66 AeroModeller - June 2018Proops Brothers
Years ago, when I visited London, I would make a minor
pilgrimage to three modelling “holy sites”. They were HJN
308 Holloway Road, the original Ripmax shop, and Proops
Bros in Tottenham Court Road. Then one day, Proops
were no longer there, I assumed they had simply stopped
trading. So I was happy to see a message from Isobel
Burdett proclaiming that she now runs Proops and they are
currently based in Leicestershire. And they still sell all those
interesting and exciting model engineering related bits and
pieces that you never realised you needed until you saw
them – take a look. http://www.proopsbrothers.comSeniors and Juniors
I was delighted to hear from Dave Day recently. Although
he has moved into a care home, he has been lucky enough
to fi nd a carer who is willing and able to take him to local
indoor fl ying meetings. Here he is with his lovely little
Santos-Dumont Demoiselle at a recent meeting at Potters
Bar. I’ve always liked the full size aircraft and continue
to be amazed that, despite fl ying in 1909, it has all the
characteristics of a modern light aircraft.
Moving from small models with pilots of advancing
years, to young pilots fl ying big models; Rory Tooley is now
an offi cial pilot for Model Guru (www.rcheliguru.co.uk) for
the 2018 show season. Better than doing a paper round to
pay for your models isn’t it Rory! I’ll be wandering to the RC
end of the fi eld at Old Warden at this year’s three shows to
check Rory’s ever-growing skills.For Boys (and Girls!)
The Second Boys Book of Model Aeroplanes (by Francis
Arnold Collins, published 1911 in New York – the fi rst book
is available online at the Smithsonian Libraries http://www.library.
si.edu, I wasn’t able to fi nd the second. Editor) is always
a delight to dip into of a winter’s evening. Towards the
back of it is a chapter entitled “Selected Questions”, like a
modern web-site “FAQ”. For example:
“What is the longest fl ight ever made by a model
aeroplane?”
Answer – “Mr Flemming Williams, the English expert,
claims to have made a fl ight of almost exactly one-half a
mile. His machine (see picture) weighs ten ounces. It was
launched by throwing it in the air, and in making this record
fl ight travelled with the wind.”
Impressively this model had fl own 2600 feet. Even more
impressive when you consider that the Santos Dumont
making that fi rst fl ight in Europe just few years earlier in
1906, had fl own a mere 197 feet!Alberto Santos-Dumont
Santos-Dumont is an interesting character, probably the
only pioneer designer and builder to make a signifi cant
contribution to both lighter than air and heavier than air
progress.
In April 1900, Henri Deutsch de la Meurthe announced
a prize, of 100,000 francs for the fi rst machine capable of
fl ying a round trip from the Parc St Cloud to the Eiff el Tower
in Paris and back in less than thirty minutes.
On October 19, 1901, some fi ve years before his fi rst
heavier than air fl ight in his Model 14bis, Santos-Dumont
launched his airship Number 6. It took him just nine
minutes to round the Eiff el Tower, but then his engine
failed. Undaunted, he climbed over the gondola rail without
a safety harness and got it going again, and crossed the
fi nish line in 29 minutes 30 seconds. Infuriatingly, there was
a short delay whilst he secured his mooring line, so the
judges refused him the prize, despite de la Meurthe, saying
he was satisfi ed. Following an outcry from the watching
crowds, and comment in the papers Santos-Dumont was
ultimately awarded the prize. Generously, he gave half the
prize to his crew and the rest to the poor of Paris
A couple of years later Santos-Dumont was fl ying his
Number 9 and was suffi ciently skilled to use it like a car, for
example, fl ying down to his favorite Parisian restaurant and
“parking” or mooring it outside whilst he had his lunch!
At this time he met 19 year old Aida de Acosta and
showed her how to operate “No. 9.” Then on June 27,
1903 Aida fl ew Santos-Dumont’s aircraft solo from Paris
to Chateau de Bagatelle while Santos-Dumont rode his
bicycle along below, waving his arms and shouting advice.
She later said that upon her fi rst landing, Santos-
Dumont asked her how she had fared. “It is very nice, M.
Santos-Dumont,” she replied. “Mademoiselle,” he cried,
“vous êtes la première aero-chauff euse du monde!” (“Miss,
you are the fi rst woman aero-driver in the world!”). The fi rst
woman to pilot any motorized aircraft, some six months
before the Wright brothers’ fi rst fl ight.
After watching some polo, Acosta climbed back into the
basket and fl ew back to Neuilly St James, the entire trip
lasting one and a half hours.
Oh yes; then in 1909, Santos-Dumont fi rst fl ew his
Demoiselle!
Don’t forget, comments, complaints and praise to
me via the editorial offi ce or direct to
[email protected] ■Tail End Charlie
By Chris Ottewell
Another pot pourri of aeromodelling miscellany...
Dave Day showing off his indoor Demoiselle
model.Plans for the record breaking Flemming
Williams model.Alberto Santos-DumontAirship Number 9 cruising along a Parisienne
street.An original Demoiselle.P66 TEC 055.indd 1 26/04/2018 15:46