Daimler Airway: Difference between revisions
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In February 1920 the BSA group acquired [[George Holt Thomas|Holt Thomas]]'s failing [[Airco]] group and placed Airco subsidiary [[Aircraft Transport and Travel]] (Air Express) under the responsibility of Searle and Daimler Hire. In November 1920 BSA withdrew its financial support and AT&T, Air Express was placed in the hands of a liquidator. |
In February 1920 the BSA group acquired [[George Holt Thomas|Holt Thomas]]'s failing [[Airco]] group and placed Airco subsidiary [[Aircraft Transport and Travel]] (Air Express) under the responsibility of Searle and Daimler Hire. In November 1920 BSA withdrew its financial support and AT&T, Air Express was placed in the hands of a liquidator. |
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===Daimler Airway=== |
===Daimler Airway=== |
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[[Image:DH34 Biplane 1.jpg|thumb|right|Daimler Airway De Havilland DH.34]] |
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In February 1921 those assets needed to form a new business to continue Air Express were purchased from the liquidator (Searle) to form '''Daimler Airway'''. Major George E Woods Humphery from Handley-Page Transport was appointed manager of Daimler Airway, Searle remained managing director. |
In February 1921 those assets needed to form a new business to continue Air Express were purchased from the liquidator (Searle) to form '''Daimler Airway'''. Major George E Woods Humphery from Handley-Page Transport was appointed manager of Daimler Airway, Searle remained managing director. |
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From October 1922 until early 1924, Daimler Airway operated daily scheduled flights from [[Alexandra Park Aerodrome]] Manchester to Croydon Airport London. The northbound flight left Croydon in the late afternoon and the southbound flight departed Alexandra Park during the next morning. This timing enabled passengers from the north of England to connect at Croydon with Daimlers continental schedules. |
From October 1922 until early 1924, Daimler Airway operated daily scheduled flights from [[Alexandra Park Aerodrome]] Manchester to Croydon Airport London. The northbound flight left Croydon in the late afternoon and the southbound flight departed Alexandra Park during the next morning. This timing enabled passengers from the north of England to connect at Croydon with Daimlers continental schedules. |
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In 1923 Daimler added further routes from Croydon to Amsterdam, Hanover and Berlin using their DH.34 fleet. |
In 1923 Daimler added further routes from Croydon to Amsterdam, Hanover and Berlin using their DH.34 fleet. |
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===Imperial Airways=== |
===Imperial Airways=== |
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Daimler Airway merged with Handley Page Transport, Instone Air Lines and British Marine Air Navigation into [[Imperial Airways]] (IAL) effective 1 April 1924,<ref>''The Times'', Thursday, Dec 17, 1953; pg. 7; Issue 52807; col F. ''Jubilee In The Air II'' - British Pioneers On World Highways By Our Aeronautical Correspondent.</ref> bringing along its three remaining [[de Havilland DH.34]] aircraft. IAL immediately discontinued Daimler's route to the north of England, the monopoly airline not being interested in serving any UK points outside of London. Daimler's Searle and Woods Humphery were respectively appointed Imperial Airways' Managing Director and General Manager. Woods Humphery was to become managing director of Imperial Airways in 1930.<ref>Imperial Airways Survey Of The Company's Affairs, Increase In Traffics, Profits Affected By Adverse Conditions, The Subsidy And Obsolescence, Divergent Departmental Views, Success Of Service To India, Sir Eric Geddes On Air Mail Charges ''The Times'', Tuesday, Sep 30, 1930; pg. 19; Issue 45631</ref> |
Daimler Airway merged with Handley Page Transport, Instone Air Lines and British Marine Air Navigation into [[Imperial Airways]] (IAL) effective 1 April 1924,<ref>''The Times'', Thursday, Dec 17, 1953; pg. 7; Issue 52807; col F. ''Jubilee In The Air II'' - British Pioneers On World Highways By Our Aeronautical Correspondent.</ref> bringing along its three remaining [[de Havilland DH.34]] aircraft. IAL immediately discontinued Daimler's route to the north of England, the monopoly airline not being interested in serving any UK points outside of London. Daimler's Searle and Woods Humphery were respectively appointed Imperial Airways' Managing Director and General Manager. Woods Humphery was to become managing director of Imperial Airways in 1930.<ref>Imperial Airways Survey Of The Company's Affairs, Increase In Traffics, Profits Affected By Adverse Conditions, The Subsidy And Obsolescence, Divergent Departmental Views, Success Of Service To India, Sir Eric Geddes On Air Mail Charges ''The Times'', Tuesday, Sep 30, 1930; pg. 19; Issue 45631</ref> |
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Revision as of 09:31, 24 April 2011
Daimler Airway was an airline subsidiary of BSA group's Daimler Motor Company created to use some of the assets of the failed ventures Airco and its subsidiary Aircraft Transport and Travel acquired by BSA in February 1920.
History
Daimler had previously established, June 7, 1919, Daimler Air Hire as a private air hire company. Daimler Hire's managing director was Lieutenant Colonel Frank Searle CB, DSO, who had also been a senior manager of Daimler prior to his war service. During the war Daimler had acquired considerable aviation experience manufacturing aero engines and aircraft including bombers. They built Gnome Monosoupape and Le Rhone engines under Airco's licence. The last wartime aircraft Daimler produced was the Airco DH.10 bomber when they were building 80 aeroplanes a month. Their own test-ground beside the Daimler factory had been compulsorily purchased to become the main RAF testing ground for aircraft built in the Coventry district.[1]
Airco and Aircraft Transport and Travel
In February 1920 the BSA group acquired Holt Thomas's failing Airco group and placed Airco subsidiary Aircraft Transport and Travel (Air Express) under the responsibility of Searle and Daimler Hire. In November 1920 BSA withdrew its financial support and AT&T, Air Express was placed in the hands of a liquidator.
Daimler Airway
In February 1921 those assets needed to form a new business to continue Air Express were purchased from the liquidator (Searle) to form Daimler Airway. Major George E Woods Humphery from Handley-Page Transport was appointed manager of Daimler Airway, Searle remained managing director.
Beginning in April 1922 Daimler Airway, became the first company to operate de Havilland DH.34 single-engined cabin biplanes. A total of six were operated, the first (registration G-EBBQ),[2] flying from Croydon Airport London to Paris.[3]
From October 1922 until early 1924, Daimler Airway operated daily scheduled flights from Alexandra Park Aerodrome Manchester to Croydon Airport London. The northbound flight left Croydon in the late afternoon and the southbound flight departed Alexandra Park during the next morning. This timing enabled passengers from the north of England to connect at Croydon with Daimlers continental schedules.
In 1923 Daimler added further routes from Croydon to Amsterdam, Hanover and Berlin using their DH.34 fleet.
Imperial Airways
Daimler Airway merged with Handley Page Transport, Instone Air Lines and British Marine Air Navigation into Imperial Airways (IAL) effective 1 April 1924,[4] bringing along its three remaining de Havilland DH.34 aircraft. IAL immediately discontinued Daimler's route to the north of England, the monopoly airline not being interested in serving any UK points outside of London. Daimler's Searle and Woods Humphery were respectively appointed Imperial Airways' Managing Director and General Manager. Woods Humphery was to become managing director of Imperial Airways in 1930.[5]
Accidents and incidents
One de Havilland DH.18A aircraft, (registration G-EAWO) was transferred from Instone Air Line to Daimler Hire Ltd for operation on the Croydon-Paris route until the De Havilland DH.34s which Daimler had on order could be delivered. However, on 7 April 1922, two days after Daimler commenced operations with the aircraft, it collided with a Compagnie des Grands Express Aériens Farman Goliath (registration F-GEAD) over Picardie, France, [6] 60 miles (97 km) north of Paris. Seven people died in the first mid-air collision between airliners.[7][8]
On 14 September 1923, de Havilland DH.34 G-EBBS operating the evening service from Croydon to Manchester crashed near Ivinghoe Beacon, Buckinghamshire, during an attempted forced landing due to bad weather. Pilots Pratt and Robinson and their three passengers were killed. This was the first fatal accident on a UK internal scheduled air service.
References
- ^ Lord Montagu and David Burgess-Wise Daimler Century ; Stephens 1995 ISBN 1-85260-494-8
- ^ DH.34 (in French)
- ^ British Airline History, London Metropolitan University (2004)
- ^ The Times, Thursday, Dec 17, 1953; pg. 7; Issue 52807; col F. Jubilee In The Air II - British Pioneers On World Highways By Our Aeronautical Correspondent.
- ^ Imperial Airways Survey Of The Company's Affairs, Increase In Traffics, Profits Affected By Adverse Conditions, The Subsidy And Obsolescence, Divergent Departmental Views, Success Of Service To India, Sir Eric Geddes On Air Mail Charges The Times, Tuesday, Sep 30, 1930; pg. 19; Issue 45631
- ^ Jackson, A.J. British Civil Aircraft since 1919 Volume 2. London: Putnam,1973. ISBN 0-370-10107-X.
- ^ DH.18 from jnpassieux.chez-alice.fr (in French)
- ^ "Review Of ACAS RA Downlink, An assessment of the technical feasibility and operational usefulness of providing ACAS RA awareness on CWP" (pdf). p. 20. Retrieved 2007-06-17.