Editing Harry Houdini (section)

==Aviator==
[[File:Houdini airborne in his Voisin at Diggers Rest, 1910, by Marcel Poupe.jpg|thumb|Houdini in his Voisin, 1910]]
In 1909, Houdini became fascinated with aviation. He purchased a French [[Voisin 1907 biplane|Voisin biplane]] for $5,000 ({{Inflation|US|5000|1907|fmt=eq}}) from the Chilean aviators {{ill|José Luis Sánchez-Besa|fr|José Luis Sanchez Besa}} and Emilio Eduardo Bello,<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.thefirstairraces.net/pilots/sanchezbesa.php|title=The First Air Races |author= José Sanchez Besa|website=www.thefirstairraces.net}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.thefirstairraces.net/pilots/edwards.php|title=The First Air Races |author= Emilio Edwards|website=www.thefirstairraces.net}}</ref><ref>[http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article10841981 Fledgling Aviators: Trying Their Wings: Houdini and Banks, ''The Argus'', (Wednesday, March 16, 1910), p. 13.]</ref> and hired a full-time mechanic, Antonio Brassac. After crashing once, he made his first successful flight on November 26 in [[Hamburg]], Germany.<ref>[http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article123834614 Houdini as Flyer, ''The (Sydney) Sunday Times'', (Sunday, February 6, 1910), p. 2.]</ref>

The following year, Houdini toured Australia and brought along his Voisin biplane with the intention to be the first person to fly in Australia.
::[[Melbourne]] people will shortly have an opportunity of witnessing the ascent of a flying machine, for Houdini, whose Voisin bi-plane has arrived, has determined to make a flight before his season closes at the [[Tivoli Theatre, Melbourne|[New] Opera House]] [in Melbourne, at the end of March]. The 60 to 80 horse-power motor used is of the [[E.N.V. Motor Syndicate|E.N.V. pattern]]. The machine has been erected at Diggers' Rest. ''Table Talk'', March 3, 1910.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/page/17393122|title=Table Talk (Melbourne, Vic. : 1885–1939) 3 Mar 1910 | page=25|website=Trove}}</ref>

=== Australian flights ===
====March 18, 1910====
On Friday, March 18, 1910, following more than a month of delays due to inclement weather conditions,<ref>For photographs taken of Houdini's preparation at Diggers Rest before his first flight see: [http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article142922712 Houdini's Experiment with his Voisin Bi-Plane at Diggers' Rest, ''The Australasian'', (Saturday, 19 March 1910), p. 35.]</ref><ref>[http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article28142581 Learning to Fly: Experiments in Victoria, ''The Sydney Morning Herald'', (Thursday, 17 March 1910), p. 6.]</ref> Houdini completed one of the first powered aeroplane flights ever made in Australia. He made three flights in his Voisin biplane, at the Old Plumpton Paddock at [[Diggers Rest, Victoria]], ranging from 1 minute to 3½ minutes{{snd}}reaching an altitude of 100&nbsp;ft in one of his flights, and travelling more than two miles in another.<ref>[http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article196490588 First Air Flight in Australia{{snd}}Houdini at Diggers' Rest, ''The Leader'', (Saturday, 26 March 1910), p. 25.]</ref><ref>[http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article221811438 The Airship in Victoria: Houdini’s Flights at Digger’s Rest, ''The Weekly Times''’, (Saturday, 2 April 1910), p. 28.]</ref> Nine of the 30 spectators present on that day signed a certificate verifying Houdini's achievement.<ref>[http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article10843090 Houdini Flies: Trials at Digger’s Rest: Three Successful Flights: Height of 100 ft. Reached, ''The Argus'', (Saturday, 19 March 1910), p. 18.]</ref><ref>Only one of those who signed the 18 March 1910 certificate, Robert Howie, a local farmer, was unconnected with either Houdini or Ralph Coningsby Banks (1883–1955), a Melbourne-based aviator, whose [[Wright Flyer]] was also stationed on the same paddock, right next to Houdini's base.</ref>

====March 20, 1910====
Hampered by the windy conditions on the Saturday, and unable to fly safely, Houdini took to the air again early on Sunday morning, 20 March 20, 1910:
::After a short preliminary flight, lasting 26 sec., Houdini took wing again, and, amid loud applause from the hundred or more spectators, who were on the ground, described three circles at altitudes, varying from 20ft to over 100ft, covering a distance of between three and four miles in 3min 45½sec. ''The Argus'', 21 March 1910.<ref>[http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article10843281 In Full Flight: Houdin’s Success: Three and a Half Miles, ''The Argus'', Monday, 21 March 1910), p. 9.]</ref>

====March 21, 1910====
On Monday morning, 21 March 1910, some 30 spectators witnessed Houdini make an extended flight at Diggers Rest of 7min. 37secs., covering at least 6 miles, at altitudes ranging from 20&nbsp;ft. to 100&nbsp;ft. Australian aviator [[Basil George Watson|Basil Watson's]] father, mother, and younger sister, Venora, were among the spectators; and their names were included in the list of 16 spectator signatures on the certificate that verified Houdini's achievement.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article10843511|title=Australian Flights|newspaper=Argus |date=March 22, 1910|via=Trove}}</ref><ref>[http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article12071022 When Australia first saw Planes fly: Houdini's 1910 Voisin Biplane was Closely Followed by an Australian-built Machine, ''The Argus Week-end Magazine'', (Saturday, 3 December 1938), p. 3]: obviously, the mistaken signature of "James. L. Watson" should have been read as "James. I. Watson".</ref>

===After Australia===
After completing his Australia tour, Houdini put the Voisin into storage in England. He announced he would use it to fly from city to city during his next music hall tour and even promised to leap from it handcuffed, but he never flew again.<ref>Silverman, pp. 137–154.</ref>