page_title: 1910 London to Manchester air race
section_title: Paulhan's attempt
hierarchical_section_title: 1910 London to Manchester air race / History / Paulhan's attempt
caption_attribution_description: English: Louis Paulhan (1883-1963), early French aviator 1909 Louis Paulhan won several air races 1910 (London-Manchester and the Dominguez International Air Meet in Los Angeles) TITLE: Paulhan CALL NUMBER: No call number recorded on caption card [item] [P&amp;P] REPRODUCTION NUMBER: LC-USZ62-16889 (b&amp;w film copy neg.) No known restrictions on publication. MEDIUM: 1 photographic print. CREATED/PUBLISHED: 1909. NOTES: Title and other information transcribed from unverified, old caption card data and item. George Grantham Bain Collection (Library of Congress). REPOSITORY: Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division Washington, D.C. 20540 USA DIGITAL ID: (b&amp;w film copy neg.) cph 3a19088 http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/cph.3a19088 CARD #: 2002721539
context_page_description: The 1910 London to Manchester air race took place between two aviators, each of whom attempted to win a heavier-than-air powered flight challenge between London and Manchester first proposed by the Daily Mail newspaper in 1906. The £10,000 prize was won in April 1910 by Frenchman Louis Paulhan.
  The first to make the attempt was Claude Grahame-White, an Englishman from Hampshire. He took off from London on 23 April 1910, and made his first planned stop at Rugby. His biplane subsequently suffered engine problems, forcing him to land again, near Lichfield. High winds made it impossible for Grahame-White to continue his journey, and his aeroplane suffered further damage on the ground when it was blown over.
  While Grahame-White's aeroplane was being repaired in London, Paulhan took off late on 27 April, heading for Lichfield. A few hours later Grahame-White was made aware of Paulhan's departure, and immediately set off in pursuit. The next morning, after an unprecedented night-time take-off, he almost caught up with Paulhan, but his aeroplane was overweight and he was forced to concede defeat. Paulhan reached Manchester early on 28 April, winning the challenge.
context_section_description: Grahame-White's biplane was returned to London, and on 25 April was being repaired at Wormwood Scrubs, in the Daily Mail's hangar.  Paulhan arrived at Dover from California, where he performed exhibition flights. Another competitor, Emile Dubonnet, also formally entered the contest, and was due to try a few days later.  On 27 April 1910 Paulhan's biplane (a newer model than Grahame-White's) was brought to Hendon, on the site of what is now the London branch of the Royal Air Force Museum. It was assembled in less than 11 hours, and at 5:21 pm that day Paulhan took off for Hampstead Cemetery, his official starting line.  He arrived there ten minutes later, flew on to Harrow, and began to follow the route of the London and North Western Railway.  The railway company prepared for the event by whitewashing the sleepers of the correct line for the competitors to follow. Paulhan was followed by a special train, on board which were Mme. Paulhan and Henry Farman.  Other members of his party followed by car.
  Grahame-White attempted to make a test flight earlier that day, but the huge crowds hampered his efforts, and he was unable to take off.  Having spent two days supervising the reconstruction of his aeroplane, he retired to a nearby hotel.  At about 6:10 pm he was awakened with the news that Paulhan had begun his attempt, and he decided to set off in pursuit.  This time he had no trouble clearing a space in the crowd. His biplane's engine was started, and by 6:29 pm he passed the starting line.  Almost an hour later he flew over Leighton Buzzard, just as Paulhan was passing over Rugby.  As night approached, Grahame-White landed his aeroplane in a field near the railway line at Roade, in Northamptonshire. Fifteen minutes later, Paulhan reached Lichfield, where about 117 miles (188 km) into his journey he ran out of fuel.  He managed to land the biplane in a field near Trent Valley railway station. The aeroplane was pegged down, and Paulhan left with his colleagues to stay overnight at a nearby hotel.  Grahame-White meanwhile stayed at the house of a Dr. Ryan.  Both aviators intended to restart at 3:00 am the following day.
  Still about 60 miles (100 km) behind the Frenchman, Grahame-White made a historic decision; he would make an unprecedented night flight. Guided by the headlamps of his party's cars, he took off at 2:50 am.  Within minutes of becoming airborne however, he almost crashed; while he was leaning forward to make himself comfortable, his jacket brushed the engine ignition switch and he accidentally turned the engine off, but he quickly corrected his error and was able to continue. Using the lights of railway stations to guide his course through the pitch black night, within 40 minutes he reached Rugby, and at 3:50 am he passed Nuneaton.  Despite making good progress, Grahame-White was carrying a large load of fuel and oil, and his engine was not powerful enough to raise the aeroplane over the high ground before him.  Disappointed, he landed at Polesworth, about  107 miles (172 km) from London, and only 10 miles behind Paulhan. A few minutes later the Frenchman, unaware of Grahame-White's progress, resumed his journey.  He passed Stafford at 4:45 am, Crewe at 5:20 am, and at 5:32 am he landed at Barcicroft Fields near Didsbury, within five miles of the Manchester office of the Daily Mail, thereby winning the contest.  His party was taken by train to a civic reception, held by the Lord Mayor of Manchester. Grahame-White was notified of Paulhan's success, and reportedly shouted "Ladies and gentlemen, the £10,000 prize has been won by Louis Paulhan, the finest aviator that the world has ever seen.  Compared with him I am only a novice.  Three cheers for Paulhan!" He retired to bed, leaving his mechanics to repair his aeroplane, and later sent Paulhan a telegram, congratulating his rival on his achievement.  Grahame-White attempted to resume his journey to Manchester, and reached Tamworth, but he later abandoned the flight.
caption: Louis Paulhan (1909)
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