AEROFOILHeston Airport Mystery
Looking at the Picture of the Supermarine Sea Eagle when it was outside, it seems that whoever had it taken there for eventual burning were not wanting to show that this aircraft was orginally in Imperial Airways markings on the nose , when I saw it in the hangar in 1951 it had the name quite clearly on the front . They did obviously did not want to show their shame for destroying this antique specimum with any connection to the later British Airways.
AEROFOILHeston Airport Mystery
Further information taken from Air Britain Information Exchange AB-IX last year.
The Black Widow alongside the hangar on Cranford Lane, Heston, was to be used by Fairey to evaluate the remotely- controlled gun ‘barbette’ turret. A similar installation was planned for the Fairey Spearfish but with the widespread cancellation of orders in 1945 the plan was abandoned.
Whether this was P-61A 25496 that was tested at Boscombe Down or a war weary ex-USAAF is not clear. There was also a carcass- wings, engine nascelles and part of the airframe body in the 1950’s, which I saw next to the Fairey Aviation hangars, which looked like a DH Sea Hornet or similar.
Re: Heston Airport, have you looked at ” BOAC Sports Festival 09 June 1951″
and “Mystery Landing at Heston Airport” ? Both forums can be found via the search engine. A feature article entitled “Late Landings at Heston” will
be appearing in Air Britain’s quarterly magazine “Aviation World” in the summer, 2010
AEROFOILAir Race at Wisley Airfield
Having copies of the RAeS journal reports for the above dates, it seems that my idea that an air race took place here at all may well be shot down in flames, since it is inconceivable that both the RAeS and the Flight Magazine would have omitted such an event. Since my viewpoint on the southern side of the airfield was at least half a mile to a mile from all the Garden Party activities, I could only see the aircraft when they took off in the distance before making a sharp turn over Ockham Common. Also the loud speaker system could not be interpreted at all. In all intents and purposes, the sequence of types of different aircraft appearing on the same circuit several times gave the appearance of an air race being conducted . However reading between the lines of the 1957 journal, there is a case that this was only individual demonstrations by the pilots of the older aircraft doing fast and slow passes in front of the spectators, before joining the aforementioned circuit in force. This would have been fairly low level over Ockham Common, outlying Wisley, Pyrford and Ripley before landing west to east presumably.
AEROFOILAir Race at Wisley Airfield
Thanks, however Brooklands Museum have been unable to trace this event.
It just seems possible that the RAeS did not have enough space in their journal to record this, but also Flight Global Archive have no reference to it either. I have looked under GAPAN (Guild of Pilots and Navigators) and the RAeC (Royal Aero Club) in Google search to see if anything showed, but a pointblank answer, so am hoping that perhaps someone who attended the dates in question might provide an answer. After all this was a major garden party at the time, the 1957 event was attended by some 4,600 people
including nearly 550 children and 53 light aircraft.
AEROFOILDragon Rapide
I have at last managed to find out how to include my photo of G-AGJG as previously mentioned. The owners have obviously done a good job of restoration.
AEROFOILCierva C.19 Mk 111 G-ABCK/ZK-ACL
I have a picture of the same aircraft presumably, with british registration taken at Heston Airport during the early 1930’s. Cierva of course did much pioneering work on the autogiro at Heston which is doubtlessly documented on the web.
AEROFOILHeston Airport Fly-In, 09 June 1951
This month, I was with my Aviation Group when we visited the GA Expo at Booker Airfield, High Wycombe.
As well as seeing the latest aircraft and technology in general aviation, I
was able to visit John Harthill, the CFI of British Airways Flying Club and
view his collection of early photos of the Airways Aero Association from the
1950’s and later. Since I had been in touch with him over the last
year about pictures of the fly-in to the BOAC Sports Festival by the AAA
when they were based at Denham, I had the opportunity to take these digital
photos of a few of the original ones in his collection which are to be
digitalised and archived when he gets the time. I was excited to
see from the aerial pictures that my long outstanding query of whether the
reported D.H. Dove taking the Festival President, Mr Whitney Straight to Heston had landed earlier in the day either at Heston or possibly at Heathrow, have finally been resolved.
Also I was delighted to see the picture of the D.H.Dragon, G-ACIT which
along with an Auster Aiglet of AAA gave the public sight seeing flights
nearby for 5s per time !
I have a feeling that there was also another picture of some of the aircraft
lined up at Denham before a departure on the day to Heston which included
the D.H. Tiger Moth and an Aiglet, unfortunately this could not be traced, however I am very pleased that I can now add these photos to my now extensive collection of Heston Airport history and memorabilia.
If you view the aerial pictures in maximum close up, you can make out the D.H.Dove to the left of the main marquee, whilst the 2 Miles Hawk Trainers and D.H.Tiger Moth can just be made out nearer to the hangars on the southern side of the Airport.
AEROFOILWhat airfield is this ?
I agree with Longshot and Daveg4otu that the first picture is Heathrow.
I remember very well the hangars in the background and personally saw the
Sikorsky S51 G-AJOV there when it first started doing proving flights for B.E.A.
This would have been about 1952. Later about the same period it used to do pilot training on the eastern side of LHR hovering for extended periods near to some cargo/mail sheds.
Also in the background for picture no.4, there appears to be a couple of Daks
visible which could add to the Bovingdon statement.
AEROFOILSARO Cutty Sark location
Could this possibly have been Calshot at the time with its access to Southampton Water and the Solent if the hangars were rebuilt at a later date,
or possibly Lee on Solent ?
AEROFOILMiles M18 landing at Heston Airport
Another helicopter arrival/departure seen by a fellow Air Britain member on the 04/03/63 was a Bristol 171 Mk 3A, G-AMWH in British European Airways
livery.
AEROFOILMiles aircraft landing at Heston Airport
Since 1951 when I first became interested in aviation, I have seen a total of
9 aircraft using Heston Airport since the official closure in 1947. Although
it appears likely that the movements records for this airfield have not survived, at least I can account for the following aircraft in addition to the Miles Hawk Trainer on these pages.
In cronological date order, these were:
09 June 1951- 5 aircraft from the Airways Aero Association, Denham for the BOAC Sports Festival (see separate pages) G-ACIT DH Dragon, Auster Aiglet,
reg. unknown, G-ALOX DH Tiger Moth and 2 Miles Hawk Trainers, including G-AKKV (see: http://www.abpic.co.uk/photo/1018874)
ca. 1952/53 Swiss Messerschmidt ME108 Taifun, HB-DUB (a fast ship !)
ca. 1953/54 red/silver Miles Gemini, reg unidentified, taking off over Cranford end (possibly after having Fairey Metal propellors fitted)
1955/56 Miles Hawk Trainer, believed to be G-ADWT
Sept 1964 Augusta Bell Ranger helicopter, G-ASNV (see http://www.ab-pic.co.uk)
Other reports include Westland Widgeon, G-ANLW which collected 3 MTCA officials at Heston enroute from Yeovil to the new Battersea Heliport in order
to make the first landing there prior to its official opening.
Other helicopters may well have included the Fairey Gyrodyne and possibly the Rotordyne since the Company had their premises there and at Hayes.
My final report is taken from Tim Sherwood’s excellent book “Coming Into Land” which details the history of Heston, Hanworth, Hounslow and the original Heathrow (Great Western) airfields and is purchaseable from Hounslow Library.
This mentions the departure of a Board of Trade helicopter from Heston Airport to Sevenoaks on the 06 June 1978 after the CAA had vacated their
offices there.
AEROFOILDenham Airfield History
A very detailed history on this website ! Denham was the first airfield I visited in 1951 when I became interested in aviation as a spotter and cycled there from Heston, seeing fascinating aircraft like the Spartan Arrow or Avro Avian putering overhead whilst negotiating the steep hill next to the golf course to aproach the Club House on the southern side. Other fabric covered aircraft like the D.H. Moth Minor, Miles Hawk Trainer and various other wood/fabric types were to be seen in the main hangar- a different experience from the current types to be seen there today.
Pity that no mention was made of the 25th anniversary fly-in of the D.H.Tiger Moth in the 50’s which was very well attended or the Chiltern Hills Air Race, when a good selection of british aircraft took part.
AEROFOILMiles M18 G-AHKY landing at Heston Airport
Yes I admit I should have checked when the Gemini first flew, you are quite right, my silly goof !
AEROFOILMiles M18 G-AHKY landing at Heston Airport
Last week I managed to visit the owner of the Miles Hawk Trainer G-ADWT which according to my records most probably was the aircraft which landed at
Heston. He graciously showed me all the aircraft records and historical
photos pertaining to the Hawk over a number of years, but unfortunately the old logbook from previous pilots, which might have detailed the landing there was missing when he purchased DWT. So it rather looks that after all these years unless someone who used to work for Heston Aircraft, the M.T.C.A. (Southern Divn.) or Fairey Aviation are still alive and not too decrepid, has the answer, this will remain a mystery.
One possibility however may be the fact that various aircraft flew into Heston
earlier to have Fairey metal propellors fitted when the airfield was still open, for instance Prince Bira, a famous racing driver from Siam (now Thailand) had his new Miles Gemini fitted with these sometime in the 30’s, and I can remember a red Gemini taking off from Heston around 1952/3 which may well have had the same installation by Fairey’s.
AEROFOILMiles aircraft landing at Heston Airport
I recently made contact with Sqn Ldr Iles family and his son was able to check the logbook for Miles M18 G-AHKY but found no reference to any
landing at Heston. It now seems likely that the aircraft in question may well have been G-ADWT a M2W Hawk Major since I found a remark in an old
spotter’s logbook of mine that I saw this overflying Heston and it could have been the mystery visitor.
This aircraft was restored to a beautifully condition about 4 years ago and is
a tribute to Miles great designs. The C of A expired in June this year
and I have written the present listed owners, but as yet no reply, although they might conceivably have moved address. Luckily a pilot who occaisionally sees the owner/s at the flying strip where the aircraft is located, will hopefully put me in touch with them. If the logbook shows a landing at Heston in the 1950’s, there still remains the question whether or not it was intentional or just due to dusk falling , being outside of VFR.
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