The King's Cup

air race Air racing is a type of motorsport that involves airplanes or other types of aircraft that compete over a fixed course, with the winner either returning the shortest time, the one to complete it with the most points, or to come closest to a pre ...

is a British handicapped cross-country event, which has taken place annually since 1922. It is run by the Royal Aero Club Records Racing and Rally Association. The King's Cup is one of the most prestigious prizes of the British air racing season. The entrants are divided into classes, and each is evaluated and given a time handicap for the start of the race. They all take off at varying times according to their handicap, with the handicappers' aim being that they should all cross the finishing line at the same moment. The art of winning the race outright is therefore to beat the handicappers, rather than to make the fastest flight as such. Alex Henshaw, ''The Flight of the Mew Gull'', Murray, 1980. p.95 The aircraft are also divided into classes, with a winner for each class as well as the outright winner.

History

The King's Cup air race was established by

King George V George V (George Frederick Ernest Albert; 3 June 1865 – 20 January 1936) was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 until his death in 1936. George was born during the reign of his pa ...

as an incentive to the development of

light aircraft A light aircraft is an aircraft that has a Maximum Takeoff Weight, maximum gross takeoff weight of or less.Crane, Dale: ''Dictionary of Aeronautical Terms, third edition'', page 308. Aviation Supplies & Academics, 1997. Light aircraft are use ...

and

engine An engine or motor is a machine designed to convert one or more forms of energy into mechanical energy. Available energy sources include potential energy (e.g. energy of the Earth's gravitational field as exploited in hydroelectric power ge ...

design. Initially, it was open to

Commonwealth A commonwealth is a traditional English term for a political community founded for the common good. The noun "commonwealth", meaning "public welfare, general good or advantage", dates from the 15th century. Originally a phrase (the common-wealth ...

pilots only. The first King's Cup air race took place on 8 September 1922. It covered a distance of 810 miles from Croydon Aerodrome, south of London, to

Glasgow Glasgow is the Cities of Scotland, most populous city in Scotland, located on the banks of the River Clyde in Strathclyde, west central Scotland. It is the List of cities in the United Kingdom, third-most-populous city in the United Kingdom ...

, Scotland and back again after an overnight stop. The winner of this first race was Frank L. Barnard, chief pilot of the Instone Air Line, in a passenger-carrying

Airco DH.4 The Airco DH.4 is a British two-seat biplane day bomber of the First World War. It was designed by Geoffrey de Havilland (hence "DH") for Airco, and was the first British two-seat light day-bomber capable of defending itself. It was desig ...

A. The 1939 race was cancelled due to the outbreak of

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, and the contest did not resume until 1949. The 1951 race was abandoned due to bad weather. In 1953, there was a fatal mid-air collision at the King's Cup Air Race meeting at Southend Airport, in which John Crowther, a hotelier from the Marine Hotel, Tankerton, Kent, was killed. In 1961, for the first time, aircraft designed outside Great Britain and the Commonwealth of Nations were allowed to enter, after the 1960 race was won by a French designed but British built Druine Turbulent. Aircraft all-up-weight was limited to 12,500 lb, and the aircraft required to be British registered.Lewis 1971, p. 409 Along with the former

Schneider Trophy The Coupe d'Aviation Maritime Jacques Schneider, also known as the Schneider Trophy, Schneider Prize or (incorrectly) the Schneider Cup is a trophy that was awarded first annually, and later biennially, to the winner of a race for seaplanes and ...

, and the current British Air Racing Championship, the King's Cup is one of the most sought-after prizes of the air racing season.

Races and winners

:''Source: Royal Aero Club'',''King's Cup Winners''
(link broken), The '3Rs' (Records Racing and Rally Association), Royal Aero Club].
Archive
taken February 2021) except where noted.

Notes

References

* Berliner, Don

Society of Air Racing Historians. 6 March 2013. (retrieved 4 May 2022). *Lewis, Peter. ''British Racing and Record-Breaking Aircraft''. London:Putnam, 1971. {{ISBN, 0-370-00067-6 *Tegler, John. ''International 1971 Air Racing Annual''. USARA.

External links

Royal Aero Club Records Racing and Rally Association

Pathe News Reel of the 1957 Air Race
Included is footage of winner F. Dunkerley. Air races Air sports in the United Kingdom