Bleriot XI-2 3232 at RNAS Hornsea (Atwick) aerodrome.
RNAS Hornsea (Atwick) aerodrome opened as an RNAS Home Defence Flight aerodrome in July 1915. It was equipped with a variety of aeroplanes and one aeroplane to arrive soon after it opened was a Bleriot monoplane 3232,
supplied in a packing crate from the manufacturer in Paris, via RNAS Redcar. It left Redcar by road on 14th July 1915 and does not appear to have been removed from the crate prior to this. Unfortunately it arrived
with no instructions on how to erect it. The Chief Mechanic, a leading hand and what would become the pilot who initially tested it decided they would attempt to erect it without instructions at Hornsea. In all
fairness they must have done a reasonable job but unfortunately when it came to connecting the elevator control wires they were attached the wrong way round.
With erection complete the pilot attempted to fly a test flight there either on 15th or 16th July 1915 but when he pulled the controls back to take off this caused the
tail to lift and the nose dug into the ground. It came to rest upside down and sustaind a broken fuselage and a bent nose piece of the engine. At this time there were two
aeroplanes (3232 and 3228) at Hornsea with just the one pilot. This incident saw 3232 repacked and taken away for repair leaving just one aeroplane at Hornsea.
Pilot - Flt Cdr Christopher Draper RNAS.
Bleriot XI-2 3232 was built by Bleriot, France and was purchased for the RNAS. It was delivered to RNAS Redcar in July 1915 but was transferred to D-Flight at Atwick in a dis-assembled state by road on
14th July 1915. It was erected and tested on 16th July 1915 but suffered repairable damage to the fuselage and engine on the test flight. It was dismantled and returned to Redcar for repair the next day. It
was then transferred to RNAS Scarborough Home Defence Flight on 19th October 1915 then moved back to RNAS Atwick Home Defence Flight on 30st October 1915. It was back at RNAS Scarborough Home Defence Flight on 27th January 1916 and carried out an Anti-Zeppelin Patrol on 11th February 1916. It was force landed and damaged near Scarborough on 31st July 1916 but while considered it was deemed not worth repairing and was it deleted from stock on 15th August 1916.