Colonial aviation in Africa began with first two flights in Africa, 18 November 1909 in Algeria, northern Africa and 18 December that year in South Africa. Afterwards, British and French aerial expeditions soon followed, aimed at surveying and establishing overland routes.
History First two flights René Métrot and Jean Marcé, both Algerian motorists and garage owners, became fascinated with aviation after seeing the new flying machine demonstrations at Mourmelon in Metropolitan France. Afterwards, they ordered two Voisin aircraft, and Métrot went to Camp de Châlons to learn to fly. His Voisin, fitted with an E.N.V. engine, arrived in Algeria on 10 November 1909. With permission from the Société hippique and the army, Métrot and Marcé constructed a hangar at the hippodrome du Caroubier (Caroubier racecourse). On 18 November 1909 at 17:30, Métrot, took off from the racecourse, climbing about 70 metres and covering approximately one kilometre at an altitude of 25 metres. This event marked the first powered flight in Algeria, and in Africa. The aircraft was slightly damaging on landing, however it was repaired in time for a planned public aviation event. A public aviation meeting was to happen on 21 November, however it was postponed until 28 November 1909. The event attracted a large crowd of up to 50,000 spectators, and special railway services were arranged to bring people to Caroubier. In front of the grandstands, a 350-metre track was prepared. Métrot and Marcé would soon follow-up with further demonstrations at Blida-Joinville on 19 December that year.
The initial opportunity for an aviation demonstration tour in South Africa began in East London in early 1909. The Gala Subcommittee of the East London Town Council advertised for an aviator to demonstrate a flying machine during the town's forthcoming gala season. Local engineering firm Howard, Farrar and Robinson & Co. soon responded by arranging to import a modern powered aircraft and an aviator from France. Albert Kimmerling was contacted and accompanied by Voisin mechanic J. Moller, leaving France on 27 November that year. The Voisin aircraft was dismantled and packed in three large crates aboard the RMS Kenilworth Castle. On 18 December 1909, the aircraft arrived at East London, where it was assembled. The aircraft was a Voisin pusher biplane with a 50-hp Gnome rotary engine, which could only fly about 30 miles per hour. It was then transported to the Nahoon Racecourse, and Kimmerling performed his flight on 28 December.
Emerging interest
On 3 October 1910, General Maurice Bailloud, commander of the French XIX Army Corps, called on the formation of a Desert Air Corps in Algeria, prospecting Saharan aviation. Subsequently, the French government authorised a six-aircraft expedition to Algeria, with Biskra chosen as its experimental base. Investigations were undertaken throughout 1911 by French military officers, and Lieutenant Max de Lafargue, of the 2rd Spahis, was sent to Metropolitan France for training. Before leaving Algeria, Lafargue presented to the Société de géographie de l'Algérie et de l'Afrique du Nord (Geographical Society of Algeria and North Africa) the planned aerial network developed with Bailloud. The network was to be expanded progressively, beginning with a route linking Biskra, Touggourt, Colomb-Béchar, and Béni-Abbès, before extending farther into the Sahara. On 17 February 1912, French Army aviators Lafargue and Jean Reimbert made the first flight over the Sahara from their base in Biskra. On 22 March 1912, the two departed to continue the planned Biskra-Touggourt-Ouargla route. Along the way, they encountered severe sandstorms and had to land several times. Touggourt was finally reached two days later, and from Touggourt, they conducted further reconnaissance flights on 24-26 March toward Temcine, Bled-el-Ahmad, and Aïn-Ahnefiane. Lafargue and Reimbert returned to Biskra on 27 March.
In March 1911, during a meeting held at the De Volkstem Building in Pretoria, a motion was passed to form the Aeronautical Society of South Africa. The motion was moved by Dr. F. V. Engelenburg, followed by W. Burningham White, and Johann Rissik nominated as its inaugural president. It had the stated purpose of giving a stronger impulse to the scientific study of aerial navigation. Additionally, John Weston had returned from Europe, and with his aviation experience, played a leading role in founding the Society. After returning to South Africa from Britain's September 1911 aerial mail, E. F. "Bok" Driver joined up with Captain Guy Livingstone and Cecil Compton-Paterson to established the African Aviation Syndicate. In December 1911, the African Aviation Syndicate's aircraft arrived at Cape Town, and they began hosting major public activities in the city. This included the first major public display which was the Flying Fortnight held at Kenilworth Racecourse. The syndicate was equipped with two aircraft, and began setting a number of highly successfully flights. In South Africa, Driver would set an altitude record of 4,000 feet, and Day Paterson set a distance record of 30 miles on Christmas Day. These activities began spreading aviation interests across South Africa and Rhodesia.
Expeditions
Nile expeditions In 1913, British aviator Francis McClean and Scottish explorer John Herbert Spottiswoode decided to attempt an aerial journey from Alexandria to Khartoum, following the Nile. The expedition was aimed at investigating the practical use of aircraft along the Nile and, particularly, to examine the cataracts between Aswan and Khartoum. To prepare for the journey, McClean extensively modified his Short biplane. It was given a 70 ft 6 in wingspan, resulting in a low wing loading. However, the aircraft proved too slow and underpowered, and McClean approached the Short Brothers to develop an experimental aircraft. Afterwards, they developed the Short S.80 Nile Seaplane, which was equipped with a 160 hp Gnome Double Lambda rotary engine, two large floats, a spacious nacelle with seating for the expedition party, and an approximately 67 ft wingspan. It was first flown as a seaplane on 2 October 1913 by Gordon Bell at Leysdown.
The S.80 was loaded onto British steamship Corsican Prince and arrived at Alexandra on 27 December. After arriving, McClean reassembled the aircraft at the Naval Dockyard, assisted by Alec Ogilvie, Horace Short, their mechanic Gus Smith, and Anna McClean whom was in charge of the party's domestic affairs. On 3 January 1914, the group of four took off and flew 160 miles to Cairo in under three hours. The S.80 could not reach beyond Cairo, and Spottiswoode later stashed fuel dumps close to the railway in 120-mile intervals along the route. After a few days, the party re-attempted the flight from Aswan Dam, however the S.80 was performing badly and McClean returned after 40 miles. Four new cylinders were cabled from Paris, and a fresh start was made on 16 February. The party flew approximately 190 miles southwards, reaching Wadi Halfa where they encountered the cataracts of the Nile. Passing by Argo, a dust storm forced a sudden landing and the S.80 suffered damage to a wingtip and spar. At one point, an oil pump failed and McClean landed the S.80 on the rocky riverbeds of the Nile, taxiing the aircraft several miles to Shereik. The Sudan Railway was crucial to the expedition, providing spare parts to replace oil pumps and parts of the wing. On 22 March, following multiple stopovers, issues, and part replacements, the party successfully reached Khartoum. By then, much of the aircraft was modified from replacements.
However, French aviator Marc Pourpe and his mechanic Raoul Lufbery had already reached Khartoum when McClean arrived. Equipped with a Morane-Saulnier Type C, fitted with a 60 hp Gnome engine, they attempted to depart on 11 December 1913 although it failed. On 4 January 1914, a second attempt was made and Pourpe departed from the Heliopolis Aerodrome at 9:07 AM, with his intended first stop as Luxor. After flying 467 kilometres, Pourpe was forced to land at Menshah, about 20 km short of Luxor due to technical problems. Lufbery travelled by train to Luxor to retrieve spare parts and returned to the location to make repairs. Afterwards, Pourpe continued southwards through Aswan, Wadi Halfa, Abu Hamed, Atbara, and finally reaching Khartoum on 12 January 1914. The journey was completed in five stages, approximately covering 2,200 kilometres and about 16 hours of flying time. Pourpe's aeroplane was the first to land in Khartoum, ahead by two months from McClean's expedition.
1919 Mission Saoura-Tidikelt In late 1918, General Robert Nivelle, now commanding the French forces in Algeria and Tunisia, wanted to test whether Sahara could be explored with joint-expeditions involving motor vehicles working with aircraft. Beginning on 21 January 1919, an expedition was assembled in Colomb-Béchar equipped with four Farman aircraft, and multiple tractors. In the night of 23-24 January 1919, the convoy left Colomb-Béchar and headed southward off-road for Beni-Abbès via Taghit and Igli. The vehicles soon encountered the Oued Guir near Abadla, which was a 200 metre wide river with steep eroded banks. Eight tractors were pulled across with ropes one-by-one. Worked by a 20-man team, it took two hours to pull just one tractor.
After crossing the Guir, the ground became easier and the convoy reached Beni-Abbès, while the aircraft flew ahead to perform reconnaissance. In the meanwhile, the automobile convoy prepared temporary landing grounds with shovels and picks, marking it for aircraft to land there. Late in the expedition, Captain Daudy, who commanded the four aircraft, made a forced landing near Ksani. He suffered a broken clavicle, and he survived for 48 hours alone before the ground expedition was able to reach him. Reaching Adrar, the expedition split over where to go next. Commandant Henri Bettembourg (1882–1926) suggested to continue south from Reggan towards Niger via Taoudenni, whereas Commandant Max de La Fargue suggested to turn southeast and head towards Niger via In Salah, Ouallen, Hoggar, and Tamanrasset. The expedition chose to continue toward Reggan, passing the monument to explorer Camille Douls, who had been killed by Taureg in 1889. At the end of February, the furthest point was reached at Reggan, where they returned north via In Salah, Ouargls, Touggourt, and Algiers.
Expansion The Cairo to Cape Town Aerial Route 1920
In December 1918, the British Air Ministry sought to develop an aerial route between Cairo and Cape Town. Subsequently, three Royal Air Force survey and construction parties were dispatched into Africa, instructed to survey their sectors and cooperate with local colonial administrations. Landing grounds would be constructed at intervals of roughly 200 miles or less. The No. 1 African Survey Party covered Cairo to Nimule, No. 2 African Survey Party covered Nimule to Abercorn, and the No. 3 African Survey Party, commanded by Major Chaplin Court Treatt, covered Abercone to Cape Town via Broken Hill. Work began in January 1919, guided by RAF Commanding Officer Major General Salmond. In many places, aerodromes would have to be cut out of dense jungle, and involved felling thousands of trees and digging up their roots. Additionally, the soil of anthills had to be removed by hand and carried away in native baskets. In each stop, a large cleared and levelled patch of ground would be prepared, accompanied with a stock of fuel. Many of the fields would have a landing ground of 750 x 750 metres. The resulting route comprised a north-south network of 24 airfields and 19 emergency landing grounds. Some were formed in grasslands, some as a tropical jungle strip, and some were established in existing outposts in the deserts.