The DEC Schneider Trophy Race

The Coupe d’Aviation Maritime Jacques Schneider (commonly called the Schneider Trophy, Schneider Prize or Schneider Cup) was awarded annually to the winner of a race for seaplanes. The race was held eleven times between 1913 and 1931.

In 1981 the race was revived by the Royal Aero Club of Great Britain to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Britain’s ultimate retention of the Trophy. Following that event, the computer company Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC) independently decided to sponsor a long-term revival of the Schneider Trophy race series from 1984 until 1991.

This book highlights these modern races and the aircraft that competed.

Handicap air racing is unique to Britain: piston-engined aircraft up to a maximum weight, flown by pilots with a minimum number of hours as pilot in command, compete on an equal footing courtesy of the handicap system. When the event in this book was raced (1987) air racing in Britain was organized by a specialist section of the Royal Aero Club. These experts set the handicaps of the aircraft.

This book contains pictures of a broad cross-section of private (and military) piston-engined aircraft, during practice, during preparation and racing the race itself. It’s the only occasion when up to fifty aircraft can be legally in the same section of airspace at the same time. And, of course, the tighter the handicap the closer they all are to each other at the finish, as some of the photos in this book make clear.

The book covers everything from a Stampe biplane to a Curtiss P-40 Kittyhawk. There are Beagle Pups in formation with their RAF Bulldog cousins. There are light aircraft such as ubiquitous Cessnas alongside exotic homemade creations such as Rutan LongEzes. And there is the panoply of a unique event that only occurs in Britain.

Aviation expert Mike Jerram and his then -publisher at Osprey, Dennis Baldry, do the honours with the camera and the narrative.