shane
Squadron Leader
Posts: 117
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Post by shane on Jan 23, 2009 6:44:28 GMT 12
100 years ago today (French time zone) the famous Bleriot XI made its first flight. Its first flight was just 200 metres in length but it kicked off a legandary career. For many countries the Bleriot XI was the first aircraft to fly. In NZ it was the first aircraft type to used by our military "Britannia" also a ground trainer was used during WW1 to train our military pilots. During its career the Bleriot XI served in the Italy libya war of 1911 (first aircraft type to be used in war), the Balkan war in 1912 and WW1. It was one of the first aircraft to be looped and parachute trails were conducted from it. It was most famous for being first to cross the English channel. Many replicas have been built and one is in advanced stages in NZ being built from scratch and the oldest surviving aircraft in the world is a UK registered 1909 Bleriot XI.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Jan 23, 2009 10:12:14 GMT 12
'Britannia' was actually shipped aboard a troopship with the First Echelon of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force in 1914 to go and join the war. It is believed to have gone to the Middle East somewhere, possibly joining the Indian Air Force. It was not used as a ground trainer in NZ, between its flights in Auckland in 1913 and it's shipment it dismantled and was in storage.
Good call on the anniversary though. There are still a few originals flying around the world, I feel priviledged to have seen Michael Carlson's (sp?) original licence built one flying at Wanaka in 2006. I'd long admired the beautiful replica in the RNZAF Museum and seeing one flying was a real thrill.
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Post by Peter Lewis on Jan 23, 2009 12:40:59 GMT 12
I always thought that the 'Britannia' was returned to British Govt. in the UK. Left NZ from Wellington in 'Arawa' 16Oct14 en-route to the RFC at Brooklands?
There were two other Bleriot XI active in NZ:
- Arthur (Wizard) Stone's single-seater that arrived in NZ from Australia Apr13. Flew Auckland Domain 19Apr13, Alexandra Park 24Apr13, Hamilton 10-14May13. Cr on t/off Napier Racecourse 3Jun13. Believed then to Sydney for repair.
-James D Walsh's single seater, ex-Moisant. Arrived in NZ on 'Aorangi' 30Mar12. 50hp Roberts 2-stroke engine. Pilot Vershuren departed before it flew here, and Walsh used it for static displays. Ownership then to Claude Couturier & an Invercargill Syndicate in 1913 who performed short flights at Southland & Rolleston 1913-14. A/c sold at auction for £62/10/- to Dexter & Crozier Ltd., Christchurch in 1916, then to Canterbury (NZ) Aviation Co.Ltd., Sockburn in March 1917 where it was used as a 'Penguin' carrying fleet no.1. Scrapped at Sockburn 1920.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Jan 23, 2009 14:49:39 GMT 12
You might be right Peter thast it went all the way on to the UK but I'm certain I've read somewhere it was last traced as going to a flying school in the Middle East, perhaps Mesopotamia? Same place where Will Scotland was killed if I recall right. My memory may be playing tricks.
it certainly never stayed in NZ to become a ground trainer though.
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shane
Squadron Leader
Posts: 117
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Post by shane on Jan 23, 2009 16:56:10 GMT 12
Hi guys regarding the penguin (ground trainer) i got that info from The History of NZ Aviation by Ross Ewing and Ross McPherson page 39 theres a good pic of the aircraft with a female passenger. Britannia wasnt used as a ground trainer the aircraft that i meant was James Walsh's former aircraft. Sorry for the confusion. Great book by the way. To turn the aircraft into a ground trainer they cut the wing in half or put in a low powered engine so it couldn't fly im not sure what the case was with this example. Thanks Shane
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Post by Bruce on Jan 23, 2009 17:06:05 GMT 12
Britannia was certainly in full flying condition during its short NZ service (1913 1914)- it was converted to a penguin upon return to the UK. Only 1 pilot flew it in NZ, Joe Hammond. He was dismissed from service after taking a showgirl for a flight in Auckland, when more senior councillors etc though they should have been given the priveledge (Joe Hammond was somewhat popular among the ladies it appears). Without a pilot the NZ government didnt know what to do with it and it was stored for a while (not covered in latex!) and when war broke out in Europe, it was decided that it would be more use back in the UK.
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Post by FlyingKiwi on Jan 23, 2009 20:50:05 GMT 12
A few pictures of the Swedish Bleriot XI/Thulin A at WoW 2006... Notice the lack of ailerons, this one's a wing-warper. Was indeed a real privilege to see this one flying, it must be one of the older airworthy aircraft around.
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Post by lumpy on Jan 23, 2009 21:06:54 GMT 12
awesome shots ( except for the car and container in shot one , you could easily imagine what sort of attention this must have drawn in 1913 , although i love the pilot waving , as I suspect most would have back then )
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Post by Peter Lewis on Jan 24, 2009 7:06:13 GMT 12
Certainly looks like someone is confusing the two-seater 'Britannia' with Walsh's single-seater. Note the difference between the £1400/-/- paid by the Air League to buy 'Britannia' and the £62/10/- for the Walsh one! Mesopotamia? Same place where Will Scotland was killed if I recall right. Scotland survived the Great War, and lived in Australia for may years until his death in Melbourne in 1963. www.teara.govt.nz/1966/S/ScotlandJamesWilliamHumphrys/ScotlandJamesWilliamHumphrys/en
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shane
Squadron Leader
Posts: 117
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Post by shane on Jan 24, 2009 7:33:35 GMT 12
flyernzl wrote:Certainly looks like someone is confusing the two-seater 'Britannia' with Walsh's single-seater. You are correct the female passenger (Miss Feild) must be just posing in the pilots seat. I guess the trainees must have done their ground training without an instuctor on board. Shane
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Post by Dave Homewood on Jan 24, 2009 14:01:13 GMT 12
Sorry Peter, I meant William Burns. Stupid brain.
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Post by shorty on Jan 24, 2009 14:46:52 GMT 12
Was indeed a real privilege to see this one flying, it must be one of the older airworthy aircraft around.
No, its a replica, I have the dates it was bvuilt "somewhere"
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Post by Dave Homewood on Jan 24, 2009 19:18:12 GMT 12
Shorty, Michael Carlson owns and flies two - a replica and a genuine licence-built Bleriot XI from 1919. This is the genuine item that came to NZ. It was discovered in a barn from memory, or similar such story of long storage. I watched him dismantling it in the hangar in 2006 after the show, it comes apart fairly easily.
We never did solve the mystery of the Bleriot XI on the flying schedule in Paul's (naki's) airshow programme. I'd love to know more, who owned it, did it actually fly and where is it not. It's definately not that one at Wigram.
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Post by FlyingKiwi on Jan 25, 2009 20:23:02 GMT 12
Yep, this was definitely an original. As Dave said, it's 1919 date of construction makes it a bit older than the first Bleriot XIs, and it was built in Sweden under license, but it's still the original design with minimal if any changes.
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