The Schneider Cup racers
The races
The results of all Schneider Cup races can be summarized in the next table, although a full book can be written about these spectacular and crowd-attracting events. These books ARE in fact written: see literature list. At some of the races more than 200,000 spectators were present!
| Year | Location | Winning Aircraft | Nationality | Pilot | Speed km/h, |
| 1913 | Monaco | Deperdussin | France | Maurice Prevost | 73.56 |
| 1914 | Monaco | Sopwith Tabloid | UK | Howard Pixton | 139.74 |
| 1919 | Bornemouth | Savoia S.13 | Italy | Guido Janello | - (disqualified) |
| 1920 | Venice, Italy | Savoia S.12 | Italy | Luigi Bologna | 172.5 |
| 1921 | Venice, Italy | Macchi M.7bis | Italy | Giovanni de Briganti | 189.66 |
| 1922 | Naples, Italy | Supermarine Sea Lion III | UK | Henri Biard | 234.51 |
| 1923 | Cowes, UK | Curtisss CR-3 | USA | David Rittenhouse | 285.5 |
| 1925 | Baltimore, USA | Curtiss R3C-2 | USA | James Doolittle | 374.28 |
| 1926 | Hampton Roads, USA | Macchi M.39 | Italy | Mario Bernardi | 396.69 |
| 1927 | Venice, Italy | Supermarine S.5 | UK | Sidney Webster | 453.28 |
| 1929 | Calshot,UK | Supermarine S.6 | UK | Henry Waghorn | 528.89 |
| 1931 | Calshot, UK | Supermarine S.6B | UK | John Boothman | 547.31 |
Conclusion
Jacques Schneider vision came true with the development of special high speed floatplane racers, although at the end floatplanes and seaplanes were not the final answer for air transport as is evident now. However, the Schneider Cup races played an enormous role in the development of powerful engines and in future fighter development. Most striking example is the Supermarine S.6B designed by R.J. Mitchell. The special Rolls Royce R engine had a lifespan of only a few hours at full power, but it was the start of a new generation of high-performing liquid-cooled engines. Within a few years a more durable version down-rated to 1050 hp was launched by Rolls-Royce as the Merlin. Influenced by his S.4, S5 and S.6 racers, Mitchell created after the success of the S.6B a single-seat fighter fitted with this new Merlin engine as the Supermarine Type 300. This new fighter flew for the first time on 5 March 1936 and showed to be a great promise. In fact, the Type 300 fighter, carrying the serial number K5054 was the first prototype of the famous Spitfire…
Literature:
C.F. Andrews and W.G. Cox, The Supermarine S4-S6B, Profile Publications no. 39, 1965
C.F. Andrews and E.B. Morgan, Supermarine aircraft since 1914, Putnam-London UK, 1981
C.H. Barnes, Shorts aircraft since 1900, Putnam-London UK, 1967
Ralph Barker, The Schneider Trophy races, Chatto and Windus-London UK, 1971
Peter M. Bowers, Curtiss aircraft 1907-1947, Putnam-London UK, 1979
T.S Denham, Speed!, Pilot Press-Londom UK, 1929
G.R. Duval, British flying boats and amphibians 1900-1952, Putnam-London UK, 1966
Robert Hirsch, Schneider Trophy racers, Motorbooks International-USA, 1993
A.J. Jackson, Avro aircraft since 1908, Putnam-London UK, 1990
A.J. Jackson, Blackburn aircraft since 1909, Putnam-London UK, 1989
Derek James, Gloster aircraft since 1917, Putnam-London UK, 1971
Jean Liron, Les Avions Bernard, Docavia no. 31-Paris, France, 1990
Charles A. Mendenhall, The air racer, Speciality Press, U.S.A., 1994
Websites:
There are numerous websites dealing with the Schneider Trophy races and racers, but the most important site specially dedicated to floatplanes and flying boats is:
http://www.hydroretro.net/indexen.html
In memoriam:
Aeronautical development has sometimes lead to fatal accidents. The Schneider Trophy never experienced any fatal accidents during the actual competition, but several pilots were killed during the training for the races. This resulted in the following casualties:
-U.S. citizens Harmon J. Norton in 1923 in a Curtiss CR-3 and Franck Connaut in 1926.
-Frenchmen Georges Bougault in a Bernard H.V.120, in 1931
-Sam Kinkhead in 1928 and Jerry Brinton in 1931 in a Supermarine S.5, from Great-Britain. -Italy had five casualties: Vittorio Centurione in 1926 in a Macchi M-39; Giuseppe Motta in 1929 in a Macchi M-67; Tomasso Dal Molin in 1930 in a Savoia S.65; Giovani Monti and Stanislao Bellini in 1931 in a Macchi MC-72.
Nico Braas
All images from Nico Braas collection
Related posts:
[...] you said is good Kirk- you have full story here: The Schneider Cup racers __________________ Srecko Bradic Owner: http://www.Letletlet-warplanes.com Owner: [...]
A fantastic summary of the Schneider Racers.
Request info ref: Bill Odom: I believe he crashed at the Cleveland Air Races, but I cannot recall the year.
I was there, and saw Jacklie Cochrane -in stoking feet- up on the shiny-green wing of Bill Odoms’ Mustang, as he was preparing for T.O. As I recall, he was lost on the third circuit?
Great read! Bookmarked for sure m8!
Great reading! And I have one question – may I translate this text in Russian and put it into my blog – with links on this page and all the credits, of course.
No problem Yurii- go ahead
Super Web!, I´m Starting a small “OMH operation Manual – Part H ( for History)
Just for our Flying Crew!..I´m 42, Captain and I see that many college have lack in aviation history !
I would like to send you a PDF about the Thema “Schneider Race” and hope that´s you allowed me to publish them!
With Best regards olivier!
Dear Olivier,
Thank you very much for your kind words. I would be glad to accept your pdf offer and to share with others.
Cheers
Srecko
Wonderful story! Well done! Are larger photos available on the net? The photo of the S.4 in the water is only the second one I have seen of that airplane.
Thank you for kind comment
Gentlemen – I am looking for an accurate 3-view drawing with cross sections if possible of the Macchi MC-72 Schneider Cup racer. Could you please advise a source
Thank you
Rob Caso
Rob Caso,
The book “Ali D’Italia #26, IDROCORSA MACCHI Schneider Cup Racers” by Giorgio Apostolo and Gianni Cattaneo has two different three-view versions of the MC-72.
[...] distant from Goražde, the Adriatic Sea holds a fascination. The Schneider cup was associated with it. I intend to cycle along it, one [...]
Hi, great article on the Schneider Trophy and those magnificent men and machines.
One small correction, you mentioned the “American” test pilot of the Gloster – Bert Hinkler. He is actually an Australian. I only know because they have a wonderful museum built as a tribute to his aviation trailblazing in his hometown of Bundaberg in Queensland. Trivial reply I know, but he was an aviation pioneer to us Aussies. Cheers.