27 Facts About Gustav Hamel

Gustav Wilhelm Hamel was a pioneer British aviator.

Gustav Hamel was prominent in the early history of aviation in Britain, and in particular that of Hendon airfield, where Claude Graham-White was energetically developing and promoting flying.

Gustav Hamel was the only son of Dr Gustav Hugo Hamel and his wife, Caroline Magdalena Elise.

Gustav Hamel's youngest sister Anna Elise Bertha Hamel was born in London.

Gustav Hamel's family moved to England around 1899 to Kingston-upon-Thames and were naturalised as citizens around 1910.

Gustav Hamel was educated at Westminster School between 1901 and 1907.

On Saturday 9 September 1911 Gustav Hamel flew a Bleriot XI the 19 miles between Hendon and Windsor in 18 minutes to deliver the first official airmail carried in Great Britain.

On 12 October 1911 Gustav Hamel made his first cross-channel flight when he ferried a new Bleriot monoplane from Boulogne to Wembley.

Gustav Hamel made the first cross-channel flight with a woman as passenger on 2 April 1912, when he flew Eleanor Trehawke Davies from Hendon to Paris, with intermediate stops at Ambleteuse and Hardelot.

Gustav Hamel made the first flight from Hedon airfield near Hull on Friday 2 August 1912.

Gustav Hamel took part in the first Aerial Derby race, carrying Eleanor Trehawke Davies as a passenger.

At first he was credited with the fastest time, since Thomas Sopwith was disqualified for missing one of the control points, but after Sopwith successfully appealed Gustav Hamel was relegated to second place.

Gustav Hamel won the race by a margin of just twenty seconds.

Gustav Hamel was quite active in Worcestershire, visiting Pershore racecourse in October 1913 where he gave exhibitions of flying.

Gustav Hamel visited Upton-on-Severn, Worcester Racecourse and Kidderminster cricket ground in October 1913.

On 2 January 1914, Gustav Hamel took Eleanor Trehawke Davies aloft to experience a loop, and she thus became the first woman in the world to do so.

In March 1914 Gustav Hamel flew to Cardiff to give a public flying display.

Contemporary newspaper reports indicate that a few minutes after they met, Gustav Hamel flew them both to Watkins' hangar, where they inspected the Robin Goch.

Gustav Hamel was a member of The Coterie, a prominent social set of aristocrats and intellectuals.

Gustav Hamel was considered popular and good-looking, and was a particular favourite of Lady Diana Manners.

Gustav Hamel took off in good weather at 4:40am and reached Le Crotoy at 5:22am, where he landed and had breakfast.

Gustav Hamel flew on, landing at Neufchatel-Hardelot near Boulogne, at 9:00am.

Gustav Hamel then slept for two hours, refuelled his aircraft and had lunch, and took off for the last time at 12:15pm.

Gustav Hamel was declared dead in September 1914, after a court heard evidence from Joseph Le Pretre, the skipper of the fishing vessel, and Alexis Longueet, a mechanic who met Gustav Hamel at Neufchatel-Hardelot.

At least one song featuring Gustav Hamel was published as sheet-music in 1913.

Gustav Hamel co-authored Flying; some practical experiences with Charles Cyril Turner, author, journalist and aviator.

In 2011, Gustav Hamel was portrayed on a set of Royal Mail postage stamps, that marked the centenary of his first airmail flight.