Even sadder were Harry’s fortunes in the competition for the British Empire Michelin Cup No. 2 and the £800 Prize. On November 19th, after ascending at 9.30 a.m. and flying from Brooklands via Eastchurch, Shoreham, Salisbury, and Hendon on the 100 h.p. Green-engined Sopwith, a distance of 265 miles in five hours, without a stop, he was obliged to return to Hendon through trouble with his petrol supply. After passing over Hendon at 4,000 feet, and with only a few more miles to cover, he discovered that it was necessary to fly with one wing lower than the other in order to collect the petrol in his tank at the side where the outlet ran to the carburetter. The reason for the shortage was that the pressure pipe to the tank had developed a bad leak and was hot because the consumption of the engine had been underestimated. In fact the reverse was probably the case, for it was subsequently found that everything adjacent to the tank was literally drenched with petrol, and 4½ gallons still remained in the tank. It was an unfortunate circumstance that a strong wind blew from the direction of Brooklands, but for which Harry would probably have been able to glide there from the height at which he was at the time. There was no hope for it, however, and he was reluctantly obliged to return to Hendon in a long glide.
At 10.20 a.m. on Thursday, November 27th, Harry set out on yet another determined eleventh-hour effort for the Michelin No. 2 Cup, but between Croydon and Eastchurch the fog he encountered was so thick that, being unable to see his way, he landed at Brooklands after three-quarters of an hour in the air.
The British Empire Michelin Cup No. 2 and the £800 Prize were not awarded in 1913.
On a new 80 h.p. Sopwith, Harry flew to Farnborough from Brooklands on Saturday, November 22nd, returning at dusk. On the Sunday he had an impromptu race with Raynham in the course of exhibition flying. He again flew to Farnborough on Monday, November 24th, on the 80 h.p. tractor biplane, with Mr. Blatherwick and Mr. Simms as passengers.
CHAPTER VIII
THE PROTOTYPE OF THE FIGHTING SCOUTS
Harry’s Stroke of Genius—Ninety Miles per Hour with an 80 h.p. Gnome—When German Interests were at Brooklands—The Real Value of “Stunting”—A Biplane that Exceeded Expectations—When Hendon was Surprised—Construction of the Tabloid—Contemporary Sopwith Products—In Harry’s Absence—Pixton Pilots a Tabloid to Victory—A £26,000 Ante-Bellum Aviation Company—Mr. Rutherford—Another Type of Genius—One of Harry’s Records Broken—An Australian Poem—Death of Hamel.