DMK Marendaz Collection - two vintage c1950s (possibly earlier) Marendaz Slow Speed Diesel Engines brochures. Duo-tone in grey and red. 'The Best In The World!' Each featuring illustrations and specifications of the various models available. 28cm x 20cm. Captain Donald Marcus Kelway was an ex-Royal Flying Corps pilot, who was responsible for creating a series of elegant custom-built vehicles which bore his name in the 1920s and 1930s. Donald Marendaz joined the RFC in 1916 and was in combat over the Western Front after only twenty hours flying. In November 1917, he was the only spotter pilot to penetrate the fog over the battlefield on the first day of the offensive, which for the first time massed tanks were to be used in battle. Marendaz was in fact spotting for the cavalry which had remained inactive for most of the war. The order of battle was that the cavalry would charge across the bridge on the St. Quentin-L’Escaut Canal at Masnieres after a gap had been forced in the German front by the tanks. All allied and German aircraft had been grounded, but there was Marendaz, cruising at 5,000 feet after nearly an hour’s climb at 8 am that cold November morning. Unable to see a thing he took his Armstrong-Whitworth down to 150 feet, risking the onslaught of enemy rifle fire. Breaking through the fog blanket, he immediately saw that the severely damaged bridge would not stand the weight of a cavalry charge so he sent a message in Morse, an action that prevented a disastrous end for the cavalry. After the war he devoted his tireless energy to engineering, and partnered the launch of the original Alvis car, followed by the Marseal which developed a sports model which Captain Marendaz frequently raced at Brooklands. In 1926 came the Marendaz Special which over the next ten years established a high sporting reputation, the Captain beating many records at Montlhery and Brooklands. The highest point of his achievement was the Coventry Climax-engined Special raced by Aileen Moss, mother of Stirling, but in 1936, production ceased at his Maidenhead factory owing to the increasing competition from the mass production car industry. Captain Marendaz then devoted his energy and abilities to his earlier love and become the owner of two airfields, where at Government request, he set up flying school which turned out nearly 500 pilots, many of were to achieve distinction in the Battle of Britain. He also designed and build three aircraft, one of which was a trainer with a retractable undercarriage and could ‘hover’, and a Marendaz Special fighter which he claimed was superior to the Spitfire. Both were rejected by the same Air Ministry department who rejected Whittle’s jet engine. As war clouds gathered, he was granted facilities – just six weeks before the British war declaration to visit the Luftwaffe to observe the training of their pilots. After the war he emigrated to South Africa, where he was born, and manufactured industrial diesel engines, returning to Britain in 1971, where in the seclusion of his Lincolnshire home, he ensured by his Marendaz Special would live on among the names of the giants of that exhilarating age of 1930s motor sport. Marendaz passed away in November 1988.
DMK Marendaz Collection - two vintage c1950s (possibly earlier) Marendaz Slow Speed Diesel Engines brochures. Duo-tone in grey and red. 'The Best In The World!' Each featuring illustrations and specifications of the various models available. 28cm x 20cm. Captain Donald Marcus Kelway was an ex-Royal Flying Corps pilot, who was responsible for creating a series of elegant custom-built vehicles which bore his name in the 1920s and 1930s. Donald Marendaz joined the RFC in 1916 and was in combat over the Western Front after only twenty hours flying. In November 1917, he was the only spotter pilot to penetrate the fog over the battlefield on the first day of the offensive, which for the first time massed tanks were to be used in battle. Marendaz was in fact spotting for the cavalry which had remained inactive for most of the war. The order of battle was that the cavalry would charge across the bridge on the St. Quentin-L’Escaut Canal at Masnieres after a gap had been forced in the German front by the tanks. All allied and German aircraft had been grounded, but there was Marendaz, cruising at 5,000 feet after nearly an hour’s climb at 8 am that cold November morning. Unable to see a thing he took his Armstrong-Whitworth down to 150 feet, risking the onslaught of enemy rifle fire. Breaking through the fog blanket, he immediately saw that the severely damaged bridge would not stand the weight of a cavalry charge so he sent a message in Morse, an action that prevented a disastrous end for the cavalry. After the war he devoted his tireless energy to engineering, and partnered the launch of the original Alvis car, followed by the Marseal which developed a sports model which Captain Marendaz frequently raced at Brooklands. In 1926 came the Marendaz Special which over the next ten years established a high sporting reputation, the Captain beating many records at Montlhery and Brooklands. The highest point of his achievement was the Coventry Climax-engined Special raced by Aileen Moss, mother of Stirling, but in 1936, production ceased at his Maidenhead factory owing to the increasing competition from the mass production car industry. Captain Marendaz then devoted his energy and abilities to his earlier love and become the owner of two airfields, where at Government request, he set up flying school which turned out nearly 500 pilots, many of were to achieve distinction in the Battle of Britain. He also designed and build three aircraft, one of which was a trainer with a retractable undercarriage and could ‘hover’, and a Marendaz Special fighter which he claimed was superior to the Spitfire. Both were rejected by the same Air Ministry department who rejected Whittle’s jet engine. As war clouds gathered, he was granted facilities – just six weeks before the British war declaration to visit the Luftwaffe to observe the training of their pilots. After the war he emigrated to South Africa, where he was born, and manufactured industrial diesel engines, returning to Britain in 1971, where in the seclusion of his Lincolnshire home, he ensured by his Marendaz Special would live on among the names of the giants of that exhilarating age of 1930s motor sport. Marendaz passed away in November 1988.
Try LotSearch and its premium features for 7 days - without any costs!
Be notified automatically about new items in upcoming auctions.
Create an alert
.jpg "Source: Christie's")
.jpg "Source: Christie's")
