M.Goodall, A.Tagg British Aircraft before the Great War (Schiffer)

P.Lewis British Aircraft 1809-1914 (Putnam)

Paterson No. 1

   The Paterson Biplane No. 1 was designed on Curtiss lines by Compton C. Paterson and built for him during 1910 by the Liverpool Motor House Ltd., of Liverpool, Lanes. The machine was a pusher powered by the three-cylinder 35 h.p. Anzani engine, construction being of bamboo, wood and fabric. A tricycle undercarriage was fitted, and a feature of the machine was that it was built of easily dismantled units to facilitate transport.
   Tests were made on Southport Sands, and the machine made its first flight on 14th May, 1910, when it flew for half a mile along Freshfield Sands, Lanes. In 1911 it was modified and re-engined with a 50 h.p. Gnome, and sold to G. Higginbotham, who operated a flying-school at Freshfield. He used it to run a private air-mail service between Freshfield and Southport. Span, 34 ft. 4 ins. Length, 31 ft. Weight empty, 600 lb. Maximum speed, 41 mp.h.

Журнал Flight

Flight, May 21, 1910

A Biplane at Liverpool.

   IN a biplane of his own construction, which somewhat resembles the Curtiss machine, Mr. C. Compton Paterson, of Liverpool, succeeded in making a flight of half-a-mile along the Freshfield shore, near Liverpool, on Saturday morning. The machine, the result of lengthy study of the subject in France, weighs about 500 lbs., and is fitted with a 30-h.p. engine.


Flight, May 28, 1910

MR. C. C. PATERSON'S BIPLANE.

   IN our last issue we referred to the successful trial of a biplane built at Liverpool for Mr. C. Compton Paterson, and now by the courtesy of the owner, we are enabled to give a few photos of the machine together with some further particulars. As a result of his observations at Rheims and other flying meetings on the Continent, Mr. Paterson determined to have a machine built on the lines of the Curtiss biplane.
   The work of construction was undertaken by the Liverpool Motor House, of which Mr. Paterson is a director, and was completed on the 13th inst. Very early the following morning the machine was towed, as shown in one of our photographs, by road to the seashore at Freshfield, near Southport. Soon after 5 a.m. the biplane was ready, and Mr. Paterson, who had never been on a flying machine before, took his seat at the wheel. As the machine had not been tested in any way, Mr. Paterson first made a trial run along the beach at a speed of between 30 and 40 miles an hour, which was easily accomplished in spite of a strong easterly breeze blowing from the land, which caused the machine to roll a good deal. During the next run the machine rose to a height of about 10 ft., and was off the ground for 100 yards. In consequence of the cross wind, Mr. Paterson then decided to fly up the shore from the edge of the sea landwards, and in this way he covered half a mile at an elevation of 20 ft. In a third flight with the wind behind, the machine rose for a distance of 200 yards, and then came down rather heavily, buckling one of the wheels. In consequence of this and the incoming tide, it was decided to suspend operations and to take the machine back to Liverpool in order to embody one or two minor improvements suggested by the experiments.
   From the photographs it will be seen that the machine follows on general lines the design of the Curtiss biplane, with its biplane elevator, the crossed tail, and the ailerons between the extremities of the main planes. At present the machine is fitted with a 25-30-h.p. 3-cyl. Anzani, but it is proposed to substitute for this very shortly a more powerful British engine, thus making the biplane entirely British.
   The main framework is of bamboo, while the hollow stays are made of silver spruce and ash. A feature of the machine is its lightness, and with the tank full, the weight is only a little over 600 lbs. The tank holds six gallons of petrol, sufficient to last for a journey of 90 miles. The main planes are made in three sections, so that they may be taken apart, thus facilitating the work of transporting the machine. So successful has the machine proved that arrangements are being made for turning out replicas in large quantities, and at a comparatively low price.


Flight, January 28, 1911

Paterson and King Biplane.

   I enclose a photo taken at about 4 o'clock on December 31st afternoon, showing the wrecked biplane of Messrs. Paterson and King on the sands at Freshfield. They had flown to Southport (Paterson as pilot and King as passenger) and were within about 300 yds. of their hangar on the return journey and close to the sands about to land, when a sudden gust caught the left plane and drove the right plane into the sand. Fortunately neither were hurt, but the machine was badly smashed as you can see from the photo.
   I t might be of interest to readers of FLIGHT, which I may say I look forward to each week.
Waterloo Park. T. E. C. WILSON.


Flight, February 18, 1911.

BRITISH NOTES OF THE WEEK.

A New British Biplane.

WRITING with reference to the new biplane of the Curtiss type, which has been built for him by the Liverpool Motor House, Mr. G. Higginbotham, of Macclesfield, says it has quite exceeded the expectations of the designers. It has proved very fast and exceptionally steady in flight. Fitted with a 50-h.p. Gnome motor, but without fuel, it weighs only 700 lbs. On the recent trip to Southport and back, with Mr. Paterson in charge, Mr. Higginbotham says he was able to take control of the machine with ease during part of the return journey


Flight, May 13, 1911.

BRITISH NOTES OF THE WEEK.

Ante-Breakfast Trial Trips.

BEFORE breakfast on Saturday last Mr. Higginbotham twice carried his mechanic on his biplane from Freshfield to Southport and back, the approximate distance covered being fifty miles.


Flight, May 20, 1911.

BRITISH NOTES OF THE WEEK.

Ante-Breakfast Trial Trips.

FURTHER details are now to hand regarding the cross-country flights made by Mr. G. Higginbotham, of Macclesfield, at Freshfield on Saturday week. At 7.30 a.m. Mr. Higginbotham, on his British-built biplane, set out from Freshfield and flew to Southport and back. After a few minutes rest he was in the air again and was away again over to Waterloo in order to pay a visit to Mr. Melly at his school there. Mr. Melly was out, however, so after leaving a card Mr. Higginbotham returned to Freshfield and then once more made the round trip to Southport and bick. Each of the three trips was of about 16 miles round, and so the total distance flown was roughly 48 miles. In the afternoon Mr. Higginbotham again went over to Southport and back, and then made several short flights of about six or seven minutes with figures of eight. He finished up by taking Mr. Fenwick for a trip of about 10 miles, going out over the sea for about a mile.


Flight, June 3, 1911.

FROM THE BRITISH FLYING GROUNDS.

Freshfield Aerodrome, near Liverpool,

ON Saturday, 20th, Mr. Higginbotham took out his biplane and, accompanied by his mechanic, flew along the coast towards Liverpool and back. Although the wind and weather conditions were not very favourable, he persevered and accomplished many short flights, taking up friends as passengers. The machine is behaving remarkably well since certain alterations have been made. Mr. King was down, but did not take his machine out. Mr. Melly with his pupil (Mr. Jones) came over, intending to take back his 50-h. p. Bleriot, which he had left at Freshfield some days previous. He, however, did not like the weather, and left it till the following (Sunday) morning, when he flew it back to Waterloo.
On Saturday, 27th, Mr. Higginbotham motored over from Macclesfield and got to work at once. Taking his mechanic with him he flew to Southport and back, and then gave many friends a few miles flight each, which was greatly appieciated.
On Sunday morning, about 7 o'clock, Mr. Higginbotham was out again, and carrying his mechanic, he made a trip to Altcar, circled the rifle range, then steered across country over part of the town of Ainsdale, thence to Southport, and after circling the pier and marine lake, landed on the shore. At about 8.30 a.m., Mr. Melly passed the hangars at Freshfield, flying along the coast toward Southport. The two airmen met at Southport and breakfasted at the Victoria Hotel, both returning later to their respective flying grounds, flying at an altitude of about 1,000 ft. At about 7.30 p.m. Mr. King took out his Henry Farman and made a few short flights towards Ainsdale and back.


Flight, July 8, 1911.

FROM THE BRITISH FLYING GROUNDS.

Freshfield Aerodrome, near Liverpool.

MR. GERALD HIGGINBOTHAM, of Macclesfield, received his pilot's certificate from the Royal Aero Club on Saturday last, having gone through the test on his 50-h.p. Gnome-engined biplane. He showed consummate skill, especially when taking the right hand turns. Mr. Higginbotham has this week departed on a tour through Switzerland and France, and he will therefore not be doing any flying again for about a month.


Flight, August 12, 1911.

FROM THE BRITISH FLYING GROUNDS.

Freshfield Aerodrome, near Liverpool.

ON Friday last week Mr. Higginbotham, who is now back again, accompanied by his mechanic, flew from the aerodrome to Ainsdale and around by Formby, returning by way of the aerodrome. He then made a figure-of-eight turn, and again flew towards Ainsdale. Later he attempted another figure-eight turn over the sea, where he found less buoyancy in the air. He was flying low at the time, when suddenly the air seemed to lose its sustaining power or he struck an air-pocket, for she dropped quickly and touched the water. Although the pilot used the elevator for all he was worth, the propeller caught the water and was smashed. Fortunately no great harm resulted beyond a wire striking Mr. Higginbotham's ear and cutting it, also bruising the mechanic's arm. Both swam ashore without difficulty, and the machine was presently hauled on shore with its broken propeller and damaged elevator. Mr. Higginbotham did not appear to be upset in the least by the episode and seemed as fearless in aviation as he used to be in the motor races, just smiling and remarking "One must be prepared for accidents in new ventures of this kind." He was at the hangar on Saturday and made arrangements for repairing the elevator and hopes to be soon in the air again.


Flight, October 21, 1911.

FROM THE BRITISH FLYING GROUNDS.

Freshfield Aerodrome, near Liverpool.

MR. G. HIGGINBOTHAM, who has made himself such a name by his flying at the Freshfield Aerodrome, recently duplicated in a small way the scheme carried out in connection with the aerial post at Hendon. In similar fashion he arranged to inaugurate an aerial post from Freshfield to Southport by aeroplane. Directly it was known he contemplated this, a big bag of cards and letters was made up in the district by his friends and others, and these were duly endorsed with the aerial post stamp, ready for conveyance to the post office. Mr. Higginbotham made a start from Freshfield with his freight at about four o'clock on Friday afternoon last week, carrying with him his mechanic, and was quickly at Southport, where he landed on the shore. After disposing of his burden at the post office, he returned to Freshfield in seven minutes, the distance being about 8 miles. On the journey, fog was rather bothering, rendering it difficult to find the way near Southport. The occasion was noteworthy by reason of its being Mr. Higginbotham's first flight of any distance since he had his little accident a little time back through finding an air pocket over the sea, when he had to swim for it, as recorded in FLIGHT at the time. Incidentally it may be mentioned that Mr. Higginbotham parted with a portion of his ear upon the occasion. We give on page 918 a photograph of Mr. Higginbotham's machine, taken from one of the aerial postcards carried by himself.
On Saturday last Mr. Higginbotham was in the air again at Freshfield, carrying Mr. A. Pochin, a new aviator at the aerodrome. Later he also took up Mr. Pochin's mechanic for a trip.