Mission accomplished!

This August marks the 100th Anniversary of the Circuit of Britain Race, a challenge sponsored by The Daily Mail, for the first pilot to fly around Britain in a waterplane. Of the four pilots who entered the race, Harry Hawker, an Australian, was the most successful.  Not only was he the only entrant to start the race, he flew over 1000 miles of the 1540 mile race before crashing just north of Dublin. This was the longest distance flown over water at the time.

Sopwith Waterplane model commissioned by Shell and made by Mappin & Webb.
Presented to Harry Hawker by Shell following the 1913 Circuit of Britain Race.

To commemorate Harry Hawker’s heroic flight, the oldest airworthy amphibian still flying in the UK, the IWM Duxford based Catalina G-PBYA plans to complete the same circuit. The plane and crew will, as closely as possible, follow the 1913 route over a five day historic flight. The 2013 Circuit of Britain challenge is being mounted by Catalina Pilot Jeff Boyling who, like Harry Hawker, was born in Australia and shares a passion for aeronautical adventure.

By marking this occasion Jeff hopes to inspire younger generations with the wonders of flying and keep “the golden era of aviation” alive today.

Do join us by taking part in this centenary.

Catalina G-PBYA performing a step taxi on the fresh water at Biscarrosse.
Captain Paul Warren Wilson and Co-Pilot Jeff Boyling. (Photo by Stephane Beilliard – konnek-t.com)