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138-759: The Coupe d'Aviation Maritime Jacques Schneider , also known as the Schneider Trophy , Schneider Prize or (incorrectly) the Schneider Cup is a trophy that was awarded first annually, and later biennially, to the winner of a race for seaplanes and flying boats . In 1931 Britain met the conditions to retain the Trophy permanently; it was held at the Science Museum in South Kensington, London. Announced in 1912 by Jacques Schneider ,

276-570: A Sopwith Tabloid flown by Howard Pixton at 139.74 km/h (86.83 mph); the 1914 race was contested by three nations: France, the United Kingdom, and Switzerland. The United States and Germany failed to qualify. From 1915 to 1918, competition was suspended for the duration of World War I . After the war, the competition resumed in 1919 at Bournemouth where in foggy conditions the Italian team won. They were later disqualified and

414-744: A French financier, balloonist and aircraft enthusiast, the competition offered a prize of approximately £1,000. The race was held twelve times between 1913 and 1931, the year when it was finally won permanently by the British. It was intended to encourage technical advances in civil aviation but became a contest for pure speed with laps over a (usually) triangular course, initially 280 km (170 mi) and later extended to 350 km (220 mi). The contests were staged as time trials, with aircraft setting off individually at set intervals, usually 15 minutes apart. The contests were very popular, and some of them attracted crowds of over 200,000 spectators. The race

552-488: A United States naval aviator in an M.5 The German aircraft manufacturing company Hansa-Brandenburg built flying boats starting with the model Hansa-Brandenburg GW in 1916, and had a degree of military success with their Hansa-Brandenburg W.12 two-seat floatplane fighter the following year, being the primary aircraft flown by Imperial Germany's maritime fighter ace, Friedrich Christiansen . The Austro-Hungarian firm Lohner-Werke began building flying boats, starting with

690-652: A Wright Model B floatplane, by Frank Coffyn in 1911. The Wright Brothers, widely celebrated for their breakthrough aircraft designs, were slower to develop a seaplane; Wilbur died in 1912, and the company was bogged down in lawsuits. However, by 1913, the Wright Brother company developed the Wright Model CH Flyer. In 1913, the Wright company also came out withe Wright Model G Aerboat, which was

828-661: A basketball team, which plays in the EuroLeague . A centre of research into marine conservation , Monaco is home to one of the world's first protected marine habitats, an Oceanographic Museum , and the International Atomic Energy Agency Marine Environment Laboratories, the only marine laboratory in the UN structure. Monaco's name comes from the nearby 6th-century BC Phocaean Greek colony. Referred to by

966-590: A buoy for six hours without human intervention. In 1922 in Naples the British and French competed with the Italians. The British private entry, a Supermarine Sea Lion II , was the victor, flown by Henry Biard . The French aircraft did not start the race, which became a competition between the Sea Lion and three Italian aircraft, two Macchi M.17s and a Savoia S.51 . The 1923 trophy, contested at Cowes , went to

1104-459: A feature of both flying-boat hulls and seaplane floats. The resulting aircraft would be large enough to carry sufficient fuel to fly long distances and could berth alongside ships to take on more fuel. Porte then designed a similar hull for the larger Curtiss H-12 flying boat which, while larger and more capable than the H-4s, shared failings of a weak hull and poor water handling. The combination of

1242-464: A five-seat Sanchez-Besa from 1 August 1912. The French Navy ordered its first floatplane in 1912. On May 10, 1912 Glenn L. Martin flew a homemade seaplane in California , setting records for distance and time. In 1911−12, François Denhaut constructed the first seaplane with a fuselage forming a hull, using various designs to give hydrodynamic lift at take-off. Its first successful flight

1380-535: A full United Nations voting member in 1993. Despite Monaco's independence and separate foreign policy, its defence is the responsibility of France, besides maintenance of two small military units . Monaco's economic development was spurred in the late 19th century with the opening of the state's first casino, the Monte Carlo Casino , and a rail connection to Paris. Monaco's mild climate, scenery, and gambling facilities have contributed to its status as

1518-643: A glide." At Felixstowe, Porte made advances in flying-boat design and developed a practical hull design with the distinctive "Felixstowe notch". Porte's first design to be implemented in Felixstowe was the Felixstowe Porte Baby , a large, three-engined biplane flying boat, powered by one central pusher and two outboard tractor Rolls-Royce Eagle engines. Porte modified an H-4 with a new hull whose improved hydrodynamic qualities made taxiing, take-off and landing much more practical and called it

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1656-658: A hulled seaplane resulted in the 1913 Model E and Model F , which he called "flying-boats". In February 1911, the United States Navy took delivery of the Curtiss Model E and soon tested landings on and take-offs from ships, using the Curtiss Model D. There were experiments by aviators to adapt the Wright Model B to a water landing. The first motion picture recorded from an airplane was from

1794-517: A long-term revival of the Schneider Trophy, with the first race held in 1984, and races held annually, with a few omissions, since then. The idea was submitted by DEC's then UK PR consultancy Infopress as part of a broader commercial sponsorship programme designed to increase DEC's presence in the UK market at that time. DEC sponsored this revived race series from 1984 until 1991, which also marked

1932-681: A member of the Royal Naval Air Service . Appointed Squadron Commander of Royal Navy Air Station Hendon , he soon convinced the Admiralty of the potential of flying boats and was put in charge of the naval air station at Felixstowe in 1915. Porte persuaded the Admiralty to commandeer (and later, purchase) the America and a sister craft from Curtiss. This was followed by an order for 12 more similar aircraft, one Model H-2 and

2070-601: A playground for the rich and a favoured place for them to live. Until the Monégasque Revolution of 1910 forced the adoption of the 1911 Constitution of Monaco , the princes of Monaco were absolute rulers . The new constitution slightly reduced the autocratic rule of the Grimaldi family and Prince Albert I suspended it during the First World War. In July 1918, a new Franco-Monégasque Treaty

2208-403: A population of 38,400, making Monaco the second-smallest and the most densely populated country in the world . The country has a land border of only 5.47 km (3.40 mi), a coastline of 3.83 km (2.38 mi), a maritime claim that extends 22.2 km (13.8 mi), and a width that varies between 1,700 and 349 m (5,577 and 1,145 ft). Jurassic -era limestone

2346-409: A profound effect on the awareness and popularity of handicapped air racing in the UK and further afield, as well as markedly increasing DEC's commercial profile in the UK. The appeal of the race, its historic connections, and the fact that prize money was now on offer, meant that the entry list for the race was large enough to warrant the introduction of heats from 1985 onwards. (There were 62 entrants to

2484-719: A protectorate of the Kingdom of Sardinia by the Congress of Vienna in 1815. Monaco remained in this position until 1860 when, by the Treaty of Turin , the Sardinian forces pulled out of the principality; the surrounding County of Nice (as well as Savoy ) was ceded to France. Monaco became a French protectorate once again. Italian was the official language in Monaco until 1860, when it was replaced by French. Before this time there

2622-595: A result of this action, British flying boats were dazzle-painted to aid identification in combat. The Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Company independently developed its designs into the small Model F, the larger Model K (several of which were sold to the Russian Naval Air Service), and the Model C for the U.S. Navy. Curtiss, among others, also built the Felixstowe F.5 as the Curtiss F5L , based on

2760-529: A seaplane with an enclosed cabin (a first for the company);the chief engineer of this version was Grover Loening . In Britain, Captain Edward Wakefield and Oscar Gnosspelius began to explore the feasibility of flight from water in 1908. They decided to make use of Windermere in the Lake District , England's largest lake . The latter's first attempts to fly attracted large crowds, though

2898-479: A small green/park area. Monaco had previously considered an expansion in 2008, but had called it off. The plan is for about six hectares (15 acres) of apartment buildings, parks, shops and offices to a land value of about 1 billion euros . The development will be adjacent to the Larvotto district and also will include a small marina. There were four main proposals, and the final mix of use will be finalised as

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3036-590: A tax haven for wealthy French citizens. In 1993, the Principality of Monaco became a member of the United Nations , with full voting rights. In 2002, a new treaty between France and Monaco specified that, should there be no heirs to carry on the Grimaldi dynasty, the principality would still remain an independent nation rather than revert to France. Monaco's military defense is still the responsibility of France. On 31 March 2005, Rainier III , who

3174-443: A tourist destination and recreation centre for the rich. Monaco has become a major banking centre and sought to diversify into the services sector and small, high-value-added , non-polluting industries. Monaco is a tax haven ; it has no personal income tax (except for French citizens) and low business taxes . Over 30% of residents are millionaires, with real estate prices reaching €100,000 ($ 116,374) per square metre in 2018. Monaco

3312-521: A towed kite glider on floats. The first of his unpowered flights was 150 yards (140 m). He later built a powered floatplane in partnership with Louis Blériot , but the machine was unsuccessful. Other pioneers also attempted to attach floats to aircraft in Britain, Australia, France and the United States. On 28 March 1910, Frenchman Henri Fabre flew the first successful powered seaplane,

3450-399: Is fishing ; with almost the entire country being an urban area , Monaco lacks any sort of commercial agriculture industry . A small residential expansion formerly called Le Portier was nearing completion in 2023, and additionally a new esplanade was added at Larvatto beach which also had some maintenance. Monaco is the second-smallest country by area in the world ; only Vatican City

3588-577: Is Italian. The principality continued its existence as a protectorate of France until the French Revolution . In 1793, Revolutionary forces captured Monaco and until 1814 it was occupied by the French (in this period much of Europe had been overrun by the French armies under the command of Napoleon Bonaparte). The principality was reestablished in 1814 under the Grimaldis. It was designated

3726-654: Is a global hub of money laundering, and in June 2024 the Financial Action Task Force placed Monaco under increased monitoring to combat money laundering and terrorist financing. Monaco is not part of the European Union (EU), but participates in certain EU policies , including customs and border controls. Through its relationship with France, Monaco uses the euro as its sole currency. Monaco joined

3864-616: Is a prominent bedrock which is locally karstified . It hosts the Grotte de l'Observatoire , which has been open to the public since 1946. The highest point in the country is at the access to the Patio Palace residential building on the Chemin des Révoires (ward Les Révoires ) from the D6007 ( Moyenne Corniche street) at 164.4 m (539 ft) above sea level . The lowest point in

4002-564: Is currently being built on the sea. Note: for statistical purposes, the Wards of Monaco are further subdivided into 178 city blocks (îlots), which are comparable to the census blocks in the United States . Monaco exhibits a wide range of architecture, but the principality's signature style, particularly in Monte Carlo, is that of the Belle Époque . It finds its most florid expression in

4140-518: Is smaller. Monaco is the most densely populated country in the world. The state consists of only one municipality ( commune ), the Municipality of Monaco . There is no geographical distinction between the State and City of Monaco, although responsibilities of the government (state-level) and of the municipality (city-level) are different. According to the constitution of 1911, the principality

4278-542: Is the head of government , can be either a Monégasque or French citizen; the monarch consults with the Government of France before an appointment. Key members of the judiciary are detached French magistrates. The House of Grimaldi has ruled Monaco, with brief interruptions, since 1297. The state's sovereignty was officially recognised by the Franco-Monégasque Treaty of 1861 , with Monaco becoming

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4416-905: The Council of Europe in 2004 and is a member of the Organisation internationale de la Francophonie (OIF). It hosts the annual motor race, the Monaco Grand Prix , one of the original Grands Prix of Formula One . The local motorsports association gives its name to the Monte Carlo Rally , hosted in January in the French Alps . The principality has a club football team, AS Monaco , which competes in French Ligue 1 and been French champions on multiple occasions, and

4554-620: The Dornier Wal in 1924. The enormous Do X was powered by 12 engines and carried 170 people. It flew across the Atlantic to the Americas in 1929, It was the largest flying boat of its time, but was severely underpowered and was limited by a very low operational ceiling. Only three were built, with a variety of engines installed, in an attempt to overcome the lack of power. Two of these were sold to Italy. The military value of flying boats

4692-485: The Felixstowe F.1 . Porte's innovation of the "Felixstowe notch" enabled the craft to overcome suction from the water more quickly and break free for flight much more easily. This made operating the craft far safer and more reliable. The "notch" breakthrough would soon after evolve into a "step", with the rear section of the lower hull sharply recessed above the forward lower hull section, and that characteristic became

4830-839: The French Army . In addition to their guard duties as described, the carabiniers patrol the principality's beaches and coastal waters. Monaco is a sovereign city-state , with five quarters and ten wards, located on the French Riviera in Western Europe . It is bordered by France's Alpes-Maritimes department on three sides, with one side bordering the Mediterranean Sea . Its centre is about 16 km (9.9 mi) from Italy and only 13 km (8.1 mi) northeast of Nice . It has an area of 2.1 km (0.81 sq mi), or 208 ha (510 acres), and

4968-560: The French Revolution , but after the defeat of Napoleon it was put under the care of the Kingdom of Sardinia . In the 19th century, when Sardinia became a part of Italy, the region came under French influence but France allowed it to remain independent. Like France, Monaco was overrun by the Axis powers during the Second World War and for a short time was administered by Italy, then Nazi Germany , before being liberated. Although

5106-605: The Gnome Omega -powered hydravion , a trimaran floatplane . Fabre's first successful take off and landing by a powered seaplane inspired other aviators, and he designed floats for several other flyers. The first hydro-aeroplane competition was held in Monaco in March 1912, featuring aircraft using floats from Fabre, Curtiss, Tellier and Farman. This led to the first scheduled seaplane passenger services, at Aix-les-Bains , using

5244-621: The Grande Semaine d'Aviation de Tours , in the possession of the RAF College Cranwell , is also known as the Schneider Cup. Aircraft taking part had to be seaworthy, having to float for six hours and travel about 550 yards (503m) on water. Twice during the flight they had to land on or "come in contact" with the water (which allowed contestants to carry out a fast bouncing manoeuvre). If the pontoons took on water,

5382-643: The Icon A5 and AirMax SeaMax , to the 100,000 lb ShinMaywa US-2 and Beriev Be-200 multi-role amphibians. Examples in between include the Dornier Seastar flying-boat type, 12-seat, utility amphibian and the Canadair CL-415 amphibious water-bomber. The Viking Air DHC-6 Twin Otter and Cessna Caravan utility aircraft have landing gear options which include amphibious floats. Taking off on water

5520-517: The Ligurians as Monoikos , from the Greek "μόνοικος", "single house", from "μόνος" ( monos ) "alone, single" + "οἶκος" ( oikos ) "house". According to an ancient myth, Hercules passed through the Monaco area and turned away the previous gods. As a result, a temple was constructed there. Because this "House" of Hercules was the only temple in the area, the city was called Monoikos. It ended up in

5658-626: The Lohner E in 1914 and the later (1915) widely copied Lohner L . In September 1919, British company Supermarine started operating the first flying-boat service in the world, from Woolston to Le Havre in France , but it was short-lived. A Curtiss NC-4 became the first airplane to fly across the Atlantic Ocean in 1919, crossing with multiple stops via the Azores . Of the four that made

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5796-425: The Municipality of Monaco . The municipality is directed by the Communal Council , which consists of 14 elected members and is presided over by a mayor . Georges Marsan has been mayor since 2003. Unlike the National Council, communal councillors are elected for four-year terms and are strictly non-partisan ; oppositions inside the council frequently form. Members of the judiciary of Monaco are appointed by

5934-400: The Principality of Monaco , is a sovereign city-state and microstate on the French Riviera a few kilometres west of the Italian region of Liguria , in Western Europe , on the Mediterranean Sea . It is a semi-enclave bordered by France to the north, east and west. The principality is home to 38,682 residents, of whom 9,486 are Monégasque nationals; it is recognised as one of

6072-495: The Short S.8 Calcutta . In 1928, four Supermarine Southampton flying boats of the RAF Far East flight arrived in Melbourne , Australia . The flight was considered proof that flying boats had become a reliable means of long-distance transport. In the 1930s, flying boats made it possible to have regular air transport between the U.S. and Europe, opening up new air travel routes to South America, Africa, and Asia. Foynes , Ireland and Botwood , Newfoundland and Labrador were

6210-418: The Sopwith Aviation Company produced the "Bat Boat", an aircraft with a consuta laminated hull that could operate from land or on water, which today is called an amphibious aircraft . The "Bat Boat" completed several landings on sea and on land and was duly awarded the Mortimer Singer Prize . It was the first all-British aeroplane capable of making six return flights over five miles within five hours. In

6348-409: The Supermarine , Gloster , and Shorts entries. Supermarine's Mitchell-designed S.5s took first and second places; no other entrants finished. The race was witnessed by an estimated 250,000 spectators. 1927 was the last annual competition, the event was then mutually agreed to be held biennially to allow more development time. In 1929, at Calshot , Supermarine won again in the Supermarine S.6 with

6486-613: The flying boat . The term "seaplane" is used by some to mean "floatplane". This is the standard British usage. This article treats both flying boats and floatplanes as types of seaplane, in the US fashion. An amphibious aircraft can take off and land both on conventional runways and water. A true seaplane can only take off and land on water. There are amphibious flying boats and amphibious floatplanes, as well as some hybrid designs, e.g. , floatplanes with retractable floats. Modern (2019) production seaplanes range in size from flying-boat type light-sport aircraft amphibians, such as

6624-505: The fuselage in the interplane gap. Wingtip pontoons were attached directly below the lower wings near their tips. The design (later developed into the Model H ) resembled Curtiss's earlier flying boats but was built considerably larger so it could carry enough fuel to cover 1,100 mi (1,800 km). The three crew members were accommodated in a fully enclosed cabin. Trials of the America began 23 June 1914 with Porte also as Chief Test Pilot; testing soon revealed serious shortcomings in

6762-473: The humid subtropical climate ( Cfa ). As a result, it has balmy warm, dry summers and mild, rainy winters. The winters are very mild considering the city's latitude, being as mild as locations located much further south in the Mediterranean Basin . Cool and rainy interludes can interrupt the dry summer season, the average length of which is also shorter. Summer afternoons are infrequently hot (indeed, temperatures greater than 30 °C or 86 °F are rare) as

6900-492: The 123-foot-span five-engined Felixstowe Fury triplane (also known as the "Porte Super-Baby" or "PSB"). F.2, F.3, and F.5 flying boats were extensively employed by the Royal Navy for coastal patrols and to search for German U-boats . In 1918, they were towed on lighters towards the northern German ports to extend their range; on 4 June 1918, this resulted in three F.2As engaging in a dogfight with ten German seaplanes, shooting down two confirmed and four probables at no loss. As

7038-420: The 1630s, he sought French protection against the Spanish forces and, in 1642, was received at the court of Louis XIII as a "duc et pair étranger". The princes of Monaco became vassals of the French kings while at the same time remaining sovereign princes. Though successive princes and their families spent most of their lives in Paris , and intermarried with French and Italian nobilities, the House of Grimaldi

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7176-493: The 1878–9 Casino and the Salle Garnier created by Charles Garnier and Jules Dutrou. Decorative elements include turrets, balconies, pinnacles, multi-coloured ceramics, and caryatids. These were blended to create a picturesque fantasy of pleasure and luxury, and an alluring expression of how Monaco sought and still seeks, to portray itself. This capriccio of French, Italian, and Spanish elements were incorporated into hacienda villas and apartments. Following major development in

7314-407: The 1926 title defence; the M.39, designed by Mario Castoldi , used a Fiat AS2 engine and was streamlined in the manner of the 1925 Supermarine and Curtiss entrants. The American teams withdrew from further competition after the 1926 race, as the military was unwilling to fund entrants. In 1927 at Venice the British responded by enlisting government backing and RAF pilots (the High Speed Flight ) for

7452-436: The 1929 competition. Reportedly half a million spectators lined the beachfronts. The Italian, French, and German entrants failed to ready their aircraft in time for the competition. The remaining British team set both a new world speed record of 610 km/h (380 mph) and won the trophy outright with a third straight win. The following days saw the winning Supermarine S.6B further break the world speed record twice, making it

7590-450: The 1929 contest but was disqualified, is preserved at Solent Sky maritime museum in Southampton . Schneider was a hydroplane racer who came from a wealthy family; his interest in aircraft began after he met Wilbur Wright in 1908, but a boating accident in 1910 crippled him and prematurely ended his racing and flying career. Schneider served as a race referee at the Monaco Hydroplane Meet in 1912, where he noted that seaplane development

7728-405: The 1929 race. In 1931 the British government withdrew support, but a private donation of £100,000 from the wealthy and ultra-patriotic Lucy, Lady Houston , allowed Supermarine to compete. When the French and Italian teams dropped out, leaving no other competitors, the British team flew the course alone on 13 September and won the coveted Schneider Trophy outright, having beaten the time record from

7866-499: The 1970s, Prince Rainier III banned high-rise development in the principality. His successor, Prince Albert II , overturned this Sovereign Order. In recent years the accelerating demolition of Monaco's architectural heritage , including its single-family villas, has created dismay. The principality has no heritage protection legislation. Monaco has a hot-summer Mediterranean climate ( Köppen climate classification : Csa ), with strong maritime influences, with some resemblances to

8004-458: The 1984 race, believed at the time to be the largest-ever in all forms of air racing.) The event received further boosts in 1986, when it was started by Prince Andrew, Duke of York and his fiancée Sarah Ferguson; in 1987, when the event was featured as one episode in a BBC television documentary series; and in 1988, when it was a central part of that year's ITV Telethon Appeal. DEC invited customers and partners to each year's event as guests, and

8142-411: The 21st century, seaplanes maintain a few niche uses, such as for aerial firefighting , air transport around archipelagos, and access to undeveloped or roadless areas, some of which have numerous lakes. In British English, seaplane is sometimes used specifically to refer to a floatplane, rather than a flying boat. The word "seaplane" is used to describe two types of air/water vehicles: the floatplane and

8280-439: The American actress Grace Kelly , an event that was widely televised and covered in the popular press, focusing the world's attention on the tiny principality. A 1962 amendment to the constitution abolished capital punishment, provided for women's suffrage and established a Supreme Court of Monaco to guarantee fundamental liberties. In 1963, a crisis developed when Charles de Gaulle blockaded Monaco, angered by its status as

8418-503: The Americans with a sleek, liquid-cooled engined craft designed by Glenn Curtiss . It used the Curtiss D-12 engine. US Navy Lieutenant David Rittenhouse won the cup, and his teammate Rutledge Irvine was second in an identical aircraft. The British Sea Lion III (flown by 1922 winner Henry Biard), and the French entry withdrew from the race. The preparation of the United States team, backed by government support and using Curtiss racing biplanes derived from inter-military competitions, increased

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8556-403: The German Wehrmacht occupied Italy and Monaco, and the Nazi deportation of the Jewish population began. René Blum , the prominent French Jew who founded the Ballet de l'Opéra in Monte Carlo, was arrested in his Paris home and held in the Drancy deportation camp outside the French capital before being transported to Auschwitz , where he was later murdered. Blum's colleague Raoul Gunsbourg ,

8694-412: The Grimaldi family for over 500 years. These were ceded to France in return for 4,100,000 francs. The transfer and Monaco's sovereignty were recognised by the Franco-Monégasque Treaty of 1861. In 1869, the principality stopped collecting income tax from its residents — an indulgence the Grimaldi family could afford to entertain thanks solely to the extraordinary success of the casino. This made Monaco

8832-521: The King's Cup and the British air racing championship . The venue has varied but is still flown on most occasions around a Solent-based course, usually around September of each year. Seaplane The use of seaplanes gradually tapered off after World War II, partially because of the investments in airports during the war but mainly because landplanes were less constrained by weather conditions that could result in sea states being too high to operate seaplanes while landplanes could continue to operate. In

8970-417: The L series and progressing with the M series. The Macchi M.5 , in particular, was extremely manoeuvrable and agile and matched the land-based aircraft it had to fight. Two hundred forty-four were built in total. Towards the end of World War I, the aircraft were flown by Italian Navy Aviation, United States Navy and United States Marine Corps airmen. Ensign Charles Hammann won the first Medal of Honor awarded to

9108-432: The Monégasque throne was a two-step event with a further ceremony, drawing heads of state for an elaborate reception, held on 18 November 2005, at the historic Prince's Palace in Monaco-Ville . On 27 August 2015, Albert II apologised for Monaco's role during World War II in facilitating the deportation of a total of 90 Jews and resistance fighters, of whom only nine survived. "We committed the irreparable in handing over to

9246-508: The Science Museum, a full-size replica was cast, and the race opened on a handicapped basis to any propeller–driven landplane capable of maintaining 100 miles per hour (160 km/h; 87 kn) in straight and level flight, and weighing up to 12,500 lb (5,700 kg). Pilots had to have a minimum of 100 hours as pilot-in-command, and a valid air racing licence. Following that event, the UK subsidiary of US computer company Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC) independently decided to sponsor

9384-416: The Short Empire flying boats was the strange-looking Maia and Mercury . It was a four-engined floatplane Mercury (the winged messenger) fixed on top of Maia , a heavily modified Short Empire flying boat. The larger Maia took off, carrying the smaller Mercury loaded to a weight greater than it could take off with. This allowed the Mercury to carry sufficient fuel for a direct trans-Atlantic flight with

9522-428: The Sovereign Prince. Key positions within the judiciary are held by French magistrates, proposed by the Government of France. Monaco currently has three examining magistrates . The wider defence of the nation is provided by France. Monaco has no navy or air force, but on both a per-capita and per-area basis, Monaco has one of the largest police forces (515 police officers for about 38,000 people) and police presences in

9660-428: The US, Wanamaker's commission built on Glen Curtiss's previous development and experience with the Curtiss Model F for the U.S. Navy, which rapidly resulted in the America , designed under Porte's supervision following his study and rearrangement of the flight plan; the aircraft was a conventional biplane design with two-bay, unstaggered wings of unequal span with two pusher inline engines mounted side-by-side above

9798-478: The aero club in the hosting country. Each club could enter up to three competitors with an equal number of alternatives. The Schneider Trophy is a sculpture of silver and bronze set on a marble base. It depicts a zephyr skimming the waves, and a nude winged figure is seen kissing a zephyr recumbent on a breaking wave. The heads of two other zephyrs and of Neptune , the god of the Sea, can be seen surrounded by octopus and crabs. The symbolism represents speed conquering

9936-419: The aircraft failed to take off and required a re-design of the floats incorporating features from the boat hulls of the lake's motor boat racing club member Isaac Borwick. Meanwhile, Wakefield ordered a floatplane similar to the design of the 1910 Fabre Hydravion. By November 1911, both Gnosspelius and Wakefield had aircraft capable of flight from water and awaited suitable weather conditions. Gnosspelius's flight

10074-699: The attempt, only one completed the flight. In 1923, the first successful commercial flying-boat service was introduced, with flights to and from the Channel Islands . After frequent appeals by the industry for subsidies, the Government decided that nationalization was necessary and ordered five aviation companies to merge to form the state-owned Imperial Airways of London (IAL). IAL became the international flag-carrying British airline, providing flying-boat passenger and mail-transport links between Britain and South Africa and India using aircraft such as

10212-568: The considerable increase in the number and length of land-based runways during World War II. Further, as the speed and range of land-based aircraft increased, the commercial competitiveness of flying boats diminished; their design compromised aerodynamic efficiency and speed to accomplish the feat of waterborne takeoff and landing. Competing with new civilian jet aircraft like the de Havilland Comet and Boeing 707 proved impossible. Monaco in Europe  (dark grey) Monaco , officially

10350-613: The country is the Mediterranean Sea. Saint-Jean brook is the longest flowing body of water, around 0.19 km (190 m; 0.12 mi; 620 ft) in length, and Fontvieille is the largest lake, approximately 0.5 ha (1.2 acres) in area. Monaco's most populated quartier is Monte Carlo , and the most populated ward is Larvotto/Bas Moulins . After the expansion of Port Hercules , Monaco's total area grew to 2.08 km (0.80 sq mi) or 208 ha (510 acres); subsequently, new plans were approved to extend

10488-463: The design; it was under-powered, so the engines were replaced with more powerful tractor engines. There was also a tendency for the nose of the aircraft to try to submerge as engine power increased while taxiing on water. This phenomenon had not been encountered before, since Curtiss's earlier designs had not used such powerful engines nor large fuel/cargo loads and so were relatively more buoyant. In order to counteract this effect, Curtiss fitted fins to

10626-564: The development progresses. The name for the new district is Anse du Portier . On 29 February 2020, Monaco announced its first case of COVID-19 , a man who was admitted to the Princess Grace Hospital Centre then transferred to Nice University Hospital in France. On 3 September 2020, the first Monégasque satellite, OSM-1 CICERO, was launched into space from French Guiana aboard a Vega rocket . The satellite

10764-530: The diamond jubilee of the final race in the original series. DEC and Infopress turned to the expertise of the Royal Aero Club's Records, Racing & Rally Association which again administered and ran the actual races. The 1981 Solent course, itself a close approximation of the original 1929 and 1931 Schneider Trophy courses over the Solent, was also used and adapted from year to year. This sponsorship had

10902-579: The director of the Opéra de Monte-Carlo , helped by the French Resistance , escaped arrest and fled to Switzerland . In August 1944, the Germans executed René Borghini, Joseph-Henri Lajoux and Esther Poggio, who were Resistance leaders. Rainier III , succeeded to the throne on the death of his grandfather, Prince Louis II , in 1949, and ruled until 2005. On 19 April 1956, Prince Rainier married

11040-400: The district of Fontvieille by 0.08 km (0.031 sq mi) or 8 ha (20 acres), with land reclaimed from the Mediterranean Sea. Land reclamation projects include extending the district of Fontvieille. There are two ports in Monaco, Port Hercules and Port Fontvieille. There is a neighbouring French port called Cap d'Ail that is near Monaco. Monaco's only natural resource

11178-447: The early accidents were attributable to a poor understanding of handling while in contact with the water, the pair's efforts went into developing practical hull designs to make the transatlantic crossing possible. The two years before World War I's breakout also saw the privately produced pair of Benoist XIV biplane flying boats, designed by Thomas W. Benoist , initiate the start of the first heavier-than-air airline service anywhere in

11316-692: The elements of sea and air. The cost of the trophy was 25,000 francs. After the British finally won permanent possession of the trophy in 1931, the sculpture was displayed for many years at the end of the corridor outside the ballroom of the Lansdowne Club. It has since been entrusted to the Royal Aero Club and can be viewed along with the winning Supermarine S.6B floatplane at the London Science Museum Flight exhibition hall. Supermarine S.6, N248 , which competed in

11454-399: The end of World War I. Another seventy were built, and these were followed by two F.2c, which were built at Felixstowe. In February 1917, the first prototype of the Felixstowe F.3 was flown. It was larger and heavier than the F.2, giving it greater range and heavier bomb load, but poorer agility. Approximately 100 Felixstowe F.3s were produced before the end of the war. The Felixstowe F.5

11592-507: The extra fuel load, they could make a direct trans-Atlantic flight. A Handley Page H.P.54 Harrow was used as the fuel tanker. The German Dornier Do X flying boat was noticeably different from its UK and U.S.-built counterparts. It had wing-like protrusions from the fuselage, called sponsons , to stabilize it on the water without the need for wing-mounted outboard floats. This feature was pioneered by Claudius Dornier during World War I on his Dornier Rs. I giant flying boat and perfected on

11730-424: The fastest speed ever attained by a piston-engined seaplane. For a complete list of the aircraft which competed in the competitions, see List of Schneider Trophy aircraft . In 1981 the race was revived, no longer for seaplanes and under different rules, by the Royal Aero Club of Great Britain to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Britain's ultimate retention of the Schneider Trophy. The original trophy remained in

11868-739: The final Porte hull designs and powered by American Liberty engines . Meanwhile, the pioneering flying-boat designs of François Denhaut had been steadily developed by the Franco-British Aviation Company into a range of practical craft. Smaller than the Felixstowes, several thousand FBAs served with almost all of the Allied forces as reconnaissance craft, patrolling the North Sea, Atlantic and Mediterranean Oceans. In Italy, several seaplanes were developed, starting with

12006-498: The first craft to break the 400 mph barrier on 29 September at an average speed of 655.8 km/h (407.5 mph). Although the British team had secured the trophy for the UK permanently with the 1931 uncontested win, the development of the other 1931 entrants continued. The proposed Italian entrant (the Macchi M.C.72), which had pulled out of the contest due to engine problems, later went on to set two new world speed records with

12144-481: The first patent for a flying machine with a boat hull and retractable landing gear in 1876, but Austrian Wilhelm Kress is credited with building the first seaplane, Drachenflieger , in 1898, although its two 30 hp (22 kW) Daimler engines were inadequate for take-off, and it later sank when one of its two floats collapsed. On 6 June 1905, Gabriel Voisin took off and landed on the River Seine with

12282-518: The flight had to continue with the added weight. Each competition was to be held in and managed by the country currently holding the trophy. If a country won three consecutive races, as the British finally did, they would retain the trophy permanently and the winning pilot would receive 75,000 French francs for each of the first three wins. The races were supervised by the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale and

12420-574: The general public watched in increasing numbers as the series grew in size and popularity. For the pilots taking part, the event became, along with the King's Cup air race , the highlight of the UK's air racing season, and regularly attracted entrants from continental Europe. DEC continued to sponsor the races until 1991. Since that time, the race has been run by the Royal Aero Club Records Racing and Rally Association along with

12558-632: The hands of the Holy Roman Empire , which gave it to the Genoese. An ousted branch of a Genoese family, the Grimaldi , contested it for a hundred years before gaining control. Though the Republic of Genoa would last until the 19th century, they allowed the Grimaldi family to keep Monaco, and, likewise, both France and Spain left it alone for hundreds of years. France did not annex it until

12696-538: The help of British fuel expert Rod Banks, who had worked on the Rolls Royce R engine of the S6B. In April 1933 it set a record over Lake Garda in northern Italy with a speed of 682.36 km/h (424.00 mph). Eighteen months later in the same venue, it broke the 700 km/h barrier with an average speed of 709.202 km/h (440.678 mph). Both times the plane was piloted by Francesco Agello . This speed remains

12834-578: The high-level part of La Condamine, is generally seen today as an effective fifth Quartier of Monaco, having a very distinct atmosphere and topography when compared with low-level La Condamine. For town planning purposes, a sovereign ordinance in 1966 divided the principality into reserved sectors, "whose current character must be preserved", and wards . The number and boundaries of these sectors and wards have been modified several times. The latest division dates from 2013 and created two reserved sectors and seven wards. A new 6-hectare district, Le Portier ,

12972-505: The land grant came to be integrated piecemeal into other states. Between 1346 and 1355, Monaco annexed the towns of Menton and Roquebrune , increasing its territory by almost ten times. In 1419, the Grimaldi family purchased Monaco from the Crown of Aragon and became the official and undisputed rulers of "the Rock of Monaco". In 1612, Honoré II began to style himself "Prince" of Monaco. In

13110-579: The larger Jardin Exotique ward . An additional ward was planned by new land reclamation to be settled beginning in 2014 but Prince Albert II announced in his 2009 New Year Speech that he had ended plans due to the economic climate at the time. Prince Albert II in mid-2010 firmly restarted the programme. In 2015, a new development called Anse du Portier was announced. The four traditional quartiers of Monaco are Monaco-Ville , La Condamine , Monte Carlo and Fontvieille . The suburb of Moneghetti ,

13248-568: The largest aircraft built and flown by any of the Axis Powers . In November 1939, IAL was restructured into three separate companies: British European Airways , British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC), and British South American Airways (which merged with BOAC in 1949), with the change being made official on 1 April 1940. BOAC continued to operate flying-boat services from the (slightly) safer confines of Poole Harbour during wartime, returning to Southampton in 1947. When Italy entered

13386-562: The mail. Unfortunately, this was too complex, and the Mercury had to be returned from America by ship. The Mercury did set some distance records before in-flight refuelling was adopted. Sir Alan Cobham devised a method of in-flight refuelling in the 1930s. In the air, the Short Empire could be loaded with more fuel than it could take off with. Short Empire flying boats serving the trans-Atlantic crossing were refueled over Foynes; with

13524-403: The militarised, armed fire and civil defence corps ( Sapeurs-Pompiers ) it forms Monaco's total forces. The Compagnie des Carabiniers du Prince was created by Prince Honoré IV in 1817 for the protection of the principality and the princely family. The company numbers exactly 116 officers and men; while the non-commissioned officers and soldiers are local, the officers have generally served in

13662-478: The neighbouring authorities women, men and a child who had taken refuge with us to escape the persecutions they had suffered in France," Albert said at a ceremony in which a monument to the victims was unveiled at the Monaco cemetery. "In distress, they came specifically to take shelter with us, thinking they would find neutrality." In 2015, Monaco unanimously approved a modest land reclamation expansion intended primarily to accommodate desperately needed housing and

13800-526: The new Rolls-Royce R engine with an average speed of 528.89 km/h (328.64 mph). Both Britain and Italy entered two new aircraft and a backup plane from the previous race. Three of the four new aircraft were disqualified (Supermarine S.6 N.248 ) or failed to finish the course (both Macchi M.67s ), with the older Macchi M.52R taking second and Supermarine S.5 taking third. Although France had ordered racing seaplanes from Bernard and Nieuport-Delage in 1928, they were unable to complete them in time for

13938-594: The new Porte-designed hull, this time fitted with two steps, with the wings of the H-12 and a new tail, and powered by two Rolls-Royce Eagle engines, was named the Felixstowe F.2 and first flew in July 1916, proving greatly superior to the Curtiss on which it was based. It was used as the basis for all future designs. It entered production as the Felixstowe F.2A, being used as a patrol aircraft, with about 100 being completed by

14076-516: The occupation lasted for just a short time, it resulted in the deportation of the Jewish population and execution of several French Resistance members from Monaco. Since then Monaco has been independent. It has taken some steps towards integration with the European Union . Following a grant of land from Emperor Henry VI in 1191, Monaco was refounded in 1215 as a colony of Genoa. Monaco

14214-612: The other Gloster III were damaged before the race and did not compete. Two of the American planes did not finish. Benito Mussolini instructed the Italian aircraft industry to "win the Schneider Trophy at all costs" and so demonstrate the effectiveness of his Fascist government. In 1926, the Italians returned with a Macchi M.39 and won against the Americans with a 396.69 km/h (246.49 mph) run at Hampton Roads . The United States, short of funds, did not develop new aircraft for

14352-490: The other five members of the Council of Government . Until 2002, the Prime Minister was a French citizen appointed by the prince from among candidates proposed by the Government of France; since a constitutional amendment in 2002, the Prime Minister can be French or Monégasque. On 2 September 2024, Prince Albert II appointed a French citizen, Didier Guillaume , to the office. Under the 1962 Constitution of Monaco ,

14490-523: The performance, twenty of the modified JRM-1 Mars were ordered. The first, named Hawaii Mars , was delivered in June 1945, but the Navy scaled back their order at the end of World War II, buying only the five aircraft which were then on the production line. The five Mars were completed, and the last delivered in 1947. After World War II, the use of flying boats rapidly declined for several reasons. The ability to land on water became less of an advantage owing to

14628-541: The prince shares his veto power with the unicameral National Council . The 24 members of the National Council are elected for five-year terms; 16 are chosen through a majority electoral system and 8 by proportional representation. All legislation requires the approval of the National Council. Following the 2023 Monegasque general election , all 24 seats are held by the pro-monarchist Monegasque National Union . The principality's city affairs are managed by

14766-555: The prize should go to an American aircraft and commissioned the Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Company to design and build an aircraft capable of making the flight. Curtiss's development of the Flying Fish flying boat in 1913 brought him into contact with John Cyril Porte , a retired Royal Navy Lieutenant, aircraft designer and test pilot who was to become an influential British aviation pioneer. Recognising that many of

14904-421: The race was voided, as the referees ruled they had incorrectly flown around a marker buoy. In 1920 and 1921 at Venice the Italians won again; in 1920 no other nation entered and in 1921 the French entry did not start.  Had it not been for the 1919 disqualification, Italy would have been awarded the trophy permanently. After 1921, an additional requirement was added: the winning seaplane had to remain moored to

15042-511: The remaining as Model H-4s . Four examples of the latter were assembled in the UK by Saunders . All of these were similar to the design of the America and, indeed, were all referred to as America s in Royal Navy service. The engines, however, were changed from the under-powered 160 hp Curtiss engines to 250 hp Rolls-Royce Falcon engines. The initial batch was followed by an order for 50 more (totalling 64 Americas overall during

15180-406: The sides of the bow to add hydrodynamic lift, but soon replaced these with sponsons , a type of underwater pontoon mounted in pairs on either side of a hull. These sponsons (or their engineering equivalents) and the flared, notched hull would remain a prominent feature of flying-boat hull design in the decades to follow. With the problem resolved, preparations for the crossing resumed. While the craft

15318-653: The speed and the investment of a winning entry significantly. In 1924 the competition was cancelled as no other nation turned out to face the Americans: the Italians and the French withdrew; and both British craft crashed in pre-race trials. In 1925 at Chesapeake Bay the Americans won again, with US pilot Jimmy Doolittle winning in a Curtiss R3C ahead of the British Gloster III and the Italian Macchi M.33 . R. J. Mitchell 's Supermarine S.4 and

15456-499: The terminals for many early transatlantic flights. In areas where there were no airfields for land-based aircraft, flying boats could stop at small river, lake or coastal stations to refuel and resupply. The Pan Am Boeing 314 "Clipper" flying boats brought new exotic destinations like the Far East within reach and came to represent the romance of flight. By 1931, mail from Australia was reaching Britain in 16 days, or less than half

15594-452: The time taken by sea. In that year, government tenders on both sides of the world invited applications to run new passenger and mail services between the ends of the Empire, and Qantas and IAL were successful with a joint bid. A company under combined ownership was then formed, Qantas Empire Airways. The new ten-day service between Rose Bay, New South Wales , (near Sydney ) and Southampton

15732-592: The vast distances of the Pacific Theater and Atlantic . They also sank numerous submarines and found enemy ships. In May 1941, the German battleship Bismarck was discovered by a PBY Catalina flying out of Castle Archdale Flying boat base , Lower Lough Erne , Northern Ireland. The largest flying boat of the war was the Blohm & Voss BV 238 , which was also the heaviest plane to fly during World War II and

15870-660: The war in June 1940, the Mediterranean was closed to Allied planes and BOAC and Qantas operated the Horseshoe Route between Durban and Sydney using Short Empire flying boats. The Martin Company produced the prototype XPB2M Mars based on their PBM Mariner patrol bomber, with flight tests between 1941 and 1943. The Mars was converted by the Navy into a transport aircraft designated the XPB2M-1R. Satisfied with

16008-568: The war). Porte also acquired permission to modify and experiment with the Curtiss aircraft. The Curtiss H-4s were soon found to have a number of problems; they were underpowered, their hulls were too weak for sustained operations, and they had poor handling characteristics when afloat or taking off. One flying boat pilot, Major Theodore Douglas Hallam, wrote that they were "comic machines, weighing well under two tons; with two comic engines giving, when they functioned, 180 horsepower; and comic control, being nose heavy with engines on and tail heavy in

16146-412: The wealthiest and most expensive places in the world. The official language is French ; Monégasque , English and Italian are spoken and understood by many residents. With an area of 2.08 km (0.80 sq mi), Monaco is the second-smallest sovereign state in the world, after Vatican City . Its population of 38,367 in 2023 makes it the most densely populated sovereign state. Monaco has

16284-430: The world's shortest coastline: 3.83 km (2.38 mi). The principality is about 15 km (9.3 mi) from the border with Italy and consists of nine administrative wards, the largest of which is Monte Carlo . The principality is governed under a form of constitutional monarchy , with Prince Albert II as head of state , who wields political power despite his constitutional status. The prime minister , who

16422-536: The world, and the first airline service of any kind at all in the United States. At the same time, the British boat-building firm J. Samuel White of Cowes on the Isle of Wight set up a new aircraft division and produced a flying boat in the United Kingdom. This was displayed at the London Air Show at Olympia in 1913. In that same year, a collaboration between the S. E. Saunders boatyard of East Cowes and

16560-519: The world. Its police includes a special unit which operates patrol and surveillance boats jointly with the military. Police forces in Monaco are commanded by a French officer. There is also a small military force . This consists of a bodyguard unit for the prince and his palace in Monaco-Ville called the Compagnie des Carabiniers du Prince (Prince's Company of Carabiniers); together with

16698-572: Was attempted by some early flight attempts, but water take off and landing began in earnest in the 1910s and seaplanes pioneered transatlantic routes, and were used in World War I. They continued to develop before World War II, and had widespread use. After World War II, the creation of so many land airstrips meant water landings began to drift into special applications. They continued in niches such as access in remote areas, forest fire fighting, and maritime patrol. The Frenchman Alphonse Pénaud filed

16836-493: Was built in Monaco by Orbital Solutions Monaco. In July 2024, Monaco hosted the start line for final 33 km stage of the 111th Tour de France bicycle race for the first time in 15 years. Monaco has been governed under a constitutional monarchy since 1911, with the Sovereign Prince of Monaco as head of state . The executive branch consists of a Prime Minister as the head of government , who presides over

16974-453: Was evicted a few years later by the Genoese forces, and the struggle over "the Rock" continued for another century. The Grimaldi family was Genoese and the struggle was something of a family feud. The Genoese engaged in other conflicts, and in the late 1300s Genoa lost Monaco after fighting the Crown of Aragon over Corsica . Aragon eventually became part of a united Spain, and other parts of

17112-506: Was first ruled by a member of the House of Grimaldi in 1297, when Francesco Grimaldi , known as " Malizia " (translated from Italian either as "The Malicious One" or "The Cunning One"), and his men captured the fortress protecting the Rock of Monaco while dressed as Franciscan friars – a monaco in Italian – although this is a coincidence as the area was already known by this name. Francesco

17250-404: Was found to handle "heavily" on takeoff, and required rather longer take-off distances than expected, the full moon on 5 August 1914 was selected for the trans-Atlantic flight; Porte was to pilot the America with George Hallett as co-pilot and mechanic. Curtiss and Porte's plans were interrupted by the outbreak of World War I. Porte sailed for England on 4 August 1914 and rejoined the Navy as

17388-534: Was intended to combine the good qualities of the F.2 and F.3, with the prototype first flying in May 1918. The prototype showed superior qualities to its predecessors but, to ease production, the production version was modified to make extensive use of components from the F.3, which resulted in lower performance than the F.2A or F.5. Porte's final design at the Seaplane Experimental Station was

17526-465: Was lagging land-based aircraft; seeking to spur amphibious aircraft development, capable of reliable operation, extended range, and reasonable payload capacity, he announced the annual Schneider Trophy competition at a race banquet on 5 December, to cover a distance of at least 150 nautical miles (280 km; 170 mi). The first competition was held on 16 April 1913, at Monaco , consisting of six laps, 300 kilometres (190 mi) distance in total. It

17664-456: Was on 13 April 1912. Throughout 1910 and 1911, American pioneering aviator Glenn Curtiss developed his floatplane into the successful Curtiss Model D land-plane, which used a larger central float and sponsons. Combining floats with wheels, he made the first amphibian flights in February 1911 and was awarded the first Collier Trophy for US flight achievement. From 1912, his experiments with

17802-470: Was short-lived, as the aircraft crashed into the lake. Wakefield's pilot, however, taking advantage of a light northerly wind, successfully took off and flew at a height of 50 feet (15 m) to Ferry Nab, where he made a wide turn and returned for a perfect landing on the lake's surface. In Switzerland, Émile Taddéoli equipped the Dufaux 4 biplane with swimmers and successfully took off in 1912. A seaplane

17940-506: Was signed, providing for limited French protection over Monaco. The treaty, endorsed in 1919 by the Treaty of Versailles , established that Monégasque international policy would be aligned with French political, military and economic interests. It also resolved the Monaco succession crisis . In 1943, the Italian Army invaded and occupied Monaco , forming a fascist administration. In September 1943, after Mussolini's fall from power,

18078-667: Was significant in advancing aeroplane design, particularly in the fields of aerodynamics and engine design, and showed its results in the best fighters of World War II. The streamlined shape and the low drag, liquid-cooled engine pioneered by Schneider Trophy designs are obvious in the British Supermarine Spitfire , the American North American P-51 Mustang , and the Italian Macchi C.202 Folgore . An earlier 1910 trophy for land planes presented by Jacques Schneider, in France,

18216-440: Was subdivided into three municipalities: The municipalities were merged into one in 1917, and they were accorded the status of Wards or Quartiers thereafter. Subsequently, three additional wards were created, but then again were dissolved in 2013: Most of Saint Michel became part of Monte Carlo again in 2013. La Colle and Les Révoires were merged the same year as part of a redistricting process, where they became part of

18354-399: Was such a success that the volume of mail soon exceeded aircraft storage space. A solution was found by the British government, who had requested Short Brothers to design a large long-range monoplane for IAL in 1933. Partner Qantas purchased six Short Empire flying boats. Delivering the mail as quickly as possible generated a lot of competition and some innovative designs. One variant of

18492-475: Was too ill to exercise his duties, relinquished them to his only son and heir, Albert. He died six days later, after a reign of 56 years, with his son succeeding him as Albert II , Sovereign Prince of Monaco . Following a period of official mourning, Prince Albert II formally assumed the princely crown on 12 July 2005, in a celebration that began with a solemn Mass at Saint Nicholas Cathedral , where his father had been buried three months earlier. His accession to

18630-526: Was unrest in Menton and Roquebrune , where the townspeople had become weary of heavy taxation by the Grimaldi family. They declared their independence as the Free Cities of Menton and Roquebrune , hoping for annexation by Sardinia. France protested. The unrest continued until Charles III of Monaco gave up his claim to the two mainland towns (some 95% of the principality at the time) that had been ruled by

18768-645: Was used during the Balkan Wars in 1913, when a Greek "Astra Hydravion" did a reconnaissance of the Turkish fleet and dropped four bombs. In 1913, the Daily Mail newspaper put up a £10,000 prize for the first non-stop aerial crossing of the Atlantic , which was soon "enhanced by a further sum" from the Women's Aerial League of Great Britain . American businessman Rodman Wanamaker became determined that

18906-472: Was well-recognized, and every country bordering on water operated them in a military capacity at the outbreak of the war. They were utilized in various tasks from anti-submarine patrol to air-sea rescue and gunfire spotting for battleships. Aircraft such as the PBM Mariner patrol bomber, PBY Catalina , Short Sunderland , and Grumman Goose recovered downed airmen and operated as scout aircraft over

19044-466: Was won by Maurice Prévost , piloting a French Deperdussin Monocoque (Coupe Schneider) at an average speed of 73.56 km/h (45.71 mph). Although Prévost had averaged a faster flying speed, he lost 50 minutes when he landed prematurely after losing count of the laps completed. All four entrants were flying French-made aircraft; two withdrew before completing the race. The British won in 1914 with

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