M.Goodall, A.Tagg British Aircraft before the Great War (Schiffer)
Deleted by request of (c)Schiffer Publishing
GASKELL-BLACKBURN biplane (Vivian Gaskell-Blackburn, Brooklands)
Gaskell-Blackburn learnt to fly at the Bristol School at Brooklands, receiving certificate No.617 dated 10 September 1913. He then constructed a biplane, that first appeared for engine run on 27 February 1914. First flight was on 2 April 1914 at Brooklands, where it was used until the outbreak of war.
The biplane was a conventional single-seat, two bay, tractor somewhat resembling the Wong Tong Mei. The Aeroplane reported at the time that a few parts from that machine, albeit adequately strengthened, were actually incorporated in the Gaskell-Blackburn. A much later record stated that parts of three aeroplanes, namely a Champel, the Parsons biplane and a Sommer of the Pashley brothers were used in its construction.
Power: 40hp ABC four-cylinder inline, water-cooled.
P.Lewis British Aircraft 1809-1914 (Putnam)
Gaskell-Blackburn Biplane
The remains of three old aeroplanes, the Champel, the Parsons and the Pashley Brothers' Sommer, were incorporated in the biplane designed and built at Brooklands early in 1914 by V. Gaskell-Blackburn, who had gained his Royal Aero Club Aviator's Certificate No. 617 on 10th September, 1913, flying a Bristol at the same aerodrome. The machine was a tractor and was powered by a four-cylinder 40 h.p. A.B.C. engine.
