FATALITY AT AIRPORT

Southland Times, Issue 23000, 21 September 1936, Page 7

FATALITY AT AIRPORT

Campbell Black

Killed

COLLISION WITH R.A.F. BOMBER

Victory In Air Race

Recalled

(United Press Assn.—Telegraph Copyright.) (Rec. 7.30 p.m.) London, September 20 In the aviation equivalent of a "pushbike” collision, Captain T. Campbell Black, C. W. A. Scott’s co-pilot in their record-breaking victory in the Melbourne Centenary air race, was fatally injured at the Speke aerodrome, Liverpool, in the Miss Liverpool 1., which was presented to the city in order to participate in the Johannesburg air race under Captain Campbell Black’s pilotage by a Liverpool business man, Mr John Moores, who was giving a party at the aerodrome when the accident occurred.

Captain Campbell Black had completed a test flight, landed safely, and 'limbed into the plane again in order to take off for Gravesend to undertake final preparations for the South African flight. He then taxied, preparatory to rising, when he collided with a large Royal Air Force instructional Hawker Hart bomber, returning after a flight and also taxi-ing. Neither, apparently, was aware of the proximity of the other.

The Hawker Hart, just before the impact, swung in to turn, but was too late, its revolving propeller tearing up Captain Campbell Black’s cockpit. Both planes, after travelling 20 yards, interlocked, stopped and the crew of the Hawker Hart jumped out uninjured, but Captain Campbell Black was lifted dying from his cockpit. He was severely injured on the left side, including a head injury and a punctured lung. An eye-witness said that both planes were taxi-ing at 15 miles an hour. The weather was misty and overcast, and the white body and black wings of Captain Campbell Black’s machine apparently reduced visibility, preventing the Royal Air Force pilot from perceiving him. Suddenly, either or both machines swerved, the Hawker Hart piling itself on top of Captain Campbell Black’s little plane. The designer of Captain Campbell Black’s machine, Captain Percival, was greatly shocked. He referred to the jirony of fate overtaking Captain Campibell Black after his escape from the perils of previous dangerous flights. Mr C. W. A. Scott in a broadcast sounded a similar note, adding: “It is (impossible to be cooped up in a small .aeroplane for three days and three fights with a man, struggling together do achieve a definite goal, and not learn to know, to respect and to love him.”

Thomas Campbell Black was born at Brighton and educated at Brighton College. [His father, H. Milner Black, was mayor of [that city. On the outbreak of the Great iWar Campbell Black joined the Royal Naval Air Service and on the formation of the Royal Air Force was transferred to it. ■Serving throughout the conflict, he retired with the rank of captain.

Campbell Black took up commercial flying and became one of the pioneers of air !travel in Central Africa. He also took a farm near Nairobi, Kenya, and was the first .pilot to convey parties on hunting expeditions by air. Campbell Black was one of 'the few airmen permitted to fly the Prince of Wales, and when the Prince was in Kenya took him on long trips. In 1929 he performed what was then the remarkable feat of flying from Croydon to Nairobi (5000 miles) in eight days. On one occasion he linked the four East African cities, Entebbe, Kisumu, Mombasa and Dar-es-Salaam,, a 'distance of over 1600 miles, in one day. In 1931 Campbell Black rescued his wartime enemy, Udet. the German, airman, when Udet was stranded on an island in the Upper Nile. By October 1934 he had flown between London and Nairobi 13 times.

Campbell Black and his friend C. W. A. Scott, entered for the England-Melbourne air race with a De Havilland Comet machine, which was one of three specially made for the race. Owing to shortness of notice of the conditions of the race the machines had to be designed and constructed in great haste. Cambbell Black and Scott only received theirs for trial a week or two before the event and when the great race started had had only two or three short practice flights. Flying non-stop to Baghdad, they went on to Singapore (7060 miles), arriving 49 hours after the start. On the next stage, over the Timor Sea, one of their two engines broke down, but they struggled on and in 2 days 4hr after leaving England were in Australia, at Port Darwin (9417 miles). Completing the flight with one engine, they reached Melbourne (11,323 miles) in 2 days 23hr. more than halving the record and winning the first prize of £lO,OOO. Captain Campbell Black married in 1935 [Miss Florence Desmond, the impersonator and actress.