1886-1912 |
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Library of Congress Collection, 12-5-07 |
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(Aéropl@ne de Touraine) Courtesy of Didier Lecoq, 1-15-05 |
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(Aéropl@ne de Touraine) Courtesy of Didier Lecoq, 1-15-05 |
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The Daily Journal and Tribune, Knoxville, Tennessee: September 8, 1912, Transcribed by Bob Davis - 6-11-04 This Week's Program" The meeting embraces daily monoplane and biplane handicap races, a scratch biplane and monoplane race which is designed to give further demonstration of the skill of the Gordon Bennett drivers, and a 40-kilometer race for all types, handicapped. Other contests are bomb and mail throwing, accuracy landing contests from heights of 1,000 feet without a motor and similar events in which the skill of the operator is tested. This is the fourth time aeroplanes have been matched for the world's championship, as typified by the $10,000 silver trophy given by James Gordon Bennett in 1908 to be contended for annually by licensed pilots of the Federation Aeronautique Internationale. Twice before a single American entrant has driven his aeroplane ahead of his competitors and brought the silver trophy to America. Glenn H. Curtiss was the first winner, at Rheims, France, Aug. 28, 1909. His biplane finished the 12.4 mile race in 15 minutes, 50 seconds, or five seconds ahead of the looked-for winner, Louis Bleriot's monoplane. There were five starters, but only four of the flyers were able to cover the distance, which then was considered an almost impossible journey for an aeroplane. In New York on the Belmont park aerodrome, the second contest was held. The course had been lengthened to 100 kilometers (62.14 miles) and Claude Graham-White, England's best known airman, won in 71 minutes, 4 seconds, in the first 100-horsepower Bleriot monoplane built. Alfred LeBlanc, of France, led in the race in a similar machine, up to the last lap of the field, when he ran out of gasoline and in landing, crashed into a telephone pole and smashed his aeroplane. Graham-White's victory took the trophy for England, where it was contested for in 1911 on the Isle of Sheppy at Eastchurch, July 1. Charles Terres Weymann, sole American entrant, again went up in a 100 horsepower Nieuport monoplane and captured the trophy. His time for the 100 kilometers was 81 minutes, 30 seconds, a speed of over eighty miles an hour, then a world's speed record. Leblanc again after the world championship, had to content himself with second, being two minutes slower than Weymann. Speed alone determines the winner, there being no restriction on the construction of the aeroplane. Because of the high speeds obtained, few aviators have cared to enter, and in the three events held previously, a total of thirteen entrants only appear on the lists. This year the race has been lengthened to 200 kilometers (124 miles), and the course was laid out as an ellipse of 4.14 miles, requiring thirty laps to complete the races. In the French elimination trials, Jules Vedrinesmade a speed of 100 miles an ahour, which established expectance as to what speed would be made by the choice machines of the six nations competing - America, England, France, Holland, Belgium and Switzerland. France designated Jules Vedrines and Maurice Prevost, pilots of Deperdussin monoplanes, and Andre Frey, who drives an Hanriot monoplane, as its representatives. England had named Claude Graham-White, Gustave Hamel and George Dyott, but it was certain until the last minute just who would make the actual flights. Belgium's representative, Charles Morok, died of typhoid fever a few daysbefore the race, and Jan Wynmalen, who was to represent Holland, was so disappointed in the showing of his Oerts monoplane, he withdrew. Edmund Audemars, Switzerland's representative, was not certain of entering, and as for America, the choice of pilot will not be definitely settled till the day before the race. An American defender prepared to carry a 100 horsepower motor, the largest aero motor ever designed. The hydroaeroplane, or airboat, aviation contests are the first ever held outside military competetions held in France for selection of government machines. The contests must continue five days during which races and contests are evolved to demonstrate how the multi-use machine may be guided on the water, be raised into the air and flown as a flying craft. In addition efficiency prizes have been offered, the contest being the numbers of passengers carried, the length of time one, two, and three extra persons may remain aloft, and other similar competetions." Bob Davis |
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Frey, in flight, on monoplane Morane. Collection of Dario Mazzalupi, 1-7-07 |
via email from Dario Mazzalupi, 1-2-07 For English Version, courtesy of Giovanni Giorgetti, click on: ENGLISH VERSION Lunedì 12 giugno, ore 9,35. Frey s'innalzava da Roma ma sperduto nella nebbia, cadeva nella Macchia Grossa di Ronciglione, presso Viterbo. Nel telegramma del 13 giugno 1911 inviato a Torino del sindaco di Ronciglione (Viterbo) si legge: "Causa caduta FREY credesi nebbia fittissima, riporto' frattura braccio destro, gamba sinistra, mascellare inferiore. Ricoverato nostro ospedale trovasi condizioni discrete, morale soddisfacente. Gli sara' portata sua affettuosa parola, suo augurio - Sindaco" Nella lettera del 21 giugno 1911 il presidente dell'associazione di pubblica assistenza di Ronciglione (Viterbo) ringrazia il sindaco di Ronciglione: "A nome dell'associazione che ho l'onore di presiedere ringrazio vivamente Lei Sig. Sindaco di codesta spettabile amministrazione comunale per il voto di plauso che si e' degnato di concedere alla nostra associazione per il soccorso prestato all'aviatore FREY....... firmato il presidente Tito Tecchi" Il ricordo di questo evento e' ricordato dall'intitolazione di una via di Ronciglione al coraggioso aviatore "Andre' Frey" (A.Frey street in Ronciglione). Esistono un paio di cartoline antiche che ricordano l'evento: una e' questa: ma c'è un errore infatti la citta' non e' Viterbo ma Ronciglione. L'altra in allegato. Cordiali Saluti Dario Mazzalupi Ronciglione VT |
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Collection of Dario Mazzaluna, 1-8-08 |
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Surface portante 17 mq. - Longeur totale 6 m. 70 - Envergure 9 m. 30 Poids á vide 200 kg. - Moteur Gnome 50 HP - 7 cylindres - Nombre de tours à la minute 1.100 - Diamètre de l'lélice 2 m. 60 - Vitesse moyenne à l'heure Collection of Dario Mazzaluna, 1-8-08 |
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Andre Frey, the shooting star "Premier Tourangeau breveté en 1910, André Frey a terminé troisième de Paris - Rome en 1911. Il a défendu les couleurs françaises lors de la coupe Gordon-Bennett à Chicago avant d'être victime d'un accident lors d'une période militaire, en 1912." For those of us who only read English, here is a machine translation of the paragraph. "First Tourangeau licensed in 1910, André Frey finished third of Paris - Rome in 1911. He defended the French colors at the time of the Gordon-Bennett cup in Chicago before being victim of an accident during his military service in 1912.." You can access a very good machine translation of the entire article into English directly from the link on the Google page. You go directly to the article in French by clicking on the title above. |
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By Don Berliner |
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Knoxville Journal and Tribune, Knoxville, Tennessee: November 22, 1912, Transcribed by Bob Davis - 3-28-07 |
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in a crash at Mourmelon, France. Courtesy of Dave Lam, 2-11-05 |
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If you have any more information on this pioneer aviator please contact me. E-mail to Ralph Cooper |
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