Early Aviation, First Flight From England To India – 2 Prints 1919
Two old prints one from 1919 and the other from 1920. Both pages are from the Illustrated London News (Feb 22, 1919), and the The Statesman (Feb 7, 1920) respectively. The pictures give rare glimpses of early aviation in India. These are especially on the first flight from England to India. The flight was on a Handley Page V/1500 biplane.
One of the pictures shows the then Viceroy Lord Chelmsford with his daughter and granddaughter, getting ready for a likely joy ride. The Handley Page V/1500 was the first-ever airplane to fly from England to India. The Statesman displays two pictures of the passengers and staff awaiting joy rides on the Handley Page biplane.
This was another of the firsts for British India. The others were the first train journey from Bombay to Thane in 1853; The world’s first airmail flight at Allahabad; the first non-stop flight from England to India; the First Viceroy To Arrive In India By Air, and so on. The flight landed on Indian soil at Karachi (undivided India) on December 10th, 1918.
Amid thunderous applause and cheers of a large crowd gathered, that numbered well over ten thousand. The flight left Cairo on November 13 arriving at Damascus (Syria) on the same day. It reaches Baghdad (Iraq) on December 1. Since the country did not have airstrips, quick-fix arrangements had to be made.
An airstrip was prepared in the newly established Delhi Cantonment. In Calcutta, the race course ground served as the landing strip. Almost the whole of Calcutta descended to watch the unusual sight. In 1913, a monoplane landed on the grounds of the Tollygunge Club see post Early Aviation Monoplane In Calcutta, 3 Photos 1913.
Did you know – the Handley Page V/1500 was originally a bomber in WWI. It was used again for the same purpose this time to bomb Kabul in May 1919.
Past posts – Oil Painting of Bunch of Roses British India, 1940., Glimpse of British Women In India, Photo 1887.
