Dominic Winter Auctions
Lot 373
* Schneider Trophy. An important silver-plated Schneider Trophy miniature presented to Group Captain William Frederick Dry, CBE, mounted on an ebonised plinth applied with nine silver-plated plaques recording the International Schneider Trophy winners, World's Speed Record holders and Royal Air Force High-Speed Flight members, variously dated 1927-1931, 11.5 cm high x 14.5 cm wide x 11 cm deep, together with a collection of original documents and photographs including a photograph album containing approximately 40 black and white photographs compiled by Dry including the aircraft workshop, Supermarine S.6A, N248, Gloster Napier IVB N222, Supermarine S.5 N219, plus earlier family life and military service in the Royal Flying Corps, nine large format black and white photographs (some press and RAF issued) showing the Schneider Trophy in Venice (1927) and Calshot (1931), a handwritten copy of lecture notes and a further typed copy, the book, The Schneider Trophy Contests (1913-1931) by Ellison Hawks, inscribed 'W Dry' and other related items QTY: (1)NOTE:Provenance: Group Captain William Frederick Dry, CBE (1896-1974) then by family descent.Group Captain William Frederick Dry, CBE (1896-1974) was the Engineering Officer of the 1931 Schneider Trophy-winning team. He and seven of the winning team were awarded the Schneider Trophy miniature. The full-size trophy is held at the Science Museum.Dry on leaving school in 1914 enlisted in the Royal Engineers, his role was a motorcycle despatch rider. In 1915 he transferred to the Royal Flying Corps and quickly gained his wings and commission, being based at Netheravon.The RFC amalgamated with the RNAS to form the RAF on 1 April 1918 and Dry transferred to the RAF and started engineering training, whilst flying squadrons were being established. He served for six years at Martlesham and then posted overseas to India, based near Karachu. Whilst there many pioneer long-distance flights to the Far East and Australia passed through including Arthur Gordon Jones-Williams and Sir Alan Cobham (see lot 375)At the end of 1930 Dry returned to England and early in 1931 he had the opportunity to join the High Speed Flight as Team Engineer, which set up initially at Felixstowe, later moving to Calshott. This was RJ Mitchell's dream child and the Supermarine S6B was born.The seaplane was quite different to contemporary aircraft, being all metal and its fuel contained in the floats, a supercharged boosted Rolls Royce engine, and the whole plane of futuristic aerodynamic styling.Dry explained in a lecture talk he made (the notes included in the lot) that the seaplane was tricky to handle, particularly at take-off, made even worse more difficult with no forward visibility!There were significant engineering issues to overcome. The reality was that every occasion the plane ventured out was a test, with great risk of damage, and danger for the pilot.The advance in air speeds that were achieved that September of 1931, were indeed remarkable. It is little wonder that the Supermarine S6B should be the forerunner of what was to come the Spitfire fighter aircraft.After the Schneider Trophy excitement, Dry continued in the RAF, and another tour of India later returning to England to take up an appointment at the RAF Staff College. His role became Personal Staff Officer to four successive Assistant and Deputy Chiefs of Air Staff including William Sholto Douglas and Arthur 'Bomber' Harris. Dry retired from active service in 1946.Dry could often be seen driving between Camberley and his home Frogmore, Surrey in his pre-war open top Riley sports tourer resplendent with its Supermarine seaplane bonnet mascot. see lots 374, 375.
