PRINCE OF WALES ON AN AIR STUNT

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 241, 5 July 1919, Page 10

PRINCE OF WALES ON AN AIR STUNT

UP WITH A ONE-ARMED AIRMAN

A FULL PROGRAMME

The wild evolutions .of a high-flying aeroplane in the cloudless sky over Hounsluw aerodrome arrested the attention of hundreds of people recently. The whole aerodrome staff turned out to watch it. "Guinea" fliers in Avro-ma-chines for the .moment hesitated to go up; and, os if to see bettor what, was going on, a huge twin-engined "Vimy ibomber circled round rnd landed. ' . In the "stunting" plane ".ere the Prince of Wales and O'.oncl W. G. Barker, V.C.. D.5.0., M.C.. K.A.V.. who, at tho Prince's express wish, was giving him an experience of all the latest flying thrills. Colonel Barker, who has been decorated seventeen times, is .the/Canadian airman officially credited witlrocsl.roymg over 50 Hun machines. His left arm ['■ permanently disabled, and ho flew with if strapped to his breast. He is 'regarded as the "Prince of Stuntcrs, and has flown with the Prince on many occasions at tho. front. ~ ~ , , , And stunt he did. No autumn leaf at the mercy of an east wind has performed more" aerial evolutions than the Prince.' Two thousand feet iibove the ground, the little machine was "zoomed" (shot upwards),' looped, and rolled am spun. It nose-dived, curvetted (turned nuicklv right and left), stalled (climbed vertically to a standstill), turned abruptly in it's own length, and at ono tune anpeared to come down 'ail _ N first. In tho words of an experienced airman, was like hell to watch." ' It was noon when Colonel Barker landed after a trial "flip," and the Prince, with the sang froid of the, experienced airman, climbed into the litte cockpit behind the pilot. ■" He was dressed in military uniform. >. "No I don't want my coat, only a helmet," ho said as he was.strapped in. "Xow," said, Colonel Barker over his shoulder, "I shall do a good climb. 1 hen hit mo on the'head and shout out what you want done." ~ "Right, ho! Go ahead!" snid the Prince, pulling down his goggles. "Contact!" called the colonel to the mechanics, and in a moment, the emiing wa-s roaring and the machine climbing steadily. , . i Tho first "stunt" was a couple 0, , quick loops, followed by some sudden turns and-a roll in which the machine appeared to flv for some distance upside down. For fifteen minutes the watch- | ers had a succession of thrijs. Once, when the machine was descending spirally near tho ground with • the engine cut off, Colonel Barker was heard to shout a question, in answer to win'" came a clear "All right'" from the Prince. Tt was the signal for a sudden climb, at the top of which the' nose of the machine was ,put down ami a '"spinning nose-dive." the most thrilling of all aerial evolutions, was begun. For a Clear 500 feet (he machine ,feU in a series of ierking turns. Tb« engine was shut off. but the shriek of the wind j on the struts and nlnnes was plainly heard on the ground. Over the aerodrome again Colonel Barker "flattened out," and the machine landed as lightly as a foather. , The Prince's face was a study, I enjoyed it immensely," he was heard tn remark to an officer, "but, ugh what 0 sensation whon you go over backwards.