Wallacetown Farm
WALLACETOWN FARM: Early gliding site (aka CARDROSS)
Note: The first picture was provided to me by Austin J Brown who owned the Aviation Picture Library. The extreme degree of dihedral for the wings was presumably incorporated into the design to aid lateral stability, but I suspect that this was so pronounced that it may well have had the opposite effect? An opinion of an expert in aerodynamics is needed here.
The second, third and forth pictures were scanned from the excellent book, British Aviation - The Pioneer Years, by Harald Penrose, first published in 1967. I assume these pictures were taken here?
Operated by: Mr Percy Pilcher
Location: In/near Cardross on the A814 roughly 3nm WNW of Dumbarton
Period of operation: 1895 only?
Notes: It appears that Pilcher’s first flight attempts, more a series of hops really, with his ‘Bat’ glider design first took place at the end of June 1895. It seems that before committing himself to his first airborne experiments Pilcher made a visit to Otto Lilienthal in Germany who allowed Pilcher some flying practise in at least one of his gliders.
After the ‘Bat’ Pilcher designed and built the ‘Beetle’, ‘Gull’ and finally the now famous ‘Hawk’. However it appears that although he built the ‘Hawk’ in Glasgow he didn’t fly it until after moving to KENT where he flew it from EYNSFORD. Today Cardross is situated in ARGYLL & BUTE.
Perhaps you might be interested in looking at the EYNSFORD entry because I have made notes that appear to indicate that Pilcher might have developed a powered aeroplane. And, if this should prove to be correct, it could well be that Pilcher might indeed have superseded the Wright brothers claim by three years in achieving a 'powered hop'..
Richard
This comment was written on: 2019-03-01 20:58:44Both pictures of “Beetle” are at Auchensail Farm, Darleith Rd, Cardross. I can take you to the exact points they were taken (3mins from my house). The Parish Council were to erect a memorial sign opposite but this was scuppered by a dispute of land ownership of the site.
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