Harper, H, ‘Makers of Flying Machines: Visit to a British Factory’, Daily Mail (4 April 1910), p 4.
Hobbs, D, ‘Wait and See: The Origins of British Naval Aviation’, Air Enthusiast, No 131 (September/October 2007), pp 2–7.
Jarrett, P M, ‘The Flying Philanthropist’, Aeroplane Monthly, Vol 37 No 9 (September 2009), pp 34–8, and Vol 37 No 10 (October 2009), pp 40–4.
McClean, F K, ‘The Gordon Bennett Balloon Race, 1908’, Royal Aero Club Gazette, Vol 9 No 12 (December 1955), pp 410–15.
________, ‘From Zurich to Bohemia by Balloon. Being an account of the Gordon-Bennett Balloon Race, 1909’, Flight, Vol 1 No 48 (27 November 1909), p 763.
________, ‘Lighter-than-Air Days’, Royal Aero Club Gazette (March 1950), pp 77–81; ‘Heavier-than-Air Days’, Royal Aero Club Gazette (April 1950), pp 94–8; ‘Alexandria to Khartoum, 1914’, Royal Aero Club Gazette (May 1950), pp 125–30.
________, ‘Trials and Errors, Being Tales of the Air’, The PD Review (house magazine of Powell Duffryn Associated Collieries Ltd), No 34 (April 1938), pp 31–4; No 35 (July 1938), pp 16–19; and No 36 (October 1938), pp 39–41.
Porter, M, ‘Pigs Might Fly’, SAGA Magazine (May 2009), pp 50–5.
Preston, J, ‘Pioneer Flying on Sheppey 1909–1910’, Bygone Kent, Vol 2 No 5 (May 1981), pp 288–92.
Pritchard, J L, ‘The Wright Brothers and the Royal Aeronautical Society, A Survey and Tribute’, Journal of the Royal Aeronautical Society, Vol 57 No 516 (December 1953), pp 739–818.
________, and Ogilvie, Lieutenant-Colonel Alec, ‘Sir Francis Kennedy McClean, AFC’, The Journal of the Royal Aeronautical Society, Vol 59 No 539 (November 1955), pp 721–6.
Royal Aero Club Gazette, ‘The Eastchurch Memorial’, Vol 9 No 4 (April 1955), pp 92–3.
Royal Aero Club Gazette, ‘Eastchurch Memorial to Pioneer Airmen’, Vol 9 No 9 (September 1955), pp 276–7.
Royal Aero Club Gazette, ‘Sir Francis McClean, AFC’ (obituary) Vol 9 No 10 (October 1955), pp 331–4.
Sphere, The, ‘Photographing the Sunken “Oceana”: “The Sphere’s” Marine Aviation Experiments’, 6 July 1912, pp 11–16.
Sphere, The, McClean’s flight up the Thames on August 10, 1912, was covered in the issue of 17 August 1912, being featured on the front cover and in a series of pictorial articles on pages 149–54.
Sphere, The, ‘Remarkable Success of “The Sphere” Hydro-Aeroplane Flight up the Thames’, The Sphere (24 August 1912), p 192.
The Times, obituary of Sir Francis McClean (12 August 1955).
Trend, A, ‘Heir to Air’ (The Hon Maurice Egerton), Rapide, No 6 (2003), pp 44–7, and No 7, 2003, pp 44–6.
Turner, Major C C, ‘A Pioneer of Flight, Presentation to Lieut-Col F.K. McClean, Father of Naval Aviation’, Observer (30 March 1924).
Unpublished documents and papers
The F K McClean Collection, in the archives of the Fleet Air Arm Museum at Yeovilton, records the early aviation exploits of Sir Francis Kennedy McClean. It comprises many photographs, glass slides and press cuttings, together with publications and personal items.
F K McClean, log book of balloon voyages, July 1907–October 1918. In the McClean Collection with the Fleet Air Arm Museum at Yeovilton.
F K McClean, Royal Aero Club Aviator’s Certificate No 21. In the McClean Collection with the Fleet Air Arm Museum at Yeovilton.
F K McClean, diary, June 1906–July 1925. A briefly annotated listing of events, meetings and movements. In the archives of the Fleet Air Arm Museum at Yeovilton.
F K McClean, correspondence sent to acquaintances, reporting progress of the Nile flight, January to March 1914. In the archives of the Fleet Air Arm Museum at Yeovilton.
F K McClean, Nile flight photograph album held in the Royal Aero Club archive in the RAF Museum. A similar album is in the McClean Collection in the Fleet Air Arm Museum.
Rait, J, ‘The Pilot’s Logbook of Maurice Egerton’. A transcript of Egerton’s pilot’s log book, kept at Tatton Hall, Knutsford, Cheshire. 2009
Short Brothers’ first Order Book, January 1909–February 1913, also including details of later aircraft production and constructor’s numbers. In the company’s possession.
Index
(A page number in bold italics refers to a picture and/or caption)
A
Abdul 146, 149
Abu Hamed 127, 133–134, 135, 137, 143, 145, 146, 149
Actaeon, HMS 78, 116
Admiralty 55, 77–78, 84, 93, 102, 108, 110, 113, 115, 118, 119, 124, 154, 156, 157, 159, 176–177
Aerial Derby 124, 163, 169
Aerial League of the British Empire 55, 166
Aerial Navigation Acts 119–120, 124
Aero and Motor Boat Show, Olympia 30, 30, 42, 45, 65, 111, 176
Aero Club see Royal Aero Club
Aero Club de France 124
Aeronautical Reserve Corps 56
Aeronautical Society of Great Britain (ASGB) 15, 25, 84, 91
Aero Proprietary Limited 40, 114
Africa, HMS 79
Air Accidents Investigation Branch 84
Air Ministry 171
Albatros B.I 160
Alcock, Captain John 163, 164, 164, 166, 169
Alexandria 126, 127, 129, 154
Andrews, T D F 33
ANEC monoplane 170
Argo 135, 137, 138, 139, 140–141, 140
Ashchurch 25
Assiut 130–131, 131, 132, 153
Astley, H J D 7, 68–69, 68, 105, 177
Astra Torres Airship/Naval Airship No 3 125
Aswan Dam 108, 131–133, 134, 135, 135, 153
Atbara 145, 147–149, 150, 151, 152
Avro Type 539 163
B
Baden-Powell, B F S 166
Balloon Factory, Farnborough 15
Ballooning 13, 14–25, 31, 32–33, 35–38, 116, 118, 119, 161, 162, 163
Banshee II, balloon 155
Baron de Forest prize 52, 54, 55–58, 59, 176
Barrington-Kennett, A V 75, 81
Barton, Mr 84
Battersea, London 14, 15, 17
‘Beaumont, André’ see de Conneau, Lieutenant de Vaisseau
Bell, Gordon 108, 116, 118–119, 120, 125 (footnote)
Beni Suef 130
Berber 151
Berlin (balloon) 21
Berons, France 95
Biard, Henri 168
Bidder, Captain Maurice M 24, 60, 75, 82–83, 84, 89, 119
Bidder, Mrs 89
Bird, Commander 163
Blair Atholl Aeroplane Syndicate 118
Blériot, Louis 169
Blériot Ltd 114
Blériot XI monoplane 68–69, 68, 111, 160
Bollée engine 41
Bombay Presidency 11
Boulogne, France 95
Bournemouth 46, 163
Brabazon, The Hon. Claud 15, 20, 24
Brabazon of Tara, Lord see Moore-Brabazon J T C
Brancker, Major-General 171
Brewer, Griffith 14, 15, 17, 18, 20, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 30–31, 32, 33, 35, 41, 109–110, 119, 162, 166–167, 172
Briggs, Engineer-Lieutenant 104
Bristol monoplane 113
Britannia (balloon) 17, 18–25, 22, 24
British Expeditionary Force 158, 160
British Wright Co Ltd 109–110, 166
Brooklands Aerodrome 7, 69, 81, 118–119, 160, 167
Brooks, Joseph 15
Brown, Lieutenant Arthur Whitten 163, 164, 169
Brown, Miss G 89
Butler, Frank Hedges 14, 17, 33
C
Cairo 126, 129, 130, 131, 134, 150
Calshot Naval Air Station 120
Campbell, Professor W W 15
Cannock Chase Colliery Company 11, 12
Carington, Lord 161
Cataract Hotel 133, 135, 153
Central Flying School 78, 85, 89
Champel biplane 124
Charterhouse 11
Chat
ham 161
Chelmsford 25
Cherwell, HMS 79
Chili (balloon) 116
Chingford, RNAS 160
Churchill, Winston Spencer 107, 113–114, 115, 125, 155, 174
Circuit of Britain race 68, 69, 177
Clacton 157
Clarke, T W K 85
Clarke-Wright glider 85
Clark-Hall, Lieutenant 107
Clifden, Ireland 163
Clifton College 11
Cockburn, G B 46, 47, 61, 63, 102
Cockerell, S P 75, 81
‘Cody, Colonel’ see Cowdery, S F
Cody Waterplane 120
Colmore, G C 47, 50, 57, 58, 59, 176
Comet (balloon) 31
Committee of Imperial Defence 75, 78, 155
Conqueror (balloon) 21
Corps of Royal Engineers 85
Corsican Prince 126
Coupe Deutsche de la Meurthe race 168
Courtney, Captain 126
Cowdery, S F (‘Colonel Cody’) 7, 114, 120, 169
Cromarty Naval Air Station 118
Crondall, Surrey 17
Crooked Billet Inn 76
Croydon 168, 169, 171
Cruickshank 15
Crystal Palace, London 14, 17, Curtis, Commander 42
Curtiss CR-3 169
Curtiss, Glenn 166
Cusden, Charles 90–91
Cutler, Sergeant H D 81, 84
D
Daily Mail newspaper 42, 47, 95, 114
Round Britain seaplane race 7, 114, 115, 120–123, 121, 168
Lunch to Harry Hawker 163
Lunch to Alcock & Brown 163
Motor Glider Competitions 169–170
Transatlantic flight prize 114
Darling, Mr Justice 154
Debba 137, 141, 242
de Conneau, Lieutenant de Vaisseau 95, 96, 97, 101
Defence of the Realm Act 159
de Forest prize see Baron de Forest prize
de Havilland D.H.60Moth 171
de Havilland, Geoffrey 68
Deirout 130
Delga 136, 137, 138, 139
Deperdussin monoplane 86, 86
Deverish, George 60
Dongola/Dongola Bend 127, 135, 136–137, 141
Donnet-Lévèque flying boat 95, 96
Dorking, Surrey 13, 163
Douglas World Cruisers 171
Dover 56–58, 111, 160, 161–162
Dover Aero Club 111
Draper, Major Christopher 156–157, 161
Drury, Admiral Sir C C 55, 61, 62, 63
Dublin 123
Dungeness 157
Dunkirk 160, 161
Dunlop 1 (balloon) 116, 118
Dunville John D 24, 24, 116, 155
Dunville, Mrs 155
E
Eastbourne Aerodrome 89–91, 90
Eastchurch flying ground/Aerodrome 7, 40, 41, 44, 52, 60, 62, 62, 68, 72, 75, 77–78, 79, 81, 83, 84, 85, 87, 93, 94, 95, 96, 98, 104, 110, 111, 113, 115, 116, 117, 118, 124, 125, 126, 127, 149, 155, 156, 158–159, 160, 161, 172, 173–174, 175
East Goodwins 58
Edfou 131
Egerton, The Hon. Maurice 31, 40, 41, 59, 62–63, 64, 65, 72, 74, 109, 118
Egyptian Gazette 129, 130, 139
Elephantine Island 131
El Keb 134, 143, 144
Enchantress (Admiralty yacht) 125
Encounter, HAS 59
England, Eric Gordon 114
England, Geoffrey 113
English Electric Wren 170
ENV engine 46, 56, 58, 66, 75
F
Fairey IIIA 164
Fairey C R 118
Farman biplane 45, 111
Farman, Henry 169
Farnborough 15, 160
Fédération Aéronautique Internationale 105, 163
Field, The (magazine) 17
Fitwar Island 147, 147, 150
Fleet Air Arm Museum 8, 114
Flint Island eclipse 15
Flying Services Fund 159
Forum Club 124, 173
Fowler, Mr F B 81, 89, 90
Frankenburg, Fähnrich-zur-See von, 160
Friedrichshafen FF 29 160
G
Gananita 147, 148, 149, 149, 150, 150, 151
Gates, Mr 111
German Aero Club 17
Gerrard, Lieutenant/Captain/Air Commodore E L 61, 62, 65, 68, 69, 72, 74, 76, 80, 173
Gerrard, Lieutenant H V 72
Gerrard, Major 113
Gilmour, Douglas Graham 81, 102–103
Girgeh 131
Girouard, Sir Percy 127
Gloster Bamel 168–169
Gnome engine 45, 46, 52, 53, 55, 59, 69, 70, 70, 71, 72, 73, 75, 77, 82, 84, 93, 104, 106, 108, 116, 120, 123, 125–126, 127, 132, 133, 135, 137, 147, 148, 151–152, 153, 176–177
Godalming, Surrey 25
Gordon Bennett balloon races 15, 17–25, 35–38, 171
Gordon Bennett Trophy Meeting 124
Gorst, Miss 14
Government Valuation Office 159
Grace, Cecil 7, 46, 48, 52, 54, 55, 56–58, 57, 59, 60, 65, 66, 69, 72, 77, 95, 155, 169, 176
Grace, Percy 109, 111
Grahame-White, Claude 56, 67, 169
Grahame-White biplane 111
Graves (mechanic) 129, 145, 146, 149, 150, 151 Green Engine Company 121
engine 42, 55, 120–123, 121
Greg, Miss 105
Gregory, Lieutenant 61, 62, 68, 74, 81, 111
Grey, C G 67, 69, 74, 83, 101, 104, 106, 108, 115–116, 120–121, 171–173
Grey, Lieutenant Spencer 81, 111
Grieve, Lieutenant-Commander Kenneth McKenzie 163
Grosvenor Challenge Cup Race 169, 170
Grosvenor, Lord Edward 170
H
Hainault Forest, Essex 17
Hamel, Gustav 155
Hammondsport 166
Handley Page, Frederick 163
Handley Page O/400 161, 162
Hare and Hounds balloon race 116
Hare, George William 154
Harwich Naval Air Station 120
Hastings, Mr Patrick 154
Havre, France 95
Harper, Harry 42, 67
Harty Ferry 85, 88, 93, 105, 118, 125–126, 127, 156, 156
Hawker, Harry 120, 123, 163
Hedges Butler Challenge Cup 17, 155
Helonan, Austrian Lloyd steamer 154
Henderson, General 110
Hendon Aerial Pageant 167
Hendon Aerodrome 7, 111, 112, 116, 117, 124
Henley Regatta 103
Henry, Sir Edward 101
Hermes, HMS 116, 177
Hewlett, Lieutenant 104, 111
Hibernia, HMS 86–87, 87
Holden, Colonel H C L 84, 112
Home Office 119–120, 124
Hubbard, TO’B 81
Hunaudières race track, France 26
Hunt 24
Huntington, Professor 20, 24, 27, 118
Hurlingham Club 15, 17, 33, 116, 118, 155, 162
Hurren, B J 51, 92, 159, 173
I
Imperial Airways 153
Isle of Grain Naval Air Station 79, 104, 110, 118, 120, 121, 122, 125, 125 (footnote), 155, 156, 157, 157, 158, 160, 177
Itford Hill 169
J
Jackson, Colonel 134, 142–143
James, Jimmy H 168–169, 170
Jannello, Guido 164
Jezzi, Mr 118
Joyce Green, Kent 160
Joynson-Hicks W 113
Juvisy, France 95
K
Kabushia Station 148, 150, 151
Kafrel Zyat 130
Kareima 134
Kenley 14
Kennedy, Lieutenant J R B 118
Kent Automobile Club 124
Kershaw, R H 81
Khartoum 108, 126, 135, 145, 146, 148, 149, 151, 152–154
King George V, His Majesty 111
King’s Cup Circuit of Britain
Air Race 167–168
King’s Cup Race 169, 170, 171
Kingsnorth Airship Station 155
Kinnaird’s Head 157
Kite Balloon and Airship Services 162
Korosko 135
Kosha 136, 137, 139
Kulgeili 143
L
Langdale End 163
Langley Park, Bromley 13
Langley, Samuel Pierpont 166
‘Aerodrome’ 166
Larkhill, Salisbury Plain 113
Latham, Hubert 169
Ledeboer J H 124
Le Mans, France 24, 25–27, 26
Le Rhone engine 168
Les Baraques 57
EEstrange-Malone, Lieutenant C J 81, 107
Leysdown see Shellbeach
Library of Congress 42
Lockyer, Sir Norman 59, 67
Lockyer, Dr W J S 17, 24, 33, 48, 51, 52, 94, 133, 135, 137, 139, 141, 143, 145, 150
Lodmore 86, 86
London Aero Club Ltd 171
London Balloon Company 68, 75, 81, 82–83
London-to-Paris race 124
Longmore, Lieutenant Arthur 61, 62, 68, 74, 79, 80, 81, 82, 84, 171, 173, 177
Longton, Flight Lieutenant Walter H 168, 168, 169, 170, 170
Louis of Battenberg, Admiral HRH Prince, 62, 68
Loweth, Sidney 174
Luxor 131, 134
Lympne 169–170, 171
M
McClean, Anna 32–33, 60, 80, 89, 105, 127–130, 133–134, 145, 149, 151, 152
McClean, Frank, (senior) 13
McClean, John Robinson 12–13
McClean, (Sir) Francis Kennedy
Acquires Eastchurch site 40
Aerial marine photography experiment 89–91
Appointed High Sheriff of Oxfordshire 173
Attempts to fly Short No 1 33–35
Awarded Aeronaut’s Certificate 31, 32
Awarded Aviator’s Certificate 49, 49, 51
Awarded RAeC Gold Medal 169
Balloon ascents 13, 15–25, 31, 32–33, 35–38, 116, 118, 119, 161, 162, 163
Buys Rolls’s hangars 52
Daily Mail Round Britain seaplane race, 120–123
Death 174–175
Elected Associate Fellow of ASGB 91
Elected chairman of RAeC 169, 173
Elected Hon. Fellow of RAeS 173
Flies S.27 Tandem Twin 72–74
Flies S.39 Triple Twin 69–72
Flies S.40 up the Thames 95–103, 111
Flies with Wilbur Wright 26–27
Flights on Short-Wright No 3 38–40, 39, 41, 45
Impressions of flying Short-Sommer biplane 52–53
Joins RNAS 157
Knighted 9, 171–173
Loans aircraft to Royal Navy 59–65
Nile expedition flight 108, 127–154
On the future of flying 67
Orders Short-Wright Flyer 31,
Poem dedicated to him 123–124
RNAS service during First World War 160–163
Frank McClean Page 24