|
Tom Phillis
Thomas Edward Phillis (9 April 1934 – 6 June 1962) was an Australian professional Grand Prix motorcycle road racer. He won the 1961 125cc motorcycle road racing World Championship and was the first person to lap the Isle of Man TT mountain circuit at over 100 mph on a pushrod engined motorcycle. He was also the first person to win a World Championship motorcycle race on a Japanese machine. Personal and early life Phillis was born in Sydney and grew up in Marrickville where his father was a despatch rider. He became a keen bicycle racer, but retired from that sport after a serious crash at Henson Park. After leaving school at 16, Phillis had taken up a motor mechanic apprenticeship. His first experience of motorcycling came with the job, where he had to use a 125cc Excelsior motorcycle to deliver messages around Sydney, and it was there that he began to develop an interest in motorcycles. His father was supportive, and when he was 17, Phillis bought his first bike, a 19 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
BSA Gold Star
The BSA Gold Star is a motorcycle made by BSA from 1938 to 1963. They were 350 cc and 500 cc single-cylinder four-stroke production motorcycles known for being among the fastest bikes of the 1950s. Being hand built and with many optional performance modifications available, each motorcycle came from the factory with documented dynamometer test results, allowing the new owner to see the horsepower (bhp) produced. The Gold Star was almost continuously developed over its lifetime by BSA's engineers and riders, who improved its capabilities and increased output from its essentially simple push-rod petrol engine than had been thought possible. It was highly successful across almost all areas of motorcycle sport for well over a decade and is still regarded as a design icon of its era. Origin In 1937, Wal Handley lapped the Brooklands circuit at over on a BSA Empire Star, and was awarded one of the traditional Gold Star badges. That inspired BSA to produce the BSA Gold S ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Despatch Rider
A despatch rider (or dispatch) is a military messenger, mounted on horse or motorcycle (and occasionally in Egypt during World War I, on camels). In the UK 'despatch rider' is also a term used for a motorcycle courier. Despatch riders were used by armed forces to deliver urgent orders and messages between headquarters and military units. They had a vital role at a time when telecommunications were limited and insecure. They were also used to deliver carrier pigeons. World War I United Kingdom In the British Army, motorcycle despatch riders were first used in the World War I by the Royal Engineers Signal Service. When the War Department called for motorcyclists to volunteer with their machines for despatch work at the start of August 1914, the response was huge."Military Motor Cycle Notes", The Motor Cycle, 13 August 1914 The London office had 2000 more applicants than places, and a similar response was reported in regional centres around the country. If a rider and machine w ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Sydney Morning Herald
''The Sydney Morning Herald'' (''SMH'') is a daily compact newspaper published in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, and owned by Nine. Founded in 1831 as the ''Sydney Herald'', the ''Herald'' is the oldest continuously published newspaper in Australia and "the most widely-read masthead in the country." The newspaper is published in compact print form from Monday to Saturday as ''The Sydney Morning Herald'' and on Sunday as its sister newspaper, '' The Sun-Herald'' and digitally as an online site and app, seven days a week. It is considered a newspaper of record for Australia. The print edition of ''The Sydney Morning Herald'' is available for purchase from many retail outlets throughout the Sydney metropolitan area, most parts of regional New South Wales, the Australian Capital Territory and South East Queensland. Overview ''The Sydney Morning Herald'' publishes a variety of supplements, including the magazines ''Good Weekend'' (included in the Saturday edition of ''Th ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mount Druitt Aerodrome
Mount Druitt Aerodrome was a Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) landing ground during World War II at Mount Druitt, New South Wales, Australia. Land was commandeered in March 1942, for the construction of an aerodrome, two aircraft hangars and workshops on the site. The aerodrome was utilised for a period of time, after World War II, as a storage facility (bomb dump) for United States Army Air Forces The United States Army Air Forces (USAAF or AAF) was the major land-based aerial warfare service component of the United States Army and ''de facto'' aerial warfare service branch of the United States during and immediately after World War II ... and 10,000 500''lb'' general purpose aerial bombs were placed upon the landing strip. The runway ran down the center of the current Whalan Reserve in a roughly north–south (NNW-SSE) direction. After the war the fledgling Australian Racing Drivers Club ran races there (1951–53) at the Mt Druitt race track which incorporated part of ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Gnoo Blas Circuit
The Gnoo Blas Motor Racing Circuit was a motor racing circuit at Orange, New South Wales, Australia. The circuit was formed from rural roads and highways outside the town, around the grounds of Bloomfield Hospital and what is now known as Sir Jack Brabham Park. It was 6.03 km long. The name came from the Aboriginal name for nearby Mount Canobolas. The first race meeting was staged over the Anniversary Day holiday weekend of 24 to 26 January 1953 and was organized by the Australian Sporting Car Club, the former promoters of the Easter car races at the Mount Panorama Circuit, Bathurst. The January 1955 meeting, which featured the 1955 South Pacific Championship for racing cars, was the first FIA sanctioned international race meeting to be staged in Australia. The circuit played a crucial part in the growth of Australian open wheel racing in the post war era but faded before the peak created by the Tasman Series. Gnoo Blas hosted the inaugural Australian Touring Car Champi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Royal Australian Air Force
"Through Adversity to the Stars" , colours = , colours_label = , march = , mascot = , anniversaries = RAAF Anniversary Commemoration – 31 March , equipment = , equipment_label = , battles = * Second World War * Berlin Airlift * Korean War * Malayan Emergency * Indonesia–Malaysia Confrontation * Vietnam War * Operation Astute, East Timor * War in Afghanistan (2001–present), War in Afghanistan * Iraq War * American-led intervention in Iraq (2014–present), Military intervention against ISIL , decorations = , battle_honours = , battle_honours_label = , flying_hours = , website = , commander1 = Governor-General of Australia, Governor-General David Hurley as representative of Charles III as Monarchy ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Conscription In Australia
Conscription in Australia, also called mandatory military service or National Service, has a controversial history dating back to the first years of nationhood. Military conscription was abolished by Australian law in 1972. Australia currently has provisions for conscription, only during times of war if it is authorised by the governor-general and approved within 90 days by both houses of Parliament, as outlined in Part IV of the Defence Act 1903. Therefore, given the Governor-General acts upon advice of the federal government, conscription could be enacted by parliament even without bipartisan support, as long as the Bill is not blocked by the Senate. Universal Training Scheme In 1909, the government of Prime Minister Alfred Deakin introduced legislation for a form of conscription for boys from 12 to 14 years of age and for youths from 18 to 20 years of age for home defence. The legislation, which passed with the combined support of the Protectionist Party and the Australian La ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Motocross
Motocross is a form of off-road motorcycle racing held on enclosed off-road circuits. The sport evolved from motorcycle trials competitions held in the United Kingdom. History Motocross first evolved in Britain from motorcycle trials competitions, such as the Auto-Cycle Clubs's first quarterly trial in 1909 and the Scottish Six Days Trial that began in 1912. When organisers dispensed with delicate balancing and strict scoring of trials in favour of a race to become the fastest rider to the finish, the activity became known as "hare scrambles", said to have originated in the phrase, "a rare old scramble" describing one such early race. Though known as scrambles racing (or just scrambles) in the United Kingdom, the sport grew in popularity and the competitions became known internationally as "motocross racing", by combining the French word for motorcycle, ''motocyclette'', or ''moto'' for short, into a portmanteau with "cross country". The first known scramble race took place ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Motorcycle Trials
Motorcycle trials, also known as observed trials, often called simply trial/s (with or without the plural "s"), is a non-speed event on specialized motorcycles. The sport is most popular in the United Kingdom and Spain, though there are participants around the globe. Modern trials motorcycles are distinctive in that they have evolved to become extremely lightweight, lack seating (they are designed to be ridden standing up) and have suspension travel that is short, relative to a motocross or enduro motorcycle. Motorcycle trials is often utilized by competitors in other motorcycle sports (such as enduro, motocross or road racers) as a way to cross-train, as trials requires fine throttle, balance, and machine control. Characteristics The event is split into sections where a competitor rides through an obstacle course while attempting to avoid touching the ground with their feet. The obstacles in the course may be of natural or constructed elements. In all sections, regardless of co ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Velocette MAC
The Velocette MAC is a British motorcycle made by Velocette. A reliable single-cylinder, the MAC coped well with the low-grade post war petrol and was a popular commuter and touring motorcycle. Although they started as innovators, Velocette failed to keep pace with developing technology and production ended in 1959. Before World War II The first version of the Velocette MAC was launched in 1933 and was developed from the overhead valve Velocette MOV 250cc, which suffered from reliability problems. The single-cylinder engine was enlarged to 349 cc and could comfortably reach . The early MAC weighed and had girder front forks. Wartime models MAC (WD) In October 1939 a Velocette MAC was purchased by the British War Office Army Mechanisation Experimental Establishment (MEE) at Cove in Hampshire for testing its suitability for military use. As well as British observers there were also representatives of the French Army present. The tests were successful but a number of modi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sunbeam Cycles
Sunbeam Cycles made by John Marston Limited of Wolverhampton was a British brand of bicycles and, from 1912 to 1956 motorcycles. On John Marston's death after the First World War it was bought by Nobel Industries, Nobel became ICI. Associated Motor Cycles bought it in 1937; then, BSA bought Sunbeam in 1943. Sunbeam Cycles is most famous for its S7 balloon-tyred shaft-drive motorcycle with an overhead valve in-line twin engine. History Sunbeam Cycles was founded by John Marston, who was born in Ludlow, Shropshire, UK in 1836 of a minor landowning family. In 1851, aged 15, he was sent to Wolverhampton to be apprenticed to Edward Perry as a japanware manufacturer. At the age of 23 he left and set up his own japanning business making any and every sort of domestic article. He did so well that when Perry died in 1871 Marston bought Perry's business and amalgamated it with his own. In 1887 Marston began making bicycles and, on the suggestion of his wife Ellen, he adopted th ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Excelsior Motor Company
Excelsior, based in Coventry, was a British bicycle, motorcycle and car maker. They were Britain’s first motorcycle manufacturer, starting production of their own ‘motor-bicycle’ in 1896. Initially they had premises at Lower Ford Street, Coventry, and 287-295 Stoney Stanton Road, Hillfields, Coventry, Warwickshire before moving to Kings Road, Tyseley, Birmingham in 1921. Originally a bicycle company making penny-farthings in 1874 under their original name: Bayliss, Thomas and Co, they later sold bicycles under the names of Excelsior and Eureka and changed the company name to Excelsior Motor Co. in 1910. In the early years of motor-bicycle manufacture they used Minerva, De Dion, MMC and possibly a Condor 850 cc single but went on to produce a wide range of machines with engines from most major manufacturers. In 1914, they offered a JAP-powered twin. A deal to supply the Russian Imperial government with motorcycles ended with the Revolution and Excelsior wound up with an ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
