Mother of the Few - The Aviation Interests of Lucy Lady Houston DBE
Catalogue record
- Author
- Charles E. MacKay
- Subject
- Aviation Biography
- Published
- 28 January 2021
- Publisher
- Charles E. MacKay Books
- Pages
- 287
- Format
- Paperback
- Size
- A5, 148 by 210 millimetres
- ISBN
- 9781838056711
Cite this book
MacKay, Charles E. (2021). Mother of the Few - The Aviation Interests of Lucy Lady Houston DBE. ISBN 9781838056711. https://charlesmackaybooks.com/books/mother-of-the-few
About this book
Mother of the Few, The Aviation Interests of Lucy Lady Houston ISBN:9781838056711.
A5 Paperback, 287 pages, 78000 words, 477 gms - Published to commemorate the events of the Schneider Trophy and the Flight over Everest
The book is in three sections profusely illustrated with rare pictures and drawings, not a download of internet articles but carefully researched.
The first section, Part One, deals with the life and loves of Lucy Houston, the second part examines the Schneider Trophy and the last part the Flight over Everest. The last two sections are supported by an appendix and supplement. It describes fully the evolution of the Rolls-Royce Merlin the Vickers Supermarine Spitfire and the fate of Stainforth.
Part two explores the Schneider Trophy with new information on Brinton and the fates of the aircrew and their seaplanes. It shows the development of the "R" engine in relation to Stainforth the air race and how it was developed from the Rolls-Royce Buzzard and evolved into the Rolls-Royce Merlin. The fuels were a winner with the engine and they too are described.
Read the full description
The third part investigates the Flight over Everest flown by Clydesdale and McIntyre of 602 Squadron Auxiliary Air Force with new information concerning the mapping of India, Mount Everest and the flights to and from the sub-continent of India. It also explores the development of the Williamson cameras, the high-altitude clothing and navigation over Mount Everest.
The evolution of the Rolls-Royce "R" engine and the Supermarine S.6 series designed by R J Mitchell are fully described as are the other racing seaplanes such as the Curtiss and the Gloster and their engines. The Napier Lion and the Bristol Mercury are not neglected. The exploration of Nepal and the naming of Mount Everest are described as are the Rana Brothers the rulers of Nepal. The Appendix has details of the Rolls-Royce "R" powered Miss England and Blue Bird racing on Loch Lomond, Scotland.
Altogether the book describes the life of Lucy Houston and her Aviation interests.
Highly recommended - five star rating
Frequently asked questions
Who was Lucy, Lady Houston?
Lucy, Lady Houston DBE funded the British Schneider Trophy team in 1931 and the Houston Mount Everest Flight Expedition of 1933, making her a key but often overlooked figure in 1930s British aviation.
How did Lucy, Lady Houston save Britain's 1931 Schneider Trophy entry and the Rolls-Royce Merlin?
In 287 A5 pages (ISBN 9781838056711, 78,000 words), the book details how Lucy, Lady Houston DBE guaranteed £100,000 in 1931 after the British government withdrew funding, enabling R. J. Mitchell's Supermarine S.6B and the Rolls-Royce "R" racing engine to win the Schneider Trophy outright, flown by John Boothman (George Stainforth then set a world speed record in the S.6B), and lay the engineering foundation for the Rolls-Royce Merlin and Supermarine Spitfire.
What was the 1933 Houston Mount Everest Flight Expedition and its Scottish connection?
Part Three documents the Lady Houston-funded 1933 flight over Mount Everest flown by the Marquess of Douglas and Clydesdale and Flight Lieutenant David McIntyre of 602 (City of Glasgow) Squadron Auxiliary Air Force, including the Westland PV-3 and Wallace biplanes, Williamson aerial survey cameras, heated high-altitude flight suits, and navigation over Nepal.
