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Sempill British Aviation Mission to Japan
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Sempill British Aviation Mission to Japan
Side view of machine (tri-plane in colours of Japanese Forces) pilot getting into cockpit. 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. Date: 1920s
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Media ID 19874700
© The Royal Aeronautical Society (National Aerospace Library)/ Mary Evans
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EDITORS COMMENTS
Step into the cockpit of history with this rare and fascinating photograph from the Sempill British Aviation Mission to Japan in the 1920s. This striking image captures a side view of a tri-plane, adorned in the colors of the Japanese forces, as its pilot prepares for takeoff. At the controls is William Francis Forbes-Sempill, 19th Lord Sempill AFC, AFRAeS (1893-1965), a Scottish peer and record-breaking air pioneer who led an official military mission to Japan in 1921.
As part of his mission, Sempill showcased the latest British aircraft to Japanese officials and military personnel, sparking a lifelong connection between him and the Imperial Japanese Navy. Tragically, his close ties with Japan would later be revealed as having compromised Britain's national security when it was discovered that he had been secretly passing on sensitive information to his Japanese counterparts before World War II.
Despite being exposed as a spy, Sempill was not prosecuted and continued to enjoy public life until his death in 1965. This remarkable photograph serves as a poignant reminder of both Sempill's groundbreaking achievements in aviation and his controversial legacy. The image is reproduced from a glass lantern slide held at the Royal Aeronautical Society Archive.
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