The Blackburn White Falcon aeroplane was built as a one-off by the Blackburn Aeroplane and Motor Company Ltd at the "Olympia Works" factory, Leeds for use by their chief test pilot as a transport and communications aeroplane. It held no civilian or military registration. It was possibly used by him to ferry other pilots to Leeds prior to collection or after delivery of newly built B.E.2's at the Blackburn factory so that they could then fly them out to join their military units, it was also possibly used by their chief test pilot so that he could fly to other manufacturer's aerodromes to then test fly their aeroplanes. The Blackburn company used Soldiers' Field, Roundhay Park, Leeds as their aerodrome / flying site and the test pilot was happy to give Blackburn employees, friends and paying passengers joyrides as time allowed. When word got around that flying was due to take place large crowds would gather to watch and crowd control appears to have been a problem with people gather on the flying site. There are accounts of the pilot doing more than just undertaking simple flying from the Soldiers' Field site with him undertaking loops and stunt flying to entertains the crowds which was nicknamed "fancy flying ".
On Sunday 15th April 1917 he flew the Blackburn White Falcon with a passenger on a flight from Soldiers' Field and a large crowd gathered. When he attempted to land he saw that the crowd was blocking the landing area so attempted to apply power to the engine and to climb away but the engine failed to pick up speed. Owing to the large crowds of people there was nowhere available that was clear on the grass. He attempted to land on Prince's Avenue but this was a tram route and had poles and wires across the road as well as trees along the road. He landed on tram wires which broke and the aeroplane crashed which saw both the pilot and passenger thrown out. The aeroplane was badly damaged and both the pilot and passenger sustained minor injuries but no one on the ground was hurt. The White Falcon may have been repaired using parts from B.E.2c's but what then happened to it is not known. It has been suggested that the Blackburn Sidecar G-EALN was what it became
Pilot - Mr William Rowland Ding.
Passenger - Name unknown.
On 12th May 1917 Rowland Ding was killed when the newly manufactured B.E.2c 9952 crashed in Oakwood, south of Roundhay Park while doing a "test" flight from Soldier's Field. The aeroplane's wings broke off while he was attempting to undertake "fancy flying" by fly loops. He was thirty one years old. He was cremated at the Lawnswood Crematorium before being interred at St.Peter Churchyard, Papworth Everard, Cambridgeshire.
This photograph was on an internet forum posted by Alan Bentley and appears to show the Blackburn White Falcon in 1919 and possibly at Copmanthorpe aerodrome. The registration G-EALN was later given to the Blackburn Sidecar and this appears to have been a totally different aeroplane.