PPRuNe Forums - View Single Post - Flying under Thames bridges
View Single Post
Old 28th Jan 2007, 11:19
  #8 (permalink)  
Flying Lawyer
 
Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: London
Posts: 2,916
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Yes, it is. I thought I'd offer something as small compensation for forgetting to save the other pictures to disk.
It's a scan of a postcard showing him flying under Tower Bridge in September 1931. He had his licence suspended for that.
The writing on the picture says 'C. Draper 30th September 1931', and written on the back is 'Given to E. T. Cherry on 17th June 1933 by Major C. Draper (Himself)'.

As for his assertion that he could have taken a formation of three Austers through safely in the later exploit, I think he's right. They'd be able to see if there were any boats/barges coming the other way towards the bridges.


greenviewpark

An idea which may help your research into the Auster -

He wrote an autobiography: The Mad Major, by Major Christopher Draper which was published in 1962.
I recently found one on the internet, but it hasn't arrived yet so I don't know if it contains any pictures of the Auster flying under the bridges.
I hope it does, but even if not, I assume he's bound to have related the exploit in it, especially as he ended up in court.


Now that's a case I would have considered it an honour to do for nothing if I'd been at the Bar in those days!



FL
Flying Lawyer is offline