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Sempill British Aviation Mission to Japan, four planes
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Sempill British Aviation Mission to Japan, four planes
Advance Training Machines. William Francis Forbes-Sempill, 19th Lord Sempill AFC, AFRAeS (1893-1965) was a Scottish peer and record-breaking air pioneer who was later shown to have passed secret information to the Imperial Japanese military before the Second World War. In 1921, Sempill led an official military mission to Japan that showcased the latest British aircraft. In subsequent years he continued to aid the Imperial Japanese Navy in developing its Navy Air Service and began giving military secrets to the Japanese. Although his activities were uncovered by British Intelligence, Sempill was not prosecuted for spying and allowed to continue in public life. Seen here are a Gloster Sparrowhawk (centre foreground), a Blackburn Swift Mk.II (centre background), a Vickers Type 48 Viking IV (right) and a Supermarine Seagull Mk.II (left).
circa 1921
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Media ID 19874462
© The Royal Aeronautical Society (National Aerospace Library)/Mary Evans Picture Library
Advance Advise Afraes Consultation Forbes Francis Instruction Latest Machines Mission Peer Pioneer Sempill Showcase Showcased 1921 1922
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EDITORS COMMENTS
This evocative photograph captures the Sempill British Aviation Mission to Japan in 1921, featuring four advanced training machines: a Gloster Sparrowhawk (centre foreground), a Blackburn Swift Mk.II (centre background), a Vickers Type 48 Viking IV (right), and a Supermarine Seagull Mk.II (left). Lord William Francis Forbes-Sempill, 19th Lord Sempill AFC, AFRAeS (1893-1965), a Scottish peer and record-breaking air pioneer, led this official military mission to showcase the latest British aircraft to the Imperial Japanese military. In the following years, Sempill clandestinely continued to aid the Imperial Japanese Navy in developing its Navy Air Service and began providing military secrets. His activities were uncovered by British Intelligence in the early 1920s but he was not prosecuted for spying and was allowed to continue in public life. This intriguing episode of aviation history highlights the complex diplomatic and military relationships between nations during the 1920s, as well as the enduring allure of advanced aircraft technology.
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