India’s Beginning Into Early Aviation, 1912 Print
A rare picture of a biplane’s flight in Peshawar marking India’s foray into early aviation. This print is a page from The Times Of India supplement of April 17, 1912. The close-up of the picture shows the biplane descending in Peshawar (then in undivided India). The original photo was taken by an amateur photographer. However, it is noteworthy that British India was once one of the hubs of early aviation demonstrations.
Airplanes and flights were an altogether new field of transport in the early 1900s. Officially the first flight took off in 1903 piloted by one of the Wright brothers. The first airmail flight took place in Allahabad in 1911. There seems to be some ambiguity regarding the first noncommercial flight in India. But the most plausible case is that of Giacomo D’Angelis. An Italian who ran a flourishing hotel business owning the finest in Madras at the time: the Hotel D’Angelis at Mount Road. Giacomo D’Angelis, a hobbyist and adventurer in his spare time, got the biplane fabricated of his design.
Simpson’s a motor vehicles manufacturer fabricated the flying machine. He flew the aircraft on March 26, 1910. Taking off from Island Grounds, near Fort St George in Madras (Chennai). This is believed to be the first noncommercial flight in India. However, there are claims of Biplane flight demonstrations taking place in Calcutta, Allahabad, Peshawar, Karachi, etc. Although these are said to have taken place from December 1910 onwards and not before. Nevertheless, all this indicates the beginning of India’s early aviation.
Read more Madras aviation – in peace & war., and 100 Years Ago :: Flying in India.
Did you know – the largest crowd that assembled to watch a flying display before WWI was a crowd of almost 750,000 who watched Henri Jullerot fly a Bristol military biplane in Calcutta on Jan. 6, 1911.
From the collection – M. Suriyamoorthy Charcoal Untitled 1964 (#18)., Chowpatty Seaface From Malabar Hill – Old Photo 1960., Esplanade Road & Tram Mumbai, Old Postcard 1905., Vintage Book 1881 – Everyday Life In India.
