Herbert Pither
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Herbert John Pither was an aviator and a cycle enthusiast. He grew up in Canterbury, New Zealand, where he, one of twelve children, was a budding athlete, and had a knack for inventing. He was known in his day for inventing "anything weird and mechanical". He became a professional cyclist, before he moved to the Southland town of Invercargill. In Invercargill, he owned a Kelvin Street Engineering shop, always thinking about how he would make his plane work. The big problem though was making a plane light enough to stay in the air with the engines available in that day. He eventually made his plane out of the tubes that was used to make racing bicycles. No one can yet prove that Pither flew, but the Croydon Project produced a replica of his plane, and flew it.
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[edit] The plane
[edit] Specifications
- Fuselage: All-metal, steel tubing, box girder principle.
- Wings: Also steel tube, wooden ribs, fabric covered; span 28 feet (8.5 m); area 160 sq. ft (14.9 m²)
- Total steel tube: About 65 m
- Weight: 500 lb (230 kg) excluding the pilot.
- Length: 26 feet (7.9 m).
- Propeller: 6 ft 6in diameter (1.9 m) based on marine design; steel hub, aluminium sheath.
- Engine: Four cylinder VEE capable of 40 hp.
- Thrust capability: 250 pound (113 kg).
- Control in air: Pedal-operated tail rudder.
- Lateral stability: Achieved by warping rear edges of wings, controlled by steering wheel.
- Pitch control: Lever-operated elevators.
- Undercarriage: Motorcycle or bicycle wheels with fitted spring shock absorbers.
[edit] Family and background
Born in Reigate, Surrey, in 1871, Pither was the second eldest of 12 children of John and Lydia Pither, who emigrated to Canterbury on the Crusader in 1875. Pither and his Australian wife Sarah Hahir had no children, but there are many descendants in other lines. Information collected for this project, including photos and family legends, is being shared with far-flung branches of the family.
