r nerves, and Pegoud deserved all the credit,
for he was the first to risk his life in flying head downwards."

Mr. Hucks intended to be the first Englishman to fly upside down in
England, but he was forestalled by one of our youngest airmen, Mr.
George Lee Temple. On account of his youth--Mr. Temple was only
twenty-one at the time when he first flew upside-down--he was known as
the "baby airman", but there was probably no more plucky airman in the
world.

There were special difficulties which Mr. Temple had to overcome that
did not exist in the experiments of M. Pegoud or Mr. Hucks. To start
with, his machine--a 50-horse-power Bleriot monoplane--was said by
the makers to be unsuitable for the performance. Then he could get no
assistance from the big aeroplane firms, who sought to dissuade him from
his hazardous undertaking. Experienced aviators wisely shook their heads
and told the "baby airman" that he should have more practice before he
took such a risk.

But notwithstanding this lack of encouragement he practised hard for
a few days by hanging in an inverted position. Meanwhile his mechanics
were working night and day in strengthening the wings of the monoplane,
and fitting it with a slightly larger elevator.

On 24th November, 1913, he decided to "try his luck" at the London
aerodrome. He was harnessed into his seat, and, bidding his friends
farewell, with the words "wish me luck", he went aloft. For nearly
half an hour he climbed upward, and swooped over the aerodrome in wide
circles, while his friends far below were watching every action of his
machine.

Suddenly an alarming incident occurred. When about a mile high in the
air the machine tipped downwards and rushed towards Earth at terrific
speed. Then the tail of the machine came up, and the "baby airman" was
hanging head downwards.

But at this point the group of airmen standing in the aerodrome were
filled with alarm, for it was quite evident to their experienced eyes
that the monoplane was not under proper control. Indeed, it was actually
side-slipping, and a terrible disaster appeared imminent. For hundreds
of feet the young pilot, still hanging head downwards, was crashing
to Earth, but when down to about 1200 feet from the ground the machine
gradually came round, and Mr. Temple descended safely to Earth.

The airman afterwards told his friends that for several seconds he
could not get the machine to answer the controls, and for a time he was
fall