I’ve been looking at a number of pre WW1 W.D. & H.O. Wills cigarette cards from a series entitled ‘Aviation’. One of these includes a drawing of the “Windham” monoplane. Now initially I thought that this was a joke because the drawing, at first glance, appeared to incorporate a large rubber band as its means of propulsion (Windham, wind’em – get it)! But under a magnifying glass it’s evident that the artist’s brush strokes just give the impression of a rubber band running the length of the fuselage. The text on the reverse of the card is delightful. It says:
“This machine is the invention of Capt. Windham, founder of the British Aeroplane Club. Up to the time of publication, its performances have been marked with bad luck. But it has the distinction of being the only really original machine yet built in England; and, with modifications, promises to be a considerable success”.
I have to assume that it did not live up to the text writer’s expectations and that Capt. Windham and his machine faded away to become a footnote in British aviation history. Can anyone tell me more about the machine or the man?
By: RPSmith - 4th February 2009 at 12:33
It looks to be based on the Bleriot – as seemed to be a lot of designs at that time! The tail looks different – is it a biplane tail?
I wonder if Bleriot ever tried to sue anyone for copying his designs?
Roger Smith.
By: Malcolm McKay - 4th February 2009 at 09:21
That’s a copy of the Bleriot – maybe it is a Bleriot. That triangular wing thingy looks like an accident waiting to happen.
By: avion ancien - 4th February 2009 at 09:12
Better late than never!
By: avion ancien - 14th January 2009 at 20:06
That one was called the Windham Tandem Monoplane.
That’s the one. Sorry but scanner problems mean that I am unable to scan and post an image of the cigarette card at the moment.
By: Joglo - 14th January 2009 at 10:46
That one was called the Windham Tandem Monoplane.
By: Ant.H - 13th January 2009 at 23:10
There’s a 10-page (!) thread about Windham’s flying machines on The Aerodrome forum, you might find some things of interest on there.
http://www.theaerodrome.com/forum/pioneer-aviation/35316-windham-monoplane-1909-a.html
By: John Aeroclub - 13th January 2009 at 22:36
The Windham illustrated above is his second design (the El-collapso one) which was finally written of in collision with a car. Your fag card will be the first of the two non fliers which was made of long lengths of bamboo one of which looks like a rubber band and has triangular cloth wings in your illustration. Span was 24′ and length 50′
John
By: avion ancien - 13th January 2009 at 21:18
Tha’ there airyplane dun luk loik tha’ un me fag card!
By: Joglo - 13th January 2009 at 11:51
By: avion ancien - 12th January 2009 at 22:13
The image on the cigarette card indicates small triangular canvas canard wings, more significant triangular canvas main wings, an insignificant tail surface and rudder plus a tractor engine and propellor. I’ll try to find time tomorrow to scan and post a copy of the obverse of the cigarette card.
By: John Aeroclub - 12th January 2009 at 21:22
If the Windham monoplane you refer too has tiny triangular wings, the “rubber band” is in fact a long length of bamboo. It never flew. The Windham tractor Monoplane had the distinction of collapsing at Doncaster when Windham went to sit in it, it too never flew.
British Aircraft 1809-1914, Peter Lewis.
John
Sign In
January 12, 2009 at 9:03 pm