India’s Early Aviation History, Biplane At Calcutta, 2 Photos 1919
These rare photographs from 1919 capture a Handley Page aircraft near the Calcutta (Kolkata) Race Course. Offering a remarkable glimpse into India’s earliest phase of aviation history. The images belong to a transformative moment when powered flight was still a novelty and aviation technology was advancing at an unprecedented pace.
The rapid evolution of aircraft design began only sixteen years earlier, when the Wright brothers achieved the first successful powered flight in 1903. Their rudimentary biplane laid the foundation for modern aviation, inspiring engineers and entrepreneurs across Europe to explore the commercial and military potential of flight.
By the 1910s, aviation was still in its nascent stage, yet several manufacturers were racing to establish themselves. One of the most prominent among them was Handley Page Limited, founded in 1909 by Frederick Handley Page in England. The company quickly gained recognition for developing large, heavy biplanes, particularly suited for long-distance travel and cargo transport.
India emerged as a strategically important and commercially lucrative destination for early aviation routes. Flights between England and India symbolised technological prowess and imperial connectivity.
One of the photographs shows a Handley Page aircraft moments before take-off from an open stretch of land near the Calcutta Race Course, long before airports became common in India. An inscription on the reverse of the image reads:
“Just about to take off on a stretch of ground next to the Calcutta race course. The chap pointing is one of our native police, I am standing just behind him, in shorts.”
This candid description highlights the informal nature of early aviation operations, where aircraft often took off from makeshift grounds and attracted curious onlookers and residents.
The second image appears to be a close-up view of the aircraft’s pilots or crew.
In subsequent years, flying boats briefly gained popularity on the England–India route, as they could land on water bodies where runways were not yet built. Notably, the first Viceroy to arrive in India by air did so in a flying boat. Click first photo to enlarge.
Read more This Day In Aviation.
Did you know – in 1924, Handley Page Transport merged to form Imperial Airways, as the UK’s national airline service.
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