.
   No.2 35hp Green first flown at Brooklands 9 July 1910. Burnt on train on way to the Blackpool Flying Meeting 27 July 1910.
   No.3 35hp Green Replacement built urgently after loss of No.2. Assembled at Blackpool. First flown at Blackpool 1 August 1910. Destroyed at Boston on 8 August 1910
   No.4 35hp Green supplied to the Harvard Aeronautical Society less engine. First flown at Boston, Massachusetts in the United States using engine from No.3. Crashed but rebuilt.

AVRO monoplane

   A scheme for a monoplane was advertised in 'The Aviator's Storehouse', the AVRO catalogue, in 1910. The machine was not built. The price less engine was ?200.

   Power: 20 or 40hp Avro engine. These were two-stroke engines designed by M.F. and W. Edwards and made by H.W. Cowley of Bolton. The smaller engine was a horizontally opposed two-cylinder air-cooled type, the larger a four-cylinder. 20hp or 35hp JAP or NEC with two or four cylinders were also offered. The JAPs were air-cooled two or four-cylinder vee types. The NECs were water-cooled two-stroke inlines and vee-fours. 35hp Green four-cylinder inline water-cooled could also be used.
   Data
   Span 36ft
   Area 220 sq ft
   Price 20hp Avro ?325
   with engine 20hp JAP or NEC ?375


AVRO biplane

   Also advertised in 'The Aviator's Storehouse' and again, never built, was a biplane with the engine alternatives as for the monoplane. The price less engine was ?225

   Data
   Span 29ft
   Area 350 sq ft
   Length 21ft
   Height 7ft 6in
   Weight 250 lb less engine
   Prices 20hp Avro ?350
   with engine 20hp JAP or NEC ?400
   35hp JAP or NEC ?500
   35hp Green ?550
   40hp Avro ?450


AVRO Type D biplanes

   The first of these biplanes arrived from Manchester in March and was flown for the first time on 1 April 1911 at Brooklands by Howard Pixton. The fuselage and tail surfaces were similar to those of the Roe IV, but with two bay warping biplane wings, plus a partial center section bay. A further six were built in about a year after the first had flown, and these varied in a number of respects. Several types of engine were used, radiator positions were changed, the tailplane shape became rectangular and two machines were converted to sesquiplanes for competition work. Although the basic Type D was a two-seater, provision of an extra fuel tank and other changes converted the machine to a single-seater The prototype was sold for ?700 to Cdr. Schwann RN, for seaplane experiments and was used with seven types of floats, both single and twin type, flown mainly by S.V Sippe at Barrow-in-Furness.

   Power:
   35hp Green four-cylinder inline water-cooled.
   45hp Green with drilled cylinder barrels.
   60hp ENV type F eight-cylinder water-cooled vee.
   35hp Viale five-cylinder air-cooled radial.
   50hp Isaacson seven-cylinder air-cooled radial.
   Data
   Span top 31ft
   Bottom 31ft
   Chord 5ft
   Area 310 sq ft
   Length 28 ft (No. 1 26 ft)
   Height 9 ft 2in
   Weight allup 500 lb
   Sesquiplane
   Span top 33ft
   Bottom 23ft (No.2 28ft)
   Chord 5ft
   Area 279 sq ft (No.2 329 sq ft)
   Weight allup 550 lb
   Speed 45-50 mph
   Seaplane 40 mph

   No.1 35 and 45hp Green. First flown at Brooklands 1 April 1911. Converted to a seaplane at Barrow-in-Furness from August 1911. Last reported in use April 1912.
   No.2 60hp ENV Intended for Circuit of Britain. First flown Brooklands 18 July 1911, but crashed 22 July 1911. Converted to sesquiplane with large triangular tailplane. Extensions fitted to lower wings were unsuccessful.
   No.3 35hp Green with slanting radiator. First flown Brooklands 12 October 1911. Used by the Avro School at Brooklands and Shoreham until May 1914.
   No.4 45hp Green with fore and aft radiator. Single-seater. First flown at Brooklands 12 October 1911. Abortive attempt at Michelin Prize but used mainly by the Avro School at Brooklands and Shoreham until May 1914.
   No.5 35hp Green. Sesquiplane similar to No.2. First flown Brooklands October-November 1911. Reported for sale at Shed No.4 in May 1912 and scrapped in December at Brooklands.
   No.6 50hp Viale. School machine. First flown at Brooklands 20 November 1911 and crashed at Abingdon 29 January 1912. The engine was installed by Mons Ducrocq, agent for Viale, and Jack Alcock, later of Atlantic fame.
   No.7 50hp Isaacson. School machine. Completed November-December 1911, used at Brooklands and Shoreham until May 1914.

AVRO Duigan biplane

   This biplane was made to an order from John R. Duigan, an Australian, who had built his own Wright type glider and Farman-type powered aircraft in 1909-1911, with which he achieved a number of successful flights. He came to England to learn more of current practice and to receive flying instruction.
   On arrival he ordered a biplane from Avro, which was built at Manchester and delivered to Huntingdon, when completed in December 1911. The machine was not a great success and Duigan took it back to Brooklands. After some limited straight flights in February, Duigan joined the Avro school. At Brooklands the original Alvaston engine was replaced by an ENV, and together with improvements, the machine was eventually capable of flying for one hour at up to 600ft with the pilot only; flights with a passenger were limited to "straights".
   Duigan returned to Australia and his Avro was bought by the Lakes Flying Co. for ?180 and was moved to Windermere on 4 June 1912. At Windermere it was largely rebuilt with a new engine and became the Lakes Sea Bird (q.v.).
   This Avro biplane had a deep fuselage with radiators positioned either side of the front cockpit; wing warping was employed. The undercarriage had a leaf spring axle with a central skid. The skid became a feature of many later Avro aircraft. In its final form this machine was the basis of the next type, a much-improved machine, which eventually led to the outstanding Type 504.

   Power:
   40hp Alvaston two-cylinder horizontally opposed water-cooled
   35hp ENV type D eight-cylinder water-cooled vee.
   Data
   Span 34ft
   Chord 4ft 6in
   Length 29ft 6in
   Area 300 sq ft
   Speed 40mph


AVRO Type. E and Es (later known as Types 500 and 502)

   This was a slightly larger version of the biplane built for John Duigan, more powerful and able to fly successfully as a two-seater. It was built to meet an official requirement and was often referred to as the 'Military Biplane'. The first flight took place at Brooklands on 14 March 1912 in the hands of Lt. Wilfred Parke RN. Testing proceeded, following which an entry was made for the Mortimer Singer Prize of ?500, offered to an army or navy officer who flew the longest flight with a passenger, in Britain, before the end of March. Parke left Brooklands with W.H. Sayers on 20 March 1912 for Hendon for his bid, but the aircraft suffered engine failure and crashed badly on takeoff. Sayers in the front cockpit was trapped by the radiators and was extricated with difficulty; the radiators were reduced in height in the course of the rebuilding.
   Trials at Farnborough were carried out successfully in June 1912, and subsequently the engine was replaced by the new ABC. Testing recommenced in the hands of Raynham and later R.L. Charteris of the engine company until early in 1913, when the ENV was refitted. The machine was then handed over to the Avro school at Shoreham, where it flew until 29 June 1913, when it was crashed by a pupil and burned. The pupil was the first fatality in an Avro aircraft.

   Type E prototype

   Power:
   60hp ENV type F eight-cylinder water-cooled vee.
   60hp ABC eight-cylinder water-cooled vee.
   Data
   Flight
   Mainplane span 36 ft
   Mainplane chord 4ft 10in The Aeroplane 4ft 9in
   Mainplane gap 5 ft
   Mainplane area 338 sq ft The Aeroplane 332 sq ft
   Tailplane span 8 ft
   Area inc. elevators 32 sq ft The Aeroplane 33 sq ft
   Length 31 ft The Aeroplane 30ft 6in
   Height 9 ft 9in
   Weight 1,2001b (Also quoted as 1,100lb)
   Weight allup 1,650lb
   Speed 60 mph

   Production: Eighteen aircraft of various versions.
   Type E 1 Prototype. First flight 14 March 1912 at Brooklands. Destroyed at Shoreham 29 June 1913.

AVRO Type. E and Es (later known as Types 500 and 502)

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   A second machine of the type, but with a 50hp Gnome, was built and was flown by Parke at Brooklands on 8 May 1912. This proved to have a better performance and resulted in a early War Office order for three machines. The third of these was given its first flight from Eccles cricket ground near the Manchester factory. It was now also known as the Type 500. Further orders followed from the War Office, Admiralty, the Portuguese Government and civilian sources. It was during the time that these machines were in production that the company moved its Manchester premises in April 1913.
   A number of changes were made to the aircraft during its operational life, including fitting ailerons to both top and bottom wings. The sprung rudder was replaced by a separate tail skid also various types of wing tip skids, some with wheels, were fitted. Later the rudder shape was changed to the more familiar comma shape of future Avro aircraft.
   The War Office ordered a batch of five of the single-seater version, which were basically the same as the two-seaters and subject to the same modifications. These were identified as Type Es or Type 502.
   Flight of 30 March 1912 and The Aeroplane of 11 April 1912 earned drawings and data for the prototype, with dimensions slightly at variance in some respects and neither agreed on the position of the radiators. The risk to the passenger was commented on by The Aeroplane. Flight showed auxiliary radiators just below the top wing, probably fitted later and the cause of Sayers' entrapment.

   Type E (Avro Type 500)
   Power: 50hp Gnome seven-cylinder air-cooled rotary driving a 9ft diameter propeller.
   Data
   Span 36ft
   Weight 900lb
   Weight allup 1,300lb
   Length 29ft
   Area 335 sq ft
   Max speed 62 mph

   Production: Eighteen aircraft of various versions.
   Type E 1 Prototype. First flight 14 March 1912 at Brooklands. Destroyed at Shoreham 29 June 1913.
   Type E (Avro 500) seven machines delivered between May 1912 - April 1913 to the War Office. Serial Nos.404-406, 430, 432-433, 448 used at CFS Upavon.
   Two machines delivered May 1913 and February 1914 to Admiralty contract, serial Nos.41 and 150 used at Hendon and Eastchurch.
   One machine to Portuguese Government delivered Lisbon October 1912 named Republica.
   One machine first flight July 1913 to private owner at Hendon later with RNAS serial No.939.
   One machine to Hall School at Hendon January 1914, later with the RFC serial No.491.
   Type Es (Avro 502) 5 machines delivered between April-June 1913. to War Office contract. Serial Nos.285, 288-291.

AVRO Type G biplane

   The monoplane was followed by a two-seater cabin biplane, two of which were intended as entries Nos.6 and 7 in the Military Aeroplane Competition of August 1912; this was amongst the first enclosed type biplanes in the world.
   The crew were seated one behind the other in the narrow fuselage which filled the gap between the wings. The warping wings, the tail unit and the undercarriage were basically components of the Type 500. The non-availability of the new 60hp ABC engine prevented completion of the second machine and, with limited time available, the first machine with a 60hp Green was delivered to Larkhill for the trials unflown. First flight by Wilfred Parke took place on 7 August 1912 in poor conditions, and the machine overturned on landing from a curtailed flight. The damage was sufficient for the aircraft to be returned to Manchester for repair, but it was back at Larkhill a week later. Parke participated further in the trials, making a notable recovery from a spin in what became known as 'Parkes Dive' and although attempting all the tests, the machine did not take a major award, mainly owing to its poor rate of climb. On 24 October F.P Raynham, flying the Type G from Brooklands, established a British Duration Record of 7hr 31 min, which was broken later that day by H.G. Hawker flying the Sopwith-Wright biplane.
   The Type G was transferred to Shoreham, but was not greatly in evidence, although still in the hangar there in February 1913.

   Power: 60hp Green four-cylinder inline water-cooled driving a 10ft diameter propeller.
   Data
   Span 35ft 3in
   Chord 4ft 9in
   Area 310 sq ft
   Tailplane span 8ft
   Tailplane area 20 sq ft
   Elevators area 14 sq ft
   Length 28ft 6in
   Height 9ft 9in
   Weight 1,191 lb
   Weight allup 1,792lb
   Initial rate of climb 105 ft per min
   Max speed 62 mph
   Range 345 miles

AVRO Type 504

   When A.V. Roe initiated work in November 1912 on a development of the Type 500, he could not have anticipated the success that this machine would have. It became mainly a training machine during the war period and with progressive improvements, continued in this role until 1932. Many other uses, both civil and military, were found for this outstanding aircraft, which was also built in large numbers by other contractors in wartime and in various countries around the world. The major changes to the aircraft or its role were identified by a suffix and ranged from 504A to 504S. These variants were started in 1915 and so are outside the period of this work.
   Although Roe must rightly be given credit for the basic design, credit must also be given to his three designers, Chadwick, Taylor and Broadsmith, whose contributions were to make the overall design one which was outstanding.
   The prototype 504 flew at Brooklands on 18 September 1913, having been partly built at Brownsfield Mills and completed at Clifton St. works and then delivered to Brooklands the day before. Just two days after the first flight it competed in the Aerial Derby, in which contest Raynham finished fourth at 66.5 mph. Following further trials the machine was returned to Manchester for various modifications, including replacing the bulky cowling with one of circular form. The tapered ailerons, which were fixed at the inboard end, and were warped separately from the wing structure, were replaced with hinged parallel units. A number of less obvious changes were also made. After further flight trials the machine was bought by the Daily Mail and, from April 1914, was flown as a twin float seaplane. The outbreak of war saw the prototype 504 seaplane commandeered at Shoreham by the Navy, but it crashed on land during the delivery flight in June 1914 and was not rebuilt.
   Production for the War Office began in mid-1913, when a contract for twelve aircraft was issued and further aircraft for trials and for private owners, probably four, were put in hand. The Admiralty also placed orders for seven machines in early 1914 and a further forty-four were ordered by the War Office, before the end of the year.
   The single 504 fitted with the ABC engine was one sold to Armstrong Whitworth Ltd. to test the first engine of the type made by that company. The engine was fitted to a machine which arrived at Brooklands from Manchester on 16 February 1913, but the engine was not a success and after only one flight in April the project was abandoned.

   Power:
   80hp Gnome and Gnome Monosoupape seven-cylinder air-cooled rotaries.
   100hp ABC eight-cylinder water-cooled vee.
   Data
   Span 36ft
   Area 330 sq ft
   Length 29ft 5in
   Height 10ft 5in
   Weight land-plane 924 lb
   Weight allup 1,574 lb (Prototype 1,550 lb)
   Weight seaplane 1,070lb
   Weight allup 1,717lb
   Climb to 3,500 ft prototype 9min 30sec Gnome
   7min Monosoupape
   Max speed land-plane 82 mph
   seaplane 75 mph

   Production.
   Prototype. First flight at Brooklands 18 September 1913, destroyed. June 1914. S/No.889.
   Four Aircraft for trials and private sales.
   Twelve to the War Office. Serial Nos.376, 390, 397-398, 637-638, 652, 665, 685, 692, 715-716
   Forty-four to the War Office. Serial Nos.750-793.
   Seven to the Admiralty. Serial Nos.179, 873-878

AVRO Type 510

   The first of these machines was intended to compete in the Seaplane Circuit of Britain to be held between 1-15 August 1914, starting from Southampton Water. The contest was canceled and the machine was immediately taken over by the Admiralty for ?2,500 and five more of the same type were ordered. The prototype was delivered by rail to Calshot, where first flight took place in August. F.P. Raynham carried out the flying on behalf of the company. The production aircraft were delivered direct to the RNAS stations at Killingholme and Dundee between December 1914 and April 1915 and were the subject of criticism, which delayed their final acceptance.
   The Type 510 had considerable top wing overhang braced to kingposts and was a seaplane with twin main floats, as well as tail and wing tip floats. The first machine sat low on the water and had smoothly shaped floats, mounted on a complex structure of steel tubes, and were sprung internally. Subsequent aircraft embodied fixed pontoon like floats on a revised chassis which raised the machine higher and was probably detrimental to the performance. A fin was not fitted initially to the first machine, but was later added to all aircraft.
   The machine was normally flown from the rear cockpit, although dual controls were fitted. The Navy found the 510 to be a disappointing machine with poor performance, and it was mainly used as a single-seater.

   Power: 150hp Sunbeam eight-cylinder water-cooled with front radiator. (Later named Crusader)
   Data
   Span top 63ft
   Span bottom 38ft
   Chord 5ft 9in
   Gap 6ft 6in
   Area 564 sq ft
   Length 37ft 6 in later 38ft
   Weight 2,080 lb
   Weight allup 2,800 lb
   Max speed 70 mph
   Climb to 1,000ft 4 1/2 min
   Climb to 3,000ft 20 min
   Endurance 4 1/2 hr

   Production
   No.881 'Circuit' machine to Calshot August 1914. Commandeered by the Admiralty at outbreak of war.
   No.130 To Killingholme. June - December 1914.
   No.131 To Killingholme 5 February 1915. First flight 15April 1915. by Raynham.
   No.132 To Killingholme 17February 1915. First flight 15 April 1915. by Raynham.
   No.133 To Dundee. First flight 31 March 1915.
   No.134 To Dundee 4 April 1915. First flight 12 April 1915.

AVRO Type 511 'Arrowscout'

   This single-seat scout biplane made its first appearance at the Olympia Aero Show of March 1914. It flew for the first time at Brooklands shortly before the Aerial Derby of May 23, for which it carried racing number 14. The contest was postponed due to poor weather, but Raynham flew to Hendon from Brooklands and demonstrated the aircraft. The race was flown on 6 June, but the 'Arrowscout' was by this time modified to become the Type 514, with alternative wings and other changes to improve its disappointing performance.
   The swept wings, a new departure, introduced design problems and justified the manufacture of the alternative straight wings as a safeguard. Another new feature was the fitting of air brakes, which formed the inboard sections of the lower wings, to reduce the landing speed.

   Power: 80hp Gnome Monosoupape seven-cylinder air-cooled rotary.
   Data
   Span 26ft
   Chord 6ft 6in
   Gap 5ft 3in
   Area 236 sq ft
   Length 22ft 9in
   Weight 675 lb
   Weight allup 1,165 1b
   Max speed 95-100 mph


AVRO Type 512

   A projected land-plane with one 65hp Austro-Daimler engine.

   Span 26ft.


AVRO Type 514

   The main changes to the Type 511, to improve its performance, were to replace the wings with unswept units with conventional interplane struts and to redesign the undercarriage, which was an unsprung vee type and without the central skid. The aircraft was entered as No.20 in the postponed Aerial Derby, but its undercarriage failed on takeoff at Brooklands, before the event.
   Although the 514 was repaired at Manchester and flown by Raynham at Southport in July, no further development took place.


AVRO Type 515

   This was a September 1914 design for a biplane with a 150hp Sunbeam engine.

BELLAMY biplane (Monsieur Bellamy, Brooklands Track, Weybridge, Surrey)

   Bellamy was a flamboyant Frenchman who had experimented in France and Italy in 1906 and claimed a flight of 500m at Modane in France on the biplane which he showed at a Milan exhibition, where it was suspended below a balloon. He arrived in England in December 1906 with a dismantled 'aeroplane', which he stated had been damaged in transit and established himself at Brooklands on the uncompleted site of the Railway Straight. His original experiments in France and Italy are believed to have made use of the Voisin-Archdeacon glider on floats much modified by Bellamy. The machine was described at the time in the Auto and ten years later in Flight and was quite different from that which Bellamy erected at Brooklands.
   His arrival at Brooklands followed the offer of a prize by the Brooklands Automobile Racing Club of ?2500 for the first aviator to fly a circuit of the track. Preparatory to attempting flight Bellamy carried out experiments with propellers on a catamaran on the lake in Mr. Locke-King's grounds.
   However, at Brooklands, the Bellamy aircraft was constructed on the site, largely from bamboo, and was fitted with a Panhard engine driving a pusher propeller direct on the crankshaft and a tractor propeller on an extension shaft. The machine had a front mounted cruciform fin and horizontal plane, both of triangular shape, and a large flexible tailplane, serving as an elevator control, mounted midway between the top and bottom longerons of the rear structure. The whole machine looked extremely flimsy and unlikely to achieve sustained flight, which in the event it did not.

   Power: 35hp Panhard four-cylinder horizontally opposed water-cooled.
   Data
   Span 48ft
   Span tailplane 12ft
   Length behind wings 30ft

BIRMINGHAM AERO Co. (67 Moseley St., Birmingham)

   This firm advertised in 1909 that it would manufacture aircraft to customers' designs or their own specially designed Albatross monoplane at prices between ?250 and ?600. There is no evidence that any were built.


BIRMINGHAM AERO CLUB gliders

   This club was active from 1911 to 1914 and several members built full size and half-size models. The secretary was G. Haddon Wood, who built two gliders and sent drawings and details of these to Flight and The Aero. The identified gliders built by club members are as follows:

J.H. Else-Mynard
   Small monoplane built November 1909 and tried at Sutton Park. Chanute type built early in 1910.

Ernest Noble
   Half-size monoplane built early in 1910 and tried in May.

G. Haddon Wood
   Haddon 1. Built early 1911 and wrecked 26 August 1911. Wright type with front elevator and double-surfaced wings. Constructed of red deal. Span 32ft Chord 4ft Area 292 sq ft Weight 130 lb
   Haddon 2. Completed January 1912; wrecked in a gale November 1912. Rear-mounted control surfaces and single-surfaced wings. Built of bamboo. Span 32ft Chord 6ft Area 416 sq ft Weight 120 lb

Frank Warren
   Built a 20ft span monoplane. Wrecked in a gale, unflown in October 1911.

R. Platts
   Built a canard monoplane in March 1911 which was wrecked in a gale in October 1911. Subsequently rebuilt as a powered monoplane. Area 222 sq ft Weight 70 lb

Trykle
   A biplane similar to Haddon 1, built of bamboo in early 1911. The top wing had upturned tips. Span of lower wing 20ft.

E. Prosser & A.M. Bonehill
   These partners built a Chanute type glider in August 1910, which was wrecked at the same time as Haddon 1 on 26 August 1911.

F. Hill
   Designed a monoplane glider which was built by the Belmont Aeroplane Co. in 1911. Later converted to a hydroplane with a small engine.

N. Stamps
   Completed a Bleriot type monoplane glider in December 1913. Span 30ft Chord 7ft Area 210 sq ft Length 20ft

Club glider
   Built from the remains of Haddon 2 and Trykle gliders after they were wrecked in November 1912.


BELMONT glider (Belmont Aeroplane Co., Ladywood, Birmingham)

   In 1911 this company built a 40ft span glider to the design of F.Hill with a tapered wing. A low-powered engine was also fitted. (See also Birmingham Aero Club.)

BLACKBURN monoplane (Second type, also referred to as Light Type Monoplane)

   This single-seat machine was built in 1910 at Benson St. and was taken incomplete to the Blackpool Flying Meeting in July-August 1910, but was first flown at Filey on 8 March 1911. It later flew well and continued in use for some time.
   The fuselage design was rather like an Antoinette, but with parallel chord warping wings and a triangulated undercarriage with twin skids.

   Power: 40hp Isaacson seven-cylinder air-cooled radial with built in twenty-one reduction gearing
   Data
   Span 30ft
   Length 32ft


BLACKBURN MERCURY monoplanes

   The third Blackburn design was basically a two-seat development of its predecessor and nine of these were produced with considerable differences between individual machines. All variants had substantial four wheel undercarriage with side springing. Warping wings were standard, except for a short period when one aircraft was fitted with a tapered wing.
   The triangular-section fuselage was covered around the cockpit with polished veneered wood; all aft of this was covered with fabric. A variety of engines, initially an uncowled Isaacson radial, was fitted, but later there were radial and rotary powered machines with ring cowlings and finally a curved cowling and decking back as far as the cockpit. There were three distinct versions of the Mercury, including single seater types for racing and school work, identified as Type B.
   The third version incorporated many internal changes, particularly the use of tubular steel wing spars to facilitate wing warping. The first of this version was fitted with a Renault vee-eight engine, although rotary and radial engines were mainly used. This version was known as the Mercury Passenger Type, although one at least was built as a single-seater.

Type I. One aircraft built

   Power: 50hp Isaacson seven-cylinder air-cooled radial
   Data
   Span 38ft 4in
   Chord 7ft 6in
   Length 33ft
   Weight allup 1,000lb
   Area 288sq ft
   Height. 6ft 9in
   Max speed 60 mph


Type II. Mercury B. Two aircraft built
   No.1. A single-seater first flown at Filey in July 1911, but destroyed at Brooklands on 22 July 1911.
   No.2. A single-seater first flown at Filey 7 July 1911, but converted to a two-seater in August 1911. Damaged at Eastbourne 23 March 1912 and rebuilt as a single-seater. Used at the Filey School from April 1912 to September, then transferred to Hendon School, where used until June 1913, when the school closed. Identified by 'Type B' on rudders and racing number "33" by the cockpit.

   Power: 50hp Gnome seven-cylinder air-cooled rotary driving a 8ft 6in diameter propeller.
   Data
   Span 32ft (36ft second machine)
   Chord 6ft 6in
   Area 200 sq ft (220 sq ft second machine)
   Length 31ft (32ft second machine)
   Height 8ft 6in
   Weight allup 700lb
   Max speed 70 mph


Type III. Six aircraft built
   No.1 60hp Renault eight-cylinder vee air-cooled. First flight at Filey 6 December 1911 but wrecked there on 6 December 1911. The original parallel chord wing had been replaced with a tapered wing.
   No.2 50hp Isaacson seven-cylinder air-cooled radial. First flight May 1912, then used at Hendon School until June 1913. Fitted with a raised top rudder.
   No.3 50hp Gnome seven-cylinder air-cooled rotary. First flight at Brooklands 25 December 1911. Taken over by Lt. Spenser Grey RN, but damaged at Weymouth 10 January 1912. Reflown after repair at Eastchurch 21 February 1912, then to Hendon School in September 1912.
   No.4 50hp Gnome seven-cylinder air-cooled rotary. First flight at Filey in March 1912. Wings with cutaway roots.
   No.5 50hp Anzani six-cylinder air-cooled radial.
   No.6 50hp Gnome seven-cylinder air-cooled rotary. First flight at Filey June 1912. Fitted with wings with cutaway roots and redesigned undercarriage.

   Data
   Span 32ft
   Chord 6ft 3in
   Area 195 sq ft
   Length 31ft
   Weight allup 800 lb
   Height 8ft 6in
   Speed with Renault 75 mph

BLACKBURN monoplane Type I

   This was the two-seater development of the 1912 machine with more power and the size increased to accommodate the passenger in the front cockpit. Three of the type were built, the first to the order of a private owner, with minor variations between each machine. There were visible differences to the engine cowlings, where cutaways were made to improve the cooling and air intake supply, and later when no cowling was fitted to the radial engine. One machine had a single kingpost and was a single-seater with freight compartment in place of the front cockpit. The original version had one large cockpit for both crew, but this was modified to make two separate cockpits.
   The third machine was known as the 'Improved Type F, and this was later modified into a twin-float seaplane with tail float. This was known as the 'Land/Sea' monoplane since the main floats were clamped direct to the original undercarriage structure and the machine could readily be converted back for land use.

Type I. Two machines built

   Power: 80hp Gnome seven-cylinder air-cooled rotary driving a 7ft diameter propeller.
   No.1 Built for Dr. M.G. Christie as a two-seater and first flown on 14 August 1913 at the Yorkshire Aerodrome, Loft house Park, Leeds. It was used extensively until the outbreak of war, when it was commandeered, after which there is no record of its use.
   No.2 This was a single-seater with freight compartment and single kingpost. First flown by Harold Blackburn on 14 December 1913. Damaged at York in May 1914. Acquired by W.R. Ding of the Northern Aircraft Co. and converted to a twin-float seaplane at Cockshot Point, Windermere. It was found to be unsatisfactory and not flown.


Improved Type I. One machine built

   Power: 80hp Gnome seven-cylinder air-cooled rotary, later replaced by a 100hp Anzani ten-cylinder air-cooled radial when converted to Land/Seaplane. The only machine built was a two-seater shown at the Olympia Aero Show in March 1914. It was commandeered in September 1914 but, being of no military value, was returned to the makers. It was then sold to W.R. Ding of the Northern Aircraft Co. in 1915 as the Land/Sea monoplane. It was first flown on floats on 26 October 1915 at Bowness-on-Windermere, where it was used as a trainer until written off on 1 April 1916.

   Data
   Span 38ft
   Chord 6ft 8in
   Area 252 sq ft
   Length 28ft 6in
   Seaplane length 29ft 6in
   Weight (Type I) 950 lb
   Allup(Type I) 1,500 lb
   Weight (Land/Sea) 1,124 lb
   Allup (Land/Sea) 1,733 1b

BLACKBURN Type L seaplane

   After preparing a seaplane project in 1913, Blackburn proceeded with the design of a large 'hydrobiplane' for entry in the 1914 Seaplane Circuit of Britain. This was Blackburn's first biplane and the first to be built at the Olympia Works. When the contest was abandoned the Type L was commandeered by the Admiralty and moved in August to Scalby Mills, where it was tested and flown by freelance pilot Sydney Pickles. It was operated for a period on coastal reconnaissance, armed with a machine gun. Early in 1915 the machine crashed into a cliff at Speeton in poor visibility, when being flown by Rowland Ding from Scarborough to Killingholme.
   The Type L was a conventional biplane design of the period, although it was the first Blackburn machine with a square-section fuselage. During the course of its development, the longspan, parallel ailerons on the top wing were replaced by shortspan, tapered units. Other changes included the removal of the engine cowling and the moving of the radiators to the rear center section struts.
   A proposed larger development of the Type L was not proceeded with.

   Power: 130hp Salmson (Canton-Unne) nine-cylinder water-cooled radial.
   Data
   Span top 49ft 6in
   Span bottom 35ft
   Chord. 6ft
   Area 481 sq ft
   Length 32ft 6in
   Height 12ft 6in
   Weight 1,717lb
   Weight allup 2,475lb
   Max speed 85 mph
   Ceiling 11,000 ft
   Range 445 miles

1913 Project.

   Power: 80hp Gnome seven-cylinder rotary or 100hp Anzani ten-cylinder both air cooled.
   Data
   Span top 44ft.
   Span bottom 36ft
   Chord 5ft
   Area 410 sq ft
   Length 33 ft
   Weight. 1,250lb
   Max speed estimated 65 mph

1914 Project.

   Power: 200hp Gnome Monosoupape nine-cylinder air-cooled rotary.
   Data
   Span top 62ft
   Span bottom 47ft 6in
   Weight 1,450lb
   Weight allup 3,000lb

BRISTOL AIRCRAFT (British & Colonial Aeroplane Co. Ltd., Clare St., Filton, Bristol

   The company was established at Filton early in 1910 and later that year acquired sheds at Brooklands and Larkhill for test flying and training schools. In order to establish itself as a manufacturer the company obtained a license from the Societe Zodiac of Paris for its biplane, an example of which it was arranged to exhibit at the Olympia Aero Show in March, together with a monoplane, which did not arrive. The biplane was not a success, and thereafter the company produced its own designs, the first of which became well known as the Boxkite. It was similar to a Farman and was most successful. The future of the enterprise was assured, and it expanded to produce a succession of types, making the company the largest producer of aircraft in the country in the early years of the industry.
   The Flying Schools at Brooklands and Larkhill were equally successful and were responsible for training the highest number of pilots of any such establishment between 1910-1914.


BRISTOL BOXKITE biplane

   Bristol took the easy way to establish itself, after the failure of the Zodiac, by copying, with some improvements in both design and workmanship, the Farman pusher biplane. The engineer was G.H. Challenger.
   The prototype was unable to fly with the Gregoire water-cooled engine at first fitted. This was replaced by a 50hp Gnome and when taken to Larkhill flew extremely well on 29 July 1910. Gnome engines, some of increased power, were mainly fitted to the subsequent aircraft, which reached a total of seventy-six when production was completed in 1915. Of this number, twenty-two were exported to nine different countries.
   The Boxkite was basically a two-seater largely employed for pilot training at the Bristol Schools and elsewhere. Apart from the use of various engines, other differences of note on individual machines were the use of three rudders, protection for the crew and double surfaced wings. Upper wing extensions were fitted to the 'Military' type.
   Two special single-seat racing machines were also constructed; the first was No.44 flown on 30 May 1911 for M. Tetard to fly in the Circuit de l'Europe (Racing No.3) in which it failed to finish due to engine trouble. This machine had single bay wings with upper wing extensions and a nacelle. The second was a redesign by Gabriel Voisin, with reduced gap and front booms and elevator removed and with single rudder and tailplane. It was at Larkhill in February 1912 in this form, but was rebuilt as a standard school biplane.

   Power:
   40/50hp Gregoire four-cylinder inline water-cooled initially in prototype (No.7)
   60hp ENV type F eight-cylinder water-cooled vee (two aircraft only Nos.8 and 16)
   60hp Renault seven-cylinder water-cooled vee (one aircraft only No.39)
   70hp Gnome seven-cylinder air-cooled rotary, (six aircraft Nos.31, 32, 42, 60, 79 and 139)

   Data Standard Type
   Span 34ft 6in
   Area 457 sq ft
   Length 38ft 6in
   Height 11ft 10in
   Weight 800 lb
   Weight allup 1,050lb
   Speed 40 mph
   Production 15

   Data Racing Type No.69
   Span 32ft 8in
   Area 420 sq ft
   Length 30ft 9in
   Height 9ft 6in
   Weight 800 lb
   Weight allup 1,000lb
   Speed 50 mph
   Production 1

BRISTOL BOXKITE biplane

   Bristol took the easy way to establish itself, after the failure of the Zodiac, by copying, with some improvements in both design and workmanship, the Farman pusher biplane. The engineer was G.H. Challenger.
   The prototype was unable to fly with the Gregoire water-cooled engine at first fitted. This was replaced by a 50hp Gnome and when taken to Larkhill flew extremely well on 29 July 1910. Gnome engines, some of increased power, were mainly fitted to the subsequent aircraft, which reached a total of seventy-six when production was completed in 1915. Of this number, twenty-two were exported to nine different countries.
   The Boxkite was basically a two-seater largely employed for pilot training at the Bristol Schools and elsewhere. Apart from the use of various engines, other differences of note on individual machines were the use of three rudders, protection for the crew and double surfaced wings. Upper wing extensions were fitted to the 'Military' type.
   Two special single-seat racing machines were also constructed; the first was No.44 flown on 30 May 1911 for M. Tetard to fly in the Circuit de l'Europe (Racing No.3) in which it failed to finish due to engine trouble. This machine had single bay wings with upper wing extensions and a nacelle. The second was a redesign by Gabriel Voisin, with reduced gap and front booms and elevator removed and with single rudder and tailplane. It was at Larkhill in February 1912 in this form, but was rebuilt as a standard school biplane.

   Power:
   40/50hp Gregoire four-cylinder inline water-cooled initially in prototype (No.7)
   60hp ENV type F eight-cylinder water-cooled vee (two aircraft only Nos.8 and 16)
   60hp Renault seven-cylinder water-cooled vee (one aircraft only No.39)
   70hp Gnome seven-cylinder air-cooled rotary, (six aircraft Nos.31, 32, 42, 60, 79 and 139)

   Data Military Type
   Span 47ft 8in or 46ft 6in
   Area 517sqft
   Length 38ft 6in
   Height 11ft 10in
   Weight 900 lb
   Weight allup 1,150lb
   Speed 40 mph
   Production 61

   Data Racing Type No.44
   Span 35ft
   Area 350 sq ft
   Length 38ft
   Height 11ft 10in
   Weight 800 lb
   Weight allup 1,000lb
   Speed 50 mph
   Production 1

BRISTOL monoplanes. (Type Prier PI, Prier-Dickson and Prier-Coanda)

   Following the earlier unsuccessful monoplane design, the company engaged Pierre Prier, chief instructor at the Bleriot School at Hendon and a capable engineer, to prepare the next monoplane design. The first PI, Works No.46, was not ready for the Gordon Bennett Cup Race on 1 July 1911 but flew soon after. The second and third Nos.56, 57 intended for the Circuit of Britain Contest later that month, also failed to start, No.56 being crashed by Prier before the race and No.57 having a pilot problem.
   Thereafter production of both single-seater and two-seaters of five versions proceeded to a total of thirty-four aircraft, when production terminated in December 1912, with two major rebuilds recorded in addition. Of the total, fourteen were exported including those used at the Bristol schools in Germany and Italy. Only two aircraft were bought by the British government owing to the ban on the use of monoplanes by the military.
   The original machine had a front mounting to the rotary engine, which was not used on subsequent aircraft. All types had warping wings and sprung undercarriage skids, but a fixed tailplane and hinged elevators were introduced and the fuselage lengthened by 2ft 6in for the majority of machines from No.82 onwards, when the type became known as the Prier-Dickson because of the latter's involvement.
   After Prier left the company Henri Coanda designed a side-by-side two-seater, of which three were built.

   Power:
   50hp Gnome seven-cylinder air-cooled rotary. Three PI aircraft Nos.46, 56 and 57. Eleven short fuselage two-seaters Nos.58, 71-76, 83, 84, 90 and 94.
   70hp Gnome seven-cylinder air-cooled rotary. Ten long fuselage two-seaters and three side-by-side Nos.82, 85, 89 and 107-109.
   35hp Anzani three-cylinder air-cooled fan type radial. Seven single-seaters Nos.68, 81, 95-98 and 102
   40hp Isaacson seven-cylinder air-cooled radial. Replacement for 50hp Gnome. One single-seater No.56.

Data PI single-seater
   Span 30ft 2in
   Area 166 sq ft
   Length 24ft 6in
   Height 9ft 9in
   Weight 640 lb
   Weight allup 820lb
   Speed 68 mph

Data School single-seater
   Span 30ft 2in
   Area 166 sq ft
   Length 24ft 6in
   Height 9ft 9in
   Weight 620 lb
   Weight allup 780lb
   Speed 58 mph

Data Short fuselage two-seater
   Span 32ft 9in
   Area 185 sq ft
   Length 24ft 6in
   Height 9ft 9in
   Weight 650 lb
   Weight allup 1,000lb
   Speed 65 mph

Data Long fuselage two-seater
   Span 34ft
   Area 200 sq ft
   Length 27ft
   Height 9ft 9in
   Weight 660 lb
   Weight allup 1,080lb
   Speed 65 mph

Data Side-by-side two-seater
   Span 35ft 6in
   Area 200 sq ft
   Length 27ft
   Height 9ft 9in
   Weight 660 lb
   Weight allup 1,080lb
   Speed 65 mph

BRISTOL biplane Type T. (Challenger-Dickson)

   This single-seat racing biplane was a new design based on the Boxkite experience and recommendations by Capt. Dickson. Five of the type were built and a sixth partly finished.
   The first, Works No.45, was flown by Tabuteau in the Circuit de l'Europe in June-July 1911, in which he finished ninth. Works Nos.51,54 were built for a team to compete in the Daily Mail Circuit of Britain Contest held in July 1911, but none achieved success in this.
   The first four machines had 70hp Gnomes, but No.54 was fitted with a 60hp Renault; No.78, the last machine, was not completed, but would have had a 100hp Gnome; No.51 was sold to a private owner and was fitted with a 50hp Gnome, but was soon involved in a fatal crash. One of the remaining machines was converted to become the Challenger-England biplane No.59 (q.v.).
   The first machine had twin rudders set close together, but on the later machines the rudders were moved into line with the booms. Other changes were made to the nacelle and flying controls.

   Power:
   70hp Gnome seven-cylinder air-cooled rotary. Works Nos.45, 51,53.
   60hp Renault eight-cylinder air-cooled vee. Works No.54.
   100hp Gnome seven-cylinder air-cooled rotary. Works No.78 not completed.
   50hp Gnome seven-cylinder air-cooled rotary. Fitted before sale in No.51.

   Data
   Span 35ft
   Area 350 sq ft
   Length 24ft 6in
   Weight 800 lb
   Weight allup 1,000lb
   Speed 58 mph
   Five aircraft built, one aircraft partly built.


BRISTOL biplane. (Challenger-England)

   This was the conversion to tractor configuration of one of the Type T pushers. The work was mainly done by Gordon England, a pilot with no formal design qualifications but with a good practical background.
   The front booms and elevator were discarded and a new single-seater nacelle was built on the lower wing. A single rudder, centrally mounted tailplane and divided elevator replaced the originals.
   The machine flew from Larkhill in November 1911 and, although not very successful, was flown at intervals by advanced pupils until 19May 1912, when it was taxied into spectators, one of whom was killed. The machine was then dismantled.

   Power: 60hp ENV type F eight-cylinder water-cooled vee.
   Data
   Span 35ft
   Area 350 sq ft
   Length 23ft

BRISTOL BURNEY hydroplanes

   A series of three of these machines with buoyant hulls, buoyancy bags in the first case, and hydrofoils on legs for lifting the machine from the water, were built. The original biplane suggested by Lt. Burney RN was not constructed, as Barnwell had reservations and he proposed a larger monoplane, two versions of which were both built and tested. The design required the use of both air and water propellers.


BRISTOL BURNEY X.1 biplane

   This was to be a two-seater biplane based on the GE.1 design, to which it was proposed to add five flotation bags below the wings and fuselage. Three hydroped legs carrying hydrofoils were immersed when the machine was at rest and two of these carried underwater propellers, driven from the single engine. The transfer of power from water to air propeller was effected by engaging and disengaging clutches on a countershaft mounted between the cylinder banks. The X.l was not built.

   Power: 60hp ENV type F eight-cylinder water-cooled vee.
   Data
   Span 34ft
   Area 325 sq ft
   Length 30ft


BRISTOL BURNEY X.2 monoplane

   This second design was built as a flying boat with a planked and sealed hull. It was a side-by-side two-seater monoplane with dual controls and wing warping for lateral control. A similar layout to that of the X.l, was used, with three hydropeds and hydrofoils and water propellers on the two front legs.
   Trials were carried out at Dale in May 1912, but damage to the hydrofoils occurred during taxiing before the airscrew could be engaged. During later tests with both air and water propellers engaged the engine proved to be insufficiently powerful. On 21 September 1912, during towing tests with engine removed and equivalent ballast, the aircraft rose and sideslipped into the water and the resulting damage was not repaired.

   Power: 80hp Salmson (Canton-Unne) seven-cylinder water-cooled radial.
   Data
   Span 55ft 9in
   Area 480 sq ft
   Length 30ft 8in
   One aircraft built Works No.92.


BRISTOL BURNEY X.3 monoplane

   A larger replacement for the X.2 was begun in May 1913. The hull framework was made at Filton, but was made lighter by being covered with 'Consuta' wire-sewn plywood, this work being carried out by SE Saunders Ltd. at Cowes. The lateral control was by ailerons. In addition to the hydrofoil legs a central mounting for contra-rotating water propellers was adopted to cancel out torque reaction and improve stability.
   Initial trials in 1913 were carried out with an 80hp Gnome engine installed and with the wings replaced by a temporary structure with floats at the tips. The main hydropeds were fitted with both water rudders and elevators. An elevator just behind the airscrew was operated in conjunction with the clutch, when the airscrew was engaged.
   The final aircraft was ready for testing by Harry Busteed in June 1914, but it grounded on a sandbank and was damaged. Further work was not approved and the machine was stored until 1920, when it was scrapped. One aircraft built Works No. 159.

   Power: 200hp Salmson (Canton-Unne) 2.M.7 fourteen-cylinder water-cooled radial.
   Data
   Span 57ft 10in
   Area 500 sq ft
   Length 36ft 8in

BRISTOL COANDA monoplanes. (Henri Coanda)

   After working in France, Henri Coanda, son of the Rumanian War Minister, began work as a designer at Bristol in January 1912. After carrying out some redesign of the Prier-Dickson monoplanes, he followed with a tandem two-seater of similar type. The prototype, Works No.77 went to Larkhill for testing in March 1912 and was followed by a batch of five more for Italy and Rumania. In March a side-by-side version, Works No.80 was flown followed by a further six, of which Italy purchased two and Rumania three.
   Two of a variant for the British Military Trials were produced later in the year, Works Nos. 105-106 and both were entered. After achieving joint third place, both were bought by the War Office for operation by the RFC as serial Nos.263 and 262 respectively. The former machine crashed with fatal results to the crew on 10 September 1912, and this initiated a ban by the War Office on the use of monoplanes, which was to have far-reaching effects, although the Admiralty continued with their use.
   A single machine built with new wings, Works No.111, was tested but was not a success. The final version of the Coanda monoplanes was affected by the accident and although twenty were built, most were converted to biplanes. The overseas sales, mainly to Rumania and license manufacture in Italy, were badly affected, resulting in only one machine being built by Caproni.
   All machines were built as two-seaters except for Works No.183, known as the SB.5, construction of which for Italy was discontinued. The fuselage was used later in the construction of the Scout Type A.

   Power:
   50hp Gnome seven-cylinder air-cooled rotary. Six school aircraft, Works Nos.77, 132, 186-189. Seven side-byside, Works Nos.80, 110, 164-166 and 176-177.
   80hp Gnome seven-cylinder air-cooled rotary. Two Military Trials aircraft, Works Nos. 105-106
   70hp Daimler four-cylinder inline water-cooled. One aircraft, Works No.111.
   80hp Gnome seven-cylinder air-cooled rotary. Twenty aircraft approx., Works Nos. 118, 121-123, 131, 142, 154 and 196 plus one built by Caproni

Data School
   Span 40ft
   Area 275 sq ft
   Length 27ft
   Height 7ft
   Weight 770 lb
   Weight allup 1,100lb

Data Side-by-side
   Span 41ft 3in
   Area 275 sq ft
   Length 27ft
   Height 7ft
   Weight 770 lb
   Weight allup 1,100lb

Data Military Competition
   Span 40ft
   Area 242 sq ft
   Length 28ft 3in
   Height 7ft
   Weight 1,000lb
   Weight allup 1,710lb

Data Daimler
   Span 39ft 4in
   Area 260 sq ft
   Length 30ft 9in
   Height 7ft
   Weight 1,200lb
   Weight allup 1,850lb

Data Military
   Span 42ft 9in
   Area 280 sq ft
   Length 29ft 2in
   Height 7ft
   Weight 1,050lb
   Weight allup 1,775 lb

BRISTOL COANDA hydro-biplanes

   A central float two-seater seaplane, attributed to Coanda but similar in some respects to the GE.3 land-plane, was sent to the Saunders works at Cowes for trials early in 1913. The float, designed by Gnosspelius, was too heavy and the machine could not lift off from the water by pilot Harry Busteed. A Saunders-made Consuta float was fitted, and on 15 1913 the aircraft took off successfully, but engine failure necessitated an emergency alighting, the force of which burst the float and nearly resulted in the drowning of Busteed. The aircraft, Works No.120, was destroyed and a replacement for the Admiralty (Serial No. 15) was provided by conversion of one of the Coanda monoplanes (Serial No.121). This was tested initially as a land-plane at Larkhill but needed a new fuselage. After the rebuilding it was tested as a seaplane in September 1913 at Dale in Pembrokeshire. It was further rebuilt as Works No.205 and delivered again early in 1914. Further improvements were needed and the machine was again largely rebuilt with staggered wings with ailerons and a new fin, identified as Type TB.8H.

   Power: 80hp Gnome seven-cylinder air-cooled rotary.

Data Works No.120 (No type number)*
   Span 38ft 8in
   Area 436 sq ft
   Length 27ft 10in
   *As a land-plane before conversion to No.205.

Data Works No.121 (TB.8)
   Span 37ft 8in
   Area 450 sq ft
   Length 29ft 2in
   Weight 970 lb
   Weight allup 1,665lb
   Speed 65-75 mph
   Endurance 5hr

Data Works No.205 (TB.8)
   Span 37ft 8in
   Area 450 sq ft
   Length 30ft 6in
   Weight 970 lb
   Weight allup 1,650lb
   Endurance 4hr


BRISTOL COANDA biplane Type BC.2

   This project for a large seaplane was prepared for the Admiralty between April and June 1913 before the TB.8H, Works No.205, was accepted. It was to be fitted with a 200hp Clerget V8 water-cooled engine with two-speed reduction gear. In the spring of 1914 the Admiralty again pursued the purchase of two large seaplanes with the two speed gear. Works Nos.1478 were allocated, but these were eventually built as TB.8 aircraft.

BRISTOL COANDA biplane Type TB.8

   The first of these two-seater land-planes for the Admiralty was made by the conversion of one of the redundant monoplanes (No. 144). It flew on 12 August 1913 at Eastchurch for the first time. It was rebuilt after a crash as Works No.225 with a vee type undercarriage and served in the RNAS from April 1914, still with its original serial No.43.
   The TB.8 was most successful, and ten of the monoplanes, previously supplied to Italy Germany and Rumania, were bought back for conversion. After this new biplanes were built from Works No. 197, fitted with various engines to a total of fifty-three aircraft, mainly for use by the RNAS. The delivery of the last aircraft took place in early 1916. An exception was Works No.218, the only side-by-side TB.8 converted from the monoplane No. 177 and used at Larkhill.

   Power:
   80hp Gnome seven-cylinder air-cooled rotary.
   60hp and 80hp Le Rhone seven-cylinder air-cooled rotaries.
   50hp Gnome seven-cylinder air-cooled rotary.
   100hp Gnome Monosoupape nine-cylinder air-cooled rotary.

   Data
   Span 37 ft 8 in
   Length 29 ft 3 in
   Area 450 sq ft
   Weight 970 lb
   Weight allup 1,665 lb
   Speed 65-75 mph
   Endurance 5hr
   Aircraft built.WorksNos.il 8, 121, 143-4, 147-153, 196-198, 218, 225, 227-228, 331, 342, 870, 893


BRISTOL COANDA biplane Type GB.75.

   This two-seater biplane was designed as an improvement on the TB.8, and was largely the work of Frank Barnwell. It was ordered by the Rumanian Prince Cantacuzene and was flown for the first time at Larkhill on 7 1914. Trials continued into June to overcome cooling and balance problems. The order was canceled at the end of June and, after an engine change, the aircraft was taken over by the RFC as serial No.610 or 601. It was exhibited at the Olympia Aero Show in March 1914.

   Power:
   75hp Gnome Monosoupape seven-cylinder air-cooled rotary.
   80hp Gnome seven-cylinder air-cooled rotary.

   Data
   Span 37ft 8in
   Area 450 sq ft
   Weight 970 lb
   Weight allup 1,650lb
   Speed 65-75 mph
   Endurance 5hr
   One aircraft built. Works No.223.


BRISTOL COANDA biplane Type RB

   A project for a two-seater tractor biplane with staggered seats, believed to be for Prince Cantacuzene and to be fitted with the 75hp Gnome Monosoupape that he had supplied for the GB .75, was prepared in May 1914.

BRISTOL GB.1 biplane

A design was prepared by Barnwell for a single-seat racer to compete in the 1914 Gordon Bennett Contest, to be held in September, which was canceled by the war. The Board had earlier decided not to compete in the event and the machine was not built. It was similar in layout to the contemporary Scout, but with a fin, and was to be fitted with a 100hp Gnome Monosoupape engine.


BRISTOL SCOUT biplane Types A and B

The redundant fuselage of the monoplane SB .5 (Works No. 183) was the basis on which Barnwell designed a small single-seat biplane (Works No.206), which arrived at Larkhill for testing by Busteed in February 1914. After initial trials it was required for display at the Olympia Aero Show opening on 16 March 1914. Soon after the Show the Scout was fitted with increased span wings at Filton and was re-flown in May.
In June Lord Carbery bought the airframe for ?400 and installed his own Le Rhone. In the race from London to Manchester and back he damaged the machine during an intermediate landing. After repair at Filton he used it for a race from London to Paris and back on 11 July 1914, but ran out of fuel on the return leg and came down in the Channel. Carbery was saved but the Scout was lost.
Two additional machines were already in hand (Works Nos.229, 230) with some improvements to the cowling and wing bracing and became known as the Scout Type B. The machines, which had not flown when war was declared on 4 August 1914, were requisitioned by the War Office and identified with serial Nos.633 and 648 and then flown to Farnborough on 21 and 23 August 1914. Both saw service in France, and 633 at least was fitted with fixed rifles firing either side of the airscrew.
The performance of the Scout was sufficiently good to result in further orders for improved versions, the Types C and D, which were ordered in considerable numbers and delivered from 1915 onwards.

Power: Scout A and B 80hp Gnome seven-cylinder air-cooled rotary. Scout A also had 80hp Le Rhone seven-cylinder air-cooled rotary.

Data Scout A
Span 22ft & 24ft 7in
Area 161 sq ft and 198 sq ft
Length 19ft 9in
Height 8ft 6in
Weight 617 lb and 750 lb
Weight allup 957 lb &1,100 lb
Max speed 95 and 100 mph
Initial rate of climb 800ft per min
Endurance 3 and 5hr
One aircraft built Works No.206.

Data Scout B
Span 24ft 7in
Area 198 sq ft
Length 20ft 8in
Height 8ft 6in
Weight 750 lb
Weight allup 1,100lb
Max speed 100 mph
Initial rate of climb 1,000ft per min
Endurance 2 1/2 hr
Two aircraft built Works Nos.229, 230

CANDLER STELLA or MONOFOIL monoplane (Hilda Vale Rd., Farnborough, Kent)

   This single-seat tractor monoplane, similar to a Bleriot, was being built in 1909-1910 for H.A. Wagstaff Candler of London. The construction was earned out by the Farnborough Aviation Works in Kent, assistance being provided by C.H.M. Alderson (q.v.). The Stella, also referred to as the Monofoil, was offered in an incomplete state to the Science Museum in 1926, but was not accepted.

   Data
   Span 30ft
   Area 247 sq ft
   Length 26ft
   Weight 250 lb


ALDERSON monoplane (C.H.M.A. Alderson, Farnborough Aviation Works, Farnborough, Orpington, Kent)

   Few details of this machine, reported built in 1910, can be traced. Alderson, who formed his company in 1909, had been actively interested in aviation since he experienced a balloon flight in France in 1880. In 1901 he assisted Thomas Moy with experiments with a model ornithopter and in 1905-1909, as a friend of Frederick J. Stringfellow, he assisted with the reclamation of the Stringfellow artifacts for donation to the Science Museum. A member of the Aeronautical Society and Aeronautical Institute and Club, he contributed to the building of the Candler Stella (q.v.) in 1909 at his works. In that year he appealed for funds to complete his aircraft, which may have referred to the Candler Stella, which was never completed.
   However, in March 1910 The Times reported that Alderson had built a monoplane of 38ft wingspan with a 50hp four-cylinder engine. The weight without engine was 250 lb. In August 1910 Alderson visited Cumberland, where he had been born in 1854 and while there flew a Cody kite. At this time he was reported to be building a biplane to be named The Brae, of which nothing further was heard. Alderson died in 1929.

CAYLEY GLIDERS (Sir George Cayley, 1773-1857. Brompton Hall, near Scarborough, Yorkshire)

   Sir George Cayley was a scientist and inventor in a number of fields and included aeronautics among his studies. In articles in various journals he described the principles and configuration of the aeroplane. Much of his work is recorded in his notebooks, which have survived, and he is internationally regarded as the inventor of the aeroplane in its basic form. Apart from his designs for gliders, he published a scheme to a 'borrowed' theory for a double rotor helicopter in 1842. He realized the need for a source of lightweight power other than manpower and experimented with a gunpowder engine, but none of the craft actually constructed was fitted with an engine.
   His known designs of full size gliders, realized over a period of forty-two years were flown mostly with ballast, but later a boy and finally a man, his coachman, were carried aloft.


CAYLEY monoplane glider No.1, 1809

   This machine, which had a wing area of 300 sq ft and a loaded weight of 140 lb, was fitted with a tail unit with adjustable rudder. The glides were initiated by towing and, in some, ballast was carried, although in certain conditions the lift generated was sufficient to carry the man or boy towing the machine into the air.


CAYLEY triplane glider No.2,1849.

   A sketch of this triplane glider was found by C.H. Gibbs-Smith in 1961. It was operated mainly with ballast, but carried a boy on a few occasions for short glides.
   The triplane wing structure was extended aft to carry a cruciform tail unit and a boat shaped nacelle was carried on struts below. The whole machine rested on three lightweight wooden wheels. Control was provided by a second cruciform tail unit on a pole at the rear of the nacelle and by adjustment of the upper elevator by cords from the nacelle. Two wings of 6 ft span were also fitted for control by the pilot, so that Cayley could observe their effect on the glide angle.

   Data
   Wing area 338 sq ft
   Weight 130lb


CAYLEY monoplane glider No.3,1853

   Also referred to as possibly a biplane or triplane, this monoplane design was described as 'a Governable Parachute' and information on it was published in Mechanics Magazine of 25 September 1852. This is believed to be the version tested in 1853 which made the first known manned glider flight of some 500 yards across Brompton Dale. Apart from the use of a monoplane lifting surface, the general layout was similar in most respects to the 1849 glider. The empty weight was 165 lb.
   Subsequent to the finding of Sir George's notebooks in the 1960s, a reproduction of this machine was constructed. This was towed or launched by bungee when flown for filming purposes, prior to being housed in the Museum of Science and Industry, Manchester.

T.W.K. CLARKE & Co. (14 Union St., later at Crown Works, 22a High St. Kingston-on-Thames and also High St., Hampton Wick, Kingston Bridge)

   T.W.K. Clarke was very active from about 1906 in model making and flying, and, having a learned approach to the problems of flight, gave a number of lectures on the subject. His business originally sold models and materials and progressed to full size gliders. Later, powered machines were built, mainly to other people's designs, and propellers were a specialty. He advertised gliders from ?40 and aeroplanes from ?200, less engine, in 1909 and although the quality of the company's products was highly praised, there is evidence of only a few machines being constructed. There was little publicity given to clients' machines which may account for the few types recorded.
   From at least September 1911 to February 1913 he operated from Crown Works, the original boathouse of Alfred Burgoine, but when he moved to Hampton Wick the company appears to have supplied materials, components and models only. It is understood that Clarke joined the staff at Farnborough during the war. The premises at Kingston have long since disappeared.


CLARKE biplane glider 1906-1907

   This rather frail-looking biplane was originally fitted with a plain rectangular front elevator but later triangular extensions were added. It appears that a launching rail was first tried, but later testing was carried out as a kite, before Clarke himself accomplished glides. These took place on Cooper's Hill, now known as Telegraph Hill, near Manor Rd. South, Hinchley Wood, at the time when this was an open area. Subsequent trials took place near Aldershot.

   Data
   Span upper 39ft
   Span lower 31ft
   Chord 5ft 3in


CLARKE biplane glider 1909-1910

   This equal span biplane with tail mounted elevators and rudder was probably inspired by one of the Chanute types. The operator rested on pads under his arms, on the rails of the main frame, and stood in the cutaway in the center section of the bottom plane and could perhaps transfer his weight to the rear spar when in flight. Two levers controlled the rudder and elevators, which could also be warped independently.
   The glider was first shown at the Stanley Show at the Agricultural Hall, Islington in November 1909 and has survived in the Science Museum's National Collection. It has recently been exhibited at the RAF Museum, Hendon.

   Data
   Span 22ft
   Chord 3ft 9in
   Length 10ft


CLARKE glider 1910

   A simple tailless glider was designed by Clarke especially for The Aero, which published working drawings on 12 December 1910 to enable their readers to build the machine. It was an equal span biplane with a forward mounted elevator earned on double booms. There was no fin or rudder and no ailerons or provision for wing warping.
   The aviator picked up the glider and ran down a hill with it until flying speed was reached. He then lifted himself bodily on to the machine with his feet on the skids. His right hand operated the elevator by means of a cable mounted on a wing strut.

   Data
   Span 24ft
   Chord 4ft 3 in
   Length 14ft lin
   Height 5ft 11 in
   Weight c. 120lb


CLARKE monoplane glider 1918

   During 1918 a tailless monoplane glider with considerable sweep-back and tip mounted ailerons was photographed in the Farnborough area. It is not known if this had official backing or was a private venture and may even have been a survivor from Clarke's prewar activities.

CODY AIRCRAFT

   Samuel Franklin Cody, real name Cowdery, was engaged by the Army's Balloon School, and based with the Balloon Factory at Aldershot as Chief Kiting Instructor in February 1905. A set of his kites had been ordered by the War Office, and these had been made by Cody in his workshop at the Crystal Palace. He had already supplied four sets to the Admiralty, which were also made there or at his earlier premises at Alexandra Palace.
   During 1905 the Balloon Factory moved to Farnborough and Cody continued his work there although he retained his own premises at the Crystal Palace, where he constructed and tested a large kite like glider. This was moved to Aldershot and later to Farnborough, where it was flown successfully until September, when it crashed heavily, seriously injuring his son Vivian. The method of operation was to fly it as a kite to the required height and the pilot, lying prone on the lower wing, controlled the resulting glide to earth.
   There followed a period of effort with the Nulli Secundus airship before the next heavier than air machine appeared. This was the Motor Kite, and was generally operated on a wire between poles, although it may also have been flown freely.
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CODY biplane glider

   In 1905 Cody built this large glider, which had kite like construction and was designed to be easily transportable. It was subject to a number of changes in the course of its use until September when it crashed, badly injuring Vivian Cody.
   The basic strength of the glider was provided by two 26ft lengths of bamboo, joined at the center, which could be separated to collapse the wings, together with six 10ft removable vertical poles. The outlines of the wings were encircled by cables which braced the fabric when the machine was assembled. The vertical struts fitted into pockets, forming fins above and below the wings and the central spar fitted into triangular wingtip panels, and with bracing wires in each bay, formed a rigid but extremely light structure when assembled. A tailplane and rudder were fitted and, at one stage, a forward elevator. Diamond shaped ailerons were fitted below the wing, later above the top wing, and may have been operated as elevators also. The pilot lay in a cradle in a cutout in the lower center section operating the control surfaces by cords.
   In addition to Cody and his sons, a number of Army men flew the glider when trials took place at the Long Valley, Aldershot.

   Data
   Span 51ft
   Area 807 sq ft
   Weight 116lb


CODY Motor-Kite biplane

   After the airship Nulli Secundus was deflated in August 1907, Cody used the redundant tail surfaces and incorporated them into a sesquiplane with boxkite center section. Bamboo booms extended aft to carry twin vertical fins with a warpable horizontal tail between. The undercarriage consisted of two bicycle wheels and a continuous curved tail-skid between the booms. Single interplane struts passed through the top wing to form kingposts for bracing wires. The engine, mounted in front of the center section drove a pusher propeller by belt and a long shaft. In this form it was tested running along a wire strung between two poles with the wing warping controlled by ropes from the ground. Subsequently front outriggers with biplane elevators and a prone pilot position, with the controls operated by cords, were provided. In this condition it is possible that Cody raised the Motor-Kite a few inches from the ground for very short distances in the vicinity of the Factory.

   Power: 12-15hp Buchet three-cylinder fantype air-cooled radial driving a 8ft diameter metal propeller.
   Data
   Span 40ft approx.
   Width of center section 12ft between wing panels


CODY biplane glider

   In October 1907 the War Office approved an alternative to the Dunne machine to be manufactured at Farnborough. To test features for the new machine, Cody was empowered to make a simple glider of 36ft wingspan, within a cost limit of ?50. The glider was similar in layout to the Wright biplane, but avoided the simultaneous wing warping and rudder control, which was the basis of the Wright brother's claim to originality. The machine was flown as a kite with control of warping by wires and bridle from the ground.

CODY AIRCRAFT

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   Thereafter Cody turned his attention mainly to the aeroplane which became British Army Aeroplane No. 1 in which he made the first officially recognized flight of a powered heavier-than-air machine in Britain on 16 October 1908.
   The government reviewed the current state of aeronautics with economies in mind and decided to discontinue work on aircraft at Farnborough, as a consequence of which Cody and his contemporary in the field, Lt. J.W. Dunne, were discharged at the end of March 1909. Cody was allowed to keep his aeroplane, but not the engine, although this was loaned to him for a period of time and he was allowed to build a shed on Laffan's Plain on military ground and to operate in the area. British Army Aeroplane No. 1 went through many changes and some crashes during its life and in Cody's ownership became known as Cody No.l. It was followed by six more aeroplanes of five basic types, although most were modified in various ways in the course of their lives. Cody designed and redesigned his aircraft, experimenting and improvising and showing great ingenuity and determination, oft en in most difficult circumstances. Successive types up to No.VI all displayed improvements, which enabled Cody to win a number of prizes, including that for the Military Trials of 1912, with No.V, of which two were built and were the only aircraft that Cody sold. His last machine, No.VI, was that which carried him and his passenger to their deaths on 7 August 1913. At the time Cody was planning to build a machine for a transatlantic flight.
   The type and subtype numbers used are a convenient means of identification and may not have been in use when the aircraft were current.


CODY British Army Aeroplane No.I and IA

   Construction of this machine began in October 1907 and it was substantially complete in the Airship Shed, minus a suitable engine, by January 1908. The Antoinette engine did not become available until July, and in the meantime some minor work was carried out, including fitting a temporary source of power, perhaps an electric motor, to activate the propellers and their drive. For a time, from May, the machine was transferred to a small shed to allow work to proceed in secure conditions. By September the aircraft was back in the Airship Shed and the engine installation was complete enabling it to appear outside for engine and taxiing tests on the 19 September 1908. From this date several hops and minor damage occurred, but on 16 October 1908 a sustained flight of 1,390ft, reaching a height of some 30ft, was achieved. Although this resulted in a crash, with considerable damage, this is officially recognized as the first powered, sustained and controlled flight in Britain.
   The BAA No.I was basically a twin pusher biplane with front elevator, a boom mounted tail rudder and wingtip ailerons near the leading edge. The pilot was seated behind the engine and the machine rested on a two wheel, narrow track undercarriage with a front buffer wheel and a tail-wheel, together with wheels at the wingtips. A flexible triangular panel, 'the fantail', extended from the center section of the top wing to the top of the rudder. A further addition was a 'top rudder' above the wing after which the ailerons were discarded. The radiators were moved outboard to the first interplane struts. In this condition the first flight was accomplished.
   Changes were made during the rebuild, and the aircraft appeared again as No. 1A on 9 January 1909 to fly with streamers attached to check the airflow. Further damage occurred on 20 January 1909 after a flight of 1,200ft but tests resumed again from mid-February until the end of March, when the machine, less engine, was given to Cody upon his discharge from the Factory.
   When the machine emerged at the beginning of the year the 'top rudder', introduced to provide lateral control, and the 'fantail' were removed. The front elevator had been increased in span to 25ft, and in addition ailerons were mounted outboard of this, supported on triangular bamboo booms back to the wingtips. The radiators were moved aft and changes were made to strengthen the undercarriage and wingtip wheels. The machine was lengthened by extending the rear boom. In this condition, a forty yard flight, when a height of 10ft resulted in a stall and a heavy landing, proving the center of gravity being too far aft.
   Before its next appearance on 20 January 1909 the ailerons were transferred to trail on struts mounted on the rear interplane struts and braced by wires. The 'top rudder' had earlier been mounted within the front booms. However, a short flight resulted in a crash when the front booms folded backwards. Changes were made during the subsequent repair, the ailerons being removed and made into a biplane tail, fitted within the rear booms. Triangular flaps were fitted to the front lower wingtips to act as 'spoilers', probably in conjunction with warping. The Factory drawings of March 1909 show most of these changes and illustrate the general configuration of the aircraft when presented to Cody.

   Power: 50hp Antoinette eight-cylinder water-cooled vee driving twin pusher propellers by flat belts.

Data No.I
   Span 52ft
   Chord 7ft
   Gap 8ft
   Area 790 sq ft
   Length 32ft
   Height 17ft
   Weight 2,260 lb
   Weight allup 2,540 lb
   Speed 40 mph

Data No.IA
   Area 857 sq ft including ailerons
   Length 44ft
   Height 17ft


CODY biplane No.lB and 1C

   No.IB. After March 1909, when the aeroplane became his property, Cody continued with its development, still using the Antoinette engine on loan and with the machine still housed at the Factory until his shed on Laffan's Plain was ready in May. He had earlier removed Capper's biplane tail, and on 14 May 1909 was testing a new rudder mounted above the front elevator, instead of within the booms, coupled to twin rear rudders. Lateral control was still being resolved by repositioning the ailerons; at one stage they were again mounted on the rear outboard interplane struts with wire bracings, and also on booms trailing behind the wings on the second and outboard struts.
   Cody flew for over a mile at up to 30ft high in the morning, but crashed in the afternoon while attempting to repeat the performance. In the course of being rebuilt the machine reverted to a single rear rudder and the tailwheel was replaced by a long curved wooden skid referred to as the 'kangaroo tail'. Shortly after the front elevator was increased in span and divided into two separate flaps, capable of differential movement, to provide lateral control.
   In June Cody flew distances up to two miles, in July four possibly six miles, and was contemplating a more powerful engine.

   No.IC. At this stage a major reconstruction of the aircraft took place with the Antoinette being replaced by a French-made ENV and the pilot's position being moved to in front of the engine. The propellers, now driven by chains, were lowered and the radiators moved to the front of the engine.
   Cody flew the reconstructed aircraft on 11 August 1909 for the first time, and considered it a great improvement. A seat was arranged behind the pilot's position and on 14 August 1909 he carried his first passenger. On the 8 September 1909 he flew for 1hr 3min, covering forty miles and reaching a height of 600ft, a record for a flight in Britain.
   Cody took the machine to the Doncaster Meeting in October, but after one short flight it overturned on soft ground and was damaged. Cody, now a British subject, was forestalled in his entry for the Daily Mail ?1,000 prize for a circular flight of one mile, which he could easily have achieved, by Moore-Brabazon on 30 October 1909.
   He subsequently moved to Aintree to compete for the Hartley prize of ?1,000 for a flight from Liverpool to Manchester, in which he was unsuccessful after several abortive attempts. He abandoned further flights with the onset of winter, and the last use of this machine was made in early January.
   At the Doncaster Meeting the machine had acquired the nickname 'Cathedral'.

   Power:
   No.IB 50hp Antoinette eight-cylinder, water-cooled vee driving twin propellers by flat belt.
   No.IC 60-80hp ENV type C eight-cylinder, water-cooled vee driving twin propellers by chains, French-made to British parent company's design.

   Data
   Span 52ft
   Length 44ft
   Chord 7ft
   Area 790 sq ft plus
   67 sq ft when ailerons fitted
   Height 13ft
   Gap 9ft
   Weight 2,200 lb
   Weight allup 2,500lb

CODY biplane No.IIA, B, C, D and E (British Michelin Trophy Type)

   No.IIA. For 1910 Cody planned a smaller machine with single pusher propeller, but much in the style of the last version of his first machine. He required more power and planned to fit a ten-cylinder 100hp Phoenix rotary engine, which did not materialize. The design was changed to accept two 60hp Green engines, but only one was fitted initially. On its first appearance the radiators were above the engine and no horizontal tail surface was fitted. In this form it flew two circuits of Laffan's Plain on 23 June 1910, at about 50ft but crashed on landing, injuring Cody.
   In the course of the rebuild a fixed tailplane was added. Cody took the machine to the Wolverhampton and Bournemouth meetings in June and July, but his flying was limited and no prize money was won. In August he arrived at Lanark with the machine, but he received a second engine on loan from the Green Company. This could not be synchronized, with the other so both were removed. Cody's visit to Lanark was most unsuccessful.

   No.IIB His original French ENV was then fitted and this remained in use until late October. During September he carried nine passengers on various flights, flying 113 miles in the first week and 126 miles in the third. On 30 September 1910 he flew for 1hr 15min and then for 50min. The French-made engine could not be used for the Michelin Contest, for which a ?500 prize and trophy were offered. In late October he refitted the Green on a new single mounting and on 4 November 1910 made an attempt lasting 2hr 25min. He then installed a British ENV, which was on loan, in the first week of November, but after a minor accident on 12 November 1910, this was removed and returned to the ENV company.

   No.IIC. Cody reverted to a single Green and used this until the end of the year, winning the British Empire Michelin Trophy for a flight of 4hr 47min in a closed circuit, calculated as 185.46 miles, on his third attempt on the last day of the year and of the Contest.

   No.IID. Cody exhibited his aircraft at the 1911 Olympia Aero Show, held between 24 March and 1 April. Apart from the various engine changes, to all appearances it had changed very little from its early condition and, by the standards of the day, had proved to be very successful.
   The lateral control was by ailerons aided by differential elevators, operated by sideways movement of the control column. A hand-wheel on the column controlled the rudder. The throttle control was by foot pedal. The undercarriage had spring loaded main legs and buffer wheels at the front; the tail-skid was a long wooden 'kangaroo tail' on which the machine normally rested. Cody could see through the honeycomb radiator, and derived warmth from this and small radiators by his feet. A passenger could be carried on a second plough type seat mounted behind and higher than the pilot.

   No.IIE. (Omnibus) Cody's earlier Michelin Trophy machine was brought back into use at the end of 1911. It flew fitted with an Austro-Daimler engine giving the power that Cody had long been seeking, on 3 January 1912. Twin booms and tail surfaces, reportedly transferred from No.III, were fitted. The performance of the aircraft was greatly improved and later carried Cody and up to four passengers on agricultural type seats mounted in a line at midgap behind him. The aircraft crashed in April 1912 and was not rebuilt.

   Power:
   No.IIA, B and C 60hp Green four-cylinder inline, water-cooled driving a single pusher propeller by Brampton chain. Two engines were fitted briefly but not flown.
   No.IIB. 60-80hp ENV Type C eight-cylinder, water-cooled vee, French-made.
   60hp ENV Type F eight-cylinder, water-cooled vee, British-made driving a 10ft 2in diameter propeller by Brampton chain.
   No.IIE. 120hp Austro-Daimler six-cylinder, inline water-cooled.

   Data
   Span 46ft (49ft including aileron overhang)
   Chord 6ft 6in
   Area 540 sq ft
   Area front 116 sq ft
   elevator
   Area ailerons 101 sq ft
   Gap 8ft 6in
   Length 38ft 6in

CODY biplane No.III (Circuit of Britain Type)

   Cody's third aircraft was again smaller, but built on similar lines to its predecessor. No ailerons were fitted, lateral control being achieved by the use of wing warping and differential front elevators. An obvious change was the use of twin booms and rudders with fixed circular tailplanes, which could be folded against the mainplanes for storage in the confined space of his shed, now needed to house two aeroplanes. As in his previous aircraft, bamboo was used extensively for the booms and control rods, spruce and hickory being used elsewhere.
   The Daily Mail Circuit of Britain Contest started at Brooklands on 22 July 1911 and was over a course of 1,010 miles for a ?1,000 prize. It was won by a Bleriot flown by Lt. Conneau in four days of flying. Cody had problems including poor weather, which extended his time to fourteen days, nevertheless his biplane was the only British-built machine to finish and he was placed fourth. This machine proved to be Cody's most successful aircraft to date and went on to win both of the British Empire Michelin Prizes of 1911.
   Trophy No.l. 29 October 1911. 5hr 15min, a flight of 261 1/2 miles, ?500.
   Trophy No.2. 11 September 1911. 3hr 6 1/2 min, a circuit of 125 miles at 40mph, ?400.
   The machine continued in use for instruction, demonstration and passenger work into 1912, but was crashed badly on 3 June 1912, when being flown by a pupil, Lt. Harvey-Kelly. It was cannibalized to provide parts for a later machine, No.V.

   Power: 60hp Green four-cylinder, inline, water-cooled driving a pusher propeller by chain.
   Data
   Span 40ft
   Area 450 sq ft
   Length 30ft
   Height lift
   Weight 1,750lb
   Weight allup 2,500lb
   Speed range 40-58 mph
   Ceiling 5,000 ft
   Range 350 miles

CODY monoplane No.IV

   Cody began testing this new machine, intended for entry in the Military Trials, in the middle of June 1912. Its life was brief, however, for on 8 July he was forced to land after the engine failed and in the resulting collision with a cow, the machine was damaged beyond repair.
   The aircraft was a shoulder-wing monoplane which rested on a two wheel undercarriage with sprung struts and curved hickory wood struts supporting a central skid with twin front wheels. The skid was extended aft to form a tail support. The front fuselage comprising the engine bay and the side-by-side seating was a spruce structure with cabane for the anchorage of wing bracing wires. The fuselage aft of the cockpit was an unconventional structure of four bamboo longerons, faired with fabric covering tapered to a point. The longerons as they extended aft were splayed out to provide mountings for a fixed cruciform tail, plus pivot points for twin rudders and elevators.
   The engine drove, by chain, the propeller mounted above on a shaft at two thirds engine speed. The radiator was mounted in front of the engine, but behind the chain drive. The exhaust was fitted with a silencer, which doubled as a heater and emerged from the top of the starboard fuselage side. Fuel and oil tanks were housed in the decking in front of the cockpit, which had transparent sides. Although the engine was exposed it is probable that cowlings were to be added later.
   Lateral control was by wing warping, all control movements being made from a central control column between the two occupants. The elevators were operated by a bamboo rod by fore and aft movement and the rudders by cable by a wheel on the column.

   Power: 120hp Austro-Daimler six-cylinder, inline, water-cooled driving by Brampton chain a 10ft 2in diameter Chauviere propeller at two thirds engine speed.
   Data
   Span 43ft 6in *44ft
   Chord 6ft 9in
   Area 260 sq ft
   Elevator area 46 sq ft
   Rudder area 46 sq ft
   Length 37ft *41ft
   Height 12ft 6in * 13ft
   Weight 2,400 lb
   Weight allup 3,100lb
   Speed range 58-83 mph
   *from other sources

CODY biplane No.VA, B and C (Military Trials Type)

   Cody entered both his monoplane and biplane in the Military Trials, but both were damaged about three weeks before the start of the trials. By a great effort he managed to build a new biplane basically using No.III, which had first flown in June 1911, and the engine and parts from the monoplane. He began testing this on 23 July, flying after dusk on some evenings, to have the aircraft ready for the Trials, which began on 4 August, when he flew to Larkhill. He performed so successfully that he was declared the winner of the ?5,000 prize.
   Cody's success resulted in a War Office order for this machine, which became RFC No.301, and a similar one, No.304. No.301 broke up in the air on 28 May 1913, and Lt. Rogers-Harrison was killed when the front elevators, dating from June 1911, failed. No.304 served briefly with the RFC, but after being damaged, was passed to the Science Museum in November 1913, where it is still displayed.
   Some variations existed between the two machines initially, but later they were made identical. The notable differences included the change from anhedral to dihedral setting of the wings; the placing of the rudders closer together and the raising of the elevators. In appearance the Cody V resembled the Cody III except for the shape of the rudders and tail surfaces. The crew area was partly enclosed with fabric.
   After winning the Trials, Cody changed the engine for a 100hp Green and proceeded to win the British Michelin Trophy No.2 of 1912 and a prize of ?600 for a flight of 186 miles in 3hr 26min. After this the Austro-Daimler was reinstalled before the machine was handed over to the RFC at the end of the year. It was exhibited by the War Office at the Olympia Aero Show in February 1913.
   The machine was basically a two-seater but four seats were fitted to VA at one time.

   Power:
   No.VA and B. 120hp Austro-Daimler six-cylinder inline water-cooled driving a 10ft 4in diameter Cody propeller by Brampton chain at 1.75:1 reduction.
   No.VC. 100hp Green six-cylinder inline water-cooled.

   Data
   Span 43ft
   Chord 5ft 6in
   Gap 6ft. 6in.
   Wing Area 430 sq ft
   Area Elevators 60 sq ft
   Rudders 30sq.ft
   Length 37ft 9in
   Height 11ft 6in
   Tail damper planes 10 sq ft
   VA&B. Weight 1,850 lb allup 2,850 lb
   VC Weight 2,000 lb allup 2,800 lb
   Speed range 48-72 mph

CODY biplane No.VIA and B (Water-plane)

   The last Cody aeroplane to be constructed was built to compete in the Daily Mail Seaplane Circuit of Britain, due to start from Calshot in August 1913. It was completed in July and was taken to Eelmoor Flash on the Basingstoke Canal for flotation trials. Thereafter the floats were removed and a wheel undercarriage fitted for flight trials. These included flying the machine to Brooklands on 3 August 1913 for the meeting on Sunday before the Bank Holiday. Cody planned to fly the machine to Calshot on Thursday 7 August for the floats to be fitted. However, in the morning he arranged to take up passengers and while he was flying with W.H.B. Evans, the Hampshire cricket captain, the machine broke up over Ball Hill near Cove and both Cody and his passenger fell to their deaths.
   No.VI was the largest Cody aircraft, and had warping wings and a single front elevator. A large diamond shaped rudder pivoted between the booms and carried a small fixed triangular tailplane. Two seats were fitted in tandem, the pilot's controls and the chain driven propeller were similar to those on previous types. An enclosure to protect the crew was provided after the machine's early appearances.
   No.VIA The narrow track land undercarriage incorporated a central skid serving as a front buffer and rear support. Sprung skids pivoted at the wing leading edge below the intermediate interplane struts prevented contact of the lower wingtips with the ground.
   No.VIB The machine never flew as a seaplane, but the flotation gear consisted of a large three stepped central float with fabric decking. The balancing floats were fitted below the first set of interplane struts. These three floats were made by Harmsworth's Boatyard of Ash Vale, constructors of barges and boats, and were tested by being towed along the canal.

   Power: 100hp Green six-cylinder inline water-cooled driving by chain a 10ft 8in diameter four-bladed Garuda propeller. A four-bladed Integral was due to be fitted.
   Data
   Span 59ft 6in
   Chord 6ft 10in
   Gap 8ft
   Area 770 sq ft
   Area Elevators 75 sq ft
   Area Rudders 40 sq ft
   Area Damper tailplane 25 sq ft
   Length 40ft 9in
   Height 12ft 9in
   Speed range 45-70 mph


CODY PROJECTS

   In 1913 Cody considered establishing his own company for producing aircraft in greater numbers. A catalogue of types was produced in which were listed the No.III biplane and No.IV monoplane, which had been built. In addition there were a smaller and a larger version of No.III, of which there were no sales and these remained unbuilt. The following is the estimated data extracted from the catalogue.

Data 30-35hp
   Weight 750 lb without fuel or pilot
   Lifting surface 400 sq ft
   Width 35ft
   Depth, fore and aft 25ft
   Height overall 9ft 6in
   Test flight 1hr
   Speed range 35-45 mph
   Gliding angle 1 in 7
   Weight carrying 300 lb
   Angle of ascent after 100 yard run on level ground
   First 50 yd 1 in 7
   Next 100 yd 1 in 10
   Next mile 1 in 30
   Price ?750

Data 50-60hp
   Weight 1300 lb without fuel or pilot
   Lifting surface 450 sq ft
   Width 40ft
   Depth, fore and aft 30ft
   Height overall lift
   Test flight Ihr
   Speed range 40-58 mph
   Gliding angle 1 in 6.5
   Weight carrying 800 lb
   Angle of ascent after 100 yard run on level ground
   First 50 yd 1 in 6
   Next 100 yd 1 in 9
   Next mile 1 in 25
   Price ?1,000

Data 100-160hp
   Weight 1850 lb without fuel or pilot
   Lifting surface 500 sq ft
   Width 45ft
   Depth, fore and aft 35ft
   Height overall 12ft 6in
   Test flight 1hr
   Speed range 50-75 mph
   Gliding angle 1 in 5
   Weight carrying 1,000lb
   Angle of ascent after 100 yard run on level ground
   First 50 yd 1 in 4
   Next 100 yd 1 in 6
   Next mile 1 in 20
   Price ?1,200 to ?1,800

   The above details referred to the ordinary types of 'Touring Machines'. Specifications of 50-60hp and 100-160hp 'Special Racing Types' were available on application.


CODY monoplane No.VII (Transatlantic)

   In April 1913 the Daily Mail offered a ? 10,000 prize for a Transatlantic flight, a challenge which Cody intended to accept. He planned to build a monoplane of 120ft span, mounted on twin floats and with a crew of three. For this venture he required a 400hp engine. He prepared a specification for a large twelve-cylinder engine and passed drawings and ?600 deposit to a French company to manufacture. This was abandoned after his death.

COVENTRY ORDNANCE WORKS biplanes

   This company took over the Howard Wright works at Battersea and hangar No.32 at Brooklands in late 1911, and manufactured two biplanes for entry in the Military Trials, due to start in August 1912. Howard Wright and W.O. Manning were responsible for the design and manufacture at Battersea, although Howard Wright resigned in the autumn when the first aircraft was complete. Although there was some similarity, there were also considerable differences between the two machines.


COW Military Trials biplane No.10

   This was a side-by-side two-seater with rotary engine, with fuselage sides parallel in plan view to the tail. The fuselage was mounted above the lower wing, to which it was connected by struts enclosed in a fairing housing the main fuel tank. There was a wide gap between the top and bottom wings, which were connected by four pairs of interplane struts. The wings were tapered, with well-rounded tips and with considerable overhang to the top wing, which was braced to kingposts above the outer pair of interplane struts. The tail unit was unconventional, consisting of small twin fins and rudders and large fixed surfaces on either side of the fuselage. The two rudders and elevators were of similar part circular shape with aerodynamic balance areas. The undercarriage, with central skid, was not sprung and relied on the tires to absorb shocks. The top wing center section was cut away at the trailing edge after the machine's initial appearance.
   Sopwith tested the machine at Brooklands from 5 May 1912 including the first week of the trials at Larkhill, when he was committed to leave to race in America for the Harmsworth Trophy for power boats. On one flight at Brooklands Sopwith carried three passengers, causing the machine to be nicknamed 'Wombus' (W.O. Manning's omnibus). Raynham flew the aircraft subsequently in the trials at Larkhill, where it was forced to withdraw for various reasons after a poor performance.
   After the return of the machine to Brooklands, Manning, still with the company after Wright had left, redesigned the machine which flew in its modified form on 13 January 1913 for the first time. New four-bay wings of increased span and parallel chord were fitted and, as the gap was reduced, the fuselage rested directly on the lower wing. Inversely tapered ailerons replaced wing warping and larger elevators were fitted. A lengthened undercarriage maintained the propeller ground clearance. Later the chain drive was discarded and a smaller two-bladed propeller was fitted. The machine continued in use to the end of 1913.

   Power: 100hp Gnome fourteen-cylinder air-cooled rotary, driving by Renolds chain and shaft at 2:1 reduction a 11ft 6in diameter two-bladed propeller.

   Data 1st Version 2nd Version 3rd Version
   Span top 40ft - 56ft
   Span bottom 24ft 8in - -
   Chord top 6ft tapering to 4ft 6in - -
   Chord bottom 6ft tapering to 5ft 2in - -
   Gap 8ft - -
   Wing area 350 sq ft(1) - 630 sq ft
   Tailplane span - 8ft 2in -
   Elevators span - 11ft 9in 14ft 3 in
   Area tailplane - 35 sq ft(2) -
   Area elevators - 14sq.ft(3) 27.4 sq ft
   Area fin - 4 sq ft -
   Area rudder - 14sq.ft(4) -
   Height rudder - 4ft. -
   Length 33ft 3in - -
   Height 12ft 8in - -
   Weight 1,200lb - 1,100lb
   Weight allup 1,950 lb - 1,900 lb
   Speed range 20-60 mph - -
   (1) Also reported as 337 sq ft. (3) Also reported as 17.3 sq ft.
   (2) Also reported as 31 sq ft. (4) Also reported as 15.6 sq ft.


COW Military Trials biplane No.II

   The second machine for the trials was a tandem two-seater with a water-cooled engine, and although of generally similar conception, varied from the first in many features. The fuselage was narrower and shorter but was still parallel in plan and was mounted higher in the wing gap. A similar center skid undercarriage had the addition of two skids behind the wheels. The wings were reduced in span and parallel with rounded tips and with skids under the wingtips. A single fin and rudder were fitted and both these and the tailplane and elevators were large and curvaceous in shape. The Chenu engine had a gear reduction drive and was cooled by radiators on either side of the fuselage.
   This machine arrived late at Larkhill for the trials and did not fly owing to engine problems. It seems to have been abandoned soon after.

   Power: 110hp Chenu six-cylinder inline, water-cooled driving by gearing at 2:1 reduction a lift 6in diameter four-bladed propeller.
   Data
   Span top 35ft
   Span bottom 22ft
   Tailplane span 10ft
   Elevators span 13ft
   Chord 5ft 6in
   Gap 8ft
   Area 290.5 sq ft
   Tailplane area 35.8 sq ft
   Elevators area 24 sq ft
   Rudder area 10.8 sq ft
   Length 31ft 3in
   Rudder height 5 ft 3 in
   Height 13ft 2in
   Weight 1,250lb
   Weight allup 2,050 lb
   Max speed 68-70 mph


COW biplane seaplane

   A tractor biplane seaplane was ordered from COW under Contract CP40688/13, to be fitted with a 160hp Gnome. It was allotted the RN serial number 54, but was never delivered, although it was still on order in September 1915. It was also listed to have an 80hp Gnome.

DAVIDSON Air-Car monoplane 1897-1898 (George Louis Outram Davidson, Davidson Air-Car Construction Syndicate Ltd., Banchory, Grampian, Scotland)

   Davidson's interest in flight began in 1883, and he intended his machine to operate in a series of lifts, followed by horizontal flights, like a bird; the airflow being regulated by flaps in the wings, as appropriate. Some of his work is covered by patent Nos. 12469/1896 and 13207/1889. Model tests took place at Banchory in 1897 and lift fans were tested by a London consultant, followed by the preparation of a design by a constructional engineer W.L. Hamilton. Finance for construction was sought into 1897, when the project lapsed.
   The machine was a high wing monoplane, with a double-decker fuselage for twenty passengers and crew. The lift was obtained from 22 propellers of 6ft diameter in the wings, with their axes set vertically. These were driven by belts from the powerplant in the center section. Automatic stability in all planes, was to be provided by a pendulum arrangement, controlling the tail surfaces, and directional control by nose rudder or 'beak'.

   Data
   Span 100ft
   Length 48ft
   Height 14ft
   Fuselage width 10ft
   Lift generated 10 tons


DAVIDSON Air-Car monoplane 1906-1908 (Head Office, Jermyn St., London. Construction Site, Nichol's Castle, Denver, Colorado, U.S.A.)

   A second version of the project was revived by Davidson in 1906, working from offices in London, where he engaged A. V. Roe as a draughtsman. In April the project was moved to the U.S.A., where Davidson had mining interests. British patent No. 1960/1907 was taken out in January to protect the design.
   The machine was still a monoplane with deep arched wings, but the lift and propulsion system now consisted of a single large lifter in each wing, the outer half of which protruded from the wing. The vertical axis could be tilted to control the direction of flight, and was a means of overcoming the undulating flight path of the first scheme.
   The incomplete center section, with its rotary lifters, was constructed at Montclair, near Denver, but suffered a mishap when tested on 6 May 1908, with just one Stanley steam engine of only 10hp. No further progress was made with this machine and activities returned to Britain.

   Power: Two 50hp Stanley steam engines driving two 110 blade, 27ft 8in diameter rotary 'lifters'.
   Data
   Span 67ft
   Lift generated 7 tons
   Length 60ft
   Height 13ft
   Fuselage width 8ft
   Distance between 40ft
   axes of lifters

De HAVILLAND biplane No.2

   The second de Havilland machine used the original engine, but was an entirely new design resembling a Farman in layout. The Iris engine was cooled by a radiator mounted horizontally above the fuel tank between the wings. The wooden structure of twin booms, parallel in plan, carried at the front a single elevator, and the tapering rear booms mounted a fixed tailplane and fin, elevator and rudder. The small fixed tailplane was added to overcome tail heaviness. Lateral control was by ailerons, hinged at the trailing edge of the top wings.
   The machine flew for the first time on 10 September 1910, and by November flights up to forty minutes had been accomplished, including some with a passenger. In this month de Havilland applied to Mervyn O'Gorman, Superintendent at Farnborough, for a technical post which he took up in January 1911. In addition, the aircraft was purchased for ?400 by the War Office and used at Farnborough for development work, being renamed FE.l after its acceptance in January 1911. The foreplane and front booms were removed during the course of this work.

   Power: 45hp Iris four-cylinder horizontally opposed water-cooled driving a two-bladed wooden propeller.
   Data
   Span 33ft 6in
   Chord 5ft 6in
   Gap 5 ft 6in
   Area 340 sq ft
   Weight allup 1,100lb
   Length 40ft
   Speed 37 mph


FE.1 (Farman Experimental) biplane

   This aircraft was not built at Farnborough, but was the second aircraft designed and built by Geoffrey de Havilland, which became Government property in January 1911, when he joined the Factory. It was designated FE.l, and survived at Farnborough until 15 August 1911, when it was crashed by Lt. T. Ridge and became the subject for a 'reconstruction' as FE.2.
   In its short life at Farnborough, it was improved and used for experiments with new tailplane, elevator and wing extensions, including flights with the front elevator removed. An altitude of 920 feet was reached and passengers were carried on a number of occasions which included tuition for Lt. Ridge, who was the Assistant Superintendent of the Factory.

   Power: 45hp Iris four-cylinder horizontally opposed water-cooled
   Data
   Span 33 ft
   Length 40ft
   Area 340 sq. ft
   Weight allup 1,100lb.

DONOVAN monoplane (Donovan Aeroplane Co., West Hartlepool. Built by the Howcroft Carriage Co., Oxford Rd., West Hartlepool)

   This machine was built by the Howcroft Company as a result of the initiative of Capt. Joseph Donovan, who interested a group of friends in the project, and who formed a company in May 1909. It was to be a two-seater based on Patent No.21618/1909 taken out by Donovan.
   The engine was designed and tested in two-cylinder form by Mr. Harry Fothergill, a trained engineer of Richardson, Westgarth Ltd. The six-cylinder version was completed by Gale's, a local garage.
   The machine was an annular wing pusher monoplane with the additional feature of twin contra-rotating lifting screws, a type later described as a 'convertiplane'. The main framework of struts and spars, made of sycamore wood, contained a central platform, above which was mounted the circular canvas wing. The platform provided the mounting for the engine and the operator's station. Power was taken by belts and shafts to the contra-rotating pusher propellers and, at right angles, by a similar arrangement to the lifting blades. The pairs of screws were not coaxial, but were offset from one another, the final drive being by spur gearing to provide contra-rotation.
   A tall rudder behind the pusher propeller was pivoted between the top and bottom members of the frame. An elevator, identified as a 'scaling rudder', ahead of the operator, was to be set at an angle of forty-five degrees for takeoff and, with the lifting screws engaged, the machine was intended to take to the air, by a combination of vertical thrust and wing induced lift. When airborne, a clutch could then release the drive to the lifting screws leaving full power available for propulsion. The machine rested on three wheels, the front pair being mounted on two flexible skids, and were designed to be jettisoned after takeoff to save weight. It was envisaged that the wing would act as a parachute to cushion the landing.
   Unfortunately Capt. Donovan and his associates had no real appreciation of the design requirements and the aircraft proved to be excessively heavy. It was housed in a shed at Rift House Farm and when brought out for trials on 25 October 1909, failed even to taxi. It was eventually sold for ?35 at auction a year later.

   Power: 30hp Fothergill six-cylinder inline water-cooled.
   Data
   Span 28ft
   Weight 1,000lb

DUNNE aircraft (J.W. Dunne, Lt. and Capt., Balloon/Aircraft Factory, Farnborough 1906-1909. Blair-Atholl Syndicate Ltd., 1 Queen Victoria St., London EC, 1909-1914)

   Lt. Dunne was transferred onto halfpay owing to being physically unfit for active service in the Army. He was not a trained engineer but, from 1904, had ideas for aircraft possessing automatic stability. In 1906 he was engaged by Col. Capper to work at the Balloon Factory to develop these ideas, beginning with a glider and later powered aircraft, all relying on swept wings as their main feature. In order to preserve secrecy, when the early machines were ready for trials in 1907-1908, they were taken to Blair Atholl in Scotland with a mainly military team of support personnel.
   As a result of economy measures in 1909, Dunne together with Cody, was discharged from Farnborough, being allowed to keep his aircraft, less the engine, when he severed his connection in March. Thereafter the Blair Atholl Syndicate was formed by several titled men of wealth with offices only in the City, the aircraft construction being carried out mainly by Short Bros, at Leysdown or Eastchurch. License arrangements were later concluded to make the aircraft in the U.S.A. by the Burgess Co. of Marblehead. In France a similar arrangement was begun with the Astra Co. but was concluded with Nieuport.
   The total number of machines built was small, but included two for the War Office in 1913. It soon became evident that there was no great future for machines of the Dunne type and the Syndicate was liquidated and Dunne withdrew from aeronautical work in May 1914.


DUNNE D.1A biplane glider

   This was built at the Balloon Factory in 1906-1907 and taken in a dismantled condition to Blair Atholl for tests, which lasted between July and October 1907. Col. Capper achieved a number of short flights from downhill launches, but the machine was eventually damaged. The glider was an unstaggered biplane with constant chord, swept back wings with negative incidence at the tips, and a drooped trailing edge at the intersection of the wings. There were skids below the center section for landing, but for takeoff the machine rested on a trolley. The pilot was seated on the lower wing and appeared to rely on the inherent stability of the design, as there was no evidence of means of controlling pitch and roll, nor was there a rudder for directional control.


DUNNE D.1B biplane

   The original glider had been built with a view to later conversion to become a powered aircraft, and towards the end of the work in Scotland, the conversion of the damaged glider took place. The powerplant was two Buchet 12hp engines mounted coaxially on a tubular frame, driving twin pusher propellers through flat belts, similar to the scheme used later on the D.4. The takeoff was arranged using a track of wooden planks, but on the first attempt in October, the machine veered off and was badly damaged. The pilot may have been Dunne himself or possibly Lt. Westland. This and the onset of winter, caused the party to return to Farnborough.


DUNNE D.3 glider

   This was a biplane of hang glider type with swept wings, which was to test features of the D4 powered aircraft, of which it was a smaller version. The component parts were taken to Blair Atholl and erected with some difficulty, between 2 and 19 September 1908. The glider was flown for the first time on 20 September 1908 by Lt. L.D. Gibbs. This officer did most of the gliding in the time that the machine was in use until 16 October 1908, during which period a longest flight of 157ft was achieved.
   The top wings had ailerons serving also as elevators, with an auxiliary elevator at the trailing edge of the wing intersection. Two small triangular flaps were fitted later, hinged to the leading edge on either side of the point of the lower wing. These both had straight leading edges and were coupled to the other controls, but were soon discarded after criticism by Lt. Gibbs of their effect on handling.

   Data
   Area 200 sq ft
   Weight 80 lb


DUNNE D.4 biplane

   The wings of D. 1 were used to build this machine, in conjunction with a new tubular steel structure incorporating a sprung four wheel undercarriage, also providing the housing for the powerplant. This was a REP fan-type semi-radial, driving a pair of steel pusher propellers through flat belts, one of which was crossed. The transmission incorporated a clutch, and the shafts carrying the belt pulleys were supported at both ends. The propellers, whose blades were adjustable for pitch, were 6ft diameter originally, but were later reduced to 5ft 7in. The wingtip interplane struts were covered in fabric to form side curtains.
   The machine seems to have been assembled for the first time at Blair Atholl and trials took place there between 15 November and 4 December 1908. Straight runs only were made reaching a maximum of 40 yards airborne distance.
   This was the last machine made by the Balloon Factory and was given to Dunne, less the engine, upon his discharge.

   Power: 25hp REP seven-cylinder air-cooled, fan-type semiradial driving twin pusher propellers
   Data
   Wing area 504 sq ft
   Weight allup 1,035 1b

DUNNE D.6 monoplane

   A new version of the monoplane was described and illustrated in Flight 24 June 1911 (p.542-545) and was reported to be undergoing trials at Eastchurch. The wing was of similar type to that used earlier on Capper's monoplane, but the fuselage structure was considerably changed.
   The main tubular structure was built of two vertical frames 9ft 6in apart, with cross members between, on which an open wooden structure housed the pilot, tanks and engine.
   The wing was attached to the four vertical members of the frame, which extended above to form kingposts for the bracing wires. The radiator was mounted vertically above the centerline. The machine was a single-seater and was built by Short Bros.

   Power: 60hp Green four-cylinder inline, water-cooled driving a 7ft 3in diameter pusher propeller
   Data
   Span 36ft
   Length 21ft
   Chord 6ft 3in tapering to 5ft
   Height lift
   Area 248 sq ft. including ailerons/elevators


DUNNE D.7 Auto-Safety monoplane

   This lighter and smaller machine was exhibited incomplete on the stand of the Blair Atholl Syndicate in March 1911 at the Aero Show at Olympia, placarded as being built to the order of Col. J.E. Capper. The general configuration was similar to the D.6, whose appearance it preceded. It was a reconstruction of the Dunne-Capper monoplane by Short Bros., with Fairey acting for the Blair Atholl Syndicate. Capper had decided in February that his machine should be modified and it was still being worked on when the show opened on 24 March 1911.
   The D.7. was tested in June 1911 at Eastchurch and was still airworthy in the early part of 1912. On 12 January 1912 Dunne flew the machine to demonstrate its stability to Alec Ogilvie and T. O'Brien Hubbard of the Aeronautical Society, during which he wrote a note while the aircraft was flying 'hands-off at 60mph.

   Power 50hp Gnome seven-cylinder air-cooled rotary driving a pusher propeller.
   Data
   Span 35ft
   Weight 1,0501b
   Area 200 sq ft
   Weight allup 1,4091b
   Speed 60mph


DUNNE D.7 bis monoplane

   This was the conversion of the original D.6 to a two-seater with air-cooled engine. It followed the general configuration of the earlier machine but had an additional flap, centrally mounted to improve pitch control.

   Power: 70hp Gnome seven-cylinder air-cooled rotary driving a pusher propeller.
   Data
   Span 35ft
   Area 200 sq ft
   Weight 1,2001b
   Weight allup 1,7281b
   Speed 60 mph

DUNNE D.8 and D.8bis biplanes

   The first of these was a rebuild of the original D.5 but with a propeller driven direct by the engine, replacing the twin propeller arrangement. Some of the weight saved was offset by a most complex steel tube undercarriage structure with narrow track wheels and front and rear skids, supplemented by sprang wing tip skids.
   Dunne was flying the D.8, still with Green engine and the D.7bis monoplane, at Eastchurch in June 1912 after a long illness. Capt. Carden and N.S. Percival also flew the machine in 1912 and 1913. The former obtained his pilot's certificate on it and purchased the machine, although it was subsequently bought back by the Syndicate.
   The Dunne biplane was present at Larkhill in August 1912 during the Military Trials although not as an entry; it still had a Green engine with a single four-bladed propeller. The indications are that it was a partial conversion from the D.5 before the Gnome, which became the standard power plant, was fitted.
   A second D.8 was assembled at Hendon and flew on 18 October 1913 in the hands of the French pilot, Commandant Felix. It was he who had flown the first D.8 to Villacoublay from Eastchurch on 11-12 August 1912 for demonstrations in France in connection with the Nieuport license, which followed the earlier interest of the Astra company. Nieuport produced a machine with a simplified undercarriage, in time to exhibit it at the Paris Show in December 1912.
   The War Office ordered two D.8 aircraft, referred to by Dunne as D.8bis, in March 1913, one was canceled due to late delivery, the remaining aircraft arrived at Farnborough in March 1914 and was identified with the serial No.366. The exact number of the type built is uncertain. There is a reference to a Green-engined machine in 1913, but this may have been confused with the D.8 at Larkhill in 1912.
   Apart from the undercarriage changes, on the second machine onwards, the shape of the side curtains was altered, eliminating the rectangular cutout at the top and tapering the outline at both top and bottom. The control surfaces in the top wings of the D.8 were increased to four, although each pair apparently worked in unison, but were still capable of being moved differentially for control of roll and yaw. The later machines also had the nacelle extended further forward.

   Power:
   50 and 80hp Gnome seven-cylinder air-cooled rotary driving a 8ft 2in diameter Integrale propeller.
   60hp Green four-cylinder inline water-cooled driving a four-bladed propeller.
   Data
   Span 46ft
   Angle of sweep 30 degrees at leading edge
   Chord 6ft
   Area 545 sq ft
   Length 25ft 9in
   Weight 1,400 lb (1,900 lb with Green)
   Weight allup 1,900 lb (2,114 lb with Green)
   Max speed 56 mph


DUNNE D.10 biplane

   The D.10 was a variant of the D.8 and was a two-seater with 80hp Gnome built in 1912, but later converted to D.8 standard.

   Power: 80hp Gnome seven-cylinder air-cooled rotary.
   Data
   Span 45ft
   Area 448 sq ft
   Weight allup 2,202lb
   Max speed 50 mph

DUNNE-CAPPER monoplane glider

   As early as 1905 Dunne had made a model of a monoplane, the design of which was submitted to the War Office and rejected. A full size glider version of this was made at Farnborough in 1907 under Col. Capper's authority. It is believed to have been tested at Blair Atholl, unsuccessfully by Capper, at the end of August during the first official expedition.
   The glider was a parasol monoplane with swept wing and down turned wingtips, which was mounted on a structure of two A-frames, joined by longitudinal members, on which the pilot was supported by his arms, control being effected by weight shift.


DUNNE-CAPPER monoplane

   When designing his early monoplane, Dunne required a 10-12hp engine, but nothing of suitable weight was available, consequently work proceeded on the machine as the glider previously referred to.
   It was not until 5 January 1911 that Capper's monoplane with Green engine was reported undergoing tests on Salisbury Plain (Larkhill) handled by Lt. Cammell. In the week ending 14 January further tests were carried out, in which Col. Capper participated. The machine could not be made to lift and Capper decided that further changes were required.
   In its new form the fuselage consisted of three A-frames, at the lower ends of which, a four wheeled undercarriage and twin skids were fitted. A third skid was fitted forward of these. The pilot and engine were mounted on a floor formed on the crossbars of the A-frames, with a radiator mounted outboard on the port side. The parasol wing, which was attached at the top of the A-frames, was well braced to these, and by additional cables, to three kingposts.
   Parts from the glider, probably the complete wing, were reported to have been used in its construction, which was largely the work of C.R. Fairey and was carried out at Larkhill.

DUNNE-HUNTINGTON triplane

   This unusual machine, variously referred to as a triplane, a biplane or a monoplane, was basically designed by Dunne during the winter of 1907-1908. The layout was passed to Professor Huntington, an active member of the Aero Club, to complete the detailed drawings. The machine was built by Short Bros, at Leysdown, and after a long gestation period, was flying at Eastchurch in April 1910. It went through a number of changes, and was still flying well in April 1913, its original design by this time being quite outdated.
   When operating at Eastchurch in early 1910, the open fuselage structure was originally mounted on a three wheeled chassis and skid plus a tailwheel; later the nosewheel was removed and replaced by two semicircular skids at the front. The front wing was mounted at the nose and had considerable sweep back. On the same level, at the rear end, was a wing of parallel chord, with anhedral on the outboard section. This was also split diagonally to form triangular flaps for control in roll and pitch. The top wing was mounted above the central fuselage and braced to it by struts, and to the rear wing by vertical struts at the leading edge; also by raked struts to the front where the anhedral began. The area between the staggered struts was, at one time, filled in to form side curtains. The pilot was seated well forward of the biplane wings in the inner apex of the vee shaped front wing.
   The engine was a Wolseley water-cooled unit mounted in the center, with the radiator placed well behind. It drove the twin tractor propellers through chains and shafts. A Gnome rotary replaced this heavy installation in 1912, in which form the machine was reported to reach 43 mph.

   Power:
   50hp Wolseley eight-cylinder, water-cooled vee driving twin tractor propellers.
   70hp Gnome seven-cylinder air-cooled rotary.
   Data
   Span 59ft
   Chord 10ft
   Length 50ft

Circuit biplane

   The Daily Mail Seaplane Circuit of Britain, which was due to be held in August 1914, was prevented by the outbreak of war. The EAC aircraft, built to compete as No.5, was to be flown by F.B. Fowler and was also sponsored by Frank Hucks.
   The aircraft was a twin tractor biplane with the engine buried in the fuselage. This drove the two propellers, which were mounted on the first pair of interplane struts, through shafts and bevel gearing. The deep fuselage provided accommodation for two crew, seated side by side, in the open cockpit ahead of the wings, and was large enough for one other crew member just behind, with space for a further man beside the engine.
   The three bay wings were parallel in chord and of equal span with three degrees of dihedral on the lower. Control was by normal ailerons, elevators and rudder. There was no fixed fin, although provision to increase the side area, both above and below the fuselage, was made if found necessary as a result of trials.
   The twin floats, with a single step and air ventilated, were spaced wide apart and of such proportions that wingtip and tail floats were unnecessary.
   There were reports of problems with distortion of the struts mounting the two propellers and although the machine was still at Eastbourne at the end of the year, there was no indication that it had ever flown, and it was dismantled later.

   Power: 100hp Green six-cylinder inline water-cooled driving twin-tractor propellers 8ft 2in diameter by shafts in torque tubes, and bevel gearing.
   Data
   Span 54ft
   Chord 6ft 6in
   Area 700 sq ft
   Length 31ft
   Height lift 6in
   Floats length 19ft
   Floats beam 2ft
   Spacing at centerline 12ft
   Endurance 7hr
   Weight 1,850lb
   Weight allup 2,500 lb
   Speed range 45-65 mph

EDWARDS Rhomboidal biplane. (Walton & Edwards Aeroplane Co., Shed 37, Brooklands)

   First described in Flight on 5 February 1910 (p.87-90), and reported to be backed by a large automobile firm, believed to be Humber, the Rhomboidal made its first appearance at Brooklands on 11 March 1911. It was not until June that attempts to taxi or to fly were made. On 27 June 1911 the pilot, named Martin Rucker, lost control and ran across a ditch onto the racing track, causing severe damage to the machine. There were no further reports and it was apparently not repaired.
   This most unusual form of annular biplane was built around two triangular section longitudinal girders, built up from wooden sections, and was wire braced. The lower girder provided the mounting for the engine and seat for the pilot, and rested on splayed struts, which were the main undercarriage members. These were wire braced and carried twin skids and two pairs of wheels. A nose wheel was mounted at the extreme front and a skid at the rear end.
   The wings, in plan, were in the form of a rhomboid or open diamond shape. The structure for these consisted of builtup spars of streamlined section, at top and bottom, and at right angles to the main girders, with interplane struts between. The shape of the wings was maintained by tension cables along the leading edges and curved battens across the chord, but the trailing edges were allowed to remain flexible. Bracing wires from the top and bottom wingtips were taken down to the undercarriage structure. The twin tractor propellers were mounted on shafts on outriggers and were extensively braced by cables to the main structure.
   Elevators and a rudder were mounted at the tail, but reliance was placed on wing dihedral for lateral balance.

   Power:
   50hp Humber four-cylinder inline, water-cooled driving by chains twin tractor 8ft diameter propellers.
   60hp Green, four-cylinder inline, water-cooled from June 1911.

   Data
   Span 38ft
   Chord 3ft front areas 9ft rear areas
   Area 1,200 sq ft
   Length 48ft
   Height 14 ft 11 in (16ft 10in to top of rudder)
   Weight 1,600lb
   Dihedral 8 degrees

FERGUSON monoplane No.l (J.B. Ferguson & Co., Little Donegall St., Belfast. Later Harry Ferguson Co. Ltd., The May St. Motor Co. Ltd., Belfast)

   Harry G. Ferguson was the designer and pilot, whose first aircraft were constructed by his brother's firm of motor engineers. The machine was completed late in 1909 and although a 35hp Green had been acquired it was abandoned after a temporary flywheel disintegrated on test, and the aircraft was fitted instead with a 35hp air-cooled JAP.
   The machine had an open rectangular section girder fuselage, incorporating an A-frame which formed the upper pylon and continued down as the main members of the complex chassis with central skid. A large wheel supported the tail. The wings were parallel in chord and were fitted with skids in the form of hoops of cane at the tips, and also further inboard. Warping was employed for lateral control. The tail surfaces consisted of a tailplane on the fuselage centerline carrying a triangular elevator, which operated between top and bottom rudders.
   The trials at Hillsborough Old Park using a Beedle propeller, resulted in a few short hops only and, greatly disappointed, Ferguson went off to both Rheims and Blackpool meetings, returning with new ideas for an improved version of his aircraft.
   The second version was ready for testing at Hillsborough in December 1909. This was fitted with a new wing with tapered trailing edge. The undercarriage was simplified and no skid was fitted; a second pylon for bracings was added. On 31 December 1909, after a few short hops, the machine covered 130 yards reaching about 15 feet in height, in a 25-30mph wind, the first flight of an Irish-built aircraft. This was achieved using a Cochrane propeller, which Ferguson regarded as unsatisfactory, together with other propellers that he had tried, and he said so, in rather blunt letters to Flight. He praised a propeller from Clarke of Kingston, which he used later, and with which he was more successful, although changes to the machine no doubt contributed. The flying ground was also unsatisfactory and future tests were to be carried out elsewhere.
   The third version was taken to Massareene Park, County Antrim in April 1910. It had an increased span wing, without the large hoop skids, an increased height undercarriage and a long tapered fin. The rear fuselage was covered with fabric and a large AA badge (Aviation Association of Ireland) was mounted at the nose. A Clarke propeller was fitted. Although some flights were made, the location proved unsatisfactory, also further modifications to the machine were indicated.
   The fourth version was ready for trials in May 1910 and was taken to a the beach at Magilligan Strand, Lough Foyle, County Deny. The aircraft had been considerably modified by the addition of an extra 2ft bay at the nose. The wing had been reduced in span with altered bracings to the raised pylon, now positioned further forward, and without the earlier kingposts. The undercarriage was now fitted with a central skid and the tailwheel was later replaced by a skid. The rudders were triangular and no fin was fitted. Ferguson made a number of flights at Magilligan, increasing steadily to 2 1/2 miles and up to 40ft height by 8 June 1910. On 15 July 1910 the dismantled machine was moved to Newcastle, County Down for a display at Donard Park, but the ground and the weather were unsuitable and he moved to the sands at Dundrum Bay. On 8 August 1910 he was able to cover three miles at a height of 100ft at 35-40mph, for which he won a ?100 prize, donated by the Newcastle Recreation Committee.
   Further improvements were made to the machine, the design of which was now basically established. The new nose bay was made triangular in section, and then reverted to rectangular. The fuel tank, previously carried above the fuselage, was placed inside and then transferred to a position between the undercarriage legs. The fuselage was completely covered.
   Flying continued at Magilligan Point with passengers being carried, including on 10 October 1910, T.W.K. Clarke, the supplier of Ferguson's favored propeller. Later that day the machine crashed badly and was wrecked beyond repair.

   Power: 35hp JAP eight-cylinder air-cooled vee.
   Data Version (1) (2) (3) (4)
   Span 34ft 34ft 40ft 36ft
   Chord 6ft 7ft 7ft 6in -
   - tapering to 5ft tapering to 5ft -
   Length 30ft - - 32ft
   Area 192 sq ft 192 sq ft 292 sq ft 240 sq ft
   Weight - 620 lb 660 lb -
   Weight allup - 760 lb 800 lb 900lb
   Speed - 32mph - 35-40 mph


FERGUSON monoplane No.2

   The second Ferguson monoplane embodied the changes made progressively to the first machine, but except for the engine and possibly minor parts salvaged from the wreck of the first, was completely new. It was taken to Newtownards and took off unexpectedly from the beach in windy conditions on 12 June 1910. The propeller and skid were damaged on landing. On 14 June 1910 Ferguson flew with a heavy passenger, who was injured in the landing when further damage occurred. After repairs it was re-flown at Strangford Lough in October and carried several passengers. Ferguson flew the aircraft at Magilligan Strand in 1912, but was concentrating on his motor business and by January 1913 the monoplane was being flown successfully by O.G. Lywood. John Williams, an associate in Ferguson's company, also flew the machine, but abandoned it after various problems. The engine was salvaged, but the aircraft was not rebuilt.
   The fuselage of No.2 was of triangular section and the aircraft was generally reminiscent of the Antoinette, having triangular tail surfaces, tapered wings, and the pilot seated high above the top longerons. The undercarriage originally had two wheels and a nose skid but was subsequently modified to include a front wheel between the two convergent landing skids; the hollow axle of the unsprung main wheels allowed the warp cables to pass through, and enabled the deletion of the separate underside mounting for the pulleys. Waiping was controlled by lever by the left hand, the elevator being operated by a separate stick. A single A-frame was used as the anchorage for the top cables. The fuel tank was carried across the fuselage, just behind the engine, with room for a passenger seated below the pylon.
   A replica of this aircraft, fitted with the original engine and seat, was built in 1972-1973 for the Irish Aviation Museum by Capt. J.C. Kelly-Rogers, a well-known ex-BOAC and Aer Lingus pilot.

   Power: 35hp JAP eight-cylinder air-cooled vee driving a 7ft diameter Clarke propeller.
   Data
   Span 32ft
   Chord 7ft tapering to 5ft
   Area 180sqft
   Area tailplane 26 sq ft
   Area elevator 11 sq ft
   Area rudders 9 sq ft
   Length 27ft
   Height 9ft 9in
   Speed 55 mph

FLANDERS F.2 monoplane

   Flanders' first aeroplane to be completed was a single-seater tractor monoplane of conventional layout. The fuselage was based on a central structure incorporating two heavy ash members in the forward fuselage, which supported the engine and pilot and included front and rear spar sections, to which the wings were attached. Also included were the main kingpost and a beam, to which the upright members of the undercarriage were attached. The external shape of the fuselage was in the form of a conventional box girder, with plywood covering at the front and fabric at the rear end. The center structure was tapered and extended aft to integrate with the box girder.
   The wings were tapered and braced by steel tapes from the front spar to the undercarriage structure, and to a post above the fuselage. The rear spar bracing cables also operated the warping control. The undercarriage had a central skid, the radius members being sprung and attached to the horizontal beam in the primary structure. Horizontal springs were fitted to realign the wheels, which could deflect under side loads. The tail unit had no fin.
   The Green engine was fitted with a flywheel behind the propeller. Cooling was catered for by two radiators, positioned on either side of the front fuselage partly below the wings. The machine was flown initially by E.V.B. Fisher on 31 July 1911.

   Power: 60hp Green four-cylinder inline, water-cooled driving a 8ft diameter Regy propeller.
   Data
   Span 34ft 6in
   Chord 7ft tapering to 5ft 6in
   Area 200 sq ft
   Length 29ft 6in
   Dihedral 4 degrees


FLANDERS F.3 monoplane

   This was the F.2 converted to a two-seater with increased length and wing area. The second cockpit was positioned in front of the pilot. The warping control cables were transferred to a post below the fuselage, separate from the undercarriage structure, and the pulley was enclosed in a streamlined casing. The side mounted radiators were taller and shorter, and positioned further back in the gaps between the wing and the fuselage. An additional small radiator, with header tank, was fitted behind the engine, which also carried an exhaust silencer. A small fin was also added.
   The F.3 was first reported flying with a passenger on 22 November 1911 and continued in use until 15 May 1912, when it crashed killing the pilot, E.V.B. Fisher, and his passenger.
   During its relatively short career the F.3 was used by Marconi at Brooklands for his ground to air wireless experiments.

   Power: 60hp Green four-cylinder inline, water-cooled driving a 8ft 6in diameter propeller.
   Data
   Span 41ft (also 42ft reported)
   Chord 7ft 8in tapering to 5ft 8in
   Area 240 sq ft
   Area tailplane 22 sq ft
   Length 31ft 9in
   Area elevators 13 sq ft
   Area rudder 6.5 sq ft
   Height 8ft 9in (tail down)

FLANDERS B.2 biplane

   The ABC engine intended for the biplane built for the Military Trials of August 1912, was not ready in time to be fitted, so the machine was towed, without its power unit to Larkhill. The undercarriage of the machine, No. 14 in the trials, was damaged on the way. After repairs, the aircraft took part in the assembly test and subsequently the engine was fitted. After a brief test, mechanical trouble developed, described as a 'tied-up camshaft' caused by a stripped timing gear, and the aircraft was withdrawn.
   The bottom of the fuselage was basically of triangular section with a full-length keel, changing to rectangular in the forward area, to a position behind the rear cockpit, where the bottom longerons joined to the central keel. A rounded decking ran the full length of the top.
   The wings were of two bays with top wing overhang, braced by cables to kingposts above the outer interplane struts. The front inboard struts were of strong ash to carry the loads from the undercarriage, which was mounted immediately below. The axle was sprung and moved in slots in the vertical members, being restrained by a tubular member with a pivot on a vee strut below the engine, which also served to mount a long curved central skid.
   Lateral control by warping of both top and bottom wings was operated by cables and pulleys. A conventional tail unit included an aerodynamically balanced rudder of comma shape.
   Subsequently a 40hp ABC was installed and the machine flew with this for the first time on 22 December 1912, piloted by Raynham, and later also with two passengers in its capacious fuselage. On 29 December 1912 the aircraft was damaged and the wings were then replaced with ones of slightly less span and altered tip shape. A split rudder to serve as an air brake was tried in the spring of 1913, but was soon discarded. In October 1913 a 60hp Isaacson radial replaced the ABC and an improved performance resulted.
   A further engine change was made in June 1914, after it was reported that Lt. R.E.B. Hunt RN had bought the machine, with the fitting of a 70hp Gnome in a circular cowling, with cutaway lower portion. A fin and new rudder were also fitted. The Flanders biplane was taken over by the Admiralty at the outbreak of war, becoming serial No.918 in the RNAS until deleted in January 1915.

   Power:
   (1) 100hp ABC eight-cylinder, water-cooled vee driving a 8ft 6in dia Regy propeller.
   (2) 40hp ABC four-cylinder inline, water-cooled.
   (3) 60hp Isaacson seven-cylinder, air-cooled radial driving a 8ft 6in dia Lang propeller
   (4) 70hp Gnome seven-cylinder, air-cooled rotary.

   Data Version (1) (2) (3) (4)
   Span top 43ft 43ft 41ft 40ft
   Span bottom 27ft 27ft 27ft 27ft
   Chord top 6ft 7in 6ft 7in 6ft 7in 6ft 7in
   Chord bottom 5ft 1in 5ft 1in 5ft 1in 5ft 1in
   Area wings 400 sq ft 400 sq ft 400 sq ft 400 sq ft
   Area tailplane 28 sq ft 28 sq ft 28 sq ft
   Area elevators 14 sq ft 14 sq ft 14 sq ft
   Length 31ft 6in* 31ft 6in 31ft 10in 31ft
   Weight 1,250 lb 670 lb 1,000 lb 1,050 lb
   Weight allup 2,000 lb 1,100lb 1,571lb 1,650 lb
   Speed (mph) 65 (est.) 38-56 40-65 40-68
   * The Aero reported 30ft 6in

FLANDERS F.4 monoplane

   The War Office ordered four F.4 monoplanes in late 1911, and these were built in the new works at Townsend Rd., Richmond, before being taken to Brooklands for final assembly and flight trials. The first machine was flying there by 7 July 1912 in the hands of F.R Raynham, the others being transferred there progressively until 1 January 1913, when the last machine made its first flight.
   The earlier type of fuselage structure was discontinued and a conventional type of box girder now constituted the primary structure, and a decking was provided around the two cockpits. The undercarriage of the first machine failed to satisfy the rough field requirement, when tested at Farnborough in September, and the machine was returned for modification.
   A strengthened undercarriage structure, with separate legs and half axles, was attached direct to the bottom longerons, and was sprung by four rubber cords on each leg. Larger wheels, which did not castor, replaced the original design on all four aircraft. The engine was now air-cooled, thus dispensing with radiators, and a four-bladed propeller was used.
   The general configuration was otherwise similar to the earlier F.3 aircraft except for a pair of parallel chord wings fitted to the fourth machine. Steel tapes, chains and sprockets were used to operate the warp control.

   Power: 70hp Renault eight-cylinder, air-cooled vee with integral fan and ducting. 2:1 reduction gear driving four blades consisting of two separate 8ft 6in Regy propellers.
   Data
   Span 40ft 6in
   Chord 8ft 6in tapering to 5ft 9in
   Area 240 sq ft
   Area tailplane 25 sq ft
   Area elevators 18 sq ft
   Area rudder 10 sq ft
   Length 31ft 6in
   Height 9ft tail up
   Weight 1,350lb
   Weight allup 1,850lb
   Speed range 41-67mph
   Four aircraft built, serial Nos.265, 281, 422 and 439

GAUNT biplane No.l (Apperley Bridge, near Bradford, Yorkshire and Southport Aerodrome Hesketh Rd., Southport, Lancashire)

   Gaunt soon discarded the Cycloplane and proceeded to design and construct a twin pusher biplane. The machine was tested in April 1910 at Apperley Bridge, near Bradford, but on 27 April 1910 a petrol explosion occurred, which damaged the machine and badly burned John Gaunt.
   The machine was rebuilt and was out again in August, but Gaunt had now moved across to Southport, and rented a hangar adjacent to the sands. After engine problems, the machine appeared to be ready to lift off, until damage occurred through the undercarriage sinking into the soft sand on 30 August 1910. It was probably at this stage that Gaunt decided to save the weight of the heavy chain drives and other fittings by converting the machine to a single propeller tractor.

   Power: 30hp Alvaston two-cylinder horizontally opposed water-cooled.
   Data
   Wing area 200 sq ft


GAUNT 'See-Saw' aeroplane

   The following letter, with sketch, appeared in Flight 11 March 1911 (p.213) and described an unlikely looking biplane, which presumably remained unbuilt.
   'I enclose a sketch of the see-saw type of aeroplane that I have invented and for which I claim that it is easier to learn to fly than any other type. The pilot has the whole of the machine in front of him with direct control and "feel" of both elevating and steering handle, which is of gunmetal and similar to the cycle handlebar in use for steering, but with up and down movement for balancing.
   Primarily, the invention is to secure a better sense of direction in beam winds. The present loading of aeroplanes is a central disposition of earned weights, which in a beam wind acts as a pivot for the aeroplane to veer round.
   Features not to be lost sight of are: the compass is a long way from the engine, so is the pilot, and the provision of a hoeshoe or grapnel will be useful to hold back aeroplane whilst starting engine and as an emergency drag in finishing a flight.
   The idea is the outcome of another original machine I have designed, built and flown with an Alvaston Engine. John Gaunt.'


GAUNT monoplane

   Flight reported on 1 April 1911 (p.296), trials at Southport of a Gaunt monoplane, by the Hon. WS. Leveson-Gower RN, of which he was part owner. On a third run on 24 March 1911, the machine rose to 10-15ft, but crashed with damage to the wing, undercarriage and propeller. No other information can be traced on this machine.


GAUNT biplane No.2 'Baby'

   First reports of the 'Baby' biplane appeared in Flight of 8 July 1911 (p.592), when Gaunt made a straight flight of two miles. Straight flights up to 100ft high were reported a week later, and these increased progressively up to 300ft high, and to four miles and return. Gaunt apparently flew regularly at Southport in the summer of 1911, and started to instruct Leveson-Gower on 7 September 1911. The machine was still flying in August 1912, but the end seems to have come on 22 August 1912, when it was damaged in an accident.
   The machine was an unequal span biplane, with the same Alvaston engine and radiators fitted on either side. Control was by wing warping and conventional tail surfaces. The undercarriage was fitted with two wheels and a central skid; a tail-skid and wingtip skids were provided. The machine was constructed in the conventional style of the time, except for the wings, which were covered with thin French plywood; the separate sheets were fitted with eyelets along the edges, and were laced together with cord.

   Power: 30hp Alvaston two-cylinder, horizontally opposed, water-cooled driving a 7ft diameter Gaunt propeller
   Data
   Wing area 208 sq ft
   Weight 600 lb
   Speed 35-50 mph

GEORGE & JOBLING biplane (A.E. George & Jobling, Smith St., Newcastle-on-Tyne, Motor Engineers)

   A.E. George, a racing motorist, acquired the Voisin 'Bird of Passage' but abandoned it after a crash at Shellbeach. He subsequently decided to build a machine of his own design, which he was ready to exhibit at the Olympia Aero Show in March 1910. On 13 May 1910 he flew straights up to 130 yards at Eastchurch and, by the end of May, had made twenty flights. At the end of August George had passed the tests for his pilot's certificate on it at Eastchurch. By October the machine was moved north, but on 6 October 1910 at Gosforth Park, Newcastle damage occurred. The machine had flown 300 miles, with a longest flight of eighteen minutes and, although reported to have been repaired and ready to fly again, there was no further report that this took place.
   This well designed pusher biplane used bamboo for the booms, which were to be replaced by steel tube. It had front and rear elevators, a single rudder and side panels in the front booms. Midgap ailerons were fitted to the front outboard interplane struts, together with warping extensions to the top wings for lateral control. Small side curtains were also fitted. All controls were operated by the hand-wheel and movement of the control column.
   The undercarriage was made of steel tube, and the twin skids could be lowered to aid the passage of the machine over rough ground when alighting. A steerable tailwheel and wing tip skids were fitted.

   Power: 60hp Green four-cylinder inline, water-cooled driving through chain a 9ft dia. G&J propeller at 2:1 reduction on a shaft above the engine, the whole being mounted on a subframe. The radiators were of surface type forming part of the lower wing.
   Data
   Span 30ft
   Chord 5ft 6in plus 1 ft 3in warpable
   Gap 5ft
   Area 325 sq ft
   Area tailplane 50 sq ft
   Area elevators 36 sq ft
   Area rudder 22 1/2 sq ft
   Area ailerons 27 sq ft
   Length 31ft
   Weight 662 lb
   Weight allup 862 lb
   Max speed 48mph

GIBSON biplane No.l (Caledonian Motor & Cycle Works, Leith, near Edinburgh, Scotland. J. and G.T. Gibson, proprietors)

   This pusher biplane was designed and built during 1909 by the Gibsons, father and son, at their Caledonian Motor and Cycle Works. It had the typical layout of a machine of the period, with front and rear monoplane elevators and a fixed tailplane and single divided rudder. These units were apparently supported by lower booms only but were presumably braced also by wires. The chassis consisted of short curved skids carrying two pairs of sprung wheels on separate axles.
   The wings were of equal span, and single acting ailerons were fitted to both top and bottom. The pilot sat on the lower center section, with the engine, fuel tank and radiators on either side. The machine was not capable of flight.

   Power: 30hp Alvaston two-cylinder horizontally opposed, water-cooled.
   Data
   Span 30ft


GIBSON biplane No.2

   The second machine was a reconstruction of the first and was completed in the following year, and flown in August 1910 at Beautland Farm near Balerno.
   The modifications included changing the front monoplane elevator to a biplane unit with twin rudders. The attitude of the machine on the ground was altered by lowering the tail, and rigging the machine with slight stagger. The front and rear booms were full depth strut braced units with additional support at the front, provided by the extended, curved Sommer-type skids, which met at the front elevator attachments.
   The Gibsons built a further nine biplanes, one of which was shown at the Scottish International Exhibition in 1911. During 1913-1914, they were building a machine of 40ft span and had started to design and build an engine. This work was discontinued when war broke out. Of the eleven machines, four were destroyed during testing, one was burned at an exhibition in Brussels, the rest were sold. No detailed information on the design of these has been found.

   Power: 30hp Alvaston two-cylinder horizontally opposed, water-cooled.
   Data
   Span 29ft
   Length 30ft


GIBSON biplane No.3

   A letter from John Gibson published in Flight on 19 February 1910 illustrates the third biplane which they had made and sold. This was a Farman type machine with twin pushed propellers driven by a single engine of unknown make. There were twin fins and rudders and ailerons set at mid gap. There was a conventional undercarriage with two main wheels and a tail wheel. No further details have been found.
   Gibson mentions that they were making a fourth machine of 29ft span and that a fifth was being made for display at the Olympia Show.

GRAHAME-WHITE AVIATION Co. (Claude Grahame-White, Hendon Aerodrome)

   Grahame-White operated a successful motor business and, after a brief period of ballooning, turned to heavier than air machines in 1909, after the developments in France and Bleriot's Channel crossing. He learnt to fly at the Bleriot School at the end of the year, receiving Brevet No.30 of the Aero Club de France in January 1910. Thereafter he set up his own flying school at Pau, later transferring this temporarily to Brooklands. In May 1910 The Aero reported that he rented ground at Park Royal, near the Plumes Hotel, but this report was premature. The report also referred to 'half a dozen monoplanes of Bleriot type', built at his workshop at Walham Green, under the supervision of R.W.A. Brewer.
   The school was moved to Hendon in 1911, where Grahame-White also ran many flying displays, which made Hendon famous. He also established his manufacturing company there, early in 1911, and this operated into the early postwar period, but was forced into receivership in 1922. From 1913 to 1915, J.D. North, later of Boulton and Paul, was in charge of design.
   Farman and Bleriot machines from the French factories had been used by Grahame-White since 1909, but when his school commenced operations the number of machines was increased. The aircraft in use in 1911-1912 were often reported to be 'British-built Farmans' but the number actually made is uncertain. To indicate the scale of operations, reports at times referred to biplane No. 10 and monoplane No.6. A photograph in Flight 11 February 1911 (p. 114) showed five Bleriots, one Farman and one G.W. Baby already available. The manufacture of aircraft developed from Farman types, to those of original design, and the production capacity was enhanced by a large addition of plant and machinery in October 1911.


GRAHAME-WHITE Sommer type biplane

   A single propeller, pusher type biplane with seats for two was exhibited at Gamages store from 6 to 11 June 1910, with which Grahame-White was hoping to fly to Paris from London. It was described as 'British-built', and was constructed before the works at Hendon were established. It was made by the Windham Detachable Motor Body Co. Nothing more was heard of this machine at the time.
   In some respects like a Sommer biplane, the machine had front booms and long curved skids, to which the front elevator was hinged. Rear booms carried a fixed tailplane but no rudder. The front spars of the wings were at the leading edge. Large single acting ailerons hung from the rear spars of the top wings, with additional fixed trailing edge surfaces inboard of these.
   A later reference states that a Sommer biplane was dismantled at Brooklands by Compton Paterson, at that time a GW pilot, and in November it was being reassembled with a Gnome engine for the use of the pupils. Although not confirmed, this is presumed to refer to this machine.

   Power: 40hp Humber four-cylinder inline water-cooled.
   Data
   Span 33ft
   Gap 5ft 9in
   Length of tail, rear of wings 23ft
   Area 450 sq ft
   Weight allup 800lb


WINDHAM biplane No.2

   In 1910 Windham built a biplane for Grahame-White, who intended to use it for a flight from London to Paris, which he never carried out. This machine was exhibited at Gamages in the summer of 1910, and is already described as the Grahame-White Biplane Type 1 (q. v.). It was made before Grahame-White had established his own manufacturing facilities.

GRAHAME-WHITE Baby & New Baby biplane

   While competing in America, in the autumn of 1910, Grahame-White arranged for an aircraft to be constructed to his requirements by the Burgess Co. of Marblehead, Mass. It is recorded here although not strictly British. The machine arrived at Hendon in January 1911 and made its first flight on 11 February 1911 in the hands of the owner.
   The Baby was a scaled down Farman-type, with front and rear elevators carried on booms and with ailerons on all wings, and was capable of carrying a passenger. The platform, for the crew and the engine, was tilted to increase propeller ground clearance, due to the low overall height. The crew were completely exposed in the aircraft as received, but a primitive nacelle was added before the machine appeared at the Olympia Aero Show in March 1911.
   A much modified version for racing had rear booms tapering down to a single tail plane, with semicircular split elevators. The front boom and elevators were removed and a ring cowling fitted round the engine. An undercarriage with two wheels and nosewheel was used.
   A note in Flight 11 November 1911 (p.985), refers to a 50hp Indian-engined version dispatched to California for use during Grahame-White's second U.S. tour. The Indian engine was a modified version of the Gnome made by the Hendee Manufacturing Co. However most use was made of a Nieuport monoplane during this visit.
   In 1911 the Grahame-White Aviation Co. were advertising as manufacturers of the Baby aircraft, but it is not clear how many, if any, were British built. A crate from Burgess, presumably delivering another Baby arrived at Hendon in March 1911.

   Power:
   50hp Gnome (?950) or 70hp (?1050) seven-cylinder air-cooled rotary driving a 7ft 6in diameter propeller mounted ahead of the engine.
   50hp Indian. Gnome made by Hendee.

   Data
   Span 27ft
   Chord 4ft 9in
   Gap 4ft 10in
   Area 235 sq ft
   Area front elevator 19 1/4 sq ft
   Area rear elevator 10 1/2 sq ft
   Area tailplanes 37 1/2 sq ft
   Area rudders 12 1/2 sq ft
   Length 32ft 3in
   Height 8ft 6in
   Weight 420 lb
   Weight allup 655 lb
   Max. speed 55mph improved to 60-65mph in July 1911
   Endurance 1 l/2hr

GRAHAME-WHITE Boxkite type biplanes

   These Farman type biplanes, used from 1911 onwards for training purposes at Hendon, contained variations between individual machines. Most had a single rudder and were powered by a 50hp Gnome rotary engine. One early machine had been built at the end of 1910 to compete in the Baron de Forest Contest to be flown by Gresswell, but this was prevented by damage on the ground at Dover, in a gale. To qualify, it was fitted with a 60hp ENV type F eight-cylinder, water-cooled vee engine made at Willesden. After repair it flew at Hendon as School Biplane No.l, from 21 January 1911 until February, when a 60hp Wolseley was substituted, the ENV being reinstated in September 1911.
   One of the school biplanes with 50hp Gnome was bought by the War Office in 1913, identified as serial No.309, and based at Farnborough.


GRAHAME-WHITE pusher type biplanes from 1912 leading to Type XV

   In 1912-1913, a Boxkite with twin rudders, the bi-rudder 'bus, still with front elevator and exposed crew was used extensively at Hendon. On 27 November 1913, flown by Marcus D. Manton, it was used to demonstrate the use of a Lewis machine gun for firing at ground targets at Bisley. A similar machine to this, RNAS No. 1600, was supplied to the Admiralty early in 1915. This became the prototype for further batches, supplied in wartime to the RNAS and later to the RFC, to a total of 135 aircraft.
   The early deliveries were fitted with a front elevator, which was discarded at some stage, and a nacelle for pilot and passenger, with full dual controls, was fitted. The top wings could be fitted with extensions, and the ailerons were fitted with balance cables. A variety of engines was fitted, including the 60hp Le Rhone, the 70 and 80hp Gnome air-cooled rotaries and the 60hp Green water-cooled type.
   Despite the considerable differences between the early and later types, still being delivered in 1917, these aircraft were generally known as the Type XV.

GRAHAME-WHITE Military biplane Type VI

   This two-seater pusher biplane was shown at Olympia in February 1913 and was one of the earliest attempts to produce an aircraft with offensive capability.
   The engine was front mounted driving the propeller, through shaft and chain, at the rear of the nacelle. A Colt machine-gun above the engine, with a wide field of fire, could be operated by a gunner in the front cockpit.
   An unusual feature was the triangular section rear boom consisting of tubular longitudinal members, the top one protruding forward through a bearing in the propeller boss, enabling the control wires to pass through to the tail.
   The undercarriage incorporated wide skids, which carried the wheels on sprung mountings. The wheels each had two rims fitted with separate tires to prevent canting of the wheels on bumpy surfaces. Roll control was by wing warping.
   The basic design was attributed to Horatio Barber, with J.D. North responsible for the final design work.

   Power: 90hp Austro-Daimler or 120hp Austro-Daimler six-cylinder inline water cooled driving a 10ft diameter Chauviere propeller through shaft and Brampton chain.
   Note: The engine fitted at the Olympia Show was of 90hp. It is doubtful if the 120hp Austro-Daimler was ever fitted for little was heard of this machine after the Show.
   Data
   Span top 42ft 6in
   Span bottom 23ft
   Chord 6ft lin
   Gap 7ft
   Length 33ft 9in
   Wing area 435 sq ft
   Area tailplane 50 sq ft
   Area elevators 25 sq ft
   Area rudder 20 sq ft
   Weight empty 2100 lb
   2200 lb with 120hp engine
   Weight allup 2750 lb
   2850 lb with 120hp engine
   Speed 50-70 mph
   Endurance 6 hours

GRAHAME-WHITE Popular biplane Type VII

   The single-seat Popular, designed by J.D. North, appeared at Hendon in the last week of January 1913. It was also offered as a two-seater with 50hp Gnome, which was apparently not built. The single aircraft built was acquired by the War Office as No.283 in March 1913.
   The wide spaced booms tapered to the tail in side view and, together with the very short span lower wing, gave the machine a gawky appearance, not enhanced by the wide track undercarriage and squarish nacelle. The top wing was fitted with ailerons and there was a full width elevator and divided rudder. The machine rested on its four wheels and rear portions of the main skids; there was no separate tail-skid.

   Power: 35hp Anzani three-cylinder air-cooled Y-type radial driving a 7ft diameter GW propeller
   Data
   Span top 28ft.
   Span bottom 14ft
   Chord 5ft 3in
   Area 205 sq ft
   Area tailplane 20 sq ft
   Area elevator 14 sq ft
   Area rudder 10 sq ft
   Length 23ft 6in
   Speed range 4060 mph
   Price ?400


GRAHAME-WHITE Popular passenger biplane Type VIIC

   Derived from the Boxkite, rather than the Popular Type VII, this appears to be a variation evolved in the works under Mr. Bill Law, the superintendent, prior to the appointment of J.D. North as chief designer.
   The obvious differences were the removal of the front booms and elevator, and the fitting of a projecting nacelle. The tail booms were apparently raked downwards. This machine was acquired by the War Office in March 1913 and identified as serial No.354 at Farnborough.

   Power: 70hp Gnome seven-cylinder air-cooled rotary driving a 8ft 6in diameter propeller.
   Data
   Span 38ft
   Chord 6ft 3in
   Gap 5ft 10in
   Area 475 sq ft
   Area tailplane 40 sq ft
   Area elevator 9 1/2 sq ft
   Area rudder 14 sq ft
   Length 26ft 10in
   Height 9ft 10in
   Speed 45 mph
   Endurance 4hr


GRAHAME-WHITE Popular biplane Type VII (1913 version)

   A considerably different version of the Type VII appeared in the Grahame-White catalogue of 1913. This is the version that would have been built if orders had been received. The main difference from the version flown was in the tail structure. The tail booms tapered in plan to a point at the rear and were virtually parallel in side elevation. The nacelle was of an improved rounded shape and was lowered onto the bottom wing. The tailplane, with divided elevator, was fitted on the top longerons, together with a tall, one piece rudder and sprung tail-skid, which enabled the main skids to be reduced in length.

   Power:
   Type A 35hp Anzani three-cylinder Y type radial driving a 7ft diameter GW propeller
   Type B 50hp Gnome seven-cylinder air-cooled rotary driving a 8ft diameter propeller.
   Data
   Span top 29ft 2in
   Span bottom 17ft
   Chord 5ft
   Gap 5ft
   Area 230 sq ft
   Area tailplane 28 sq ft
   Area elevator 20 sq ft
   Area rudder 12 sq ft
   Speed Type A 45-50mph
   Speed Type B 50-60mph
   Endurance 4hr
   Price Type A ?400
   Price Type B ?660

GRAHAME-WHITE hydro-biplane Type VIII

   Intended for the private owner, the Type VIII twin float seaplane, another design by J.D. North, was shown at Olympia in February 1913.
   The machine was a conventional tractor biplane of unequal span. The passenger was seated well forward, with a fuel tank between him and the pilot. There were three pairs of interplane struts, the inboard set, adjacent to the fuselage, in lieu of center section struts. The 10ft overhang of the top plane, which carried the ailerons, was braced to triangular kingposts and could be folded down for storage. The floats had a single step and a concave rear underside and were air ventilated. The Type VIII was also flown at Hendon as a land-plane with a cumbersome undercarriage, with four main, and two nose wheels, plus a tail-skid.
   The machine was acquired by the War Office in April 1913 in land-plane form. It was possibly to be serial No.287, but was struck off charge on 26 November 1913.

   Power:
   Type A 60hp Anzani six-cylinder air-cooled radial driving a 8ft 6in diameter propeller
   Type B 70-80hp Gnome seven-cylinder air-cooled rotary
   Data
   Span top 42ft 6in
   Span bottom 24ft *
   Chord 5ft
   Gap 5ft
   Floats 15ft. long, 1ft. 9in. beam, lft.3in. deep
   Area 380 sq ft *
   Length 25ft
   Height 12ft
   Weight 850 lb
   Weight allup 1,300 1b
   Speed Type A 45-55 mph
   Speed Type B 50-65 mph
   Endurance 3 1/24 hr
   Price Type A seaplane ?900
   Price Type B ?1,250
   *Also quoted as 22ft 6in and 335 sq ft respectively
   Above data from GW catalogue

GRAHAME-WHITE Charabanc biplane Type X

   This was a further J.D. North design for passenger carrying, seating four passengers in wicker seats behind the pilot; it was later reported flying with eleven persons aboard. In appearance it resembled a scaled-up Henry Farman biplane with two and a half bays, top wing extensions and with triple rudders.
   The main fuel tank was under the seats supplying a gravity tank on one of the inboard interplane struts. An oil tank of similar size was fitted on the opposite strut. A horn and exhaust silencer were fitted.
   The machine flew initially with a 90hp Austro-Daimler on 30 August 1913, piloted by Louis Noel with two passengers, the load was progressively increased when the more powerful engine, acquired from Cody's estate, was fitted in September. The machine was reported to show a great increase in speed with this. Early in November a 100hp Green was fitted to qualify the machine as 'all British', in order to enter the contest for the British Empire Michelin Trophy No. 1. This duly happened, when on 5 November 1913 RH Carr flew the required 300 miles, flying continuously between Hendon and Brooklands, to win the prize.
   A further use was made of the Charabanc to carry out the first parachute descent from an aeroplane in Britain on 9 May 1914. The aircraft still retained the Green engine, when exhibited, less wings, at Olympia in March 1914. Only one aircraft was built.

   Power:
   120hp (Initially 90hp) Austro-Daimler six-cylinder inline water-cooled
   100hp Green six-cylinder inline water-cooled with 9ft 6in diameter Lang propeller
   Data
   Span top 62ft *
   Span bottom 43ft 8in
   Chord 7ft 6in
   Gap 6ft 2in
   Area 790 sq ft *
   Area tailplane 128 sq ft
   Area elevator 39 sq ft
   Area rudders 36 sq ft
   Length 37ft 6in *
   Weight 2,000 lb
   Weight five up 3,100lb
   Speed 30-55 mph
   (Averaged 51mph in Michelin Contest)
   *The Aeroplane quoted 62ft 6in, 849 sq ft and 38ft 6in respectively

GRATZE monoplane (Eugene V. Gratze Ltd., 446 Whitfield St., London Wl)

   This machine, originally known as the 'Dirigoplane', was taken to the Blackpool Meeting in October 1909. It did not fly, as the wings had been lost in transit, and temporary wings made there were unsuitable.
   The system of control was unusual and complicated, involving the use of three hand wheels and a pedal. One wheel operated a tail elevator and the incidence of the wings; the second operated the rudder portion of the cruciform tail together with horizontal movement of the propeller axis, which was mounted on a universally jointed shaft; the third wheel enabled the sweep angle of the wings to be changed, together with the upward alignment of the propeller. The foot pedal was to move the flexible wing tips upwards, in unison, with the object of increasing the dihedral angle to improve stability.
   During the winter months, changes were made to the machine, which was at Canewdon, near Southend, in the middle of May 1910, where it was christened 'Daisy' in the traditional manner. The alterations included the addition of a shortspan plane, above the center section, the center portion of which served as an elevator. This operated in conjunction with flaps on the leading edges, near the wing tips, which could be raised vertically. A larger cruciform tail unit was fitted, and the rounded ends of the wings squared off. It is not clear how much of the original control system was retained, but presumably the flexible wing tips were no longer used. Although perhaps 'flown' in November 1909, no further reports of flight were published. Finally, in November 1911, the machine, which had cost the owner ?800, was advertised for sale at ?80.

   Power: 40hp JAP eight-cylinder air-cooled vee.
   Data
   Span 40ft
   Chord 5ft 6in
   Length 28ft 6in

HANDLEY PAGE biplane Type B. HP.2

   This machine was built at Barking in 1910 for WP Thompson of Planes Ltd., Freshfield, but sustained damage on trial and was further wrecked, when the shed, in which it was housed, collapsed in a gale. It was subsequently rebuilt as the Planes biplane (q.v.).


PLANES biplane (Planes Ltd., Shed No.l, Freshfield, Lancashire)

   This machine was made originally by Handley Page at Barking to the basic ideas of W.P. Thompson, a patent agent of Liverpool. The main principle was to concentrate the weight below the wings, to provide 'pendulum stability'. Thompson's original type of tubular construction was heavy and was discarded in favor of wood and fabric. Much of the work at Barking was carried out by R.C. Fenwick, an assistant of Thompson's.
   The machine was tested on the rough ground at Barking in October 1909 and damage to the undercarriage resulted. Immediately afterwards, the shed in which it was housed collapsed in a gale, causing further damage. Thereafter the machine was rebuilt at Barking by Fenwick and, although previously known as the Handley Page type B, it now became the Planes biplane. It was delivered by rail to Freshfield in about September 1910, without being tested further. Fenwick taught himself to fly on it, receiving Aviators Certificate No.39 on 29 November 1910. Within a week it was badly damaged on takeoff, in a crash caused by the downwash from a Farman flown by Compton Paterson, flying low overhead. However the machine was repaired and continued in use.
   This large biplane was converted from the chain driven, twin pusher type, of the Handley Page type B, to a single pusher propeller. The tail booms were raked downwards to carry a biplane elevator and twin rudders, below the level of the bottom wing. The undercarriage consisted of a pair of main landing wheels and skids, positioned on either side of the pilot, with a pair of nose wheels added to deal with any tendency for the nose to dig in. In addition there were small wheels on long supports at the wingtips and a tail skid. Ailerons replaced warping of the upper wing tips.

HANDLEY PAGE monoplane Type E. HP.5. Also identified as E/50. (Handley Page Ltd. Barking & Cricklewood)

   The Type E was flown on 26 April 1912 at Fairlop, by Edward Petre, for the first time and was the first successful Handley Page aircraft, although it was damaged when landing on the rough ground when it returned to the factory at Barking in June. On the 27 July 1912 Petre flew the 55 miles from Fairlop to Brooklands along the Thames, the first such flight across London. The aircraft remained at Brooklands during August, while the factory was moved from Barking to Cricklewood, and then moved to Hendon. Modifications were made, and a further flight took place on 1 February 1913 by Sydney Pickles, the machine then going on exhibition at Olympia from 14 February 1913.
   The Type E retained the Weiss type crescent wing, braced to fuselage-mounted pylons and kingposts towards the tips, which were flexible for warping, although ailerons were fitted later. The fuselage was a shallow, braced girder, tapering to a vertical post at the rear, with a deep fairing below and decking above, built up with formers and stringers and was fabric covered. The tail unit consisted of a long tapered tailplane with semicircular elevators, a fin of low, parallel shape and a tall curved rudder. The central skid, split axle undercarriage embodied spring loaded struts with rubber cord shock absorbers; the tail was supported by a tall springy skid below the rudder post.
   The pilot flew the aircraft from the front cockpit and was protected by a cowl covering the upper half of the engine. The aircraft was well constructed and smartly finished, with a blue fuselage and yellow wings and tail, and again became known as the 'Yellow Peril'.
   During repairs in early 1913, the fin was changed to a more elegant one of triangular shape. In 1914, before the aircraft was sold to the Beatty School of Flying, it was converted to a single-seater, with twin skid, cross axle undercarriage. However the machine was requisitioned by the War Office, who retained the engine, returning the airframe to Handley Page, where it remained until disposed of in 1940.

   Power: 50hp Gnome seven-cylinder air-cooled rotary driving a 8ft 3in diameter HP propeller
   Data
   Span 42ft 6in
   Chord 7ft 8in max
   Length 27ft 6in (27ft single-seater)
   Area 220 sq ft
   Area tailplane 32 sq ft
   Area elevators 18 sq ft
   Area rudder 12 sq ft
   Weight 800 lb
   Weight allup 1,300lb
   Speed 60mph
   Endurance 3hr
   Price ?850

HANDLEY PAGE monoplane Type F. HP.6. Also identified as F/70

   Alongside the Type E, a second monoplane was designed for the Military Trials, for which the previous machine was unsuitable, and was entered as No.28. Handley Page outlined the design to meet the specification, and Henry Petre prepared the drawings and was nominated as pilot. A crescent wing was to be used, which Henry Petre distrusted from experience of flying the Type E, which was unstable laterally in level flight, and he produced drawings for an alternative pair of straight wings, which were made without authority. These were fitted for the first flight at Barking, where the machine was built, but were removed when the machine was dismantled for dispatch to Larkhill, without being seen by Handley Page. Henry Petre refused to fly the machine with crescent wings and it was taken over by his brother Edward who flew it for the first time on 21 August 1912 in this form. Its performance at Larkhill was dogged by engine trouble, which eventually caused a forced landing and damage. The machine was withdrawn and taken to Hendon for repair and flew again on 9 November 1912, this time with Wilfred Parke as pilot. He was flying from Hendon to Oxford on 15 December 1912 with HP's manager, A. Arkell Hardwick as passenger, when the machine crashed at Wembley and both men were killed. It was not rebuilt.
   The deep crescent wing, similar to the that of the previous Type E with warping control, was retained after the first flight, but was braced to a single point on a pylon above the fuselage. The pylon consisted of two hinged vee-struts which could be folded down for transport.
   The fuselage was deep and flat sided, with curved top and bottom fairings, and seated two side by side. The observer, on the port side, was provided with a transparent panel also serving as an entry hatch. A center skid undercarriage, with divided axle and spring struts, was intended to support the tail also but was supplemented with a tail support of rattan cane There was no fin, but a large semicircular tailplane, divided elevator and balanced rudder with scalloped edges constituted the tail unit.
   The engine was enclosed in a circular front cowl with center air intake entry and slotted exits for the cooling air below the fuselage. The machine was of solid construction, well finished and bore the company name, under the wings, and initials on the fuselage.

   Power: 70hp Gnome seven-cylinder air-cooled rotary
   Data
   Span 43ft 6in
   Length 30ft 2in
   Height 10ft 6in
   Area 250 sq ft
   Area tailplane 40 sq ft (including elevators)
   Area rudder. 14 sq ft
   Weight 850 lb
   Weight allup 1,4501b
   Speed 55-58 mph
   Price ?1,050


HANDLEY PAGE monoplane Type H/70 & H/110

   The first of these projects by H.A. Petre was to be based on the Type F and fitted with a 70hp Gnome. The second, an improved type with 110hp Anzani and tandem seats in an elongated cockpit, was drawn by GR. Volkert in early 1913.

HANDLEY PAGE biplane Type G. HP.7. Also identified as G/100

   The second biplane made by Handley Page was also of his own design, and was inspired by the monoplane ban, and a desire to improve on the BE.2, a small contract for which was in hand at Cricklewood, where the Type G was also constructed. Piloted by E.R. Whitehouse, it flew for the first time on 6 November 1913 at Hendon and, after company trials, was purchased by the new owner of the Lakes Flying Co., Lindsay Bainbridge, to be flown by Rowland Ding, also a director of that company.
   It was intended to convert the machine later to a twin-float seaplane, but it was flown on tour as a land-plane after being taken over by Ding in May, until a mishap on 27 July 1914, when it was damaged and returned to the factory by rail. The repair was completed after the declaration of war. The machine was then taken over by the RNAS and continued to fly at Hendon and Chingford as No.892, until it was crashed in August 1914, the engine being bequeathed to Ding by Bainbridge, who was now deceased.
   The Type G had a fuselage and tail unit similar to those of the Type E monoplane, with the pilot in the rear seat and room for one or two passengers in front. The engine was covered by a cowl at the top and had a continuous exhaust ring in front, exhausting through outlets below the bottom wing, to which a silencer was fitted later.
   The top wing derived from the Type E, and the lower wing was a smaller version of that of the Type F. The wings had three bays, the outer bay having a single strut only at the rear spar, with short struts connected to both top and bottom leading edges.
   The fuselage was mounted above the lower wing, to which it was attached by pairs of struts on either side. With the first type of undercarriage, which was of twin skid type, long struts were connected to the lower longerons just behind the engine. After the crash on 2 May 1914 a modified undercarriage with vee struts connected to the lower longerons was fitted, together with a smaller fin and the silencer. During its time with the RNAS the fuselage under-fairing was extended aft.

   Power: 100hp Anzani ten-cylinder air-cooled radial driving a 8ft 6in diameter Integral propeller. The 100hp Green originally planned was not fitted.
   Data
   Span 40ft
   Chord 6ft 6in max
   Length 27ft later 25ft lin
   Gap 6ft 6in
   Area 384 sq ft
   Area tailplane 32 sq ft
   Area elevators 19 sq ft
   Area rudder 12 1/2 sq ft
   Weight 1,150 lb
   Weight allup 1,775 lb
   Speed range 35-73 mph
   Climb to 3",000ft 10 l/2min
   Endurance 4hr
   Price ?1,500


HANDLEY PAGE biplane Type K/35.

   A proposal for a single-seat, scaled down version of the Type G for training purposes was drawn by Volkert in December 1913; intended for use by the Beatty School at Hendon, it was not built.

   Power: 35hp Anzani Y-type three-cylinder radial
   Data
   Span 30ft
   Area 225 sq ft

   An alternative Type K was described in the Handley Page Catalogue of 1913. This specified a two-seater with 80hp Gnome. This type apparently remained on paper only.

   Data
   Span 42ft
   Area 250 sq ft
   Weight 900 lb
   Speed 65mph
   Endurance 4 l/2hr
   Price ?1,100


HANDLEY PAGE biplane Type L/200. HP.8

   This large single-engined, tractor biplane was designed by Volkert in December 1913 to compete for the Daily Mail Prize of ?10,000 for an Atlantic crossing. It was ordered by Princess Ludwig of Lowenstein-Wertheim, who planned to accompany Rowland Ding on the flight, and it was nearing completion in the summer of 1914. The seats were side-by-side with dual controls. The machine was apparently a scaled-up version of the Type K/35 and was abandoned, although offered to the RNAS with straight wings.

   Power: 200hp Salmson (Canton-Unne) fourteen-cylinder water-cooled radial.
   Data
   Span 60ft
   Area 900 sq ft
   Length 41ft
   Weight 2,800 lb
   Weight allup 6,000 lb
   Speed range 43-80mph
   Endurance 23hr


HANDLEY PAGE biplanes Types M/200 & MS/200 HP.9

   In August 1914 when the 200hp engine for the L/200 was taken over by the Admiralty, a version was offered with two 100hp engines in the wings and then the M/200 with engines, mounted nose to nose in the fuselage, driving tractor propellers on the wings by chain. Both versions were rejected, as was the seaplane version MS/200, with twin main and tail floats. A crew of four was to be carried.

   Power: Two 95hp Salmson (Canton-Unne) seven-cylinder water-cooled radials.
   Data M/200 land-plane.
   Span 70ft
   Area 950 sq ft
   Length 37ft 6in
   Weight 3,000 lb
   Weight allup 5,000lb
   Speed 75mph


HANDLEY PAGE biplane Type N/80. HP. 10

   A proposed scout version of the Type K/35, with a parallel center section inserted, and two seats side-by-side, the design of which was discontinued in January 1915.

   Power: 80hp Gnome seven-cylinder air-cooled rotary.
   Data
   Span 32ft 6in
   Length 24ft

HAWKINS-OGILVIE triplane (Capt. A.C. Hawkins, Bertram Ogilvie & C.I. Nairn of Napier, New Zealand based at Winchester, Hampshire and later at Brooklands)

   The partners built three machines between 1907 and 1910 in New Zealand. A pusher biplane powered by a 10hp Rex vee-twin motorcycle engine was mounted on a ramp for takeoff, but failed to sustain itself in flight. The 1910 machine, which had large ailerons below the bottom wing, was seen by Lord Kitchener on 11 March 1910, during a visit to New Zealand and he encouraged the experimenters to transfer to England for the greater opportunities, and to compete for the Baron de Forest Prize.
   A model of a triplane was made during the voyage and the full size machine was constructed by Handley Page, but after the end of 1910 and thus not in time to compete for the Prize. It was ready for testing near Winchester in early March 1911, when it was reported 'rolling'. Ogilvie was the pilot with Hawkins providing the financial support.
   There was a modest degree of success during the trials at Winchester and later at Brooklands before the finance was exhausted and the group returned to New Zealand. The machine was by this time of dated design.
   The aircraft was an inelegant tractor triplane mounted on a high chassis with long skids and a tall tail-skid. The two bay wings were staggered and joined by long pairs of interplane struts, the forward struts being positioned at the leading edge, and the outers at the extreme tips of the wings. The tips of the wings were squarecut, and were fitted with duplicated, curved cane skids and differential ailerons fitted to all three pairs. The ailerons were separate rectangular flaps, not inset into the main wings, but were hinged at the trailing edges.
   The fuselage girder was fabric covered from the pilot's cockpit aft to the tall sternpost, which supported the tail-skid below and carried a rhomboidal-shaped rudder above. There was no fin, only a strut to support the rudder post. The tailplane was rectangular, mounted on the top longerons and carried a one piece rhomboidal-shaped elevator, hinged along its narrow edge. Longitudinal stability was said to be automatically regulated by the action of the wind on the planes, the mechanism for this being covered by patent No.8212/1910.

   Power: 50hp Alvaston four-cylinder horizontally opposed, water-cooled.
   Data
   Span 24ft

HOWARD WRIGHT aircraft (Howard T. Wright Bros. Ltd., Belgravia Chambers, 72 Victoria St., SW1. Works at Prince of Wales Rd., Battersea)

   Howard Wright became involved in aeronautical work when working for Hiram Maxim, between 1899 and 1904. In July 1905, together with his brothers Warwick and Walter, the above company was formed, which included the goodwill of Maxim's company. An enquiry from an Italian inventor, Federico Capone, intended for the defunct Maxim company, was received in early 1907 for a helicopter to Capone's own design. The order was concluded and was the start of manufacture of flying machines by Howard Wright.
   The manufacture of the helicopter began in November 1907 at the premises of Warwick Wright Ltd. at 110 High St., Marylebone, but was transferred to Battersea under railway arch No.80. Growth of aviation work necessitated further premises and arches Nos.79 and 82 were rented later. The ground used for testing conventional aircraft was Brooklands, where Shed No.9 was in use throughout 1911, until the business was closed. Howard Wright then became the manager of the Coventry Ordnance Works Aviation Dept at the beginning of the following year.
   In addition to aircraft of his own design, Howard Wright produced others, bearing their owner's or designer's name, notably the Barber, ASL and Poynter monoplanes. Apart from responsibility for the actual construction, Howard Wright was no doubt involved with some design aspects of these, and probably bore most of the design responsibility in the case of the Cooke, Lascelles and Scottish Aeroplane Syndicate monoplanes. In the five years of its existence the company built approximately thirty-five aircraft, Howard Wright being joined in December 1908 by W.O. Manning, who from then on undertook much of the design responsibility.


HOWARD WRIGHT gliders

   A triplane glider was reported in October 1908 and a biplane glider in course of construction in June 1909 at Battersea. No information on these is available.


HOWARD WRIGHT biplane 1909 type

   A machine constructed early in 1909, to the order of M.H. Seton-Karr, was shown at Olympia in March. It was damaged in transit to Fambridge, Essex, where it was taken for trials after the show. Further damage occurred during the trials, resulting from the propeller bursting and also the shed collapsing. Short hops of some 30ft in length were achieved by the end of May on the unsatisfactory ground. Later trials were transferred to Camber Sands, where flight was achieved, the machine continuing in use until the end of the year.
   Another machine of the same type, already constructed, was reported to have been ordered by WE. Cooke of Burnley in September 1909. This was not delivered to Cooke, who received the first Howard Wright monoplane instead.
   This rather ungainly pusher biplane, although well constructed and incorporating advanced features at the time, was not a great success.
   The structure of the nacelle and tail booms was of welded light gauge steel tube, some of streamlined section; the nacelle was fabric covered and accommodated two persons. The machine had a single track undercarriage, consisting of one main wheel and a smaller tailwheel, supplemented by large wheels at the wingtips, on one of which the machine normally rested.
   The wings were of wooden construction, fabric covered. The gap was maintained by three pairs of interplane struts, the outboard pair covered by fabric side curtains. Small ailerons, extending slightly beyond the trailing edge, were fitted to top and bottom wings.
   The front elevator was a biplane structure with side curtains and the whole unit pivoted on the nose of the nacelle. The tail unit consisted of a fixed biplane structure with side curtains and central rudder.
   During the course of the trials the lower corners of the side curtains of the tail were cut away to provide ground clearance. The members of the undercarriage, for the single main wheel, were strengthened and an additional pair of small wheels were fitted on a new mounting, below the rear of the nacelle. These wheels were intended to aid the leveling process on take off, as this did not take place at a sufficiently low speed.
   The power was transmitted through a reduction gearbox to contra-rotating propellers, the front blades of which were of greater chord, and intended to absorb two thirds of the power. The blades were of wood on tubular steel shanks, but after the propeller disintegrated at Fambridge a single wooden propeller was fitted.

   Power: 60hp Metallurgique four-cylinder inline, water-cooled driving through a 3 to 1 reduction gearbox a patented, contra-rotating 5ft diameter pusher propeller
   Data
   Span 40ft
   Chord 6ft 6in
   Gap 6ft 6in
   Area 520 sq ft
   Length 43ft
   Weight allup 1,600lb
   Weight 1,100lb
   Speed 35mph
   Price ?1,200

HOWARD WRIGHT monoplane 1909 type

   This was the only one of its type, and was delivered to W.E. Cooke of the East Lancashire Aeroplane and Motor Co. on behalf of the Burnley and District Aero Club instead of the biplane originally ordered. It was dispatched by rail to Burnley where it arrived on 9 October 1909 and was immediately assembled for exhibition at the Athletic Ground, Brunshaw and was taxied, after some difficulty starting the engine. It was also displayed at Accrington and Blackburn, where the propeller flew off and was damaged. Thereafter the machine soon passed into other hands and finally to H.K. Hales of Burslem, the man who donated the Hales Trophy for the Blue Riband crossing of the Atlantic by ocean liner. Hales attempted to make the first flight of the machine at Keele Racecourse on 10 July 1910, where it crashed badly after twenty-five seconds. It was rebuilt and advertised for sale in The Aero, 12 October 1910, but this was the last heard of the machine.
   There was some similarity between this and the Barber monoplane, which had been delivered shortly before. It had a welded light gauge tubular steel fuselage structure, parallel in depth throughout its length, apart from a slightly increased depth of the engine bay. Three large spoked wheels, in forks, were each sprung by a telescopic strut, the radius arm pivoting on tubular mountings below the fuselage.
   The wings were tapered and braced to the undercarriage uprights, and to a cabane above the fuselage, in which the streamlined fuel tank was hung. Lateral control was by warping the wing using foot pedals. A structure for mounting the warping gear hung below the fuselage. End type elevators were fitted to a fixed tailplane below the fuselage girder; a simple triangular rudder completed the tail unit.
   The engine was cooled by long narrow condensing radiators on each side of the fuselage and could be started from the pilot's position, which was placed well back along the fuselage. The machine was intended to hold three people.

   Power: 50hp Antoinette eight-cylinder water-cooled vee.
   Data
   Span 32ft
   Mean chord 7ft 6in
   Area 240 sq ft *
   Length. 27ft
   Weight 750 lb
   Endurance 3hr
   Price ?1,000
   *Flight reported 200 sq ft


HOWARD WRIGHT monoplanes (1909-1910 'Standard' type and Lascelles Ornis)

   In early December 1909 The Aero described and illustrated the latest machine at Battersea, still minus its Lascelles engine, and indicated that two similar aircraft had been made for customers and several others were in the course of construction. A machine of the type appeared at Olympia in March 1910 on the stand of R. Lascelles & Co. of 13 Greek Street London, identified as the Lascelles Ornis, but this had a Bleriot-like rudder, instead of the triangular type shown earlier in The Aero 7 December 1909 (p.493). The Ornis was sold to A.G. Power, who housed the machine at Brooklands. The monoplanes produced later from Battersea were of somewhat different types.
   The description as a 'standard' type may well have applied only to certain details of the construction, for there were no large quantities of the type made. Reports of the time gave variations of dimensions for the aircraft being described.
   The fuselage was based on a wooden, braced girder made of ash, with steel angle fittings at the junctions and spoke and nipple type bracings. The undercarriage was of steel tube, as in the 1909 Cooke type monoplane, and three equal sized wheels were fitted.
   The wings were parallel in chord and incorporated control by warping. End elevators were fitted to the tailplane and the rudder shape was triangular, when first seen, but rectangular on the Ornis, making the machine appear more like a Bleriot.

1909-1910 monoplane
   Power: 35hp Lascelles four-cylinder air-cooled, fan-type, semi-radial.
   Data
   Span 28ft
   Area 160 sq ft
   Length 27ft
   Weight 500 lb

Ornis monoplane
   Power: 35hp Lascelles four-cylinder air-cooled, fan-type, semi-radial driving a 8ft diameter Weiss propeller
   Data
   Span 28ft
   Chord 6ft
   Length 28ft
   Area 160 sq ft
   Weight 400 lb
   Weight allup 600lb
   Speed 30mph
   Price ?450

HOWARD WRIGHT monoplanes Avis Type 1910

   The first of these aircraft was delivered at Brooklands to the Scottish Aviation Syndicate in which the Hon A.R. Boyle was the leading figure and pilot. The machine was named 'The Golden Plover' and he tested it early in 1910, but it was underpowered with the original 25-30hp Anzani and so was returned to the works for a more powerful engine to be fitted. Other changes were also carried out, including reducing the length of the rudder. It was returned later to Brooklands where it was flown successfully in March and was then renamed Avis.
   Four Avis machines were built for the SAS and were fitted with various engines. After the early Anzanis, JAP and ENV engines were also fitted; a report of a 35hp Green being used in June 1910 may have been incorrect.
   There were several changes of design from the earlier type monoplanes. The undercarriage was completely redesigned and now consisted of a tubular structure with twin wooden skids and two pairs of wheels on separate axles, sprung by rubber cord. The tailwheel was smaller and was sprung by coil spring.
   The fuselage girder was reduced in depth towards the tail to earn' a universally jointed tail unit of cruciform type. This was similar to the Demoiselle type and had triangular shaped balance areas forward of the hinge on both horizontal and vertical surfaces. The actual surfaces were of light construction with wire edges giving a scalloped effect. On Avis III, at least, more area was added, which eliminated the pointed trailing edge tip.

   Power:
   25-30hp and 30-35hp Anzani three-cylinder fan-type, air-cooled semi-radial driving a 6ft diameter propeller
   35-40hp JAP eight-cylinder air-cooled vee (Avis II & III)
   35hp ENV type D eight-cylinder water-cooled vee (Avis I)
   Data
   Span 28ft
   Chord 6ft 4in
   Length. 27ft.
   Area 160 sqft
   Area rudder 14 sq ft
   Area elevator 22 sq ft
   Weight 430 lb
   Weight allup 630 lb
   Speed 35-40mph
   Price ?370-?490

HOWARD WRIGHT monoplane 1910 Type

   An alternative type of monoplane was also constructed in 1910, one of which, for Warwick Wright, appeared on the company's stand at Olympia in March. The first of the type to fly was the second machine for Capt. Hinds-Howell, which became airborne at Brooklands on 26 March 1910. The third was the machine bought by Tom Sopwith, on which he carried out his first flights in October and was used to test the first 40hp ABC engine, in April 1912, by R.L. Charteris.
   The structure of the aircraft was similar to that of the Avis, but a more conventional tail unit with end elevators and a rectangular rudder, as on the Ornis, were obvious changes. Water-cooled engines were used on all three machines, the radiators on the first two being across the full width of the wing, just below the surface. Sopwith's machine had one radiator positioned below the fuselage, one vee-shaped pylon above the fuselage and a tail-skid instead of a tail wheel, also full span elevators.

   Power: 35hp ENV type D eight-cylinder, water-cooled vee driving a 6ft diameter propeller
   Data
   Span 27ft
   Chord 6ft 6in
   Length 29ft
   Area 190sqft*
   Area tailplane 18 sq ft
   Area elevators 18 sq ft
   Area rudder 7 sq ft
   Weight 455 lb*
   Weight allup 655 lb*
   Speed 35-40mph
   Price ?650
   *Various figures quoted


HOWARD WRIGHT Monoplanes, various types

   In January or February 1910, when the representative of The Aero visited the works at Battersea, several aircraft were under construction, whose completion and utilization cannot be established. They were as follows:

'Santos Dumont' type

   A slightly larger version of the Demoiselle with a triangular section fuselage of bamboo. It is believed that this machine was completed in 1910.

   Power: 30hp Darracq two-cylinder horizontally opposed, water-cooled with 6ft diameter propeller
   Data
   Span 19ft
   Area 120 sq ft
   Weight allup 255 lb
   Speed 48mph
   Length 21ft


'Antoinette' type

   A two-seater enlarged version of the Avis was under construction. The wing was completed in a crate and the engine already installed in the fuselage. No record of completion of this machine has been traced.

   Power: 60hp Green four-cylinder inline, water-cooled
   Data
   Span 42ft
   Area 320 sq ft
   Length 40ft
   Weight allup 800 1b


'Bleriot XII' type

   This machine was described as such from the position of the engine low down in the frame, with the propeller above, driven by a chain. The pilot and passenger sat below the wing behind the engine. The monoplane tail had end elevators and the multisided rudder was similar to that on the Avis.

   Power: 60hp ENV type F eight-cylinder water-cooled vee
   Data
   Span 35ft
   Area 360 sq ft
   Length 46ft
   Weight allup 1,100lb


Racing Type biplane

   Power: 50hp Gnome seven-cylinder air-cooled rotary.
   Data
   Span 36ft
   with outer lower panels removed 22ft
   Chord 6ft
   Gap 6ft
   Area 432 sq ft could reduce to 348 sq ft
   Length 37ft

HOWARD WRIGHT biplane 'Curtiss' type

   It was reported that a machine was built in 1910, conforming generally to the design of the American pilot constructor, Glenn Curtiss. Little is recorded, except that the engine was of 35hp driving a pusher propeller, the span was 33ft and the area 270 sqft.


HOWARD WRIGHT biplane

   More of the 1910 type biplanes were made than of any other Howard Wright types. In basic design the type resembled a Farman, although the curved ends of the tail booms, an original feature, were changed later. The structure of the aircraft was mostly of mahogany and ash with steel fittings. It had both front and rear interconnected elevators, with a single tall divided rudder. The wings were fabric covered on the lower surfaces only and single acting ailerons were fitted to the top and bottom wings and to the top wing extensions, which were an alternative fitment to some aircraft. These extra ailerons were coupled to the existing controls and could be folded down with the extensions for storage purposes. The undercarriage consisted of twin wheels on separate axles, sprung by rubber cords to the skids, similar springing being used for the tailskid.
   The standard machines mostly had the ENV type F water-cooled engine with radiators on each side, the oil tank just above the engine and the fuel tank below the top center section. For long range flights an extra tank replaced the passenger seat, behind the pilot, and both Sopwith and Reynolds, who used the biplane, had fairings fitted in front to protect them from the elements.
   The Howard Wright biplane was used by Sopwith for the Baron de Forest Contest at the end of 1910, in which he was successful, with a flight of 169 miles into Belgium.
   At the Olympia Aero Show in March 1911, Tom Sopwith's machine was shown on the Aero Club's stand, while the Warwick Wright stand showed a special racing version for Robert Loraine. This had a Gnome engine and reduced wing chord, with ailerons on the top wings only. The outer panels of the lower wings could be removed back as far as the first pair of interplane struts and the overhanging top wing was then braced by wires.
   The first of the machines with ENV engines was owned by E.M. Maitland, and was first flown on 1 August 1910 at Larkhill. This resulted in a crash and injury to Maitland. It was repaired and then flown by Watkins, but was later sold to the War Office and identified as serial No.F3. The second machine went to John Done, known as Jack Dare in the theatrical world. The third machine was bought by Tom Sopwith and was used by him very successfully for competition and instructional work.
   The fourth aircraft was exported to New Zealand to the Walsh brothers of Auckland where it survived in modified form until December 1913, and the fifth, with the smaller 40hp ENV type D, was exported to Rangoon, Burma for W.C. England in 1912.
   The eighth machine was flown by Lt. Reynolds in the Circuit of Britain Contest in July 1911, but he was forced to abandon the flight at Harrogate. This machine may have been fitted with a Green engine at some stage.
   The ninth machine went to J.L. Longstaffe, a little known pilot, who made an unsuccessful attempt for the British Empire Michelin Trophy No.2 in October 1911. Grahame-White also purchased a Gnome engined version for use at Hendon.

   Power:
   60hp ENV type F eight-cylinder water-cooled vee driving a 8ft 4in diameter
   40hp ENV type D eight-cylinder water-cooled vee (one aircraft) propeller.
   60hp Green four-cylinder inline water-cooled (one or two aircraft)
   Data
   Span 36ft (48ft #)
   Gap 6ft 6in
   Length 36ft 6in
   Area (inc. ailerons) 415 sq ft (504 sq ft #*) (532 sq ft #)
   Area tailplane 48 sq ft (34 sq ft *)
   Area front elevator 27 sq ft (23 1/3 sq ft *)
   Area rear elevator 18 sq ft (12 3/4 sq ft *)
   Area rudder 15 sq ft
   Weight 800 lb
   Weight allup 1,2001b
   Speed 36-45mph
   Endurance 5hr
   Price ?1,000
   *Alternatives from various sources
   #With extensions

HOWARD WRIGHT aircraft (Howard T. Wright Bros. Ltd., Belgravia Chambers, 72 Victoria St., SW1. Works at Prince of Wales Rd., Battersea)

   Howard Wright became involved in aeronautical work when working for Hiram Maxim, between 1899 and 1904. In July 1905, together with his brothers Warwick and Walter, the above company was formed, which included the goodwill of Maxim's company. An enquiry from an Italian inventor, Federico Capone, intended for the defunct Maxim company, was received in early 1907 for a helicopter to Capone's own design. The order was concluded and was the start of manufacture of flying machines by Howard Wright.
   The manufacture of the helicopter began in November 1907 at the premises of Warwick Wright Ltd. at 110 High St., Marylebone, but was transferred to Battersea under railway arch No.80. Growth of aviation work necessitated further premises and arches Nos.79 and 82 were rented later. The ground used for testing conventional aircraft was Brooklands, where Shed No.9 was in use throughout 1911, until the business was closed. Howard Wright then became the manager of the Coventry Ordnance Works Aviation Dept at the beginning of the following year.


HOWARD WRIGHT-CAPONE helicopters

   Capone had made, in Italy, an unmanned helicopter to prove his design of rotors. He then made the enquiry received by Howard Wright for the manufacture of a second machine, which was to be piloted. Patent application 7129, with drawings by Howard Wright, was made in 1908. The machine was completed in March 1908 and taken to Norbury golf course, before being dispatched to Italy. The machine proved to be unsuccessful and a third machine of much lighter weight was commissioned, which was completed and sent to Italy in January 1909. Unmanned tests were made at Naples in October/November 1909, but were inconclusive.
   A fourth Capone helicopter was started in June 1909 and was delivered to Italy that year. There is some evidence of a fifth Capone helicopter and an ornithopter being made by Howard Wright.
   The helicopters designed by Capone consisted basically of a structure of light gauge steel tube, welded to form a framework with outriggers. At the tips of the outriggers were mounted two-bladed lift rotors, driven through shafts and bevel gearing from the engine mounted across the framework, the pilot being seated immediately behind.
   The top surface of the framework was covered with fabric to form a lifting surface in forward flight. Hinged triangular flaps at the tips of the hinged tailplane were to give yaw control, and triangular flaps below the rotors, lateral control, as well as stabilizing the machine on the ground. Large rectangular surfaces, within the main framework, were given a flapping motion by a drive from the engine, to produce a movement of air below the body and assist stability.
   Forward motion was imparted to the machine by two four-bladed tractor propellers, driven by bevel gearing from the main rotor shafts. The machine was mounted on four wheels, one of which could be coupled to the rotor drive shaft by chain, to cater for taxiing on the ground. There were six small auxiliary wheels to aid stability on the ground.
   The second and third helicopters were similar except that considerable weight was saved in the construction of the latter machine, through the use of a lighter air-cooled power unit and other changes of design. The fan to cool the engine was used for forward motion also, and the undercarriage was reduced to three main wheels.


CAPONE No.2 helicopter

   Power: 50hp Antoinette eight-cylinder water-cooled vee driving two 4ft 8in diameter propellers
   Data
   Span over rotors 48ft 2in
   Length over rotors 27ft
   Wing span/rotor axis 28ft 10in
   Max wing chord 11ft 8in
   Tailplane span 13ft 2in
   Tailplane chord 8ft 2in
   Control area 81 sq ft inc. rudders
   Wing area 160sqft
   Rotor diameter 19ft 4in
   Weight allup 1,250lb
   Rotor blades 6ft 4in by 2ft 4in
   Gliding speed 20mph


CAPONE No.3 helicopter

   Power: 30hp REP seven-cylinder air-cooled, fan-type semiradial
   Data
   Span over rotors 56ft
   Wing span/rotor axis 30ft
   Weight allup 600 lb
   Rotor diameter 26ft
   Gliding speed 15mph
   Rotor blades 6ft 6in by 3ft

HUMBER biplane 1910-1911 type

   The biplane, shown at Olympia in 1910, was soon replaced by a more normal design of the time based on the French Sommer type, the design being attributed to A.H. Bailey.
   The first of these was reported to have flown at Brooklands on 19 October 1910, having been fitted with a Gnome engine as, no doubt, the Humber engine still required development. The machine was packed, together with a second biplane and two monoplanes, and was dispatched to India by early November for demonstrations during an exhibition at Allahabad, in January and February. The team was managed by Capts. W.G. Windham and G. Dawes, with pilots Henri Pequet and Keith Davies, who also carried out pioneering air mail flights. The team was back by April and Pequet flew the Olympia machine at Brooklands for the first time on 6 May 1911 and the following day made a flight of 1hr 10min. Further flight trials of the engine, in a monoplane, took place throughout the summer, but apart from one in a monoplane sold to the Pashley brothers in August, the Humber engine was not generally adopted.
   The machine was a typical pusher biplane with front elevator. It had the long curved skids attached to the front elevator supports, associated with the Sommer type. The tailplane was adjustable for incidence, by hand wheel adjacent to the pilot, an unusual feature at the time. The most obvious departure from standard practice, were the side curtains set at an angle between the two planes. These were warpable and were used in conjunction with small semicircular ailerons, positioned inboard of the outer pair of interplane struts, on the top wing. The top wing extensions could be folded down to reduce the span for storage, the side curtains then being folded upwards. Rudders were fitted above and below the tailplane.

   Power:
   50hp Humber four-cylinder inline, water-cooled with 7ft diameter propeller
   50hp Gnome seven-cylinder air-cooled rotary
   Data
   Span top. 45ft 8in
   Span bottom 33ft 9in
   Length 40ft
   Chord top 6ft 9in
   Chord bottom 6ft 9in tapering to 5ft 9in
   Area 506 sq ft
   Weight 820 lb

   Humber gave up the manufacture of aeroplanes and aero engines in August and sold all their remaining stock by auction on 4 September 1912. The sale included one Bleriot type, four biplanes, three Bleriot fuselages and two Humber Le Blon fuselages. Also a number of aero engines and finished and unfinished parts for aero engines and woodwork and metal parts.

HUMBER monoplane (Le Blon Type)

   Hubert Le Blon was a racing motorist who later took to aviation with Leon Delagrange, but was killed in a crash in Spain on 2 April 1910, soon after the machine he designed for Humber was exhibited at the Olympia Show. It embodied a number of original design features but interest in it died with its creator.
   The fuselage consisted of a long tapered tube of light wooden monocoque construction covered with fabric. It was small in diameter and the pilot sat outside with his legs straddling the monocoque to operate the rudder bar. The fuselage hung below the wings, which were joined together by tubular center section spars that were integrated to the cabane, the engine mounting and the undercarriage. The main members of the latter were two large diameter shaped steel tubes joined below by a straight cross member, from the ends of which, short laminated springs carried the cross axle and bicycle type wheels. The tail was supported by a long curved ash tail-skid.
   The center section of the wings was completely open. The wings themselves were braced with steel tapes and the entire trailing edge portions were hinged to serve the dual purpose of ailerons and camber changing flaps.
   The tail unit was comprised of a long tapering fin, with rudder of equispaced areas above and below the fuselage centerline, with a shape that curved forwards at the trailing edge. The tailplane was of the type with end elevators, mounted below the fuselage and could be adjusted for incidence on the ground. The tailplane was itself supplemented by a long tapering extension earned forward below the fuselage.

   Power: 30hp Humber three-cylinder air-cooled fan-type semiradial driving a 6ft 6in diameter (6ft 11in)* Chauviere propeller
   Data
   Span 29ft (29ft 2in)*
   Chord 6ft 6in (6ft 10in)*
   Length 26ft 8in (24ft)*
   Area 192 sq ft (186 sq ft)*
   Area tailplane 16 1/2 sq ft plus extension
   Area elevators 11 sq ft
   Area rudder 6 sq ft (10 sq ft)*
   Weight 490 lb (480 lb)*
   Price ?480
   * Alternatives from The Aero

HUMPHREYS gliders (Jack Edmond Humphreys, Wivenhoe, Essex)

   Prior to attempting powered flight, Jack Humphreys built three gliders from 1902 onwards, culminating in man carrying flights of up to half a mile from the cliffs at Coombe Farm, Fowey in Cornwall. He made a study of bird flight and based his highlift wing design on that of birds, confirming by practical experiment the airflow and lifting characteristics.
   Humphreys withdrew from aviation after the series of mishaps at Brooklands with his No.3 monoplane, and strong criticism voiced in The Aeroplane by C.G. Grey concerning his piloting ability. He was a qualified dental surgeon and returned to this profession establishing a practice in Harley St., London Wl.


HUMPHREYS biplane

   The construction of an amphibious biplane was begun in the autumn of 1908 at Forrest's Boatyard, Wivenhoe. It was launched on the River Colne at Rowhedge Ferry Hard in April 1909, but soon sank at its moorings. It had previously been brought to London for exhibition at the Aero Show at Olympia in March but, because of its size, the machine could not pass through the doors. The subsequent trials were unsuccessful and the machine, which became known as the 'Wivenhoe Flyer' in the Press, never did more than just taxiing on the river at speeds up to ten knots.
   The biplane wings were widely spaced and curved in shape, with large triangular tip ailerons. The top center section embodied a tapered 'keel', a theory of Humphreys to assist longitudinal stability. A triangular front elevator and flexible tailplane, with rudder above, were fitted at the rear of the machine. The tailplane was fixed but could be operated differentially in conjunction with the ailerons.
   The engine was mounted across the center on bearers, at midgap, and drove twin pusher propellers through shafts and bevel gearing. A four wheeled chassis, which could be folded up, was incorporated, but probably not fitted for the trials on water. The machine floated on an open central hull and tip floats, mounted on the lower wings.
   Steel tube was used for the main frame with wood in the structure of the lower wing, tail and supports for the front elevator. The mainplanes and fin were covered with thin aluminum sheet, the rest of the surfaces were fabric covered.

   Power: 35hp JAP eight-cylinder air-cooled vee driving two counter rotating 8ft diameter steel bladed propellers at 400 rpm
   Data
   Span 45ft
   Hull 12ft 6in by 8ft beam
   Tip floats 6ft by 1ft 6in beam
   Chord 13ft
   Length 38ft
   Area 650 sq ft *
   Weight allup 1,750lb
   *Area uncertain but claimed loading of 1 lb per sq ft does not seem feasible

HUMPHREYS monoplane No.l (British Aeroplane Syndicate Ltd., 80 Brook St., London W. Works at Wivenhoe.)

   In 1909 Humphreys decided to raise funds to form a company, and took full page advertisements in the aviation press for the purpose in May and June. The syndicate formed following this, being advertised for the first time in The Aero on 22 June 1909, but the advertising faded away by the end of August. However, Humphreys had somehow financed the building of a monoplane, with the declared intention of competing for the Daily Mail prize of .1,000 for a flight of one mile by an all-British aircraft. This he attempted on unsuitable ground at Rowhedge near Wivenhoe on 16 October 1909 and the machine was wrecked when it hit a drainage ditch.
   No data exists for the monoplane, other than that which can be deduced from a surviving photograph. It was a tractor type and had a triangular section fuselage, apparently made of tube, with a pylon above to carry a streamlined fuel tank, bracing wires and warping controls. The tubular undercarriage structure extended rearwards, terminating in a large sprung tailwheel, the structure also providing anchorages for bracing cables.
   The wings were deeply cambered and curved downwards, and the leading edge curved back to the trailing edge tips. The lateral control surfaces were wide chord flaps hinged behind the trailing edges. The tailplane was of considerable size and probably contributed lift. The pilot was seated well aft, an indication of the effect of the sweep-back and distribution of lift. The rudder, below the tailplane, was rectangular in shape and emblazoned with the Union Jack over the whole surface. The original engine, a 35hp JAP, was fitted with a clutch and extension shaft for the propeller, but was replaced by the new 50hp Green.
   The machine was transported to the Bournemouth Meeting in July 1910, where it arrived dismantled on horse and cart transport, on the fourth day of the meeting, 21 October 1909, but it did not perform.


HUMPHREYS monoplane No.2 (Wivenhoe and Brooklands Hangar No.10)

   This machine was considerably different from No.l, although the fuselage, which was covered, was still triangular in section and again fitted with the 50hp Green, driving the tractor propeller by clutch and extension shaft. Later these were removed and the propeller was fitted direct to the crankshaft. The original undercarriage was similar to that of an Antoinette, with a central sprung strut, using tension springs. A single front skid was fitted. This was later replaced by one of A type with two pairs of wheels, and a larger elevator was also fitted.
   Long tapered fins were fitted above and below the fuselage; a skid supported the tail. The wings had curved leading edges, but less sweep-back to the trailing edges; they were braced by kingposts and did not droop as on No. 1. Lateral control was by warping the wings, which were cut away at the center section to allow access to the cockpit.
   This is the machine described in The Aero as the 'earlier version' and presumably is that shown in the only remaining photograph taken at Forrest's Boatyard. The machine, with its wing span of 48ft, was the largest at Brooklands at the time, and became known as the 'Elephant'. It appeared for a test flight on 9 October 1910 in the hands of Humphreys, but it fell over to one side on take off and was damaged. It was tried again at Abbey Fields Colchester on 5 November 1919 but did no more than taxi.

HUMPHREYS monoplane. No.3

   A report in February described the naming ceremony of a 'new machine' by the Hon. Mrs. Assheton-Harbord, who christened it 'Mary' in honor of the new Queen on 4 February 1911 at Brooklands. Although described as new, the machine may well have been a reconstruction of its predecessor.
   This machine was totally different from No.2 but still retained the triangular section fuselage and Green engine mounted on the top longerons. The undercarriage was of Antoinette type with a central sprung strut. Long tapered fins and small triangular rudders were fitted above and below the fuselage and a skid supported the tail. The wings had curved leading edges but little sweep-back to the trailing edges; they were braced by kingposts and had little anhedral.
   In May and June, Humphreys was reported to be taking lessons at the Hanriot School. The monoplane, described in Flight as of 'Bleriot type', was not reported out until 30 August 1911, when Humphreys took off, but overcorrected at 10ft from the ground and the aircraft was severely damaged in the ensuing crash.
   A major repair took place and subsequently Gordon Bell tested the machine on 12 December 1911 when it was reported to lift rapidly at half throttle, indicating tail heaviness. To correct the balance, flights were made with one and two passengers. By now the undercarriage was replaced by a Farman type structure with 'A' frames and two pairs of wheels and skids. Large diagonal radiators were attached to each side on the undercarriage struts and a larger elevator was fitted. The rear fuselage was now uncovered.
   On 16 January 1912 Humphreys' mechanic was seriously hurt in a propeller swinging accident. Dual ignition was fitted and one switch must have remained on. Straight flights were made on the 20-21 January 1912, by a pilot named Hunter, who again flew the machine to test a new Regy propeller fitted to the 60hp Green. On 12 May 1912, after taxiing towards the sheds, Humphreys carelessly crashed into the Hewlett & Blondeau school machine, wrecking it completely.
   The No.3 monoplane seems to have been built at Wivenhoe and the photograph of the original version was taken inside a shed at Forrest's Boatyard.

JAMES Bros., No.l and 2 biplanes (Henry Howard and John Herbert James, Narberth, Pembrokeshire)

   The James brothers built a Caudron type C single-seater biplane with a 45hp Anzani engine, in the second half of 1913. It was the younger brother, Herbert, who was flying the machine on its initial flight on 25 September 1913, when it crashed on test at Clynderwen. Although considerable damage was done, it was repairable and Herbert suffered only minor injuries.
   The aircraft, which was built with a single rudder, had carried 'James Bros. No. 1' on both the rudder and the lower wings. When the aircraft was rebuilt as No.2 it was a two-seater with the later Caudron-type twin triangular rudders, and small fixed fins and was unmarked. Herbert flew it again in this form on 22 November 1913, but damaged the propeller on landing. It was not until 20 April 1914 that flying recommenced, with increasing success until the outbreak of war.
   The brothers had originally become involved in aviation by an apprenticeship with the Gloucester firm of Webb, Peat & Co. which was terminated with the liquidation of that firm. Thereafter they enrolled with the International Correspondence School, to study aeronautical theory, and moved to Hendon for flying tuition, both receiving their Aviation Certificates in October 1912. They continued at the Ewen School as instructors, until returning to Wales, in the summer of 1913, to build the aircraft at Narberth, where, in July 1914, they planned to operate a small aircraft factory. A monoplane was in course of design but this, and the factory scheme, were discontinued with the outbreak of war. The biplane was moved to the Ruffy Baumann School in February 1915, and the brothers spent until the end of 1915 instructing at Hendon.
   Howard spent the first half of 1916 with the RNAS, and was then transferred to Farnborough, where Herbert was already engaged as a civilian test pilot, both becoming commissioned in the Special Reserve of the RFC in March 1917. The older brother crashed badly in December 1917 and was invalided out of the RAF in October 1918. The younger brother continued to fly after the war, becoming a famous test and competition pilot for Nieuport and General Aviation Co., and later for Gloster and the Air Navigation and Engineering Co. (ANEC). He served in the RAF in a non-flying capacity in World War II, but died in February 1944 while still serving.

JEZZI No.2 biplane

   Jezzi discarded his first biplane, replacing it with No.2, which appeared in September 1911 at Eastchurch, where he ran it at high speed on the ground to test features of the machine, which was still incomplete and uncovered. On 13 January 1912, it was reported that he used the machine to tow the Brocklehurst monoplane back to the hangar, after it was stranded on the airfield. The machine had been covered by the end of November.
   The first flight of No.2 is not recorded, but by 10 March 1912 he had already flown and carried several passengers. The machine had been modified by August 1912, by the addition of extensions to the lower wings, making the wings of equal span. In this form Jezzi used the machine continuously at weekends throughout 1912. As an amateur designer and constructor with limited time and resources, Jezzi made a machine which was fast, very reliable and served him well.
   The design was of a simple tractor two-seater, with tapering wooden fuselage girder, mounted on struts between the wings. The top wing had considerable overhang when the machine was originally built as a single bay biplane, with strut and kingpost bracing of the overhanging portion, which was flexible for warping of the inversely tapered trailing edges. The struts and kingposts were removed when the machine was converted to a two bay biplane.
   A streamlined headrest was provided behind the pilot, and streamlined fairings were added to the supporting struts for the fuselage and undercarriage. In addition to twin skids on the main two wheel undercarriage, the axle of which was sprung by rubber bands, twin tail skids and skids, below the first interplane struts, were provided, all of which were laminated springs. There was a balanced rudder, but no fin, and a tailplane with divided elevators, all of which were parallel and square ended.


Power: 35hp JAP eight-cylinder, air-cooled vee, driving a 7ft 8in diameter tractor propeller
Data
   Span top 28ft After conversion 27ft 7in
   Span bottom 14ft After conversion 27ft 7in
   Chord. 4ft
   Gap 5ft
   Length 24ft 6in
   Area 166 sq ft After conversion 220 sq ft
   Area tailplane 10 sq ft
   Area elevators 15 sq ft
   Area rudder 9 sq ft
   Speed 65 mph