Post by bhk on Sept 23, 2006 21:04:29 GMT -5
Jumping on the Avro F bandwagon, after downloading the Lionheart-enhanced version, I thought I'd post a couple of shots and a little tale about the first air service in the Channel Isles.
It is a little-known fact that this was kicked off by Sir Arthur Streeb-Greebling, with an Avro F, back before WW1 reared its ugly head.
The Streeb-Greeblings were old family on the island of Jersey and there is some substance in the claim that it was the Streeb-Greeblings, notably Arthur's grand-father, Lord Greebling of Streeb, whose early experiments with genetics led to the development of the Jersey cow.
Arthur took it upon himself, at the age of 17, to learn to fly and it wasn't long before he was an accomplished aviator. In 1909 he entered and won the Great Air Race Around The Channel Islands, sponsored by the London Daily Courier to the tune of 100 Guineas and a gold-plated cup.
A year later, after ridding himself of his Wright Biplane, Sir Arthur (he was knighted in 1909 for services to the dairy industry) bought a spanking new Avro F with the intent of initiating a flying service between the three major islands which make up the Channel Isles.
He launched the venture on the 21st. August 1910, taking off at low tide from the beach near the ancestral hall in Jersey (after making sure that no cows were straying about):-
The flight was without incident...well, almost.
Half-way between the two islands, Sir Arthur experienced a strong tail-down effect and it was only when he stuck his head out of one of the portholes and yelled "SHOO!" that the offending seagull departed the top of the rudder.
Half-an-hour later he landed in a grassy paddock - sans cows (they would have been Guernsey cows, of course) - on the other island and went off to the local pub to celebrate.
Well done, Sir Arthur!
Bruce
It is a little-known fact that this was kicked off by Sir Arthur Streeb-Greebling, with an Avro F, back before WW1 reared its ugly head.
The Streeb-Greeblings were old family on the island of Jersey and there is some substance in the claim that it was the Streeb-Greeblings, notably Arthur's grand-father, Lord Greebling of Streeb, whose early experiments with genetics led to the development of the Jersey cow.
Arthur took it upon himself, at the age of 17, to learn to fly and it wasn't long before he was an accomplished aviator. In 1909 he entered and won the Great Air Race Around The Channel Islands, sponsored by the London Daily Courier to the tune of 100 Guineas and a gold-plated cup.
A year later, after ridding himself of his Wright Biplane, Sir Arthur (he was knighted in 1909 for services to the dairy industry) bought a spanking new Avro F with the intent of initiating a flying service between the three major islands which make up the Channel Isles.
He launched the venture on the 21st. August 1910, taking off at low tide from the beach near the ancestral hall in Jersey (after making sure that no cows were straying about):-
The flight was without incident...well, almost.
Half-way between the two islands, Sir Arthur experienced a strong tail-down effect and it was only when he stuck his head out of one of the portholes and yelled "SHOO!" that the offending seagull departed the top of the rudder.
Half-an-hour later he landed in a grassy paddock - sans cows (they would have been Guernsey cows, of course) - on the other island and went off to the local pub to celebrate.
Well done, Sir Arthur!
Bruce
