HISTORICAL
SIGNIFICANCE
The
new Supermarine Sparrow I was entered into the 1924 Daily Mail Two-Seater Light
Aeroplane Competition held in Lympne, Kent UK. The sparrow was flown by Henri
Baird on September 11. It's color scheme included a dark blue fuselage bearing
the number 9 on an aluminum doped background. The wings, struts,tail surfaces
and engine cowling were also an aluminum doped color. The aircraft sported full-span
ailerons on both wings. They could be drooped to modify the camber of the wings
in a flaps like fashion. The Sparrow was plagued by chronic engine failures and
did not win the competition. In fact, it required a second engine to finish the
race and even that one seized up on the approach to the finish line. Still, the
airframe is a classic and refitted as an electric flying model, she is a delight
to fly.