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That'll never take off! - Public domain engraving
Summary
Taken at the High Power Broadcasting Station, Moydrum, near Athlone. At the time, it was expected that construction would be finished by the end of October or in early November...It was reported in the Irish Independent, 28 September 1932 that:."The construction of the Station - one of the most powerful in Europe - was "rushed" for the Eucharistic Congress, the Post Office engineers then succeeding beyond expectations, and the Station gave the utmost satisfaction. The structure, however, was only of a temporary character, and had to be dismantled, so that a permanent work might be undertaken by the contractors."..But back to the photo itself! Fantastic background from Bob Montgomery 2012:."So, a memento of Jim Mollison's East West crossing of the Atlantic at the start of which he took off from The Velvet Strand, Portmarnock. The De Havilland Puss Moth was named 'The Heart's Content'. Mollison was married to Amy Johnson the famous aviatrix who accompanied him to Ireland for the start of his flight. Amy's famous airplane was named 'Jason' and while they were waiting for good weather to allow Mollison to take-off they attended a reception in the Ballsbridge house of the Fitzsimmons (Publishers - Talbot Press & the Educational Company). At the reception Amy discovered the son of her hosts had the middle name 'Jason', as on her plane. She arranged to take Wilford Jason Fitzsimmons for a flight at the airfield at Kildonan, Finglas - an experience he treasured for the rest of his life...Jim Mollison took off from Portmarnock in DH Puss Moth 'The Heart's Content' (G-ABXY) on August 18th 1932 and landed at Pennfield Ridge, New Brunswick, 31 hours and 20 minutes later becoming the first person to make a solo crossing of the Atlantic from East to West...This looks like a memento rather than a model as it has an engraved plaque on it. I believe I have seen the person holding it elsewhere but cannot recall where at present."..Not only has Bob Montgomery 2012 completely brought this photo to life, but he has also identified the man as John J. Horgan! See below for further information.....Date: 28 September 1932..NLI Ref.: IND_H_2610 ( IND_H_2610 )
Images from our photo collections that show those magnificent men (and women) in their flying, choo choo-ing, and driving machines... Oh, and we've cheated, we're adding boats and ships, jaunting cars and carriages, trams too and bicycles - we're completely shameless. So, basically any form of transport - air, sea, land - with the exception of two human feet...
Geoffrey de Havilland was born in Buckinghamshire. Upon graduating from engineering training, he pursued a career in automotive engineering working as an apprentice in engine manufacturer companies Willans & Robinson of Rugby and Motor Omnibus Construction Company Limited in Walthamstow. He designed his first aero engine and had the first prototype made by Iris Motor Company of Willesden. After his marriage in 1909, he focused on designing, building, and flying. In 1920 de Havilland formed de Havilland Aircraft Company Limited. The company was lucky to be approached by Alan Samuel Butler who wanted a new airplane built for him. After several years of financial struggle, in 1925, de Havilland's designed the Moth, which proved to be a success. Soon, and de Havilland Aircraft Company Limited went public. De Havilland introduced a series of small aircraft powered by de Havilland's own Gipsy engines and set many aviation records. His twin piston-engined DH 88 Comet racer became famous as the winner of the MacRobertson Air Race from England to Australia in 1934. During the Second World War, De Haviland Mosquito wooden construction avoided the use of strategic materials such as aluminum. His higher-performing Hornet fighter pioneered the use of metal-wood and metal-metal bonding techniques. After the Second World War de Havilland continued with advanced designs in both the military and civil aircraft but faced disasters. The experimental tailless jet-powered de Havilland DH 108 Swallow crashed in the Thames Estuary, killing Geoffrey de Havilland, Jr., son of the company's founder. The de Havilland Comet put into service in 1952 suffered high-profile crashes. DH 110 prototype during the 1952 Farnborough Airshow crashed and killed members of the public. The Comet 4, enabled the de Havilland airliner to return to the skies in 1958. By then the United States had its Boeing 707 jet and the Douglas DC-8, both of which were faster and more economical to operate. The company became defunct in 1963. De Havilland also entered the field of long-range missiles, developing the liquid-fuelled Blue Streak. It became the first stage of the Europa space launch vehicle, but the upper stages, built in France and Germany, repeatedly failed. In 1973, the Europa was canceled.
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