Lympne light aircraft trials
Encyclopedia
The Lympne Light Aircraft Trials were held to encourage the development of practical light aircraft for private ownership, with a strong but not exclusive emphasis on fuel economy. They were held in 1923, 1924 and 1926. Each year saw different restrictions on engine size, framed initially in terms of capacity and then weight. The Daily Mail
newspaper provided cash prizes throughout though the initiating donation came from the Duke of Sutherland
. The Air Ministry
were prize givers in the 1924 event. The trials were held at Lympne
in Kent
, England.
state of aviation in Britain and in Germany. Military aircraft production stopped immediately the war ended. In Britain there were large stocks of surplus aircraft available at low prices, making it hard for manufacturers to develop new models. Airlines were only slowly emerging, largely using converted military aeroplanes and having not found a certain economic model. The old fighters, though effective for barnstorming were not economical or practical enough for the private owner.
In Germany the manufacture of powered aircraft was forbidden under the terms of the Treaty of Versailles
, but glider development was allowed. In 1921 a glider competitions was held in the Rhön mountains, and in mid-August 1922 the another was held at the Wasserkuppe
. The 1922 prize of 100,000 marks was won by a flight of 66 minutes, demonstratingthe possibilities of engineless flight. In response, the Daily Mail offered a prize of £1,000 to the pilot making the longest flight in England. The Royal Aero Club
chose Itford Hill on the South Downs
just east of Brighton
as a venue and the event was arranged for 16–21 October 1922. This gave contestants just six weeks to design and build their gliders, or to bring them from Europe. Thirteen gliders competed with each other and the autumn weather. The best flight by an Englishman was that made by Fred Raynham
in a Handasyde aircraft, lasting 113 minutes, but the Frenchman Alexis Maneyrol did better in his Peyret tandem monoplane, staying up for a world record 201 minutes to win the prize. Given this demonstration of long duration unpowered flight it is not surprising that people began to consider the possibilities of glider-like aircraft, fitted with small engines, as sports aircraft for the private flyer. The first Lympne meeting the following year and its slightly earlier counterpart in Vauville near Cherbourg, France were the result of these ideas.
, on top of old sea cliffs near the coast and about 3 miles (5 km) WNW of the Kent port of Hythe
. The events were organised and administrated by the Royal Aero Club
.
, at that time Under-Secretary of State for Air
got the competition moving, offering a prize of £500 for the most economical British aircraft. The Daily Mail offered a similar economy prize of £1000 for a flight of more than 50 miles over a 12.5-mile triangular course, powered by an engine of less than 750 cc capacity but for an aircraft from any nation. As a result, the competition began to be referred to as the Daily Mail Motor Glider Competition. Rules were few, but the newspaper's inclusion of a capacity limit with its generous prize was adopted by all entrants. Since a single seat aircraft was bound to be lighter and more economical than a two seater, all entrants were single seaters.
The original intention was to fill the aircraft with one gallon of fuel and see how far they got. Seeing that this would lead to aircraft retrieval problems, the organisers decided that all flights must begin and end at Lypmne. Instead, each was fuelled over a gallon by a standard amount, landing when they judged they had insufficient fuel for another 12.5 miles. If they had used more than one gallon, the calculated consumption was pro rata; if they had used less than one gallon the consumption was nevertheless based one one gallon used.
Before an aircraft could enter the fuel economy test it was required to pass a demonstration of portability, called the transport test. Each aircraft had to prove it was capable of going through a standard field gate and then be wheeled along a country road for a mile using not more than two men. Because this limited the width of the aircraft to 7 ft 6in then the designs all featured either detachable or folding wings.
Also competed for were the £500 Abdulla Prize, donated by the Abdulla Tobacco Co. for the greatest speed over two laps of the same circuit and £150 each from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders
and the British Cycle and Motor Cycle Manufacturers and Trade Unions for the greatest number of completed circuits during the whole competition. Sir Charles Wakefield of Wakefield Oil (Castrol
) offered £100 for the machine that attained the greatest altitude. These were large sums of money at a time when £80 would buy a sailplane in Germany. The object of the competition was to produce a motor glider that cost no more than £100.
The 1923 entrants were:
Prize winners
The Duke of Sutherland's prize of £500 and the Daily Mail prize of £1,000 were put together and divided between the English Electric Wren (No. 4) flown by Flt Lt Longton and the ANEC Monoplane (No. 17) flown by Mr Jimmy James. Despite very different engine capacities (398 cc on the Wren and 700 cc on the ANEC), both returned 87.5 mpg (31.0 km/litre).
The Parnall Pixie II (No. 24), flown by Capt Macmillan won the Abdulla speed prize of £500 with a speed of 76.1 mph (122.5 km/h). ANEC No.17, flown this time by Mr Maurice Piercey also won the £200 altitude prize from Sir Charles Wakefield with a height of 14,400 feet (4,390 m).
The two £150 prizes for maximum distance covered went to the Avro 560 (No.6) flown by Bert Hinkler, which completed 80 laps or 1,000 miles (1,609 km). A take-off and landing competition with a £100 prize was frustrated by the gusty conditions and the prize went instead to Avro 558 No.11 flown by Harold Hamersley to an altitude of 13,850 ft (4,221 m).
However Alexis Maneyrol died during his second attempt on the altitude record, when his Peyret monoplane suffered lift strut failure. The banquet, which was to have concluded the Lympne event, was cancelled as a mark of respect.
The Wren No. 4 still flies with The Shuttleworth Collection, with the help of some parts from No. 3. The Vivette No. 16 hangs from the roof in the Brussels Air Museum, configured as a glider.
The elimination trials, held on Sunday 28 September were not expected to be as challenging as they turned out. There was a transport, store and reassemble test which involved folding or dismantling the wings, moving the aircraft a short distance and housing in a shed 10 ft (3 m) wide, then reversing the process. This had to be done by only two people. A flying test followed, a flight of one lap plus a figure of eight to be made from each cockpit in turn.
The competition proper, starting the next day awarded points on performance in four different tests: high speed, low speed, distance required to take off and clear an obstacle and length of landing run. The total time in the air during the competition was also logged.
The Air Ministry
offered a £2,000 prize for the winner and £1,000 for the runner-up. In addition, there was a £500 prize for the best combined take-off and landing performance from the Duke of Sutherland, with £100 for the runner-up and a £300 reliability prize from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and the British Cycle and Motor-cycle Manufacturers' and Traders' Union , awarded to the aircraft that flew the most laps during the week.
The 1924 entrants were:
Only eight of these survived the elimination trials to proceed to the trials proper. The unexpectedly high loss rate was broadly due to underdeveloped engines and a rushed preparation of airframes. The Vickers Vagabond, for example arrived by road unflown. The successful machines were No.s 1, 3, 4, 5, 14, 15, 18 and 19. Pixies No.s 17 and 18 were the same aircraft, configurable as either a monoplane or a biplane, but only flown as No.18, a biplane. This dropped out of the trials on Tuesday 30 September, leaving only seven aircraft to end with officially recognised performances.
Prize winners The Air Ministry first prize was won by Maurice Piercey flying the Beardmore "Wee Bee" (No. 4). The runner up was the Bristol Brownie (No. 1) flown by Cyril Unwins. These were the only two aircraft reliable enough to complete the high speed tests, reaching 70.1 mph (112.8 km/h) and 65.2 mph (104.9 km/h) respectively. The Brownie also won the £500 take-off and landing prize, with the Cygnet II (No.15) running up. The slow Cranwell CLA.2 (No.3) went the furthest and flew for longest, winning the £300 reliability prize. It covered 762.5 miles (1,227 km) in almost 18 hours flying.
Cynet No. 14 is exhibited in non-flying condition at the RAF Museum
, Cosford, Shropshire
.
The 1926 entrants were:
Competitors No.s 5, 8 and 11 did not arrive in time for the elimination trials. The Missel Thrush did, but was out even before the start of the elimination test, badly damaged in an accident begun with undercarriage failure. The elimination trials did not reduce the field as severely as in 1924, but three aircraft (No.1, 12 and 15) were disqualified after suffering undercarriage failures in the flying tests. These tests involved a pair of five minute flights over the airfield, including a figure of eight, the first flown from one cockpit and the second from the other. All the entrants passed the weight checks, the dismantle-house-reassemble test, similar the that undertaken in 1924 and the more demanding take off test.
So on Sunday, nine machines started the trials proper. On each of the six days, competitors flew several laps of courses mostly involving towns or landmarks along or near the Kent and Sussex coastline, and usually involving either three or six laps totalling between 300–400 miles. Friday's course was an exception, a two lap flight on a 106-mile circuit from Lympne to the south London airport at Croydon
. By Thursday morning the field had been reduced to four, the two Cygnets with No.6 leading, followed by the Brownie and then the Pixie. Two days more flying left this order unchanged; final figures of merit were 1.105, 0.907, 0.850 and 0.773 respectively.
Prize winners So the factory entered Hawker Cygnet, flown by Paul Bulman took the £3,000 winner's prize, the RAE Aero Club Cygnet flown by J.S. Chick the £1,500 for second place and the Bristol Brownie £500 for third. All three aircraft used the Cherub engine. If placings had been determined by fuel consumed rather than the figure of merit, the order would have been unchanged, and Bulman flew his Cygnet significantly faster (68.36 mph or 101.0 km/h) over the 1,994 miles of the course than anyone else.
Daily Mail
The Daily Mail is a British daily middle-market tabloid newspaper owned by the Daily Mail and General Trust. First published in 1896 by Lord Northcliffe, it is the United Kingdom's second biggest-selling daily newspaper after The Sun. Its sister paper The Mail on Sunday was launched in 1982...
newspaper provided cash prizes throughout though the initiating donation came from the Duke of Sutherland
Duke of Sutherland
Duke of Sutherland, derived from Sutherland in Scotland, is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom held by the head of the Leveson-Gower family. It was created by William IV in 1833 for George Leveson-Gower, 2nd Marquess of Stafford...
. The Air Ministry
Air Ministry
The Air Ministry was a department of the British Government with the responsibility of managing the affairs of the Royal Air Force, that existed from 1918 to 1964...
were prize givers in the 1924 event. The trials were held at Lympne
Lympne
Lympne is a village situated on the former sea cliffs above the Romney Marsh in Kent. It lies approximately west of Folkestone, 2 miles west of Hythe and east of Ashford....
in Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
, England.
The background
The Lympne events had their origin in the post-World War IWorld War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
state of aviation in Britain and in Germany. Military aircraft production stopped immediately the war ended. In Britain there were large stocks of surplus aircraft available at low prices, making it hard for manufacturers to develop new models. Airlines were only slowly emerging, largely using converted military aeroplanes and having not found a certain economic model. The old fighters, though effective for barnstorming were not economical or practical enough for the private owner.
In Germany the manufacture of powered aircraft was forbidden under the terms of the Treaty of Versailles
Treaty of Versailles
The Treaty of Versailles was one of the peace treaties at the end of World War I. It ended the state of war between Germany and the Allied Powers. It was signed on 28 June 1919, exactly five years after the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand. The other Central Powers on the German side of...
, but glider development was allowed. In 1921 a glider competitions was held in the Rhön mountains, and in mid-August 1922 the another was held at the Wasserkuppe
Wasserkuppe
The Wasserkuppe is a high plateau , the highest peak in the Rhön Mountains within the German state of Hessen. Between the first and second World Wars, during the era of the so-called Golden Age of Aviation, great advances in sailplane development were made there.Remark: The German wording takes its...
. The 1922 prize of 100,000 marks was won by a flight of 66 minutes, demonstratingthe possibilities of engineless flight. In response, the Daily Mail offered a prize of £1,000 to the pilot making the longest flight in England. The Royal Aero Club
Royal Aero Club
The Royal Aero Club is the national co-ordinating body for Air Sport in the United Kingdom.The Aero Club was founded in 1901 by Frank Hedges Butler, his daughter Vera and the Hon Charles Rolls , partly inspired by the Aero Club of France...
chose Itford Hill on the South Downs
South Downs
The South Downs is a range of chalk hills that extends for about across the south-eastern coastal counties of England from the Itchen Valley of Hampshire in the west to Beachy Head, near Eastbourne, East Sussex, in the east. It is bounded on its northern side by a steep escarpment, from whose...
just east of Brighton
Brighton
Brighton is the major part of the city of Brighton and Hove in East Sussex, England on the south coast of Great Britain...
as a venue and the event was arranged for 16–21 October 1922. This gave contestants just six weeks to design and build their gliders, or to bring them from Europe. Thirteen gliders competed with each other and the autumn weather. The best flight by an Englishman was that made by Fred Raynham
Fred Raynham
-Selected filmography:* The Hound of the Baskervilles * The Passionate Friends * The Wandering Jew * The Presumption of Stanley Hay, MP * A Romance of Mayfair * Somebody's Darling...
in a Handasyde aircraft, lasting 113 minutes, but the Frenchman Alexis Maneyrol did better in his Peyret tandem monoplane, staying up for a world record 201 minutes to win the prize. Given this demonstration of long duration unpowered flight it is not surprising that people began to consider the possibilities of glider-like aircraft, fitted with small engines, as sports aircraft for the private flyer. The first Lympne meeting the following year and its slightly earlier counterpart in Vauville near Cherbourg, France were the result of these ideas.
Venue and organisation
Lympne Aerodrome is just west of the village of LympneLympne
Lympne is a village situated on the former sea cliffs above the Romney Marsh in Kent. It lies approximately west of Folkestone, 2 miles west of Hythe and east of Ashford....
, on top of old sea cliffs near the coast and about 3 miles (5 km) WNW of the Kent port of Hythe
Hythe, Kent
Hythe , is a small coastal market town on the edge of Romney Marsh, in the District of Shepway on the south coast of Kent. The word Hythe or Hithe is an Old English word meaning Haven or Landing Place....
. The events were organised and administrated by the Royal Aero Club
Royal Aero Club
The Royal Aero Club is the national co-ordinating body for Air Sport in the United Kingdom.The Aero Club was founded in 1901 by Frank Hedges Butler, his daughter Vera and the Hon Charles Rolls , partly inspired by the Aero Club of France...
.
1923
The first trial was in 1923. The official proper name was the motor-glider competition. The Duke of SutherlandGeorge Sutherland-Leveson-Gower, 5th Duke of Sutherland
George Granville Sutherland-Leveson-Gower, 5th Duke of Sutherland PC, KT , styled Earl Gower until 1892 and Marquess of Stafford between 1892 and 1913, was a British courtier, patron of the film industry and Conservative politician...
, at that time Under-Secretary of State for Air
Under-Secretary of State for Air
The Under-Secretary of State for Air was a junior ministerial post in the United Kingdom Government, supporting the Secretary of State for Air in his role of managing the Royal Air Force....
got the competition moving, offering a prize of £500 for the most economical British aircraft. The Daily Mail offered a similar economy prize of £1000 for a flight of more than 50 miles over a 12.5-mile triangular course, powered by an engine of less than 750 cc capacity but for an aircraft from any nation. As a result, the competition began to be referred to as the Daily Mail Motor Glider Competition. Rules were few, but the newspaper's inclusion of a capacity limit with its generous prize was adopted by all entrants. Since a single seat aircraft was bound to be lighter and more economical than a two seater, all entrants were single seaters.
The original intention was to fill the aircraft with one gallon of fuel and see how far they got. Seeing that this would lead to aircraft retrieval problems, the organisers decided that all flights must begin and end at Lypmne. Instead, each was fuelled over a gallon by a standard amount, landing when they judged they had insufficient fuel for another 12.5 miles. If they had used more than one gallon, the calculated consumption was pro rata; if they had used less than one gallon the consumption was nevertheless based one one gallon used.
Before an aircraft could enter the fuel economy test it was required to pass a demonstration of portability, called the transport test. Each aircraft had to prove it was capable of going through a standard field gate and then be wheeled along a country road for a mile using not more than two men. Because this limited the width of the aircraft to 7 ft 6in then the designs all featured either detachable or folding wings.
Also competed for were the £500 Abdulla Prize, donated by the Abdulla Tobacco Co. for the greatest speed over two laps of the same circuit and £150 each from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders
Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders
The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders is the trade association for the United Kingdom motor industry. It "promote the interests of the UK automotive industry at home and abroad".-History:...
and the British Cycle and Motor Cycle Manufacturers and Trade Unions for the greatest number of completed circuits during the whole competition. Sir Charles Wakefield of Wakefield Oil (Castrol
Castrol
Castrol is a brand of industrial and automotive lubricants which is applied to a large range of oils, greases and similar products for most lubrication applications...
) offered £100 for the machine that attained the greatest altitude. These were large sums of money at a time when £80 would buy a sailplane in Germany. The object of the competition was to produce a motor glider that cost no more than £100.
The 1923 entrants were:
| Competition Number |
Registration | Type | Engine* | Pilot | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. 1 | Avro 558 Avro 558 |-See also:-External links:*... biplane |
B&H (Grigg) | entered by Grigg Motor & Engineering Company Probably did not attend | ||
| No. 2 | G-EBGN | Gnosspelius Gull | Tomtit Blackburne Tomtit |-See also:... |
John Lankester Parker John Lankester Parker John Lankester Parker OBE FRAeS Hon. MSLAE was Chief Test Pilot for Short Brothers from 1918 until his retirement in 1945. He joined Shorts in 1916 as a part-time test pilot and assistant to then Chief Test Pilot Ronald Kemp, having been recommended for the post by Captain, later Admiral Sir,... |
Entered by Major O.T. Gnosspelius Oscar Gnosspelius Major Oscar Theodor Gnosspelius was an English civil engineer and pioneer seaplane builder.Gnosspelius was born at Brookfield House, Maghull on 18 March 1878 the only son of Adolf Jonathan Gnosspelius.. He was educated in Bedford and later was to study civil engineering at the City and Guilds... and J.L. Parker John Lankester Parker John Lankester Parker OBE FRAeS Hon. MSLAE was Chief Test Pilot for Short Brothers from 1918 until his retirement in 1945. He joined Shorts in 1916 as a part-time test pilot and assistant to then Chief Test Pilot Ronald Kemp, having been recommended for the post by Captain, later Admiral Sir,... |
| No. 3 | G-EBNV | English Electric Wren English Electric Wren -External links:*... |
ABC ABC Motors ABC Motors Limited of Hersham, Surrey, England was a manufacturer of cars, aircraft, motor scooters, and engines for road and air. Established by Ronald Charteris in Hersham, Surrey in 1912, its chief designer was the young and talented Granville Bradshaw... flat twin |
Maurice Wright | Entered by the English Electric Company English Electric English Electric was a British industrial manufacturer. Founded in 1918, it initially specialised in industrial electric motors and transformers... |
| No. 4 | None | English Electric Wren English Electric Wren -External links:*... |
ABC ABC Motors ABC Motors Limited of Hersham, Surrey, England was a manufacturer of cars, aircraft, motor scooters, and engines for road and air. Established by Ronald Charteris in Hersham, Surrey in 1912, its chief designer was the young and talented Granville Bradshaw... flat twin |
Walter Hunt Longton | Entered by the English Electric Company English Electric English Electric was a British industrial manufacturer. Founded in 1918, it initially specialised in industrial electric motors and transformers... |
| No. 5 | None | Avro 558 Avro 558 |-See also:-External links:*... |
B&H V-twin | Bert Hinkler Bert Hinkler Herbert John Louis Hinkler AFC DSM , better known as Bert Hinkler, was a pioneer Australian aviator and inventor. He designed and built early aircraft before being the first person to fly solo from England to Australia, and the first person to fly solo across the Southern Atlantic Ocean... |
Entered by A.V.Roe & Co Avro Avro was a British aircraft manufacturer, with numerous landmark designs such as the Avro 504 trainer in the First World War, the Avro Lancaster, one of the pre-eminent bombers of the Second World War, and the delta wing Avro Vulcan, a stalwart of the Cold War.-Early history:One of the world's... . |
| No. 6 | None | Avro 560 Avro 560 -External links:*... |
Tomtit Blackburne Tomtit |-See also:... |
Bert Hinkler Bert Hinkler Herbert John Louis Hinkler AFC DSM , better known as Bert Hinkler, was a pioneer Australian aviator and inventor. He designed and built early aircraft before being the first person to fly solo from England to Australia, and the first person to fly solo across the Southern Atlantic Ocean... |
Entered by A.V.Roe & Co Avro Avro was a British aircraft manufacturer, with numerous landmark designs such as the Avro 504 trainer in the First World War, the Avro Lancaster, one of the pre-eminent bombers of the Second World War, and the delta wing Avro Vulcan, a stalwart of the Cold War.-Early history:One of the world's... . |
| No. 7 | G-EBHU | Gloucestershire Gannet | Carden | Larry Carter | Entered by the Gloucestershire Aircraft Company. |
| No. 8 | G-EBHX | de Havilland DH.53 De Havilland Humming Bird |-See also:-External links:*... |
750cc Douglas | Capt Geoffrey de Havilland Geoffrey de Havilland Captain Sir Geoffrey de Havilland, OM, CBE, AFC, RDI, FRAeS, was a British aviation pioneer and aircraft engineer... and Capt Hubert Broad Hubert Broad Captain Hubert Standford Broad MBE AFC was an English First World War aviator and notable sports and test pilot.-Early life:Broad was born in Watford on 18 May 1897 the son of Thomas and Amelia Broad. In 1901 when Broad was three the family were living at Aston Lodge, St Johns Road in Watford his... |
Entered by the de Havilland Aircraft Company De Havilland The de Havilland Aircraft Company was a British aviation manufacturer founded in 1920 when Airco, of which Geoffrey de Havilland had been chief designer, was sold to BSA by the owner George Holt Thomas. De Havilland then set up a company under his name in September of that year at Stag Lane... . |
| No. 9 | G-EBKM | Parnall Pixie I Parnall Pixie The Parnall Pixie was a low powered British single-seat monoplane light aircraft originally designed to compete in the Lympne, UK trials for motor-gliders in 1923, where it was successful... |
500cc Douglas | Norman MacMillan Norman MacMillan (pilot) Wing Commander Norman MacMillan, OBE, MC, AFC, DL born Glasgow, Scotland was a pilot and author.He served during World War I on the Western Front in 1917–18 with the RFC and RAF, flying Sopwith 1½ Strutter and Sopwith Camel aircraft, becoming an ace by claiming eleven victories and being credited... |
Entered by George Parnall and Company Parnall Parnall was a British aircraft manufacturer, that evolved from a wood-working company before the First World War to a significant designer of military and civil aircraft into the 1940s. It was based in the west of England.-History:... . |
| No. 10 | G-EBHN | Vickers Viget | 750cc Douglas | Stan Cockerell | Entered by Vickers Limited Vickers Limited Vickers Limited was a famous British engineering conglomerate that merged into Vickers-Armstrongs in 1927.-Early history:Vickers was formed in Sheffield as a steel foundry by the miller Edward Vickers and his father-in-law George Naylor in 1828. Naylor was a partner in the foundry Naylor &... . |
| No. 11 | G-EBHW | Avro 558 Avro 558 |-See also:-External links:*... |
500cc Douglas | Harold Hamersley | Entered by G.S. Bush and H.A. Hammersley. |
| No. 12 | G-EBHZ | de Havilland DH.53 De Havilland Humming Bird |-See also:-External links:*... |
750cc Douglas | Harold Hemming | Entered by A.S. Butler. |
| No. 13 | Handasyde Monoplane | 750cc Douglas | Fred Raynham | Entered by the pilot. | |
| No. 14 | G-EBHS | RAE Aero Club Hurricane RAE Hurricane The RAE Hurricane was a single-seat, single-engined light monoplane designed and built by the Aero Club of the Royal Aircraft Establishment for the 1923 Lympne Motor Glider Competition. It was underpowered with an unreliable engine... |
600cc Douglas | George Bulman | Entered by the Royal Aircraft Establishment Royal Aircraft Establishment The Royal Aircraft Establishment , was a British research establishment, known by several different names during its history, that eventually came under the aegis of the UK Ministry of Defence , before finally losing its identity in mergers with other institutions.The first site was at Farnborough... Aero Club. |
| No. 15 | Peyret Monoplane | 4 cylinder Sergant | Alexis Maneyrol | French, entered by Louis Peyret. | |
| No. 16 | O-BAFH | Poncelot Vivette Monoplane | 16 hp 4 cylinder Sergant | Baron Georges Kervyn de Letttenhove | Belgian. As No. 21, but mahogany covered fuselage and larger area wings, entered by Jean B. Richard. |
| No. 17 | G-EBIL | ANEC I ANEC I -External links:***... |
Tomtit Blackburne Tomtit |-See also:... |
"Jimmy" J.H. James | Entered by the Addlestone Aeronautical Association. |
| No. 18 | G-EBHR | ANEC I ANEC I -External links:***... |
Tomtit Blackburne Tomtit |-See also:... |
Maurice Piercy | Entered by Hubert Blundell. |
| No. 19 | None | Gnosspelius Gull | Tomtit Blackburne Tomtit |-See also:... |
Rex Stocken | Entered by Major O.T. Gnosspelius Oscar Gnosspelius Major Oscar Theodor Gnosspelius was an English civil engineer and pioneer seaplane builder.Gnosspelius was born at Brookfield House, Maghull on 18 March 1878 the only son of Adolf Jonathan Gnosspelius.. He was educated in Bedford and later was to study civil engineering at the City and Guilds... and J.L. Parker John Lankester Parker John Lankester Parker OBE FRAeS Hon. MSLAE was Chief Test Pilot for Short Brothers from 1918 until his retirement in 1945. He joined Shorts in 1916 as a part-time test pilot and assistant to then Chief Test Pilot Ronald Kemp, having been recommended for the post by Captain, later Admiral Sir,... |
| No. 20 | Kingwell Tandem Monoplane | ABC ABC Motors ABC Motors Limited of Hersham, Surrey, England was a manufacturer of cars, aircraft, motor scooters, and engines for road and air. Established by Ronald Charteris in Hersham, Surrey in 1912, its chief designer was the young and talented Granville Bradshaw... |
H. Sykes | did not attend, entered by P.W. Kingwell. | |
| No. 21 | O-BAFG | Poncelot Castar Monoplane | 16 hp 4 cylinder Sergant | V. Simonet | Belgian. As No. 16 but fabric covered fuselage and smaller area wings, entered by G.A. de Ro. |
| No. 22 | Peyret Monoplane | Douglas | Alexis Maneyrol | probably did not attend, entered by Louis Peyret. | |
| No. 23 | J7233 | Sayers-Handley Page H.P.22 | 500cc Douglas | A.G. Pointing and J.T. Jeyes | entered by pilots. |
| No. 24 | G-EBKN | Parnall Pixie II Parnall Pixie The Parnall Pixie was a low powered British single-seat monoplane light aircraft originally designed to compete in the Lympne, UK trials for motor-gliders in 1923, where it was successful... |
750cc Douglas | Norman Macmillan | the same aircraft as No.9 with shorter span wings and a more powerful engine.Entered by the George Parnall and Company Parnall Parnall was a British aircraft manufacturer, that evolved from a wood-working company before the First World War to a significant designer of military and civil aircraft into the 1940s. It was based in the west of England.-History:... . |
| No. 25 | None | Sayers-Handley Page H.P.22 | 400cc ABC engine | C. Barnard | like No. 23 with a different nose shape and engine Entered by Vernon Bradshaw. |
| No. 26 | J7265 | Sayers-Handley Page H.P.23 | Tomtit Blackburne Tomtit |-See also:... |
Gordon Olley Gordon Olley Flying Officer Gordon Percy Olley MM was a First World War flying ace who later formed his own airline, Olley Air Services. He was the first pilot to fly a million miles in total.-Early years:... |
Entered by the Handley Page. |
| No. 27 | G-EBHQ | Salmon Tandem Monoplane | 3½hp Bradshaw motor-cycle engine | Cecil Bouchier | did not attend, entered by Percy Salmon. |
| No. 28 | Falcon Monoplane | JAP | not completed |
- The engine referred to here as the Tomtit was the early, crudely adapted motorcycle engine. The Tomtit was a more refined aeronautical adaptation.
Prize winners
The Duke of Sutherland's prize of £500 and the Daily Mail prize of £1,000 were put together and divided between the English Electric Wren (No. 4) flown by Flt Lt Longton and the ANEC Monoplane (No. 17) flown by Mr Jimmy James. Despite very different engine capacities (398 cc on the Wren and 700 cc on the ANEC), both returned 87.5 mpg (31.0 km/litre).
The two £150 prizes for maximum distance covered went to the Avro 560 (No.6) flown by Bert Hinkler, which completed 80 laps or 1,000 miles (1,609 km). A take-off and landing competition with a £100 prize was frustrated by the gusty conditions and the prize went instead to Avro 558 No.11 flown by Harold Hamersley to an altitude of 13,850 ft (4,221 m).
However Alexis Maneyrol died during his second attempt on the altitude record, when his Peyret monoplane suffered lift strut failure. The banquet, which was to have concluded the Lympne event, was cancelled as a mark of respect.
The Wren No. 4 still flies with The Shuttleworth Collection, with the help of some parts from No. 3. The Vivette No. 16 hangs from the roof in the Brussels Air Museum, configured as a glider.
1924
The 1924 trial, properly called the Two-Seater Dual Control Light Aeroplane Competition was held from 27 September to 4 October 1924 also at Lympne Aerodrome. The rules, issued in February 1924 required competing aircraft to have engines with a capacity of no more than 1,100 cc, to have full dual controls and one or two airspeed visible from either cockpit. All tests were to be flown with a load of 340 lb (154 kg), excluding fuel but including the pilot's weight.The elimination trials, held on Sunday 28 September were not expected to be as challenging as they turned out. There was a transport, store and reassemble test which involved folding or dismantling the wings, moving the aircraft a short distance and housing in a shed 10 ft (3 m) wide, then reversing the process. This had to be done by only two people. A flying test followed, a flight of one lap plus a figure of eight to be made from each cockpit in turn.
The competition proper, starting the next day awarded points on performance in four different tests: high speed, low speed, distance required to take off and clear an obstacle and length of landing run. The total time in the air during the competition was also logged.
The Air Ministry
Air Ministry
The Air Ministry was a department of the British Government with the responsibility of managing the affairs of the Royal Air Force, that existed from 1918 to 1964...
offered a £2,000 prize for the winner and £1,000 for the runner-up. In addition, there was a £500 prize for the best combined take-off and landing performance from the Duke of Sutherland, with £100 for the runner-up and a £300 reliability prize from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and the British Cycle and Motor-cycle Manufacturers' and Traders' Union , awarded to the aircraft that flew the most laps during the week.
The 1924 entrants were:
| Competition Number |
Registration | Type | Engine | Pilot | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. 1 | G-EBJK | Bristol Brownie Bristol Brownie -Bibliography:*... |
Cherub Bristol Cherub -See also:-Bibliography:* Guttery, T.E. The Shuttleworth Collection. London: Wm. Carling & Co, 1969. ISBN 901319-01-5* Lumsden, Alec. British Piston Engines and their Aircraft. Marlborough, Wiltshire: Airlife Publishing, 2003. ISBN 1-85310-294-6.... |
Cyril Unwins | |
| No. 2 | G-EBJL | Bristol Brownie Bristol Brownie -Bibliography:*... |
Cherub Bristol Cherub -See also:-Bibliography:* Guttery, T.E. The Shuttleworth Collection. London: Wm. Carling & Co, 1969. ISBN 901319-01-5* Lumsden, Alec. British Piston Engines and their Aircraft. Marlborough, Wiltshire: Airlife Publishing, 2003. ISBN 1-85310-294-6.... |
did not attend | |
| No. 3 | G-EBKC | Cranwell CLA.2 | Cherub Bristol Cherub -See also:-Bibliography:* Guttery, T.E. The Shuttleworth Collection. London: Wm. Carling & Co, 1969. ISBN 901319-01-5* Lumsden, Alec. British Piston Engines and their Aircraft. Marlborough, Wiltshire: Airlife Publishing, 2003. ISBN 1-85310-294-6.... |
Nicholas Comper Nicholas Comper Nicholas Comper was an English aviator and aircraft designer, whose most notable success was the 1930s Comper Swift monoplane racer.-Early life:... |
|
| No. 4 | G-EBJJ | Beardmore Wee Bee Beardmore Wee Bee The Beardmore Wee Bee was a single-engined monoplane that was built specifically for the Lympne two seat light aircraft trials held in the United Kingdom in 1924. It won the major prize, though only one was built.-Design and development:... |
Cherub Bristol Cherub -See also:-Bibliography:* Guttery, T.E. The Shuttleworth Collection. London: Wm. Carling & Co, 1969. ISBN 901319-01-5* Lumsden, Alec. British Piston Engines and their Aircraft. Marlborough, Wiltshire: Airlife Publishing, 2003. ISBN 1-85310-294-6.... |
Maurice Piercy | |
| No. 5 | G-EBIY | Westland Woodpigeon | Cherub Bristol Cherub -See also:-Bibliography:* Guttery, T.E. The Shuttleworth Collection. London: Wm. Carling & Co, 1969. ISBN 901319-01-5* Lumsden, Alec. British Piston Engines and their Aircraft. Marlborough, Wiltshire: Airlife Publishing, 2003. ISBN 1-85310-294-6.... |
did not attend | |
| No. 6 | G-EBJV | Westland Woodpigeon | Cherub Bristol Cherub -See also:-Bibliography:* Guttery, T.E. The Shuttleworth Collection. London: Wm. Carling & Co, 1969. ISBN 901319-01-5* Lumsden, Alec. British Piston Engines and their Aircraft. Marlborough, Wiltshire: Airlife Publishing, 2003. ISBN 1-85310-294-6.... |
Gaskell | |
| No. 7 | G-EBJO | ANEC II | Anzani Anzani Anzani was an engine manufacturer founded by the Italian Alessandro Anzani , which produced proprietary engines for aircraft, cars, boats, and motorcycles in factories in Britain, France and Italy.-Overview:... |
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| No. 8 | G-EBJU | Short Satellite Short Satellite - References :*... |
Cherub Bristol Cherub -See also:-Bibliography:* Guttery, T.E. The Shuttleworth Collection. London: Wm. Carling & Co, 1969. ISBN 901319-01-5* Lumsden, Alec. British Piston Engines and their Aircraft. Marlborough, Wiltshire: Airlife Publishing, 2003. ISBN 1-85310-294-6.... |
John Lankester Parker John Lankester Parker John Lankester Parker OBE FRAeS Hon. MSLAE was Chief Test Pilot for Short Brothers from 1918 until his retirement in 1945. He joined Shorts in 1916 as a part-time test pilot and assistant to then Chief Test Pilot Ronald Kemp, having been recommended for the post by Captain, later Admiral Sir,... |
|
| No. 9 | G-EBJP | Supermarine Sparrow Supermarine Sparrow |-See also:-References:* Andrews, C.F. and Morgan, E.B. Supermarine Aircraft since 1914. London:Putnam, 1987. ISBN 0851778003.* Jackson, A.J. British Civil Aircraft since 1919:Volume 3. London. Putnam, 1988, ISBN 0851778186.... |
Thrush Blackburne Thrush -See also:-Bibliography:* Lumsden, Alec. British Piston Engines and their Aircraft. Marlborough, Wiltshire: Airlife Publishing, 2003. ISBN 1-85310-294-6.-External links:*... |
Henry Biard | |
| No. 10 | G-EBKP | Avro Avis Avro Avis |-See also:-External links:*... |
Cherub Bristol Cherub -See also:-Bibliography:* Guttery, T.E. The Shuttleworth Collection. London: Wm. Carling & Co, 1969. ISBN 901319-01-5* Lumsden, Alec. British Piston Engines and their Aircraft. Marlborough, Wiltshire: Airlife Publishing, 2003. ISBN 1-85310-294-6.... |
Bert Hinkler Bert Hinkler Herbert John Louis Hinkler AFC DSM , better known as Bert Hinkler, was a pioneer Australian aviator and inventor. He designed and built early aircraft before being the first person to fly solo from England to Australia, and the first person to fly solo across the Southern Atlantic Ocean... |
|
| No. 11 | G-EBKP | Avro Avis Avro Avis |-See also:-External links:*... |
Thrush Blackburne Thrush -See also:-Bibliography:* Lumsden, Alec. British Piston Engines and their Aircraft. Marlborough, Wiltshire: Airlife Publishing, 2003. ISBN 1-85310-294-6.-External links:*... |
Bert Hinkler Bert Hinkler Herbert John Louis Hinkler AFC DSM , better known as Bert Hinkler, was a pioneer Australian aviator and inventor. He designed and built early aircraft before being the first person to fly solo from England to Australia, and the first person to fly solo across the Southern Atlantic Ocean... |
Avro entered the same Avis twice to have a choice of engines. No.10 flew in the trials. |
| No. 12 | G-EBKD | Blackburn Bluebird Blackburn Bluebird |-See also:... |
Thrush Blackburne Thrush -See also:-Bibliography:* Lumsden, Alec. British Piston Engines and their Aircraft. Marlborough, Wiltshire: Airlife Publishing, 2003. ISBN 1-85310-294-6.-External links:*... |
did not attend | |
| No. 14 | G-EBMB | Hawker Cygnet I Hawker Cygnet -See also:-Bibliography:*Mason, Francis K. Hawker Aircraft since 1920. London:Putnam, 1991.ISBN 0 85177 839 9.-External links:*... |
Anzani Anzani Anzani was an engine manufacturer founded by the Italian Alessandro Anzani , which produced proprietary engines for aircraft, cars, boats, and motorcycles in factories in Britain, France and Italy.-Overview:... |
Walter Longton | |
| No. 15 | G-EBJH | Hawker Cygnet II Hawker Cygnet -See also:-Bibliography:*Mason, Francis K. Hawker Aircraft since 1920. London:Putnam, 1991.ISBN 0 85177 839 9.-External links:*... |
Scorpion ABC Scorpion |-See also:-Bibliography:* Gunston, Bill. World Encyclopedia of Aero Engines. Cambridge, England. Patrick Stephens Limited, 1989. ISBN 1-85260-163-9* Guttery, T.E. The Shuttleworth Collection. London: Wm. Carling, 1969.... |
Fred Raynham | |
| No. 16 | G-EBJF | Vickers Vagabond | Cherub Bristol Cherub -See also:-Bibliography:* Guttery, T.E. The Shuttleworth Collection. London: Wm. Carling & Co, 1969. ISBN 901319-01-5* Lumsden, Alec. British Piston Engines and their Aircraft. Marlborough, Wiltshire: Airlife Publishing, 2003. ISBN 1-85310-294-6.... |
H.J. Payn | |
| No. 17 | G-EBJG | Parnall Pixie IIIa monoplane Parnall Pixie The Parnall Pixie was a low powered British single-seat monoplane light aircraft originally designed to compete in the Lympne, UK trials for motor-gliders in 1923, where it was successful... |
Cherub Bristol Cherub -See also:-Bibliography:* Guttery, T.E. The Shuttleworth Collection. London: Wm. Carling & Co, 1969. ISBN 901319-01-5* Lumsden, Alec. British Piston Engines and their Aircraft. Marlborough, Wiltshire: Airlife Publishing, 2003. ISBN 1-85310-294-6.... |
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| No. 18 | G-EBJG | Parnall Pixie IIIa biplane Parnall Pixie The Parnall Pixie was a low powered British single-seat monoplane light aircraft originally designed to compete in the Lympne, UK trials for motor-gliders in 1923, where it was successful... |
Cherub Bristol Cherub -See also:-Bibliography:* Guttery, T.E. The Shuttleworth Collection. London: Wm. Carling & Co, 1969. ISBN 901319-01-5* Lumsden, Alec. British Piston Engines and their Aircraft. Marlborough, Wiltshire: Airlife Publishing, 2003. ISBN 1-85310-294-6.... |
Frank Courtney | same aircraft as No. 18, with second wing |
| No. 19 | G-EBKK | Parnall Pixie IIIa biplane Parnall Pixie The Parnall Pixie was a low powered British single-seat monoplane light aircraft originally designed to compete in the Lympne, UK trials for motor-gliders in 1923, where it was successful... |
Cherub Bristol Cherub -See also:-Bibliography:* Guttery, T.E. The Shuttleworth Collection. London: Wm. Carling & Co, 1969. ISBN 901319-01-5* Lumsden, Alec. British Piston Engines and their Aircraft. Marlborough, Wiltshire: Airlife Publishing, 2003. ISBN 1-85310-294-6.... |
Sholto Douglas | |
Only eight of these survived the elimination trials to proceed to the trials proper. The unexpectedly high loss rate was broadly due to underdeveloped engines and a rushed preparation of airframes. The Vickers Vagabond, for example arrived by road unflown. The successful machines were No.s 1, 3, 4, 5, 14, 15, 18 and 19. Pixies No.s 17 and 18 were the same aircraft, configurable as either a monoplane or a biplane, but only flown as No.18, a biplane. This dropped out of the trials on Tuesday 30 September, leaving only seven aircraft to end with officially recognised performances.
Prize winners The Air Ministry first prize was won by Maurice Piercey flying the Beardmore "Wee Bee" (No. 4). The runner up was the Bristol Brownie (No. 1) flown by Cyril Unwins. These were the only two aircraft reliable enough to complete the high speed tests, reaching 70.1 mph (112.8 km/h) and 65.2 mph (104.9 km/h) respectively. The Brownie also won the £500 take-off and landing prize, with the Cygnet II (No.15) running up. The slow Cranwell CLA.2 (No.3) went the furthest and flew for longest, winning the £300 reliability prize. It covered 762.5 miles (1,227 km) in almost 18 hours flying.
Cynet No. 14 is exhibited in non-flying condition at the RAF Museum
RAF Museum
The Royal Air Force Museum London, commonly known as the RAF Museum, is a museum located on the former Hendon Aerodrome, dedicated to the history of aviation and the British Royal Air Force. The museum is a non-departmental public body sponsored by the Ministry of Defence and a registered charity...
, Cosford, Shropshire
Cosford, Shropshire
Cosford is a village in Shropshire, England. It lies between the town of Shifnal and the large village of Albrighton, in the parish of Donington...
.
1926
The 1926 trials were held at Lympne in September 1926. The aim of the competition was to encourage the design of practical two seaters, which as in 1924 were to have full dual control. Rather than limit engine capacity, the rules set a maximum engine weight of 170 lb (77.1 kg). For the first time in the Lympne trials, all aircraft had to be all British. This requirement, together with the weight limit severely limited the choice of engines. Air Ministry interest had waned and they put up no prize money, but the Daily Mail offered £5,000 in all, £3,000 to the winner, £1,500 to the runner-up and 3500 for third place. A single "figure of merit" determined position, the ratio of the useful load carried, unchanged throughout the trials to the mass of petrol used over the total 1,994 miles (3,208 km) flown. The preliminary eliminating trials began on Friday 10th, and the trial proper on Sunday 12th.The 1926 entrants were:
| Competition Number |
Registration | Type | Engine | Pilot | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. 1 | G-EBKD | Blackburn Bluebird Blackburn Bluebird |-See also:... |
Genet Armstrong Siddeley Genet -Bibliography:* Lumsden, Alec. British Piston Engines and their Aircraft. Marlborough, Wiltshire: Airlife Publishing, 2003. ISBN 1-85310-294-6.-External links:*... |
Walter Longton | entered by Blackburn |
| No. 2 | G-EBOU | de Havilland DH.60 Moth De Havilland DH.60 Moth The de Havilland DH 60 Moth was a 1920s British two-seat touring and training aircraft that was developed into a series of aircraft by the de Havilland Aircraft Company.-Development:The DH 60 was developed from the larger DH 51 biplane... |
Genet Armstrong Siddeley Genet -Bibliography:* Lumsden, Alec. British Piston Engines and their Aircraft. Marlborough, Wiltshire: Airlife Publishing, 2003. ISBN 1-85310-294-6.-External links:*... |
Hubert Broad Hubert Broad Captain Hubert Standford Broad MBE AFC was an English First World War aviator and notable sports and test pilot.-Early life:Broad was born in Watford on 18 May 1897 the son of Thomas and Amelia Broad. In 1901 when Broad was three the family were living at Aston Lodge, St Johns Road in Watford his... |
entered by de Havilland De Havilland The de Havilland Aircraft Company was a British aviation manufacturer founded in 1920 when Airco, of which Geoffrey de Havilland had been chief designer, was sold to BSA by the owner George Holt Thomas. De Havilland then set up a company under his name in September of that year at Stag Lane... |
| No. 3 | G-EBJK | Bristol Brownie Bristol Brownie -Bibliography:*... |
Cherub Bristol Cherub -See also:-Bibliography:* Guttery, T.E. The Shuttleworth Collection. London: Wm. Carling & Co, 1969. ISBN 901319-01-5* Lumsden, Alec. British Piston Engines and their Aircraft. Marlborough, Wiltshire: Airlife Publishing, 2003. ISBN 1-85310-294-6.... |
Cyril Unwins | entered by Bristol Aeroplane Company Bristol Aeroplane Company The Bristol Aeroplane Company, originally the British and Colonial Aeroplane Company, was both one of the first and one of the most important British aviation companies, designing and manufacturing both airframes and aero engines... |
| No. 4 | G-EBJH | Hawker Cygnet Hawker Cygnet -See also:-Bibliography:*Mason, Francis K. Hawker Aircraft since 1920. London:Putnam, 1991.ISBN 0 85177 839 9.-External links:*... |
Cherub Bristol Cherub -See also:-Bibliography:* Guttery, T.E. The Shuttleworth Collection. London: Wm. Carling & Co, 1969. ISBN 901319-01-5* Lumsden, Alec. British Piston Engines and their Aircraft. Marlborough, Wiltshire: Airlife Publishing, 2003. ISBN 1-85310-294-6.... |
J.S. Chick | entered by the Aero Club of the RAE Royal Aircraft Establishment The Royal Aircraft Establishment , was a British research establishment, known by several different names during its history, that eventually came under the aegis of the UK Ministry of Defence , before finally losing its identity in mergers with other institutions.The first site was at Farnborough... |
| No. 5 | G-EBNL | RAE Sirocco | never completed | ||
| No. 6 | G-EBMB | Hawker Cygnet Hawker Cygnet -See also:-Bibliography:*Mason, Francis K. Hawker Aircraft since 1920. London:Putnam, 1991.ISBN 0 85177 839 9.-External links:*... |
Cherub Bristol Cherub -See also:-Bibliography:* Guttery, T.E. The Shuttleworth Collection. London: Wm. Carling & Co, 1969. ISBN 901319-01-5* Lumsden, Alec. British Piston Engines and their Aircraft. Marlborough, Wiltshire: Airlife Publishing, 2003. ISBN 1-85310-294-6.... |
George Bulman | entered by T.O.M. Sopwith & F. Sigrist |
| No. 7 | G-EBJP | Supermarine Sparrow II Supermarine Sparrow |-See also:-References:* Andrews, C.F. and Morgan, E.B. Supermarine Aircraft since 1914. London:Putnam, 1987. ISBN 0851778003.* Jackson, A.J. British Civil Aircraft since 1919:Volume 3. London. Putnam, 1988, ISBN 0851778186.... |
Cherub Bristol Cherub -See also:-Bibliography:* Guttery, T.E. The Shuttleworth Collection. London: Wm. Carling & Co, 1969. ISBN 901319-01-5* Lumsden, Alec. British Piston Engines and their Aircraft. Marlborough, Wiltshire: Airlife Publishing, 2003. ISBN 1-85310-294-6.... |
Henry Biard | entered by Supermarine Supermarine Supermarine was a British aircraft manufacturer that became famous for producing a range of sea planes and the Supermarine Spitfire fighter. The name now belongs to an English motorboat manufacturer.-History:... |
| No. 8 | G-EBOO | Halton Mayfly | Cherub Bristol Cherub -See also:-Bibliography:* Guttery, T.E. The Shuttleworth Collection. London: Wm. Carling & Co, 1969. ISBN 901319-01-5* Lumsden, Alec. British Piston Engines and their Aircraft. Marlborough, Wiltshire: Airlife Publishing, 2003. ISBN 1-85310-294-6.... |
entered by Halton Aero Club; not completed until 1927 | |
| No. 9 | G-EBOV | Avro Avian Avro Avian The Avro Avian was a series of British light aircraft designed and built by Avro in the 1920s and '30s. While the various versions of the Avian were sound aircraft, they were comprehensively outsold by the de Havilland Moth and its descendants.... |
Genet Armstrong Siddeley Genet -Bibliography:* Lumsden, Alec. British Piston Engines and their Aircraft. Marlborough, Wiltshire: Airlife Publishing, 2003. ISBN 1-85310-294-6.-External links:*... |
Bert Hinkler Bert Hinkler Herbert John Louis Hinkler AFC DSM , better known as Bert Hinkler, was a pioneer Australian aviator and inventor. He designed and built early aircraft before being the first person to fly solo from England to Australia, and the first person to fly solo across the Southern Atlantic Ocean... |
entered by Avro Avro Avro was a British aircraft manufacturer, with numerous landmark designs such as the Avro 504 trainer in the First World War, the Avro Lancaster, one of the pre-eminent bombers of the Second World War, and the delta wing Avro Vulcan, a stalwart of the Cold War.-Early history:One of the world's... |
| No. 10 | G-EBKP | Avro Avis Avro Avis |-See also:-External links:*... |
Cherub Bristol Cherub -See also:-Bibliography:* Guttery, T.E. The Shuttleworth Collection. London: Wm. Carling & Co, 1969. ISBN 901319-01-5* Lumsden, Alec. British Piston Engines and their Aircraft. Marlborough, Wiltshire: Airlife Publishing, 2003. ISBN 1-85310-294-6.... |
Sholto Douglas | entered by Avro Avro Avro was a British aircraft manufacturer, with numerous landmark designs such as the Avro 504 trainer in the First World War, the Avro Lancaster, one of the pre-eminent bombers of the Second World War, and the delta wing Avro Vulcan, a stalwart of the Cold War.-Early history:One of the world's... |
| No. 11 | G-EBPB | Cranwell CLA.4 Cranwell CLA.4 The Cranwell CLA.4 was single-engined two-seat inverted sesquiplane designed and constructed for the 1926 Lympne trials by an amateur group from RAF College Cranwell. Two were entered, though engine problems prevented one from taking part; the other was eliminated with a broken undercarriage... |
Pobjoy P Pobjoy Airmotors Pobjoy Airmotors and Aircraft was a British manufacturer of small aircraft engines. The company was purchased by Short Brothers shortly before the start of World War II, production continuing until the end of the war.-History:... |
entered by the Aero Club of the RAE Royal Aircraft Establishment The Royal Aircraft Establishment , was a British research establishment, known by several different names during its history, that eventually came under the aegis of the UK Ministry of Defence , before finally losing its identity in mergers with other institutions.The first site was at Farnborough... ; Pobjoy P failed tests |
|
| No. 12 | G-EBPC | Cranwell CLA.4 Cranwell CLA.4 The Cranwell CLA.4 was single-engined two-seat inverted sesquiplane designed and constructed for the 1926 Lympne trials by an amateur group from RAF College Cranwell. Two were entered, though engine problems prevented one from taking part; the other was eliminated with a broken undercarriage... |
Cherub Bristol Cherub -See also:-Bibliography:* Guttery, T.E. The Shuttleworth Collection. London: Wm. Carling & Co, 1969. ISBN 901319-01-5* Lumsden, Alec. British Piston Engines and their Aircraft. Marlborough, Wiltshire: Airlife Publishing, 2003. ISBN 1-85310-294-6.... |
Nicholas Comper Nicholas Comper Nicholas Comper was an English aviator and aircraft designer, whose most notable success was the 1930s Comper Swift monoplane racer.-Early life:... |
entered by the Aero Club of the RAE Royal Aircraft Establishment The Royal Aircraft Establishment , was a British research establishment, known by several different names during its history, that eventually came under the aegis of the UK Ministry of Defence , before finally losing its identity in mergers with other institutions.The first site was at Farnborough... |
| No. 13 | G-EBPI | ANEC Missel Thrush ANEC IV -External links:*... |
Thrush Blackburne Thrush -See also:-Bibliography:* Lumsden, Alec. British Piston Engines and their Aircraft. Marlborough, Wiltshire: Airlife Publishing, 2003. ISBN 1-85310-294-6.-External links:*... |
G.L.P. Henderson | entered by H.W. Martin |
| No. 14 | G-EBJG | Parnall Pixie III Parnall Pixie The Parnall Pixie was a low powered British single-seat monoplane light aircraft originally designed to compete in the Lympne, UK trials for motor-gliders in 1923, where it was successful... |
Cherub Bristol Cherub -See also:-Bibliography:* Guttery, T.E. The Shuttleworth Collection. London: Wm. Carling & Co, 1969. ISBN 901319-01-5* Lumsden, Alec. British Piston Engines and their Aircraft. Marlborough, Wiltshire: Airlife Publishing, 2003. ISBN 1-85310-294-6.... |
Frank Courtney | entered by Parnall Parnall Parnall was a British aircraft manufacturer, that evolved from a wood-working company before the First World War to a significant designer of military and civil aircraft into the 1940s. It was based in the west of England.-History:... |
| No. 15 | G-EBJU | Short Satellite Short Satellite - References :*... |
Scorpion ABC Scorpion |-See also:-Bibliography:* Gunston, Bill. World Encyclopedia of Aero Engines. Cambridge, England. Patrick Stephens Limited, 1989. ISBN 1-85260-163-9* Guttery, T.E. The Shuttleworth Collection. London: Wm. Carling, 1969.... |
John Lankester Parker John Lankester Parker John Lankester Parker OBE FRAeS Hon. MSLAE was Chief Test Pilot for Short Brothers from 1918 until his retirement in 1945. He joined Shorts in 1916 as a part-time test pilot and assistant to then Chief Test Pilot Ronald Kemp, having been recommended for the post by Captain, later Admiral Sir,... |
entered by the Severn Aero Club |
| No. 16 | G-EBJV | Westland Woodpigeon | Scorpion ABC Scorpion |-See also:-Bibliography:* Gunston, Bill. World Encyclopedia of Aero Engines. Cambridge, England. Patrick Stephens Limited, 1989. ISBN 1-85260-163-9* Guttery, T.E. The Shuttleworth Collection. London: Wm. Carling, 1969.... |
Ritchie and Park | entered by the Severn Aero Club |
Competitors No.s 5, 8 and 11 did not arrive in time for the elimination trials. The Missel Thrush did, but was out even before the start of the elimination test, badly damaged in an accident begun with undercarriage failure. The elimination trials did not reduce the field as severely as in 1924, but three aircraft (No.1, 12 and 15) were disqualified after suffering undercarriage failures in the flying tests. These tests involved a pair of five minute flights over the airfield, including a figure of eight, the first flown from one cockpit and the second from the other. All the entrants passed the weight checks, the dismantle-house-reassemble test, similar the that undertaken in 1924 and the more demanding take off test.
So on Sunday, nine machines started the trials proper. On each of the six days, competitors flew several laps of courses mostly involving towns or landmarks along or near the Kent and Sussex coastline, and usually involving either three or six laps totalling between 300–400 miles. Friday's course was an exception, a two lap flight on a 106-mile circuit from Lympne to the south London airport at Croydon
Croydon
Croydon is a town in South London, England, located within the London Borough of Croydon to which it gives its name. It is situated south of Charing Cross...
. By Thursday morning the field had been reduced to four, the two Cygnets with No.6 leading, followed by the Brownie and then the Pixie. Two days more flying left this order unchanged; final figures of merit were 1.105, 0.907, 0.850 and 0.773 respectively.
Prize winners So the factory entered Hawker Cygnet, flown by Paul Bulman took the £3,000 winner's prize, the RAE Aero Club Cygnet flown by J.S. Chick the £1,500 for second place and the Bristol Brownie £500 for third. All three aircraft used the Cherub engine. If placings had been determined by fuel consumed rather than the figure of merit, the order would have been unchanged, and Bulman flew his Cygnet significantly faster (68.36 mph or 101.0 km/h) over the 1,994 miles of the course than anyone else.