Now here's an interesting photo......

Breguet · 18 April 2006, 08:25 PM

This was submitted by "Jempie" on another forum. I thought it was too good not to share!

EricGoedkoop · 18 April 2006, 08:27 PM

Nice!

A BE2 and a Farman, to the left.

What kind of machine is #42?

Cigogne · 19 April 2006, 06:23 AM

The rudder shape on #42 looks to be a Short. Short is known for their floatplanes that were used by the Royal Navy. This appears to be pre-war event.

Graeme · 19 April 2006, 07:25 AM

As per the excellent tome by Sturtivant and Page, No 42 was a Short Tractor Biplane Seaplane that was built for the 1913 Olympia Show. It was converted to a landplane in January 1914 and "deconverted" in March/April. It reverted to a landplane configuration in August 1914 and served with the RNAS HQ Flight Morbecque until 28 September when it suffered an engine failure during take-off and hit a tree; the pilot was the redoubtable Charles Rumney Samson.

No 50 was a BE2a that served originally with the RFC Military Wing but was transferred to the Naval Wing during February 1914. Delivered to Eastchurch, it was reported to have become Samson's favourite machine. It was remarkably long-lived - after coastal patrol service in the UK, it took part in the raid upon the airship sheds at Dusseldorf and was then packed off to the Dardanelles. Its last recorded flight took place on 10 December 1915 and it was broken up the following month (when the naval unit returned to the UK) as being unfit to travel.

Graeme

Rod_Filan · 19 April 2006, 12:43 PM

And the airship is...
http://www.earlyaviator.com/archive/...o.3_Ostend.jpg

VBR
Rod

EricGoedkoop · 19 April 2006, 06:07 PM

Anyone willing to hazard a guess about the one in the background?

Rod_Filan · 19 April 2006, 07:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EricGoedkoop

Anyone willing to hazard a guess about the one in the background?

I'm fairly sure its a 2-seater Sopwith. Two-bay with tricycle gear...?

VBR
Rod

EricGoedkoop · 19 April 2006, 07:48 PM

Good call, Rod - I think you're right.

Dan_San_Abbott · 21 April 2006, 04:53 PM

Eric Goedkoop:
The lighter than air airship in the background is a Astra Torres XIV. This photo was taken shortly after the elevating planes, fins and ruder had been rebuilt. This photograph was taken at Farnborough Airfield sometime in late1913 or early 1914. In the photograph I have the balloon hangars are evident in the background.
Blue skies,
Dan-San

EricGoedkoop · 21 April 2006, 05:09 PM

Thanks, Dan.

I was asking about the fourth aeroplane in the photo, actually - the machine farthest away, behind the BE2 and the Short. As Rod suggests, it does look like it might be a Sopwith tractor.