Kensington Treasures

摘要

Among the jewels in the 'Flight' gallery, on the top floor of the Science Museum in London's South Kensington, are two monoplanes that celebrate their 100th birthday this year. Last year the iconic Roe Triplane became the first whole airframe at Kensington to achieve this distinction (see the July FlyPast).rnClearly based upon the Bleriot XI formula is the JAP-Harding Monoplane. This was built to the order of Howard Joseph Harding by James A Prestwich Co Ltd (of JAP motorcycle and engine fame) at Tottenham, London. Powered by a 40hp (29.8kW) JAP it first flew on April 10,1910 from the Tottenham marshes.rnIt was entered for the Blackpool Flying Carnival of July-August 1910 and flew in France, in both cases with Howard piloting.rnThe monoplane was placed into store (very probably at the JAP factory) by 1914. It was presented to the Science Museum by JAP in 1930.