Charles Rumney Samson
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Air Commodore Charles Rumney Samson, was a British naval aviation pioneer. He was one of the first four officers selected for pilot training by the Royal Navy and was the first British pilot to fly an
Samson from Army and Navy Illustrated, February 1915.
Samson's historic takeoff from HMS Hibernia, 9 May 1912.
"The new "War Ship" Commander Samson's hydroplane", Short S.41 at Southsea, c.1913.
Samson with other pioneer officers of the Royal Flying Corps
Arthur Longmore
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Air Chief Marshal Sir Arthur Murray Longmore, was an early naval aviator, before reaching high rank in the Royal Air Force. He was Commander-in-Chief of the RAF's Middle East Command from 1940 to 1941
Charles Rumney Samson
…on 25 April 1911, after only 71 minutes flying time, at a RAeC meeting that also awarded licences to the pioneer naval aviators Wilfred Parke and Arthur Longmore. He completed flying training at Eastchurch before being appointed Officer Commanding Naval Air Station Eastchurch in October 1911. In January 1912 he…
Longmore in the gardens of Air Headquarters, Middle East Command, in Cairo, c. 1940–41
Then-Lieutenant Longmore (in dark coat walking toward camera on right) on 1 December 1911 immediately after he became the first person in the United Kingdom to take off from land and make a successful water landing, using the aircraft behind him, a Short Improved S.27 bearing Admiralty number 38, later often called the "Short S.38."