Summary: Taxiing and torpedo-dropping trials by various Fairey and Short seaplanes of the Royal Air Force at the Royal Navy base on the Isle of Grain, April 1918.
Description: The film is described in its opening captions as one of a series for naval cadets. It opens with a Fairey FIII seaplane with 190hp engine taxiing through the water. A King Edward Class battleship and some merchantmen can be seen in the distance behind it. The seaplane builds up speed and takes off, then comes back in to land. A Fairey Campania seaplane also taxies and takes off. A cruiser, possibly Monmouth Class, can be seen in the background. A Short 184 (number N 1086) on supports on land showing its experimental large Linton-Hope floats (see notes). Another Short 184 with conventional floats taxies through the water. Another beached Short on supports showing the Martin Aerodynamic Stabiliser fitted to the aircraft. Film taken from the cockpit of a Sunbeam Short 184 carrying torpedoes. (The film starts to break up here and not all the scenes described by the captions appear.) Another Short 184 taxiing. A beached Short on supports showing a torpedo fitting. The various types of Fairey and Short seaplanes practise torpedo drops with dummy torpedoes, and land, taxiing through the water.
Production Details: Admiralty (Production sponsor)
Royal Air Force (Production sponsor)
Royal Air Force (Production company)
London Photo Centre (Production company)
Personalities, Units and Organisations: Royal Air Force (regiment/service)
Royal Navy (regiment/service)
Keywords: aircraft, British naval - seaplane: Fairey FIII (object name)
aircraft, British naval - seaplane: Short 184 (object name)
aircraft, British naval - seaplane: Fairey Campania (object name)
ships, British naval - battleship: King Edward VII Class (object name)
ships, British naval - cruiser: Monmouth Class (?) (object name)
training, British naval air - combat (object name)
weapons, British naval air - torpedo (object name)
12/3(261.2).8 (event)
Thames (River Estuary), England, UK (geography)
Isle of Grain, Kent, England, UK (geography)
Instruction (concept)
Physical Characteristics: Colour format: B&W
Sound format: Silent
Soundtrack language: None
Title language: None
Subtitle language: English
Technical Details: Format: 35mm
Number of items/reels/tapes: 1
Footage: 894 ft; Running time: 15 mins
