Bootham Stray
BOOTHAM STRAY: Temporary Landing Ground (First waypoint)
Operated by: The Yorkshire Race (Between Blackburn and Avro - monoplane v biplane)
Location: Just W of the Wigginton Road, roughly 1.5nm N of York city centre
Period of operation: 2nd October 1913
A MICHAEL T HOLDER GALLERY
We have Mike Holder, a great friend of this 'Guide', to thank for providing the following items. The race commenced at MOORTOWN, (see seperate listing), on the outskirts of Leeds and this was the first waypoint where both aircraft had to land.
The race circuit diagram was obtained from The Aviation Historian. The article was published in the Yorkshire Evening Post on the 2nd October 1913 - in other words on the same day!
NOTES: This race was also nicknamed the "War of the Roses" race. We soft southeners have since learnt to forgive King Harold for invading Britain in 1066, but up north the "War of the Roses" is clearly regarded as being recent history! Joking apart, it was called such because the Blackburn monoplane was built in Yorkshire, whereas the Avro 504 biplane was built in Lancashire.
From what I can tell the result was inconclusive? One aspect though is I think of some interest. Although the first loops in the U.K. were performed in monoplanes, the military at the outset of WW1 regarded them as being an inheritently weak structure, and indeed, kept to this idea throughout. The German "Fokker Scourge" period from July 1915 to early 1916 had no reason for them to change their minds.
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