WW1 Military Motors - 1916 set x 50 cards

[Lancashire Fusilier]

Three RAF Airman link arms to ' Swing the Propeller ' and start a Sopwith aircraft.

LF

IWM This image is reproduced strictly for non-commercial research and private study purposes as permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised.

[Lancashire Fusilier]

With reference to post #4920 showing several men ' Swinging the Propeller ' on a massive 360 hp Rolls-Royce ' Eagle ' engine, the attached photograph clearly shows the advantages of the mobile ' Hucks Aircraft Engine Starter ' with that same 360 hp ' Eagle ' engine fitted into a twin-engined De Havilland DH10 Day Bomber, being started by Hucks' invention, rather than needing several mean for the same task.

Interestingly, the ' Hucks ' vehicle shown in this photograph, a Ford Model T Truck, belonged to the Aircraft Manufacturing Co. Ltd. ( Airco ), the same aircraft company Captain Hucks joined as a Test Pilot after leaving the RFC.

The De Havilland DH10 Day Bomber, was introduced into service at the end of WW1.

LF

This image is reproduced strictly for non-commercial research and private study purposes as permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised.

[Lancashire Fusilier]

A closer look at the De Havilland DH10 Day Bomber's engine, the 900 lb 360 hp V12 Rolls-Royce ' Eagle ' engine, seen at the RAF's Maintenance & Repair Depot at Rang-du-Fliers in Northern France.

A perfect example of the need for ' Hucks Aircraft Engine Starter '.

LF

IWM This image is reproduced strictly for non-commercial research and private study purposes as permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised.

[Lancashire Fusilier]

This photograph, shows the much rarer version of the ' Hucks Aircraft Engine Starter ' mounted on a ' Crossley ' chassis.

Although the ' Crossley ' version performed exactly the same engine starter procedures, the ' Hucks ' equipment was of a completely different design to that mounted on the Ford Model T Truck.

LF

This image is reproduced strictly for non-commercial research and private study purposes as permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised.

[David Filsell]

LF

With very scary sprinkles too! And huge : }.

David

[Lancashire Fusilier]

The ' Hucks Aircraft Engine Starter ' was also used in the Dominions, and here are two examples of it's use by the Royal Canadian Air Force, with the first photograph showing a RCAF ' Hucks ' starter mounted on a Ford Model T Truck being used to start an ' Airco DH4 ' aircraft.

LF

This image is reproduced strictly for non-commercial research and private study purposes as permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised.

[Lancashire Fusilier]

Another photograph showing Canadian usage of the ' Hucks Aircraft Engine Starter ', and giving good details of the Ford Model T mounted equipment.

LF

This image is reproduced strictly for non-commercial research and private study purposes as permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised.

[Lancashire Fusilier]

Here is an additional series of photographs showing the mobile ' Hucks Aircraft Engine Starter ' in use, with this first excellent photograph showing a Ford Model T mounted ' Hucks ' starting a Bristol Fighter Aircraft.

LF

This image is reproduced strictly for non-commercial research and private study purposes as permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised.

[Lancashire Fusilier]

In this photograph, having started a Sopwith Snipe, the ' Hucks Aircraft Engine Starter ' mounted on a Ford Model T Truck, is preparing to reverse away from the rotating propeller blade.

The Ford Model T Trucks number plate ' ME 5391 ', is an early London N.E. region registration.

LF

This image is reproduced strictly for non-commercial research and private study purposes as permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised.

[Lancashire Fusilier]

RAF mechanics connecting a ' Hucks Aircraft Engine Starter ' mounted on a Ford Model T Truck, to the propeller on a ' Avro 504 ' aircraft.

The Avro's ' Air Squadron ' insignia is particularly interesting, unfortunately, this photograph's caption makes no mention of that Squadron.

LF

This image is reproduced strictly for non-commercial research and private study purposes as permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised.

[Fovant]

The starter was invented by Captain Bentfield Hucks in 1917, while he was Chief Test Pilot of the Aircraft Manufacturing Company (Airco). Originally named the Airco Aero Engine Starter, it was renamed the Hucks Starter in his honour after his death from pneumonia in 1918 just days before the Armistice.

Hucks was also a famous aviator prior to the First World War and was the first Briton to perform a loop with his Blériot XI monoplane in 1913. He subsequently gave many exhibition flights all around the country, including the Essex County Show at Waltham Abbey in June 1914, for which he needed special permission from the War Office as the display would have been close to the Royal Gunpowder Factory.

[Lancashire Fusilier]

Originally named the Airco Aero Engine Starter, it was renamed the Hucks Starter in his honour after his death from pneumonia in 1918 just days before the Armistice.

Hucks was also a famous aviator prior to the First World War and was the first Briton to perform a loop with his Blériot XI monoplane in 1913. He subsequently gave many exhibition flights all around the country, including the Essex County Show at Waltham Abbey in June 1914, for which he needed special permission from the War Office as the display would have been close to the Royal Gunpowder Factory.

TJJ,

Many thanks for the information, and there is additional information back in post # 4917.

Here is a photograph of Bentfield C. Hucks with his Bleriot XI aircraft ' The Tornado ', also note his personalized wing markings.

Regards,

LF

This image is reproduced strictly for non-commercial research and private study purposes as permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised.

[johnboy]

Hucks was 'bought out' of his contract with Claude Grahame-White in 1912 by Barlow, the latter having the intention to take Hucks to Australasia to give exhibition flights. This made Hucks available for the 1912 Daily Mail Aerial Tours, and Barlow financed the purchase of the Bleriot XI-2 "The Firefly" used by Hucks for the former.
Barlow (I can never remember whether his christian name was Howard or Harold) has been described as a 'colonial sportsman'. I think he was a Kiwi or an Aussie (hence the desire to take aircraft to Australasia). Barlow accompanied Hucks on the flight from France with the Bleriot XI-2 'The Firefly' in 1912. This was well reported in 'Flight' (I have a copy). Firefly was the main aircraft Hucks used in 1912/13; by about September 1913 it had been replaced by a second 2-seater called 'The Tornado'.
Barlow died in January 1913, and Hucks set up his own company to operate "Firefly" and a 50 hp Bleriot he had flown while with G-W. "Firefly" was replaced with the 80 hp Bleriot XI-2 "The Tornado" in late 1913, and a special 'looping Bleriot' XI was purchased towards the end of the year (Hucks having become the first English pilot to loop in November 1913 - albeit at Buc). Tornado, the 50 hp Bleriot and the Looper were all impressed by the RFC and Hucks became a 2Lt in the RFC Special Reserve. While serving he sought a supposed Zeppelin base in the Lake District and acted as a ferry pilot before being posted to 4 Squadron with the BEF.
Invalided out of the BEF with pleurisy in early 1915, Hucks tested and delivered aircraft for G-W (Moranes) and Ruston & Proctor (BE2), before joining the Aircraft Manufacturing Company as a test pilot. He undertook virtually all the test-flying for the DH5 and was seconded to Westlands to help with the DH9a development programme.

Love the bit about a zeppelin base in the Lake District!

[Modelmaker]

Apologies for reverting back to an earlier conversation, but I had these "copies" of an article in Light Car dated October 1914 on the AC armoured car.

Another apology for the poor quality, but they do illustrate some detail of the construction and layout.

A second page follows.

George.

[Modelmaker]

Here is the second page, once again sorry for the quality, they were copied from files held at the Tank Museum, Bovington.

Reference to an earlier comment about "home made" or soapbox carts, in my part of London they were called "jiggers" for some unknown reason.

George.

[Lancashire Fusilier]

This made Hucks available for the 1912 Daily Mail Aerial Tours,

johnboy,

Many thanks for the interesting information, and here is a nice photograph of Bentfield C. Hucks with his ' Bleriot XI-2 ' aircraft, taken during the 1912 Daily Mail Aero Circuit.

Regards,

LF

This image is reproduced strictly for non-commercial research and private study purposes as permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised.

[Lancashire Fusilier]

Apologies for reverting back to an earlier conversation, but I had these "copies" of an article in Light Car dated October 1914 on the AC armoured car.

Here is the second page, once again sorry for the quality, they were copied from files held at the Tank Museum, Bovington.

Reference to an earlier comment about "home made" or soapbox carts, in my part of London they were called "jiggers" for some unknown reason.

George,

Many thanks for posting the excellent article on the ' AC Light Armoured Car ' dated October 21, 1914, with such contemporaneous information being so important.

The article confirmed a lot of information, particularly that relating to the AC's driver and his position within the vehicle.

The photographs were also extremely interesting, including probably the only published photograph of the rear of the AC Light Armoured Car showing the crew's rear access door.

Superb.

Regards,

LF

[Lancashire Fusilier]

As an interesting aside, Bentfield C. Hucks' first name, comes from the name of the village of ' Bentfield ' which is close to Stanstead Mountfitchet in Essex, where Bentfield C. Hucks was born.

LF

[MikeyH]

Several sightings of late of WW1 wooden aeroplane propellers for sale in local antiques outlets, not cheap!

Mike.

[Lancashire Fusilier]

Several sightings of late of WW1 wooden aeroplane propellers for sale in local antiques outlets, not cheap!

Mike.

Mike,

Those WW1 props were usually very well made, always popular with collectors and as you say, never cheap.

Regards,

LF

[Modelmaker]

George,

Many thanks for posting the excellent article on the ' AC Light Armoured Car ' dated October 21, 1914, with such contemporaneous information being so important.

The article confirmed a lot of information, particularly that relating to the AC's driver and his position within the vehicle.

The photographs were also extremely interesting, including probably the only published photograph of the rear of the AC Light Armoured Car showing the crew's rear access door.

Superb.

Regards,

LF

My pleasure LF,

Nice to have the opportunity to give some information. If anybody is interested, I have a set of 1/32 drawings from Military Modelling Jan 1975....unfortunately printed as a centre spread so they are in two parts.....let me know on this site if you might be interested (?) and pm me with email details....

George.

[Lancashire Fusilier]

A photograph of Bentfield C. Hucks seated in his Bleriot XI-2 aeroplane, taken at one of his many flying displays, note the numerous steel cables supporting the fuselage and wings, the passenger seat in front of the open section of the rear fuselage, and the early undercarriage design and construction.

LF

This image is reproduced strictly for non-commercial research and private study purposes as permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised.

[Lancashire Fusilier]

A nicely detailed photograph, showing a ' Hucks Aircraft Engine Starter ' mounted on a Ford Model T Truck.

LF

This image is reproduced strictly for non-commercial research and private study purposes as permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised.

[Lancashire Fusilier]

After obtaining his Pilot's certificate in 1910, B. C. Hucks became actively involved in flying and travelled around Britain and Europe performing flying exhibitions, and it was during a flying exhibition held at Buc in France on 15th November 1913, that B.C. Hucks became the first British Pilot to complete a ' Loop the Loop ' aerial Manoeuvre.

This daring aerial manoeuvre became the centre-piece of B. C. Hucks' flying displays, and here is a report of one of Hucks' flying displays held at Wells, Somerset on May 22, 1914 as reported in The Wells Journal, which carried the headline " Looping the Loop at Wells ".

" The well known aviator Bentfield Charles Hucks is to give some of his daring performances which include looping the loop, at Wells ".

" In the course of an interview to our correspondent Mr Hucks said: 'I have looped in rain, fog and winds up to 50 mph and I will definitely loop the loop at Wells in any weather except thick fog low down or a torrential downpour of rain. This is a very difficult thing to do in a Bleriot Monoplane and prior to my successful attempts to loop the loop Pegoud was the only man who had accomplished this feat. I wanted to show as a Britisher I could do it as well as a Frenchman'."

The following week May 29, 1914 the Journal reports on the visit to Wells of Bentfield C. Hucks :

"Although flying was announced for 3.15 it was 3.45 before Mr Hucks arrived at the Athletics Ground in Wells. Quickly changing into his flying outfit and he was soon mounted in a Bleriot Monoplane fitted with an 80hp Gnome engine.

His first demonstration was of steeplechasing, switchbacking, spiral volplanes and steep banking over the ground and the masterly manner in which he handled the machine elicited frequent applause and gasps. The manner in which he skimmed over the houses in Rowdens Road exhibited complete control of the monoplane which appeared to be a living thing in his hands.

Mr Hucks took to a great height over Coxley and Keward and before coming to earth Mr Hucks completed two loops before the recovery process which gives an additional attractiveness to the performances. An upside down flight in which he must have covered a mile concluded a performance in which Mr Hucks showed both daring and finesse and on alighting at the Athletics Ground received a very enthusiastic welcome."

Here are two commemorative postcards celebrating B. C. Hucks " The upside-down " and " The Loop-the-Loop " Aviator.

LF

This image is reproduced strictly for non-commercial research and private study purposes as permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised.

[Lancashire Fusilier]

2

This image is reproduced strictly for non-commercial research and private study purposes as permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised.