Pipers Corner
PIPER'S CORNER: Temporary Landing Ground (Aka SWINDON)
A MICHAEL T HOLDER GALLERY
Note: The newspaper article above was published in the Gloucester Citizen on the 29th July 1912.
Note: The newspaper article, in two parts to make it easier to read, was published in the Swindon Advertiser on the 29th July 1912.
Location: By the A345, (now gone), just SE of Swindon town centre
Period of operation: 27th July 1912
NOTES: During the summer of 1912, the well known French aviator Henri Salmet was sponsored by the Daily Mail to tour much of the U.K., mostly visiting seaside towns. After displaying the previous day at Cirencester he arrived here very short of fuel, which meant he was unable to give a passing display at Malmesbury.
We need to remember that the cruising speed of his Blériot would have been around 55mph, and the top speed about 62 mph, so any reasonable breeze from the front quarters, let alone a headwind, would have seriously reduced his range. No doubt the usually indifferent quality of the petrol available as he made his way, would also have had a marked effect on the power his engine could produce.
Claude Grahame-White, the then very famous British aviator, was also sponsored by the Daily Mail, for a similar tour, dividing up the country for their usually individual 'exhibitions of flying'. What is beyond doubt is that from the start of their tours, they had achieved what we would call 'super-star' status and were féted everywhere they appeared to give a display, with huge crowds attending.
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