拍品專文
By 1933 Mt. Everest had become firmly implanted in the mind of the public as a symbol of the unattainable. Repeated failure in attempts to reach the summit caused popular interest to move out of a purely mountaineering domain and the conquest of Everest became a symbol of challenge to Man in general.
During the same decade, aviation, which then constituted a similar challenge, was making unprecedented progress. The Houston/Mt. Everest Expedition mounted in 1932 planned to combine the two challenges. The approach to conquer Everest by air came from Colonel L.V.S. Blacker, an officer in the Indian army, a pilot and later an inventor.
In March 1932 Blacker set up an Everest committee to prepare the expedition. Members included Lord Peel, John Buchan (the famous author), Lord Clydesdale M.P. (later nominated Chief Pilot) and the Maharaja of Nawanagar. Lady Houston, a wealthy society hostess and aviation enthusiast funded the entire expedition.
Permission had to be obtained from the King to fly over Nepal in order to reach the south face of Everest. No European was known to have crossed the territory of Nepal before and therefore the request had to be presented delicately. The Prime Minister of Nepal's suggestion that the flight might reasonably resemble a second coming of Krishna, a Hindu god who had constructed a silver chariot and was thought to fly around the south face of the mountain, was successful and permission was granted.
The flight's aim was to photograph the uncharted area south of Everest with a vertical strip and still cameras, made by Williamson Eagle, and to demonstrate the omnipotence of the aerial survey camera for global cartography. Preparation was immense and detailed and major technical developments were necessary in each sphere. The Westland aircraft with Bristol Pegasus engines was enhanced to reach the necessary ceiling height, and to fly in thin and frozen air. The carefully selected cameras also had to be protected from the extreme cold. Special cloth jackets with a network of electric filaments sewn between cover and lining were designed and the pilots' suits were heated in the same way. At the final count 34 different live wires linked pilot and observer/photographer to their craft and cameras.
On the 3rd April 1933 a first and successful flight was made over the summit of Everest. Colonel Blacker was in the first plane with Lord Clydesdale as pilot. The second plane carried a Mr. Bonnet filming for Gaumont British news using a Newman & Sinclair ciné camera, with Flight Lt. McIntyre as pilot. The flight's success marked a historical achievement for both aviation and photography.
The Times newspaper bought exclusive coverage of the flight and a detailed account of the expedition written by Fellowes, Blacker, Etherton and Clydesdale was published as a book a year later titled First Over Everest.
These prints were made in 1934 for an exhibition following the return of the team to Britain.
During the same decade, aviation, which then constituted a similar challenge, was making unprecedented progress. The Houston/Mt. Everest Expedition mounted in 1932 planned to combine the two challenges. The approach to conquer Everest by air came from Colonel L.V.S. Blacker, an officer in the Indian army, a pilot and later an inventor.
In March 1932 Blacker set up an Everest committee to prepare the expedition. Members included Lord Peel, John Buchan (the famous author), Lord Clydesdale M.P. (later nominated Chief Pilot) and the Maharaja of Nawanagar. Lady Houston, a wealthy society hostess and aviation enthusiast funded the entire expedition.
Permission had to be obtained from the King to fly over Nepal in order to reach the south face of Everest. No European was known to have crossed the territory of Nepal before and therefore the request had to be presented delicately. The Prime Minister of Nepal's suggestion that the flight might reasonably resemble a second coming of Krishna, a Hindu god who had constructed a silver chariot and was thought to fly around the south face of the mountain, was successful and permission was granted.
The flight's aim was to photograph the uncharted area south of Everest with a vertical strip and still cameras, made by Williamson Eagle, and to demonstrate the omnipotence of the aerial survey camera for global cartography. Preparation was immense and detailed and major technical developments were necessary in each sphere. The Westland aircraft with Bristol Pegasus engines was enhanced to reach the necessary ceiling height, and to fly in thin and frozen air. The carefully selected cameras also had to be protected from the extreme cold. Special cloth jackets with a network of electric filaments sewn between cover and lining were designed and the pilots' suits were heated in the same way. At the final count 34 different live wires linked pilot and observer/photographer to their craft and cameras.
On the 3rd April 1933 a first and successful flight was made over the summit of Everest. Colonel Blacker was in the first plane with Lord Clydesdale as pilot. The second plane carried a Mr. Bonnet filming for Gaumont British news using a Newman & Sinclair ciné camera, with Flight Lt. McIntyre as pilot. The flight's success marked a historical achievement for both aviation and photography.
The Times newspaper bought exclusive coverage of the flight and a detailed account of the expedition written by Fellowes, Blacker, Etherton and Clydesdale was published as a book a year later titled First Over Everest.
These prints were made in 1934 for an exhibition following the return of the team to Britain.