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Painted in oils on canvas. 1998. 450mm x 550mm. |
‘Recordbreaker’In 1934, at the same time as he was designing the Hawk Major, FG Miles set about designing his first cabin monoplane, the Falcon. The prototype was built for Mr HL Brook, who entered it for the forthcoming race from England to Australia. It was fitted with an early de Havilland Gipsy Major engine, removed from Brook’s own Puss Moth which, when owned by Jim Mollison, had been flown by him across the Atlantic. In the race, engine problems caused delays for Brook, although he did eventually reach Australia. Five months later, he set out in the Falcon on the return journey, with new long-range tanks installed and a re-painted fuselage. Photographs show he managed to gain commercial sponsorship, suggesting he intended a serious attempt at a record. He left Darwin on 23 March 1935 and, 7 days 19 hours 15 minutes later, reached England, successfully breaking the record for a solo flight. ____________________ |