Description
Object description
British civilian apprentice and pilot with Chanter Flying School and The Bleriot School at Hendon Aerodrome, London, GB, 8/1911-4/1914; flying instructor with Hall Flying School at Hendon Aerodrome, London, GB, 4/1914-9/1914; private served with 1/14th (County of London) Bn London Regt, 1st Bde, 1st Div in GB and Western Front, 9/1914-10/1915; trained as pilot with Royal Flying Corps in GB, 1915-1916; served as ferry pilot with Royal Flying Corps/Royal Air Force flying aircraft from GB to France, 1916-1919
Content description
REEL 1 Recollections of period as apprentice and pilot with Chanter Flying School and The Bleriot School at Hendon Aerodrome, London, GB, 8/1911-4/1914: reaction to sight of aviator Gustav Hamel's crash landing at start of pylon race during Gordon Bennet Trophy races at Eastchurch, 1/7/1911; work as apprentice at Chanter Flying School, 8/1911-11/1911; employment as apprentice and pilot at The Bleriot School at Hendon, 11/1911-4/1914; solo teaching methods including taxiing practise expanded to short hops and circuits around airfield; flying and landing test prior to award of pilot's certificate, 15/8/1913; origins of pupils; role as assistant instructor.
REEL 2 Continues: accidental short flight whilst practising taxiing in windy conditions; restriction on flying hours by necessity of dead calm weather conditions; importance in avoiding collisions above Hendon Aerodrome; Hendon Air Shows and passenger flights piloted by Gustav Hamel. Aspects of period as flying instructor with Hall Flying School, Hendon Aerodrome, London, GB, 4/1914-9/1914: aircraft flown; failure of attempt to volunteer as pilot to join Royal Flying Corps on outbreak of First World War, 4/8/1914; story of teaching short sighted woman to fly. Aspects of operations as private with 1/14th (County of London) Bn London Regt (London Scottish), 1st Bde, 1st Div in GB and France, 1914-1915: enlistment, 9/1914; conditions of service in Bethune area, France, 1915; background to colonel's reluctance to allow application to join Royal Flying Corps.
REEL 3 Continues: impromptu interview with Colonel Hugh Trenchard at Auchel, 9/1915; participation in Battle of Loos, 9/1915-10/1915; recieving news of transfer to Royal Flying Corps, 23/10/1915. Aspects of period of flying training with Royal Flying Corps in GB, 1915-1916: state of health; initial difficulty with lateral flying controls on Maurice Farman MF.11 Shorthorns at Brooklands Landing Ground; period at Royal Flying Corps Station Gosport. Recollections of period as ferry pilot with Royal Flying Corps/Royal Air Force flying aircraft from GB to France, 1916-1919: successful initial flight in Royal Aircraft Factory F.E.2b; selection as experienced pilot due to previous problems with inexperienced pilots; story of collecting force landed Royal Aircraft Factory F.E.2b from Lake District with civilian in passenger seat.
REEL 4 Continues: flying characteristics of Royal Aircraft Factory F.E.2b; development and organisation of ferry pilots; testing aircraft for basic airworthiness; ferry pilot bases; sight of preparations of John Alcock and Arthur Brown's Vickers Vimy for Transatlantic crossing, 6/1919; opinion of Captain John Alcock.