Tom Campbell Black
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Tom Campbell Black, (born December 1899, Brighton, England - died 9 September 1936, Liverpool, England) was a famous English aviator.
He was the son of Alice Jean McCullough and Hugh Milner Black. He became a world famous aviator when he and C.W.A. Scott won the London to Melbourne Centenary Air Race in 1934.
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[edit] The London to Melbourne Centenary Air Race
The official name of the race was "The Mac Robertson Air Race", Tom Campbell Black and C.W.A. Scott won the "Speed Section" of the race in a phenomenal time of 71 hours, and won the First Place Prize of 10,000 Pounds. They also won the "Handicap Section" but the race rules didn't allow them to win the two sections. Black and Scott were awarded "The Britannia Trophy" by the Royal Aero Club, England. The award is presented "For the British Aviator or Aviators accomplishing the most meritorious performance in aviation during the previous year."
In the starters list for the race Tom is recorded as Captain T. Campbell Black. Time Magazine, in 1934-10-29, ran an article on the London to Melbourne Air Race. Family history has it that Tom and his brother Frank managed a coffee plantation in British East Africa, Kenya, in the 1920s.
[edit] Career
It is uncertain when Tom took up flying as a career, but it is stated in the Shuttleworth Collection Records, England, that an aircraft currently in their collection, a de Havilland DH.51, was built in 1925 and shortly after bought and shipped to Mombasa, it first flew in Africa on 1926-04-04. In June 1928, Tom Campbell Black, G. Skinner and A. Hughes bought the aircraft and on 1928-09-10, it became the first aircraft to be registered in Kenya and was named Miss Kenya, it was first registered G-KAA but with the change in the system it was re-registered VP-KAA.
In 1929 a Mrs. Florence Kerr Wilson formed Wilson Airways in Kenya. At inception, her airline possessed a single Gypsy Moth aircraft, primarily piloted by Tom Campbell Black. The airline grew into a comprehensive timetable across Kenya. The Company was profitable but was disbanded in 1939 with the outbreak of World War II.
Tom also had a relationship with, and was noted to be the flying Instructor of, the famous female aviator Beryl Markham who lived in Kenya. In September 1936, Beryl Markham achieved fame by being the first aviator to fly the Atlantic Ocean from East to West (from England to America) against the prevailing winds. In the same year, Tom Black had entered in an air race from England to Johannesburg, South Africa, "The Schlesinger Race", flown from 1936-09-29 to 1936-10-01, the race offered a prize of 10,000 pounds to the winner. While preparing for the race Tom Campbell Black was killed in England at Liverpool's, Speke Airport, in a ground collision with another aircraft. On 1936-09-19, an RAF bomber on landing ran into Black's plane, the propeller of the bomber tore through the side of his plane, striking and killing him. The winners of the "Schlesinger Race" were C.W.A. Scott and Giles Guthrie. He left a widow, the English actress Florence Desmond, whom he had married in 1935.
[edit] The incident at Speke Airport
The following is a transcript of Incidents Report at Speke Airport-
- On the 19th. September 1936 Flying Officer Peter Stanley Salter who was the Assistant Adjutant and Chief Flying Instructor of No. 611 Squadron collided in his Hawker Hart No. K3044 with the Persival Mew Gull G-AEKL piloted by Mr. Tom Campbell Black whilst taxiing on aerodrome after landing resulting in the death from his injuries of Mr. Tom Campbell Black as he was waiting to take off. Mr Tom Campbell Black who was best known for winning the air race held in 1934 from England to Australia, co-piloting the DH Comet Racer G-ACSS Grosvenor House. Percival Mew Gull G- AEKL had just been named Miss Liverpool in a ceremony when the accident occurred. This aircraft was to have been used in an air race from England to South Africa that had been announced in 1936. The aircraft was sponsored by Mr. John Mores of Littlewoods. K3044 was written off but G-AEKL was repaired only to be destroyed in an air raid at Lympne on the 3rd. July 1940. Status, Pilot, Flying Officer, Peter Stanley Salter, OK. Status, Civilian, Tom Campbell Black, Killed.
[edit] The Manx Air Race
The following report was made on an air race held at the Isle of Man, England: Manx Air Race 1932. Held Saturday June 18th, total Island course 108 miles. At the end of the two laps it was Ashwell Cook with Tom Campbell Black as navigator, who came through to win in a Circus Moth aircraft averaging 102 M.P.H. The following references to Tom Black are recorded in the history of "Firbeck Hall" an elegant country home in England dating from circa 1585 that in the mid 1930's was converted into one of the country's most exclusive sporting country clubs. An aerodrome had been constructed to the west of the hall under the direction of Capt. Tom Campbell Black the joint winner of the 1935 Mildenhall-Melbourne Air Race. Cyril Nicholson had funded the purchase of a de Havilland DH.88 Comet in 1935 at a cost of 10,000 pounds for Campbell Black to attempt further endurance flights. It was intended to name the aircraft Firbeck and start many of the flights from Firbeck following the extension to the length of the aerodrome to accommodate the heavily laded aircraft during take off. Lady Fielding convinced Cyril Nicholson to name the plane Boomerang as it would always come back. Boomerang did not live up to her name and in a near fatal accident over Africa the Comet was written off and Campbell Black's aspirations of flying from Firbeck to the Cape and back in a weekend came to an end. It was Tom Campbell Black's previous connections with the Prince of Wales during their flights looking for game in Africa that persuaded the Prince equerry to alter the itinerary of a royal engagement to Sheffield and visit the club.
[edit] The Ernst Udet rescue
In the Time Magazine, 20 October 1934, report of the London to Melbourne Air Race, a mention is made to an incident that happened concerning Tom Black "Captain T. Campbell Black, famed for his spectacular rescue of Ernst Udet, German War Ace, in the desert wastes of the treacherous Nile country three years ago." I found a reference to this act in the transcribed book of Ernst Udet-Knight of the Iron Cross. Here is an account of the rescue: While flying for Wilson Airlines in 1931, Tom Black arrived in Juba, Sudan, some 250km. North West of the Kenya, Uganda,and Sudan borders. An aircraft had left Juba but had not reached its destination, the Shell agent expressed concern for the safety of the two German crew members. Tom Black carrying fresh drinking water took off in search of the two fellow airmen. He located the crippled aircraft and landed in the treacherous desert terrain. The two airmen had draped a tarpaulin over their plane and were lying under it to protect themselves from the searing sun, one of the men was seriously ill. After two days without fresh drinking water and food they gratefully welcomed Tom Black and his supplies. Tom introduced himself as Campbell Black. The German pilot was Ernst Udet, Knight of the Iron Cross, a highly revered flying ace of World War I and adventurer. An adventurer saved by an adventurer. Ernst described his situation as The heat is unbearable, the brain dehydrated. Slowly, a dull despair takes hold. A sick friend, no food, and the unfriendly natives.
