From The Press on 25 July 1959:

R.A.F. Officer First In Bleriot Air Race

(Rec. 11 p.m.) LONDON. July 24

Squadron Leader Charles Maughan, the 35-year-old commander of No. 65 R.A.F. Hunter Squadron at Duxford, Cambridgeshire, was last night declared winner of the “Daily Mail” £10,000 Bleriot anniversary race between the Marble Arch, London, and the Arc de Triomphe. Paris.

His time for the 214-mile run of 40min 44sec, using motor-cycle, helicopter and Hunter jet, earned him a £5000 cheque and a trophy.

Second place went to Mr Eric Rylands, 50-year-old managing director of Skyways (41min 41sec), who received £2500, and third to Group Captain Norman Ryder, 44-year-old former Battle of Britain pilot (42min 6sec), who received £1500.

The £1000 prize for the most outstanding, original and praiseworthy effort was awarded to the Bealine syndicate—the combination of B.E.A. executives and colleagues who crossed by bus, diesel train, Comet and taxi in just over an hour.

According to the “Daily Mirror” today, more than 120 men and women out of the original 168 entries successfully completed the course. In the 11 days, just over 200 trips were made by competitors between the two capitals.

The newspaper said the money for the first prize would go to R.A.F. charities. But the solid silver trophy would be engraved to Squadron Leader Maughan and would remain his personal property.

Britain’s revolutionary Hovercraft will leave Calais for Dover today, pioneering a new means of cross-Channel travel on the eve of the anniversary celebrations for Bleriot’s historic flight 50 years ago.

The Saunders-Roe Hovercraft is expected to arrive this morning from Cowes in an Admiralty lighter. It will give a 60-minute demonstration in front of the Calais beach before setting out on its air-cushioned journey.

At the same time, more than 40 light aircraft from all over Europe will be landing in England for the two-day Bleriot air rally, which will include on Saturday a banquet and an open-air ball. On Sunday, aerobatic displays will be given by the R.A.F. and the French Air Force. The Hovercraft’s Channel crossing is expected to take about one hour. Bleriot made it in 37 minutes.