Frivolous Flying Facts
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Harriet Quimby ~ First woman to fly across the English Channel in 1912 ~ another 100yr old flying fact
I am just reading a biography of Jean Batten, one of the famous female world aviators of the early thirties and fascinating it is too, but it got me thinking about the pioneers in the era of my second novel, Ancasta (out very soon.) Although I have no women flying in my novel, I do have…
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May 1912 Amazing Flying Facts
On our way home from Cornwall I was enthusiastic to visit the Fleet Air Arm Museum at RNAS Yeovilton in Somerset. As I explained in my talk last Monday, I never imagined I’d become a ‘flying boat’ anorak, but I was so excited to see models of the first ever aircraft carriers during World War…
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The oldest ‘Flying’ Flying Boat in the World! -Another Flying Fact from Diana
Having watched in awe as the Bleirot took off and hovered above the ground at Shuttleworth in 2009, 100 years since it first flew in 1909, my interest in old aircraft took off, if you’ll excuse the pun! Following this, my researched honed in on early development of flying boats, mainly due to my links with…
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Frivolous Flying Fact No 4 The rum and the umbrella!
I read this amusing story in a wonderfully detailed account of early flght to The Channel Islands called: From Sea Eagle to Flamingo – Channel Island Airlines 1923 – 1939 by Neville Doyle You can buy this through stockists via Amazon or Brian Cook’s Aviation Bookhouse Here’s the story paraphrased for your enjoyment: The…
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Frivolous Flying Facts No 3 The First Water Closet in 1913
I was amused to read that the first Water Closet, (toilet) on an aeroplane was as far back as 1913. I really don’t like to think about what happened before this time, since records show numerous serious ‘firsts’ preceding this momentous and in my opinion essential advancement in the History of Aviation. According to The Guinness Book…
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Frivolous Flying Facts Number 2 – A Pilot in a Bowler Hat 1911
We move on in time now to 1911 and this could possibly be one of the first stunts ever carried out by a pilot. Tommy Sopwith, a young dare devil pilot took off in his Bleriot monoplane, much like the one which was the first to fly the English Channel back in 1909 (see video…
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Frivolous Flying Facts Number 1 – The First Flying Pig!
Whilst researching for my current project I came across several stories of early flight which made me smile, but unfortunately I coudn’t fit them into my story, so I am going to share them with you over the next two weeks: Did you know that the first man to gain a Pilot’s licence in Britain…