The Aerial Derby
A postcard view of the 1913 Aerial Derby
Image courtesy of Bourne Hall Museum
The postcard shown above shows some of the competitors in the 1913 Aerial Derby flying past Epsom Grand Stand. This event took place on Saturday 20 September 1913. The weather was fine and there was no wind, in other words perfect flying conditions.
Starting at 4pm, then at one minute intervals, eleven planes took off, from the London Aerodrome at Hendon. Just twenty minutes later the first few planes were sighted by the crowd of several hundred waiting on Epsom Downs. Five minutes later the first five planes circled low over the Grand Stand so that their markings could be clearly seen by the naked eye. These five were shortly to be followed by five more.
The Epsom spectators had just over 10 minutes of this novel entertainment but heavier than air flight was still new so I have no doubt that it would have left a lasting impression on many.
Only nine planes reached the finish line of the 94mi (151km) course which went from Hendon via Kempton Park, Epsom Downs, West Thurrock, Epping, Hertford and back to Hendon.
The 1913 Aerial Derby Course
Image source Flight 20 September 1913
Gustav Hamel won, coping in-flight with a faulty petrol tap that vibrated loose and threw fuel over his face while he struggled to keep his finger over the leak for more than 30 miles!
This was only the second Aerial Derby, the first was the year before. Both was organised by the Daily Mail who gave a trophy valued £100 and a £200 prize. New this year were three handicap prizes of £100, £70 and £25 given by British Petroleum Co., Ltd., the distributors of “Shell” Motor Spirit.
Aerial Derby
| Pilot | Aircraft | Handicap | Time | Speed | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gustav Hamel | Morane-Saulnier 80 hp Gnome | Scratch | 1h 15m 49s | 76 mph (122 km/h) | Overall winner |
| Harold Barnwell | Martinsyde 120 hp Austro-Daimler | 6m 39s | 1h 18m 44s | 72.5 mph (116.7 km/h) | |
| Harry Hawker | Sopwith 80 hp Gnome | 12m 10s | 1h 25m 24s | 67 mph (108 km/h) | |
| F. P. Raynham | Avro 504 80 hp Gnome | 11m 43s | 1h 26m 1s | 66.5 mph (107.0 km/h) | |
| R. Slack | Morane-Saulnier 80 hp Rhône | 5m 4s | 1h 29m 59s | 62.5 mph (100.6 km/h) | |
| B. C. Hucks | Blériot 80 hp Gnome | 19m 0s | 1h 30m 53s | 63 mph (101 km/h) | Winner of the Shell trophy |
| W. L. Brock | Blériot 80 hp Gnome | 19m 57s | 1h 32m 29s | 61.5 mph (99.0 km/h) | |
| P. Marty | Morane-Saulnier 50 hp Rhône | 10m 46s | 1h 35m 51s | 59.5 mph (95.8 km/h) | |
| P. Verrier | Henry Farman 80 hp Gnome | 29m 8s | 1h 45m 7s | 54 mph (87 km/h) |
Hamel is perhaps best remembered for delivering the first official UK aerial post on Saturday 9 September 1911, covering the 21 miles between Hendon and Windsor in just 18 minutes.
Stamp celebrating the first 100 years of UK aerial post
Researched and written by Peter Reed 2014
If you are interested in early aviation I suggest you take a look at our page about Harry Harper