M.Goodall, A.Tagg British Aircraft before the Great War (Schiffer)
Deleted by request of (c)Schiffer Publishing
BROCKLEHURST monoplane. (Major Brocklehurst, Windermere & Eastchurch.)
This machine appeared at Eastchurch in January 1912 after construction at Windermere. It was described as being designed by Major Brocklehurst, with wings of Etrich style to have automatic stability. The wings were pivoted to allow them to lift under pressure and were interconnected to the undercarriage, through springs, to effect their return. It is believed to have been fitted with an Anzani engine and was based on Patent 24902/1909 for such a wing. FB Fowler, who later ran the Eastbourne Aviation Co., was probably responsible for the design of the landing chassis and other aspects of its construction.
The first mention of this machine refers to a mishap at Eastchurch on 13 January 1913. (The Aeroplane 25 January 1913 (p.85), when it was towed back to its shed across the airfield at 25 mph by the Jezzi biplane, from the point where it was stranded.
The machine was transferred to Windermere and fitted with 'roller floats' possibly of the type covered by Patent 6999/1909 granted to Kitchen and Storey. The last reference to the aircraft was in The Aeroplane dated 10 April 1913 (p.431), where it was stated that 'Major Brocklehurst's hydromonoplane with Bat's wings' was under construction.
Brocklehurst's earlier Patent No.5662/1909 was for a scheme to provide lateral and pitch control by twisting the tail of an aircraft. His later Patent No.26810/1911, was for 'Batlike' wings in either biplane or monoplane form, which could be folded.