THE FIFTH

AERIAL DERBY

AIR RACE ROUND LONDON

FOR THE

ROYAL AERO CLUB TROPHY

and cash prizes, value £1,000

Saturday 24th July 1920. Start and Finish: Hendon

Instructions:

1 Hendon

Start and Finish - (pass over on first circuit).

The finishing line is in front of the Aerodrome Enclosures

2 Brooklands Turning Point is a large white cross in the centre of the Aerodrome and Motor Racing track
3 Epsom Turning Point is the Race Course Grand Stand which is at the top of Epsom Downs, making a conspicuous land-mark.
4 West Thurrock Turning Point is at the Wouldham Cement Works, on north bank of the River near top of the bend a mile east of Purfleet and slightly to the east of West Thurrock Church. The actual point consists of a long rectangular buff-coloured building with a large diagonal white cross on the roof. Five factory chimneys stand in line at equal distances behind the building flanked by two taller chimneys and a high one further to the right.
5 Epping Turning Point is Epping Church Tower in centre of Epping Village on the West side of London Road, 200 yards south of Church is a solitary water tower 120 feet high.
6 Hertford Turning Point is a large white cross in Hartham Meadow immediately north of the town adjoining the railway stations and enclosed on the north, east and west by streams.

2 laps - 200 miles. Start: 3pm

Jimmy James' Nieuhawk - you'll have to imagine the blue and yellow chequers

Story of the Race:

"Undoubtedly a tremendous success...an excellent demonstration of the safety, speed and certainty of air travel"

Pilot Aircraft  (click here for more details) Race No Result
mini - bert hinkler  Mr Bert Hinkler Avro 534 Baby G-EACQ 1 2nd
  Capt H A Hamersley Avro 534 Baby G-EAUG 2 1st
 mini - f s cotton(2) Mr Frederick S Cotton Airco DH.14a G-EAPY 4

Retired - forced landing near Hertford (petrol leak, causing a fire - passenger Mr Harwood injured, a/c damaged)

 mini - w l jordan(2) Capt William L Jordan Sopwith 7F1 Snipe G-EAUW 5 5th
 mini - w h longton Flt-Lt Walter H Longton Sopwith 7F1Snipe G-EAUV 6 Reired - 2nd lap
 mini - j s t fall Flt-Lt John S T Fall Sopwith 7F1 Snipe G-EAUU 7 Retired - forced landing at Epping on the first lap
 mini - d g westgarth-heslam Capt D G Westgarth-Heslam Avro 539 G-EALG 8 Retired - forced landing (fuel problem) near Abridge.
 mini - jimmy james Mr Jimmy James Nieuport Nieuhawk LC.1 G-EAJY 10 3rd
 mini - r h nisbet Mr R H Nisbet Martinsyde F.6 G-EAPI 11 6th
 mini - t ob hubbard Sqn Ldr Thomas O'B Hubbard Martinsyde F.4a G-EAPP 12 8th
 mini - h g hawker(3) Mr Harry G Hawker Sopwith Schneider Cup 'Rainbow' G-EAKI 13 Disqualified - did not cross finish line (would have been 3rd)
 mini - c f uwins Mr Cyril F Uwins Bristol Type 32B Bullet G-EATS 14 7th
 mini - f t courtney Mr Frank T Courtney * Martinsyde 'Semi-Quaver' G-EAPX 15 4th. 1st in Speed Section (but then made a bad landing and overturned, fortunately without serious injury)
 mini - l r tait cox(2) Major Leslie R Tait-Cox Nieuport Goshawk G-EASK ** 16 Retired - forced landing at Brooklands on first lap

* replacing Fred Raynham, who had hurt his arm

** Tait-Cox held the British air speed record in this aeroplane - 166.5mph on 17 June 1920.

Starters: 14  Finishers: 8 (or 9 if you count Harry Hawker)

Did not start:

Pilot Aircraft   Race No  
Mr Leth Jensen Spad 29   3  
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