THE AERIAL DERBY FINE RACE ROUND LONDON

153 MILES PER HOUR.

By a long way the best short cross-country aeroplane race ever flown was seen in progress by vast numbers of people along the 100-mile circuit of Greater London, which had to be completed twice, in the Aerial Derby last Saturday. Of these sightseers, many thousands entered the aerodrome at Hendon to see the start, the half-way progress, and the finish, and they were rewarded with spectacles more interesting and exciting than, in the opinion of many judges, it was possible to impart to aeroplane racing. Of the 16 machines entered 14 started, two more than in last year’s race. The winner, Mr. F.T. Courtney, who flew Mr. Raynham’s Martinsyde “Semi-quaver,” driven by a 300 h.p. Hispano-suiza, covered the course at an average speed of 153½ miles per hour, whereas last year’s winning speed was only 129½ miles per hour. Mr. Courtney won the £500 and cup, prizes given by the Royal Aero Club,

In the handicap, in which a series of prizes (also given by the Royal Aero Club) were offered for the best times, minus handicaps, granted according to each machine’s capacity, the two lowest-powered machines entered were first and second. These were both Avros, driven by 35 h.p. Green engines. Mr. Courtney won the third prize in the handicap. The first prize, won by Captain H.A. Hamersley, M.C. (who won the handicap last year), was £250 and a cup; the second and third were £100 (won by Mr. Hinkler) and £50 (won by Mr. Courtney). Mr. Hawker, on a Sopwith, completed the distance, but did not cross the line at the finish, as he was convinced that he had failed to obtain a place. As a matter of fact, if he had, he would have won third prize in the handicap, and Hawker’s actual flying time was no more than five minutes longer than the winner’s, so that if for any reason Courtney had suffered disqualification Hawker might have won the Aerial Derby. Thus, nine machines out of the 14 came through. Of the machines that failed, one, the D.H. 14, was damaged, and the passenger, Mr. Harwood, slightly injured. The only other accident was the one that befel the winner of the Aerial Derby himself. After achieving his triumph and coming round to land into the wind, he found a bad patch in the aerodrome which, coupled with the blurring of his vision by steam from his radiator, brought him to grief. The machine turned completely over, and was badly wrecked. It looked like a very serious smash, and the relief of the spectators was great when they saw the pilot emerge from the wreck and turn to greet the officials who were running to the spot.

A DOUBLE TRIUMPH.

The race was flown in good weather, although the lumpy clouds, and the strong sun pouring down on a rain-soaked earth, made the air bumpy. The Avro double victory in the handicap was a triumph, and for a number of reasons it greatly pleased the crowd; for here were the two “Babys,” as the type is called, with the smallest engines, both machine and engine associated with the very beginnings of British aviation, and one of the pilots was last year’s winner, and the other was the popular Australian who, on the same machine, set out for Australia the other day on the most remarkable enterprise, for a lone hand in the annals of aviation.