Pre-War Civil Aerodromes

Here in LA we still have the Glendale terminal, google it.

Oops, may try that again! watch this space

For those who may be interested here is a pic – bottom right of the EMAC clubhouse in its glory at Sywell in 1929…

TT

Blackpool Stanley Park

The original terminal buildings for the 30s aerodrome were incorporated into the Zoo and are still visible plus other odd relics.Possibly an original small blister hangar may still be in use adjacent to the main road , it was a sports hall.

Last real aircraft on the site was a visit by Spitfire K9942 by road in about 1969 at the royal Lancashire
Agric show before the zoo was built.

Also was used by model flyers for ages until anew hotel was built.

I worked on a proposal a few years ago to develop part of the old Blackpool airport site as part of a museum. Sadly it didn’t go any further.

At that time, and I assume it hasn’t changed, there were five hangars left on site, along with the old terminal building and two grandstands which were built in 1930 in the anticipation of large numbers of holidaymakers turning up to watch the aeroplanes!

Hangar E is the last surviving original (1931) hangar on site, while Hangars 1, 2, 3, 4 of the late 1930s RAF Bellman type, I gather originally used as a part of an instrument training school. They are now being variously used as summer storage for the Blackpool illuminations, zoo animal feed stores and the animal hospital.

The terminal building, complete with its glass roof lantern, was being used for zoo admin and the head keeper’s office, while the walls of the old grandstands formed the sides of the elephant pens!

The Birmingham Terminal certainly fits, as does the nearby Airport Hotel. Glad to see the thread revived … I have photos of the original Chivenor/Barnstaple civil aerodrome hangars taken in the late 1970s. Anyone know if they are still there?

Doesn’t Birmingham’s original building fit into this?

How about Tollerton, Nottingham, haven’t been past for a year or two but it seemed pretty intact when I last saw it, and still in use. Did it have a terminal building when first built because I can never remember seeing one and thats going back over 50 years.
Will be going to Cambridge within the next few days and, if I remember to take my camera, I’ll take a picture of Marshalls terminal for Moggy.

Blackpool Stanley park

The original terminal buildings for the 30s aerodrome were incorporated into the Zoo and are still visible plus other odd relics.Possibly an original small blister hangar may still be in use adjacent to the main road , it was a sports hall.

Last real aircraft on the site was a visit by Spitfire K9942 by road in about 1969 at the royal Lancashire
Agric show before the zoo was built.

Also was used by model flyers for ages until anew hotel was built.

Thanks to the kind help of RPSmith – I managed to get over at the weekend to track down the old East Midlands Aero Club clubhouse – apparently it was bought for £19 in 1938, the veranda being nicked for firewood during a fuel shortage in the 1950s –

the internal colour scheme can still be seen but its seen better days – 🙁

Still, will see what we can do about preserving it 😉

TTFN

TT

Roger that is absolutely superb thank you so much – will pass the gen onto the airfield owner and lets hope we can get the building back again

Once again, thank you and a pint is yours the next time you are Sywell bound.

All the best

Ben

I use google earth for hunting out places for many things and i would think it could be used to see if buildings are still there.

Found it

A couple of weeks ago, prompted by Texan Tomcat I was looked through notes made (c.1972) from conversations and interviews with ex members of the East Midlands Aviation Co./East Midlands Flying Club at Sywell. The HM.14 Pou du Ciel, G-AEGV owned and on display at the Midland Air Museum had been constructed by members of the EMAC and flown a number of times at Sywell.

I remembered having found the old EMAC clubhouse (that had been re-located and re-used) 33 years ago. I recalled it was being used for storing apples in an orchard and was near a road junction but couldn’t find the road atlas (that I am sure I still have) on which I had marked it’s location. So into my notes and I found the original reference where one Frank Rouse said he thought it was.

My A3 laser printer has run out of toner – new toner cartridge approximately £140!! Solution buy 2nd hand A3 laser printer (with toner) for £10. So yesterday I had to drive to Cambridgeshire to pick it up and went via the A14.

The given location was only a few miles off the A14 so I thought “why not?” and off I trundled. I turned into the village and spent about 45 mins looking around finding nothing that looked right. Back out onto the main road intending to complete a circuit and was almost giving up when I found it! It IS in an orchard and it IS near a road junction (yet most days I can’t remember where I parked my car the previous night).

Now 80+ years old it looks in a bit of a state – most of the roofing felt is missing, a lot of evidence of woodworm and the floor is rotten in quite a few places. However it is wooden, sectional building and could be restored (if it was available) with enough time and money.

In 1972 I had a dream – to move and re-erect the building, put the Pou du Ciel inside it with other exhibits as an exhibition about between the wars private flying.

Roger Smith.

More pre-war information

Thanks for the interest shown, a shame that the Whitchurch building went the same way as the Hatfield clubhouse (later used as the works canteen).

Here are some more shots from the archive which may spur somebody on to delve into the fascinating history of 1930’s aviation:

Ratcliffe on the Wreake, airfield plan.
Sywell, airfield plan (shows EMAC clubhouse original location on eastern boundary).
Hanworth Air Park, airfield plan plus photo from 1930s and another taken in August 1979 when many of the hangars & other buildings were still extant but derelict.

The last time I visited Brooklands the flying club clubhouse was fenced off but surrounded by a modern “retail park” which occupies much of the western side of the site – the clubhouse used to be almost in the centre of the aerodrome/racetrack.

…..with a tailwind!!

Are you cleared for formation!!!?

Answering the original query, all that remains of the Bristol Whitchurch Aerodrome is a stretch of runway. The Aero Club building was demolished,and a sports track is now in its place. There is some more info on the Bristol Lulsgate website at http://www.eggd.co.uk, include a small aerial photo of the present layout. Click on ‘Old Bristol Whitchurch Airport’ to get to the right page. The Bristol Aviation’ website at http://www.chew76.fsnet.co.uk also has details.

Andy

I think there was a BBC West and Wales documentary on Whitchurch made some years ago and later shown on Discovery Wings. If you missed it, I’m sure that as DW’s a bit like a number 12 bus…… …..it’ll be along again soon!

To start the ball rolling here’s a shot taken in the late 1980s of the Bristol & Wessex Aero Club building at the old Bristol Whitchurch aerodrome – is it still there?

Answering the original query, all that remains of the Bristol Whitchurch Aerodrome is a stretch of runway. The Aero Club building was demolished,and a sports track is now in its place. There is some more info on the Bristol Lulsgate website at http://www.eggd.co.uk, include a small aerial photo of the present layout. Click on ‘Old Bristol Whitchurch Airport’ to get to the right page. The Bristol Aviation’ website at http://www.chew76.fsnet.co.uk also has details.

Andy

…..with a tailwind!!

Back to Sywell. For those that don’t know what it looks like, a couple of pictures of the art-deco Aviator building, now the bar/restaurant. Formerly the flying school and club house, it’s a lot more pretty now than it ever was in the 1940s!

OK, I know one’s got the Luton in front, but I had to get there somehow!

An aerial photo attached too, for those who hanker for proper grass aerodromes.

In fact in that photo the Luton is doing the famous Slater Kamikaze high speed pass… :p

Roger, that does sound jolly interesting….any chance of a PM with the location or maybe a pic or two? Didnt know about the Flying Flea either…..

I Maybe need a chat with a certain someone with larger pockets than me….

TT

Roger? Did PM you but yr ‘box was full so sent a normal email – can you help?

TT

Has anyone got an image of the Marshall’s Terminal at Cambridge?

As used in Piece of Cake as a stunt double for Le Touquet.

Moggy