The Ongoing Mystery Aircraft Thread Part Deux.

[pomme homme]

Ian Evans' article 'The White & Thompson/Norman Thompson Flight Company Aircraft Factory in Middleton & Littlehampton (Hubert Williams) : Its Impact on the local Area & people during the Great War & beyond; its importance in early aviation from 1909 to 1919 and as a early 'holiday camp' from 1922' (<cite class="_Rm">https://www.westsussex.gov.uk/idoc.ashx?docid=d1c32f8b..)</cite> contains a useful bibliography, which is as follows:

References:
Vanessa Mills “Getting in the Way of the War Effort” (Interview with Dolly Glue and extract from an article in ‘The Highflyer’); Bognor Observer April 1st 1991. Cuttings File Bognor Regis Local History Society.
S.H. Bostock “Monocoques” A 1915 Example from the R.N.A.S., letter, Flight Magazine, Feb 8th 1945 correspondence p. 158
Flight Magazine, April 10th 1919; article on Harrods selling a Norman Thompson flying boat for Handley Page
Flight Magazine, Jan 15th 1925; listed Norman Thompson under government “Awards for War Inventions”
‘Middleton-on-sea’, A History of the County of Sussex: Volume 5 Part 1: Arundel Rape: South-western part, including Arundel (1997) pp 190-204 URL: http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report aspx?compid=22945&strqery=Allen Date accessed 01 November 2013
Phillip Linberry, Bognor Regis Local History Society Newsletter, No14, p20 onward
Phillip Linberry, Bognor Regis Local History Society Newsletter, No15, p24 onward
Phillip Linberry, Bognor Regis Local History Society Newsletter, No16, p32 onward
Joan Allnutt, ‘The Aeroplane Factory at Middleton’, in G. Male and W. Abbott eds., The Incoming Tide: Studies in the history of Middleton-on-Sea West Sussex (The Felpham and Middleton Local History Workshop [1995]), pp 77-79 (inc. interview with Mrs. Dorothy Glue)
Georgina Male, ‘Reminiscences of the Norman Thompson Flight Company at Littlehampton’ in G. Male and W. Abbott eds., The Incoming Tide: Studies in the history of Middleton-on-Sea West Sussex (The Felpham and Middleton Local History Workshop [1995]), pp81-85 (inc. interview with Mr. Tom Jeffers)
West Sussex Record Office (WSRO): Ray Brooks Collection (WSRO MP 4175 – 4262) and others: MP4244, MP4230 – White and Thompson (and
FW Lanchester) File, MP 2004 An Analysis of the reasons for the development and decline of the Norman Thompson Flight Company and an assessment of its role in the aircraft industry – David J. Ames.

Books:
Goodall, Michael H. The Norman Thompson File (An Air Britain Publication [1995])
H.J.F.Thompson, ‘Littlehampton Through the Wars’ [1978] approx. pp34 -39
P.W. Kingsford ‘F.W. Lanchester (Life of an Engineer)’ (Edward Arnold Ltd [1960])

Interview tape:
Interview with Mr. Tom Jeffers, Cassette tape 60, Littlehampton Museum, dated 28/03/1994

Websites:
Website for “Flight” (Flight Magazine) archive www.flightglobal.com
Flight Magazine from May 1909 to 1919 also available on microfilm at WSRO (still?)
Royal Aeroclub; royalaeroclub.co.uk/history-and-origins.php
Historical timeline for Southdean Sussex Coast Country Club; http://www.ukholidaycamps.co.uk/Hist..._Timeline.html (last visited
01/11/2013)
Graces Guide (Industrial Archaeology): www.gracesguide.co.uk

This suggests that the article was researched in detail before publication. It is noteworthy that he describes the Lanchester designed aertoplane as the Thompson-Lanchester No. 1 biplane ('Grey Angel'). Philip Jarrett's article 'F.W.Lanchester & the Great Divide' (https://www.dropbox.com/s/26nlelizku...craft.pdf?dl=0) appears to have been researched in similar detail. He attributes the aeroplane in the same manner. Thus even though, over fifty years ago, Peter Lewis attributed to it the title of the White & Thompson No. 1, which seems to have become the received wisdom, I don't think that, necessarily, this is the last word on the subject. Here we have an example of a problem that has beset history down the ages. If something has been received wisdom for long enough, it becomes increasingly difficult to upset that. Maybe that's what we have here? What I'd be interested to know - if anyone has it or has access to it - is what Michael Goodall's book says on the subject.

<cite class="_Rm"></cite>

[Moses03]

I'm not exactly sure where we stand at present but I'm quite relaxed about allowing giruXX to run with the ball.

gX has the board.

Again, apologies for any added confusion. I do not have that Putnam volume.

[giruXX]

Thank you Kevin,

that’s a great source! It shows that your previous decision giving the credits to pomme home is correct. The Putnam book appears to be too old in the meantime.

Please pomme home, post your next mystery plane!

[giruXX]

Also many thanks to pomme home!

Please continue

[pomme homme]

Here we are, gentlemen. Something ancient which is photographically reproduced in 'pixel lite' fashion!

[Moses03]

Can't resist. I really like the early birds!

This is a Paulhan 1910 Biplane. The distinctive truss gave it away.

https://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarch...0-%200860.html

[pomme homme]

The 1911 Paulhan-Fabre biplane, according to Jane's. But let's not go down that road - particularly as this aeroplane is French! However before allowing Kevin to take this thread on, might I crave your indulgence by permitting me to add the Jane's comment on this aeroplane:

'The curious biplane designed by M. Fabre and built by M. Paulhan out of the proceeds of the London-Manchester flight. The spars were uncovered girders of flat wood, abnd the wing surface was held on flexible ribs like the trailing edge of a Caudron. The machine was largely held together by wire lashings instead of metal strips, and was a regular nautical job. It was, however, at best only an interesting freak.'

Not surprisingly, after an appraisal of that nature the idea did not catch on. So M. Paulhan just found another designer in order to produce an equally curious successor to it!

[Moses03]

Thanks Mike. Well it is a twin boom pusher!

Moving along, here is a sizeable trimotor and a rare one at that.

[giruXX]

It looks somewhat teutonic. The Daimler G.III, perhaps?

[Moses03]

Not German.

Here is a little more detail.

[giruXX]

Spanish, perhaps? A Cierva BCD3 (Barcala-Cierva-Diaz) ?

"Source": http://flyingmachines.ru/Site2/Crafts/Craft29132.htm

[Moses03]

That is it.

Over to gX.

[giruXX]

Let’s return to colours:

[giruXX]

The wee thing is a chimera but known under a proper name.

[Dev One]

A Pietenpol Air Camper 'bitser'? (A bit of this, a bit of that, a bit of t'other).

[giruXX]

You are on the right track but that thing deserves a proper name.

It was built under that name much more than just once! (in contrast to earlier 'bitsers' shown here before)

[Dev One]

I am unable to get any further, so will have to leave it to others to define.
Keith

[pomme homme]

It always struck me that the snappiest named variant was the Wills UK LAA-approved Pietenpol Air Camper. I bet it took a committee to come up with that name!

[giruXX]

Look at the wing (and the main gear) ...

[srgalahad]

'tis a Grega GN-1 Aircamper (reg. 19-4989 from someplace downunder?)

"05/31/2008. John Grega and Elmer Niebecker produced this modernized version of the Pietenpol Air Camper in 1963. A new designed and lengthened fuselage was fitted with Piper J-3 Cub parts, including a modified clipped wing, engine mount, landing gear and tail wheel, and Aeronca controls."

since I saw the original pic, I'll make this OH as I'm in a pit of alligators til the weekend

[giruXX]

Yes, here is the source: http://1000aircraftphotos.com/Contri...onell/7867.htm
The craft has even its own wikipedia page: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grega_Aircamper

Open House!

[lefty]

OK, let's keep it rolling with a nice, if draughty, floater....

[giruXX]

Presumably the Fokker B.II Flying boat

[lefty]

That's it.

[giruXX]

Let’s keep on floating...