Bleriot XI at Doncaster racecourse.

During mid-October 1909 the first aviation race meeting took place at Doncaster racecourse that saw various flying events and races take place on a course roughly above the horse race course involving distance flying and timed races, this must have been something to behold given powered flight was very much in its infancy and many tens of thousands of people visited during the course of the event. Unfortunately the Aero Club of the United Kingdom would not sanction the event and another sanctioned aviation meeting was held at Blackpool at the same time that saw most of the British pilots of the day attend Blackpool rather than Doncaster. It begun on 15th October 1909 with wind effecting flying for part of just about every day, the last day was 26th October 1909 when fog and freezing conditions were a change of problem for the pilots. There were a number of aircraft damaged during the event over the course of ten days at Doncaster.

On 18th October 1909 the weather had improved enough so that the Bradford Cup was competed for at the Doncaster meeting, this was a competition for flying ten circuits of the course in the shortest time. This aeroplane was successfully flown but suffered engine trouble so had to land. Unfortunately it landed in an area of the racecourse that contained a ditch and the undercarriage struck this and possibly also a course marker post. Damage resulted to the aeroplane. This incident occurred in a similar area to where Samuel Cody's aeroplane had been damaged three days previously.

Pilot - Leon Molon.