THE PRINCE “STUNTS."

Taihape Daily Times, 24 July 1919, Page 2

THE PRINCE “STUNTS."

THRILLS VVITH O-NE‘rARM;ED AIRMAN. The wild evolutions of a high—flying aeroplane in the cl-oudless sky over Hounslow aerodrome arrested "the .atmention of hundreds of people on a. recent morning. The whole aerodrome staff turned out to watch it.. “Guinea” flyers in Avro machines for the moment hesitated ‘to go up; and, as if to see better that was going on, a huge twin-engined ‘ ‘ Vimy ’ ’ bomber circled round and landed. In the “stunting” plane were the Prince of Wales and Coilbnel VV. G. Barker, V.C., D. 5.0., 1V1.C., R.A.F., who, at the Prince ’s express wish, wa.s giving him an experience of all the latest flying thrills. - Colonel Barker, who has been declorated seventeen ntimes, is the Canadian airman oflicially credited with desltroying over 50 Hun machines. His left arm is permanently disabled, and he flew with it strapped to the breast. He is regarded as the “Prince of S-tuntcrs,” and has flown witth the Prince on many occasions at the 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 above {the ground, tthe little nrachine was .“zoomed” (shot upwards), -looped, ‘and rolled and spun. It nose-dived, curvettcd (turned quickly right and left), stalled (climbed Vertically to a st.a-ndstill), turned abruptly in its own length, and at one time appeared Ito come down tail first. In the words of an experienced airman, “it. 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 little cockpit behind the pilot. ' He was dressed i_n military uniform ‘ “No I don’t want my coat,only a. |helmct,” he said, as he was strapped in. _ “Now,” said Colonel’ Barker over his shoulder, “I shall do‘:a. good climb. _Then hit me on the head and shout out what you want done. K ’ “Right ho!” Go ahead! ”- said the 2:Prince, pulling down his goggles. ‘ I “Contaet!" said the Colonel to the mechanics, and in a moment the engine was roaring and the machine .climbing steadily. I SPINNING NOSE DIVE.. . | The first “stunt-7’ was a couple of ' quick loops, followed by some sudden turns and a roll in which the machine appeared to fly for some distance upside down. For fiftcn minutes the watchers had -a succession of thrills. Once, when the machine was descending spirally near the ground with the engine cut ofi', Colonel Barker was hhcard to shout. a question, ‘in answer

to: which came a clear “All right” from the Prince. It was the signal

for EL Sudden climb, at the top of which the machine Was put down and 3. “spinning nose-dive,” the most th:*3lling of all iierial evolutions, was begun, Fol‘ T‘. clear 500 feet the machine fell in a series of jerking turns. The engine was Shut Ofi’, bu»: the shriek of fhe wind -on the struts and planes was planly heard on the ground. Over the am.'o(l*-foine again Colonel Barker “flattened out,” and the , machine landed aslightly as a fea._‘ther. The Pl-ince’s face was .2‘ study. “I enjoyed it immensely,” he Vvtjsheard .to'remal'k ‘.O an officer, “buf, ugh! what a. sensation when you go over b:).ckWal‘dS! ’ ’ The nonchalant a.tti=t'u'de "of the 17.‘.i-RCO fin-oughout was much comment.ed on by the aerodrome staif, who were equally delighted to see the Prince take the. wheel of ‘his powerful cm. when leaving the neroclroine.