History in the making

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Where: Unknown

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When: 01 January 1919

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History in the making as a twin engined string bag named Goliath took to the air almost exactly 100 years ago. As the caption in the catalogue says "The Farmouth 'Goliath' airborne"! What we take for granted today was weird and wonderful then, and after the first World War the developments in aviation were phenomenal! What was the story behind Mr. Mason's card of this particular feat?

Based on today's inputs, it seems there is an error in this catalogue entry, and that this is the Farman (not Farmouth) Goliath. Seemingly several large WWI bombers of the Avions Farman company were repurposed for passenger travel post the Great War. Given that this image (with exactly this framing) appears in a souvenir brochure of the company, it's possible that Mr. Mason was just taken by the image - or was taken (somewhere) by the aircraft itself....

Collection: Mason Photographic Collection

Date: Catalogue range c.1890-1920. Dated 1919

NLI Ref: M24/60/4

You can also view this image, and many thousands of others, on the NLI’s catalogue at catalogue.nli.ie

Info:

Owner: National Library of Ireland on The Commons
Source: Flickr Commons
Views: 17951
thomasholmesmason thomasmayne thomashmasonsonslimited lanternslides nationallibraryofireland brussels belgium aircraft farmouth goliath takeoff airborne twinengined passenger farman boussotrot bossoutrot f60 farmangoliath farmanf60goliath farmanaviationworks airtravel landing biplane airliner bomber avionsfarman possiblecataloguecorrection probablecataloguecorrection mail

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    Foxglove

    • 04/Feb/2019 09:01:41

    I cheated a bit and googled for help. March 22 first regular intl. flight between Brussels and Paris. WW1 had interrupted "international flights". The plane was also used as a heavy bomber in WW1 ....

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    ɹǝqɯoɔɥɔɐǝq

    • 04/Feb/2019 09:20:20

    I am sure it is a FARMAN (coincidentally my brother-in-law's family) not Farmouth. Not sure which model yet ... en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Farman_F.60_Goliath en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Farman_F.140_Super_Goliath youtu.be/Dpu8ZWRMbfs

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    sharon.corbet

    • 04/Feb/2019 09:24:26

    There's an accompanying ad showing the interior and some of the passengers. A little different from today's planes.

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    abandoned railways

    • 04/Feb/2019 09:24:42

    Although it says departing, this shot is of a landing plane

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    sharon.corbet

    • 04/Feb/2019 09:28:08

    British Pathé film of the route.

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    sharon.corbet

    • 04/Feb/2019 09:39:30

    According to here the fare was 365 Francs, and took 2hr 50 min. [https://www.flickr.com/photos/beachcomberaustralia] They also say that they were F.60 Goliaths belonging to the Lignes Aériennes Farman.

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    sharon.corbet

    • 04/Feb/2019 09:42:41

    The only surviving fuselage is at the Musée Air+Espace in Paris.

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    ɹǝqɯoɔɥɔɐǝq

    • 04/Feb/2019 09:53:50

    Read All About It! Via Trove (published May 1919)

    FLYING STRIDES AHEAD Paris, March 24 Commercial and postal aviation is making rapid strides, in France. Here are today's announcements of notable trips:-- Brussels to Paris in 2 hr. 50 min. by Lieutenant Boussotrot, with the giant Farman aeropIane Goliath, carrying eight passengers, this being the completion of the first trip of a regular weekly service started by the Farman Company. Paris to Bordeaux in 4 hours with mails, as compared with 11 hours by rail. This, was the start of a regular mail service. Marseilles to Paris in 3 hours 43 min. by Lieutenant Roget, who recently' flew across the Mediterranean and back in one day. Avignon to Nice with mails in 1 1/4 hours. Tangier to Rabat and back with mails, time* not stated.
    See - trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/5653942

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    sharon.corbet

    • 04/Feb/2019 09:59:44

    The photo is from a post August 1919 Farman Airlines brochure. Apparently you also got a souvenir of your journey - here's one from July 1919.

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    ɹǝqɯoɔɥɔɐǝq

    • 04/Feb/2019 10:02:32

    According to GoogleMaps nowadays you could drive from Paris to Brussels in 3 hours 25 minutes (320 kms). Progress!

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    sharon.corbet

    • 04/Feb/2019 10:06:49

    https://www.flickr.com/photos/beachcomberaustralia I'll stick to the train - less than 90 minutes!

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    National Library of Ireland on The Commons

    • 04/Feb/2019 10:16:44

    https://www.flickr.com/photos/foxglove https://www.flickr.com/photos/beachcomberaustralia https://www.flickr.com/photos/scorbet https://www.flickr.com/photos/abandonedrailsireland Good Job, all we need now is Lieutenant Boussotrot's seed, breed and generation!

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    sharon.corbet

    • 04/Feb/2019 10:25:59

    [https://www.flickr.com/photos/nlireland] Here at least of a photo of him from September 1919. As well as a second with the Farman brothers. He also has his own wikipedia page (in French).

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    ɹǝqɯoɔɥɔɐǝq

    • 04/Feb/2019 10:43:52

    [https://www.flickr.com/photos/nlireland] [https://www.flickr.com/photos/scorbet] I think that Australian newspaper misprinted his name; should be Bossoutrot - heaps about him here - www.thisdayinaviation.com/tag/jean-baptiste-lucien-bossou... And a 1923 photo with the Farman bros. Flickr is sometimes ... [https://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/39017017954/]

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    sharon.corbet

    • 04/Feb/2019 10:45:58

    The flight would have been from Toussus-le-Noble to Haren / Evère.

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    National Library of Ireland on The Commons

    • 04/Feb/2019 10:46:11

    https://www.flickr.com/photos/scorbet https://www.flickr.com/photos/beachcomberaustralia I will get "Soirée Marie" to translate!

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    sharon.corbet

    • 04/Feb/2019 10:47:32

    https://www.flickr.com/photos/nlireland A lot of the info is given in https://www.flickr.com/photos/beachcomberaustralia's link, I think.

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    oaktree_brian_1976

    • 04/Feb/2019 11:56:43

    The pilot was also a politician. Link en français fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lucien_Bossoutrot he was a socialist, served in the Resistance during WW2, big patron of the intellectuals and was married 3 times. Died in 1958

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    oaktree_brian_1976

    • 04/Feb/2019 12:02:48

    His first wife was the niece of Mr. Farman. Legion of Honour and battle awards from WW1 (Croix de Guerre)

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    CASSIDY PHOTOGRAPHY

    • 04/Feb/2019 13:39:38

    This is history I can relate to and have an interest in. I earned my living as a Pilot from 1978 to 2014, starting as an Army helicopter Pilot and becoming a Captain flying the Boeing 747-400 jumbo jet, 20 years after graduating Army flight training. I have flown approximately 130 different aircraft, serving as Captain of Boeing 747-400, 747-300, 747-200, 737-800, and 737-700 transport-category jet aircraft. I hold/held Airline Transport Pilot Licences (the highest available), from seven countries and from two countries for helicopters and as a Flying Instructor. I have flow single and multi-engine seaplanes and hold/held an Aircraft Mechanic Licence, too. The changes I have seen during my career spanning 36 years have been amazing. I never took my Pilot Licence for granted and maintained a perfect safety record. www.flickr.com/photos/cassidyphotography/45324125271/ www.flickr.com/photos/cassidyphotography/44540985962/ People underestimate the tenacity of those with Irish blood in their veins. Never take "No" for an answer.

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    Melinda Y

    • 04/Feb/2019 17:31:53

    Delightful. My dad was coming of age in this era. . . is it any wonder he became a pilot and an aeronautical engineer?--Richard E. Young, USA.

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    silverio10

    • 04/Feb/2019 18:59:58

    Buenas fotos antiguas .

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    Dr. Ilia

    • 05/Feb/2019 09:00:09

    masterful shot