HAMMOND biplane (E.V. Hammond, 88 Louisville Rd., Balham, London SW)

   Hammond earned out experiments with helicopter rigs in 1906-1908, but came to the conclusion that the power required for vertical lift was not available at that time. He then turned to the construction of a pusher biplane at Brooklands, which made its appearance at some time in 1909. He later claimed to be the sole experimenter at Brooklands throughout the spring, summer and autumn of 1909.
   The rather crude looking single-seater, pusher biplane was not reported upon in the Press at the time, but a surviving photograph shows the general configuration. Unusual features were the large interplane ailerons and the double boxkite-like rudder, which seemed to be carried on swinging tail booms.
   The machine was presumably abandoned after the trials, which were of limited success, although Hammond was among the first dozen British pilots to get off the ground in a British-built machine.