Camber Aerodrome

Thank you, again, Martin. I think that you have established, beyond reasonable doubt, that all flying at Camber was off the sands and that no aerodrome, in the currently accepted sense of the word, existed there at any time – unless someone knows otherwise!

‘The old flying days’ by Charles Cyril Turner
page 86

and a picture, ‘Alexander Ogilvie flying over Camber Sands’, April 22, 1910
http://core.libraries.wright.edu/bitstream/handle/2374.WSU/2586/20-5-9.jpg?sequence=2

‘Mr. Stuart Ogilvie flying on his Short-Wright biplane over Camber Sands’
Flight April 30, 1910 (picture)
http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1910/1910%20-%200337.html
and
http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1911/1911%20-%200063.html
http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1911/1911%20-%200064.html
http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1911/1911%20-%200065.html

edit: it was Alec Ogilvie, Flight April 30, 1910 (picture)
http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1910/1910%20-%200378.html

‘Mr. Alec Ogilvie making his flight of 140 miles in 3 hrs. 5 5 mins., for the British Michelin Cup on his Britishbuilt
N.E.C.-engined Wright flyer, on Camber Sands last week.’
http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1911/1911%20-%200007.html
http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1911/1911%20-%200027.html

Thanks Martin. I had not come across that article as I had limited my search of the ‘Flight’ archive to a 1939 cut-off date!

The article seems to indicate conclusively that Camber Aerodrome was, in fact, the sands at Camber. Presumably the Bessoneau hangar, mentioned in the article, went wherever the joyflying was being operated in any particular year and it was at Camber in 1935. Thus it appears to be a case of “one hangar makes an aerodrome”! Well at least that would appear to have been the case in the mid 1930s – I can still find no more on the 1910 situation!

It would appear that the author of the article, Stuart Campbell Brander, must have answered the 1935 ‘Flight’ advertisement for a ground engineer – as it specifically sought someone with experience of Clerget and Gipsy engines – and subsequently got the job. But I wonder who he worked for? This isn’t mentioned in the article and the handbill illustration, which accompanies it, mentions Alpha Flying Services. But maybe this was just an appropriate and available illustration and his employer actually was Zenith Airways.

I wonder if the 504N, of which the author talks, was G-ADGB. The G-INFO website makes no mention of its engine. But maybe in the 1930s people just did what was expedient and only told the Air Ministry if they happened to take a look at the aeroplane – working on the “what you don’t know can’t hurt you” principle!

‘…the 504 used at Camber Sands was something of a mrongel…’
http://www.flightglobal.com/FlightPDFArchive/1951/1951%20-%200553.PDF
http://www.flightglobal.com/FlightPDFArchive/1951/1951%20-%200554.PDF

Guess you’ve found this also
http://www.airfieldinformationexchange.org/viewtopic.php?f=46&t=1753&p=11489&hilit=Camber#p11489

Thanks, Martin. To my chagrin, even though I am a member of AiX I had not seen this post. It does suggest that Zenith Airways were a joyriding/flying circus operation and, if so, flying off the sands at Camber seems more likely that an airfield in the accepted sense. However it seems that there must have been a tangible “base” at Camber – otherwise to where would the postman have delivered applications for the post of general engineer there in 1935?

Also I was interested by the reference to G-ADGC, G-ADGM and G-ADGN being part of the Zenith Airways fleet. None of these were ever registered to Zenith, their sole registered owners being, respectively, J.E.Coxon, Brooklands Aviation and Aviation Commerce and none of them giving (as Zenith did for G-ADGB) Camber Aerodrome as their address.

However none of this sheds light on what Mr Ogilvie and his three aeroplanes were up to in 1910 and where, precisely, they were up to it! I am pursuing other lines of enquiry and so, hopefully, I may be able to say more on the subject in the future.

Guess you’ve found this also
http://www.airfieldinformationexchange.org/viewtopic.php?f=46&t=1753&p=11489&hilit=Camber#p11489

Yep, e-mails sent to local reference library, museum, local authority and newspaper. Responses awaited!

Have you tried the local `rag` ,or possibly a Museum,local historical group,etc?

I’d looked at that aerial view and it took me no further. I could not identify anything on it that had any suggestion of evidence of aviation activity. If it was flying off the beach, that’s hardly surprising. Even a grass field is unlikely to offer much of a clue seventy plus years on. So I continue to wait in hope!

Aerial of Camber Sands airport.:)

http://www.content-delivery.co.uk/aviation/airfields/CamberSands.html