"... July 5, 1911 ... There came another competition at the Palace. Again a challenge cup, but this time a large magnificent object in silver gilt. It looked as though it were made of solid gold! It became known as the WAKEFIELD CUP, and was put up by Sir Charles Wakefield, afterwards known as Lord Wakefield (of Hythe). The competition was for endurance of flight, but with a very important difference: the machines were not launched by hand, but must rise from the ground under there own power, and points were awarded for shortness of run before take-off, for stability, and for time of flight ... I was given number 13 ... My duration(for the first flight) ... was 63 seconds ... I won the Cup ... and Charles Wakefield presented it. Just what happened to the original Wakefield Cup, I do not know. The Wakefield Cup was won by another member in 1912, and, I believe, in 1913 and 1914 it went to a Dutch or Belgian competitor." E W Twining also was the first winner of the Gamage Cup!
Actually the original Wakefield Gold Cup was last won by Leonard Slatter in 1913. This is the same person who in 1914 became Air Marshall RAF: Sir L H Slatter, KBE, CB, DSD, DFC (Author: one wonders where this original Wakefield Cup is today, can it still be hidden somewhere in England, in a corner of the Slatter residence? A search for this Cup should be made immediately. If it is found, why can't it be used for vintage Wakefield events today? By the way this Wakefield Cup has great monetary, as well as intrinsic value! Mention must also be made of the many trophies that were given by Lord Wakefield to Commonwealth Nations to inspire aeromodelling interest in Canada, where he placed three trophies, and in Australia where he placed two. These trophies were provided during the 1930's, of course as incentives to fly in the Wakefield International Trophy Contest. The Wakefield "Gold" Cup is the Historical linkage which places Lord Wakefield's vision of the importance of aeromodelling beginning at the dawn of aviation.
| WINNING WAKEFIELD EWT-2 | ||
| component | inches | mm |
| wing | 25x8 | 635x203 |
| stabilizer | 9+ x 3+ | 229+ x 76+ |
| fuselage | 45 | 1143 |
| propellers | 8+ dia | 203+ dia |
References:
SAM35 Year Book No.4 E W Twining
Model Aircraft, News Review: The Wakefield Cup
Model Aircraft, April 1946 News Review, The Wakefield (gold) Cup
Model Aircraft Jan 1959, The first fifty years, K Brooks
The Model Aeroplane Book, F J Camm
The history and technical development of model aircraft, C E Bowden
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