The Schneider Trophy

[romft1945]

John just out of curiosity had a look at that Trophy it is new to me but a few photos ,
ROM

I think the plane on the end was Mitchells?

[John Brown]

Yes, thanks Rom.

The last two pictures are of the Supermarine S types designed by R J Mitchell who later designed the Spitfire. If you disregard the floats, you can already see the Spitfire forming.

Heres another picture of 3 varients of the S type.

regards...John

[romft1945]

Now you say yes it does not my forte airplanes but still interesting Thanks,
ROM

[Maritime Michael Ian]

Another interesting fact about the Spitfire's birth was that the man behind British Power Boats Co. at Hythe ( on Southampton Water) was Hubert Scott-Paine, who owned Supermarine and engaged R.J. Mitchell as a designer, so for a while both BPB and Supermarine were owned by the one man.

Ian

[astraltrader]

I never realised that, Ian. Fascinating.

[jainso31]

The link will show winners of this Trophy; and show how Gt Britain won it outright, by winning it in the third consecutive year.

jainso31


http://freespace.virgin.net/john.dell/Schnei.htm

[emason]

While we are on to interesting facts, I thought I would throw this one at you.

In 1913, Noel Pemberton Billing won a £500 bet (allegedly with Frederick Handley-Page) that he could gain his pilot's licence within 24 hours of first sitting in a plane. He won, licence no 632 on 17 December 1913. With the winnings he founded an aircraft aircraft company to manufacture his seaplane designs, called "Pemberton Billing Limited", with the telegraphic address of "Supermarine". He employed Hubert Scott-Paine as the works manager.

[As a result of trying to sell his planes to the RNAS, he was recruited to reconnoiter, plan and organise the Raid on Friedrichshafen on behalf of the RNAS. http://www.worldnavalships.com/forums/showthread.php?t=9619&highlight=raid]

His aircraft company was not very successful, so when he decided to run for Parliament as an M.P. in 1916, he sold the company to Scott-Paine to avoid a conflict of interests. Scott-Paine renamed the company to "Supermarine Aviaton Works Limited" after its telegraphic address, and in 1917 employed R.J. Mitchell as his assistant.

Pemberton Billing was an extraordinary character who packed more into his life than ten normal other men. Just Google him for a taster of his many achievements.

[emason]

so for a while both BPB and Supermarine were owned by the one man.
Ian

I am not sure about that. I thought that Scott-Paine sold his interest in Supermarine in 1923 to become a director of Imperial Airways. He bought the Hythe shipyard in 1927 and renamed it British Powerboat Company.