A few minutes past six the record-making flight began, and after making two or three circuits of Brooklands, Harry was out of sight, forcing his way upwards through clouds at 3,000 feet, At 8,400 feet, having made a world’s record, and being ignorant of his whereabouts, he decided to come down, although the machine could have climbed another 2,000 feet with comparative ease.
On August Bank Holiday, Harry, on an 80 h.p. Gnome-engined Sopwith Tractor biplane, was one of three competitors who lined up for the start of an Aeroplane Handicap at Brooklands. The other competitors were Alcock on the Parsons biplane (70 h.p. Gnome), who had 3 minutes 30 seconds’ start from Harry, and Merriam on a 50 h.p. Bristol biplane, who has 6 minutes 14 seconds’ start. The start of the race was delayed through Alcock and Champel, the latter on a biplane of his own design, coming into collision while “taxi-ing,” owing to the strong gusty wind which prevailed. The Frenchman’s biplane was damaged beyond repair in time for the race, but Alcock’s machine only required a new propeller, which was fitted in the space of ten minutes or so.
Fate, however, was sadly opposed to Alcock, for during the first circuit he was obliged, through defective aileron controls, to land in a neighbouring field, where, owing to the roughness of the ground, his machine turned a complete somersault. He was unhurt, and having regard to the nature of the crash, the damage, consisting of a broken propeller and a broken chassis strut, was very slight. As I write, I recall a discussion that once took place on the subject of the life of a propeller, and this case of two propellers being annihilated within an interval of a few minutes after one had replaced another on the same machine seems significantly applicable.
After an exciting race, Merriam and Harry completed the course, the latter winning by 45 seconds.
In the intervening days prior to August 16th, Harry was more or less fully occupied in making preparations for the classic Daily Mail Seaplane Circuit of Britain. On August 7th, 1913, with the whole aeronautical fraternity, he shared profound grief at the death of S. F. Cody—the hardest blow that British aviation had ever received. Although Brooklands was fairly busy while Harry was away in the seaplane race, the activities at the Sopwith sheds were to all intents and purposes nil. The attention of everyone connected with the concern was turned to his flight and doing everything possible to make its outcome successful.
Entries for the Daily Mail Seaplane Race were timed to close on Wednesday, July 16th, 1913, and after that date until August 1st late entries were accepted at an increased fee of £150. When the list finally closed the entrants were: T. O. M. Sopwith, S. F. Cody, James Radley, and F. K. McClean. Cruel fate eliminated poor Cody on August 7th. Radley, who, with Gordon England, was experimenting with a large and ingeniously-contrived seaplane propelled by three Gnome engines arranged in tandem, withdrew from the race, presumably because his machine was purely in experimental stages. McClean, who had entered a machine bearing the famous British hall-mark of Short Brothers, was dogged by ill-luck through engine trouble and never made a start, although no effort was spared in trying to get the machine in tune for the long flight. In the end, only Harry and his faithful mechanic and compatriot, Kauper, were left to try and win that £5,000 so generously offered by the Daily Mail, and, what was probably more important, to put up an interesting show and draw widespread public opinion to the importance of Britain acquiring and maintaining an aerial prestige akin to her maritime traditions.
The competition opened on August 16th, 1913, and within 72 consecutive hours competitors had to fly over a circuit of 1,540 miles, starting and finishing on Southampton Water, via Ramsgate, Yarmouth, Scarborough, Aberdeen, Oban, Dublin, and Falmouth, landing in prescribed areas on the sea at each of these points, or “controls,” for the purposes of identification. The competition was conducted for the proprietors of the Daily Mail under the auspices of the Royal Aero Club, whose organisation of the contest was most thorough and effective. The competition was open for a fortnight. In other words, competitors could attempt the flight in any 72 consecutive hours between August 16th (6 a.m.) and August 30th (6 p.m.) inclusive, no flying taking place on Sundays, which would not be included in the time limit. Thus competitors could fly on Saturday, rest on Sunday, and finish on Monday and Tuesday. The entrant and pilot, or pilots, were required to be of British nationality and duly entered on the Competitors’ Register of the Royal Aero Club, pilots having to be holders of an aviator’s certificate issued by the Royal Aero Club or other club affiliated to the Federation Aeronautique Internationale. A passenger had to be carried throughout the flights, and the combined weight of the pilot and passenger must not be less than 264 lbs., any deficiency in this respect being made up by means of ballast, such as bags of sand. Entrants were permitted to change the pilots or passengers during the contest.
The complete aircraft and all its component parts, including the motor, had to be constructed within the confines of the British Empire, although this provision need not apply to raw material or the magneto. Entries nominally closed on July 16th, one month before the date appointed for the start of the competition. The entrance fee was £100. Late entries could be made up to August 1st at an increased fee, as mentioned above. No part of the entrance fees was required by the Daily Mail, all amounts received being applied towards payment of the expenses of the Royal Aero Club in conducting the competition, any balance not so expended being returnable to the entrants after the competition.
Competing machines had to remain for one hour in each of the controls, and during the first half-hour of each such “rest” had to be entirely at the disposal of the Royal Aero Club officials for examination. During the second half-hour replenishments of fuel and repairs could be made. These periods of one hour at each of the control points en route were not counted within the prescribed 72 hours. Any number of starts could be made from the official starting-line at Southampton Water, under the supervision of the responsible officials.
Stoppages between the controls were not against the rules, but all alightings had to be effected on the sea, an inlet of the sea, an estuary, or a harbour. There was, therefore, no special scope for amphibians in this competition, as an alighting on land or inland water was deemed a disqualification. Alightings on the Caledonian Canal and towing anywhere were not prohibited, but the finishing-line had to be crossed in flight. The short time limit of 72 hours did not permit one deliberately to take advantage of this concession by covering the whole course in tow! Individual replacements and repairs to the aeroplane and engine could be made en route, but neither could be changed as a whole. To make such repairs and replacements, the machine could be taken ashore, but all the time so expended, outside the half-hour allowed at the controls, counted as flying time. Five parts of the aeroplane and five parts of the motor were officially sealed, and at least two such seals of each five had to be intact on arrival at each control. The machine had to be delivered completely erected at a place appointed by the Royal Aero Club at Southampton, and handed over for the purpose of being marked and sealed, at least 24 hours before a start was to be made. No marks or seals were to be made after the original marking made preparatory to an attempt. Each competitor was supplied with a time-card, or “pay-bill,” which had to be signed by the responsible official of the Royal Aero Club at each control, and competitors were held solely responsible for the safe custody of this card.