Radley-Moorehouse

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Pilot James Radley, designer, and his co-constructor, William Barnard Moorhouse (later, William Barnard Rhodes-Moorhouse), who appears to have been his customer.

Flight-testing as well as successful flights by Moorhouse in the Radley-Moorhouse were reported in early June and early October 1911, during which time modifications were also being made at Huntingdon by Radley and Moorhouse. The machine was later described as a sporting-type tandem monoplane built on Berliot lines with 50hp Gnome engine, notable for its streamlined body and disc wheels, Moorhouse flew it competitively well into 1914. In August 1914, now going by the name Rhodes-Moorhouse, he became a 2d Lieutenant in the Royal Flying Corps; killed in action 26 Apr 1915, he posthumously became the first RFC officer to receive the Victoria Cross. There was at least one and possibly two more Radley-Moorhouse or R. and M. monoplanes. In 1913, Sidney Pickles was reported to be flying his own 2-seater Radley-Moorhouse Blériot. This craft appears to have been built at Wight Aircraft, which see. In July 1914, Bjorklund was reported flying an antiquated R. and M.; whether this was one previously owned by Moorhouse or Pickles is not known.

In the fall of 1911, Radley and Moorhouse formed Portholme Aerodrome Ltd. (16 Guildhall Road, Northampton, England) to purchase the business of engineers, aviators, and aeroplane manufacturers and repairers carried on by such entities at Huntingdon. By June 1912, G. F. Joseph had joined as secretary and general manager; he later became managing director. At some point, and it may have been at the beginning, factory premises were established at Huntingdon, which we believe refers to the actual Portholme Aerodrome, site of the old racecourse at Portholme Meadow that was given to the town of Huntingdon in 1910 for aviation purposes (see 1910FM694). We suspect that the modifications on the first Radley-Moorhouse monoplane and the work on any subsequent R. and M. aeroplanes were done at this factory, but no certain link has been established. In early 1918, the firm's assets were acquired by Portholme Aircraft Co. Ltd.; although registered as a new company, this could have been a restructuring. In 1920, the factory premises were taken over by English Clocks and Gramophones Ltd.

Sources

  • SD238
  • BAS Plate XXXVI
  • 1911FM488, 892, 970, 997
  • 1912FM462, 470, 471, 507, 509, 532, 615
  • 1913FM724-725, 1043
  • 1914FM534, 892, 1018
  • 1915FM373
  • 1918FM162
  • 1920FM330, 1028
  • GWA166-167


Names Radley-Moorehouse, also R. and M.
Country Great Britain
City Portholme Aerodrome, Huntingdon, England
Affiliations
Keywords
Started aero 1911
Ended aero 1913
Key people James Radley, William Barnard Moorhouse, Sidney Pickles, G. F. Joseph
Wikidata id