Stanley Spencer, with his brothers, ran a balloon factory at Highbury in North London. In 1902 they built a small 20,000 cu.ft capacity airship constructed along the lines of the Santos-Dumont craft.
The first successful navigable flight in Great Britain of a manned, powered aircraft took place on 22 September 1902, when Stanley Spencer piloting his airship No.1 flew from Crystal Palace via St Pauls to Eastcote Middlesex, a distance of 28 miles, in 94 minutes. It was intended to fly from Crystal Palace, round to St Paul’s and return to the starting point but contrary winds caused the airship to be driven to the north-west.
Spencer Airship No.1 1902
Capacity: 20,000 cu.ft
Gross lift: 0.580 ton
Disposable lift: 600 lb
Engine: 1 x JAP water cooled single cylinder, 3 hp
Speed: 20 mph
Crew: 1-2
All Aero 