Cooper
G.T. Cooper
Contents
History
Charles Gordon Towers Cooper, who usually just went by G.T. Cooper, was born in 1894 in Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland, the son of Frank Towers Cooper K.C. and Mabel S Cooper (nee Wearing). He attended Charterhouse School from 1908 to 1912, where he built a biplane glider, which was started in February 1911 and finished in July of the same year. Unfortunately, the school authorities stopped Cooper gliding, so he was forced to break it up. This resulted in an excellent retort from Robert P. Grimmer, General Secretary, British Federation of School Aero Clubs, in Flight "for apathy, indifference, or even hostility towards anything new, an English public school cannot be surpassed by anything in Christendom"!
Returning to Edinburgh, Cooper formed the Edinburgh Aero Club, which on 13 January 1912 was renamed as the East of Scotland Aero Club. Cooper formed the Edinburgh Aeronautical Society in 1913, to which he loaned his biplane for use by members. At this time, he was also studying Civil Engineering.
Having previously been a Cadet Lance-Serjeant in the Charterhouse School Contingent, Junior Division, of the Officers Training Corps, in November 1913, Cooper was commissioned into the Royal Engineers (T), City of Edinburgh Fortress, as a 2nd Lieutenant, and was promoted to Lieutenant in the 400th Highland Field Company in December 1914. In October 1918, he was awarded the Military Cross, for gallantry and devotion to duty on the night of October 24 when, in charge of a party preparing the abutments for a heavy bridge over the river Ecaillon, the men were subjected to a heavy burst of artillery fire.
Postwar, Cooper became a well-known author and travel writer. During WW2, he was granted a commission for the duration of hostilities as a Pilot Officer on probation on 20th June 1941 in the Administrative and Special Duties Branch of the RAFVR.
Charles Gordon Towers Cooper died on 2 February 1963 in Nairobi, Kenya.
Company References
- Ancestry.com
- The Aeroplane 17 Aug 1911
- Flight 26 Aug 1911
Project Data
| Project No | Type No | Name | Alternative Name(s) | Year | Spec (Requirement) | Status | Qty | Description | References |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Glider No.1 | 1911 | Proto | 1 | 1S biplane glider | 1, 2, 3, 4 | ||||
| Glider No.2 | 1911 | Proto | 1 | 1S biplane glider | 1, 2 | ||||
| Biplane | 1913 | Proto | 1 | 1S, 1E biplane | 1 |
Project References
- British Aircraft Before The Great War, Michael H. Goodall and Albert E. Tagg (Schiffer Publishing Ltd., 2001)
- British Aircraft 1809-1914, Peter Lewis (Putnam, 1962)
- The Aeroplane 17 Aug 1911
- Flight 26 Aug 1911
Production Details and Type Description
G. T. Cooper built a biplane glider while a pupil at Charterhouse School, which was started in February, 1911, and finished in July of the same year. Tests of the machine were carried out under tow. Unfortunately, the school authorities stopped Cooper gliding, so he was forced to break it up.
| Specification | |||||
| Span | Length | Height | Wing Area | Empty Wt | Max AUW |
| 24 ft | 18 ft | ||||
| 7.32 m | 5.49 m | ||||
G. T. Cooper constructed a second biplane glider in Scotland at Edinburgh during 1911 It was an unequal span biplane with single acting ailerons hinged on the trailing edge of the top plane extensions. The fuselage and wings were of ash, while bamboo formed the tail unit. The machine was presented to the East of Scotland Aero Club.
| Specification | |||||
| Span | Length | Height | Wing Area | Empty Wt | Max AUW |
| 22 ft | 18 ft | ||||
| 6.71 m | 5.49 m | ||||
Cooper designed a biplane in 1913 that was partially built by John Gibson, to whom it was known as his "Caledonia XI". The Cooper biplane made several successful flights at Cramond in 1913, and by late 1913 it was in use by the W H Ewen Flying School. One 35 H.P. Humber powerplant.
Total Cooper Production3