Hooton Park
HOOTON PARK: Originally temporary landing site, later WW1 military aerodrome. Later civil aerodrome/airport then a military aerodrome again in WW2.
(Possibly reverting to civil aerodrome status after WW2?)
Also known as HOOTON, HOOTON HALL, HOOTON AIR PARK and HOOTON PARK RACECOURSE?
And, MERSEYSIDE AIR PARK in 1939 at least
HOOTON PARK PICTURES
The first picture from a postcard was kindly sent by Mike Charlton who has an amazing collection. See, www.aviationpostcard.co.uk
The others have been copied from the excellent web-site 'Abandoned, Forgotten & Little Known Airfields in Europe'.
Military users: WW1: RFC/RAF
3 Sqdn (Sopwith Dolphins)
4 TDS, (Training Depot Station) (Avro 504Ks, Sopwith Dolphins, Pups & Scouts)
Aeroplane Repair Section
43 Aero Sqdn USAS HQ37 Training Wing
Other types used here in WW1 included Avro 504Js
Inter war years:
1936: No. 610 Light Bomber Unit formed here (Avro Tutors + Hawker Harts)
WW2: RAF Coastal Command 15 Group
48 Sqdn [General Reconnaissance] (Avro Ansons)
206 Sqdn (Avro Ansons)
610 Sqdn AAF (Vickers-Supermarine Spitfires)
4CPF (DH Tiger Moths)
Maintenance Command 56 Wing Storage unit
No.7 Aircraft Assembly Unit
Post WW2: RAF Fighter Command?
610 & 611 (West Lancashire) Sqdns (Gloster Meteors)
Note: It appears that by this stage 611 Squadron was part of the RAF Auxiiiary Air Force, and had previously been stationed at WOODVALE flying Spitfires. However, when the Squadron was re-equipped with Gloster Meteors the runways at WOODVALE were deemed too short, so they decanted to HOOTON PARK.
THUM (Temperature and Humidity Flight) – (Vickers-Supermarine Spitfire PR.XIXs)**
192 Gliding School
Civil operator: 1930s: Merseyside Air Park
British airline users: Pre 1940: Imperial Airways (?), Midland and Scottish Air Ferries, Utility Airways (?)
Note: Utility Airways were, it seems, probably offering an air taxi service.
Civil users: Pre 1940: Aircraft Facilities Ltd, Heston Aircraft Co, International Aviation Co, North British Aviation Co, Northern Air Transport, Scottish & Midland Air Ferries*, Utility Airways
Flying Club: Pre 1940: Liverpool and District Aero Club (previously called the Merseyside Aero & Sports Club)
Maintenance/assembly: WW2 only? Martin Hearn Ltd (Assembled repaired Avro Ansons & DH Mosquitos)
Manufacturing: Pre 1940: Comper Aircraft Company/Swift Aircraft Company, Pobjoy Air Motors
Location: NE of Childer Thornton & E of Hooton villages, 7nm SE of Birkenhead
Period of operation: Military: 1917 to 1919. It appears that HOOTON PARK was deserted for flying until the late 1920s when it reopened, (briefly as the airport for Liverpool 1930 till 1933) plus having small-scale aircraft manufacturing - the Comper Aircraft Co only?.
Became a RAF aerodrome again in 1939 until? Closed in 1957
Runways: Originally ‘All-over’ grass airfield, in WW1 giving maximum ‘runs’ of about 400 to 500 yards, (making allowance to clear surrounding woods). A map of the site in 1918 shows two landing areas positioned around the Polo Ground. One is roughly N/W to S/E situated SW of the Polo Ground measuring 1000ft (304 metres), and the other parallel to and SE of the Polo ground running SW/NE measuring 1250ft (381 metres).
This said the total site area was listed according to another highly respected source as being 200 acres measuring 1143 x 914. Another source also highly respected says it was 160 acres but the landing dimensions are very similar
1933: Max landing run 869 grass
WW2: 14/32 1372x46 hard 04/22 1006x46(?) hard
It appears that after WW2 the 14/32 runway, then designated as 15/33, had been lengthened to 1829 metres.
NOTES: It is said that the aviation association at HOOTON PARK goes back to 1909 where rumour has it that Louis Blériot ‘dropped in’ to visit with his ‘type’ XI flying machine. (In those days aeroplanes were often if not usually referred to as 'machines'). It also appears certain that Henri Salmet visited HOOTON HALL in 1913, (a couple of photographs exist which seem to support this), flying his Blériot. In fact it now seems that Salmet made this visit during the Daily Mail sponsored tour, mostly to resorts in North Wales and the north-west of England possibly terminating in CUMBRIA?
As on his previous tours once again Salmet elected to use floats to visit some venues, or so it is said. If so I find this decision a trifle odd as this region of the UK was particularly well served by big useable beachs, many largish and flat fields, (for that time), and golf courses, horse racing venues etc. And still is of course.
THE AMERICANS ARRIVE
When the USA entered WW1 in April 1917 plans were made for imported American aircraft to be assembled and stored. HOOTON PARK was one site, SEALAND in Cheshire the other.
In March 1919 No.17 Squadron flew into here from WADDINGTON with their DH.9s for ten days before crossing the Irish Sea to Tallaght aerodrome near Dublin for various “security duties”. It is of course a fact of history that the British still ruled Eire or what we now know as the Irish Republic during WW1.
SOMETHING TO CONSIDER
Should the British military aerodromes in what became the Irish Republic be included in this 'Guide'? This was an issue caused me a great deal of thought to resolve as initially I supposed these aerodromes should really be included in this Guide of ‘British’ flying sites especially as in those days the whole of ‘Eire’, (or Ireland), was of course an integral part of the United Kingdom. In the end I decided that the Irish Republic, or southern Eire should now be regarded as a foreign country - which it is of course. Eire, (the Gaelic for Ireland), was apparently the official term used by the Irish government for what is now the Republic of Ireland from 1937 to 1949.
I did however, many years ago, make a list of these aerodromes - for reference purposes. Only now I cannot remember where I placed them! They will I hope eventually surface somewhere.
It seems far from a coincidence, that the adoption of the term Eire more or less coincides with the Irish Government (although remaining neutral) deciding to align themselves with the upcoming Nazi regime in Germany, who some claim they supported throughout most of WW2. I now think that these allegations need a lot more investigation as it certainly appears that much of this aspect of their history is "smoke & mirrors".
I suppose that is sometimes conveniently forgotten that there is nothing to prevent a neutral country trading with and supplying any country which is actively engaged in war with another country. Sweden for example were perfectly happy to supply the Allies as well as the Third Reich, especially with essential ball bearings. Some maintain that without the huge support from the Swiss it would have been impossible for the Third Reich to prosecute the Second World War for very long. And indeed for example, without precision gun sights manufactured by the Oerlikon company, many of the German guns would have been quite useless.
I would now think that those decisions made for a lot of sense at the time and they would have had, I suppose, a lot of international support. And why not? On a global scale many countries had long considered the British Empire as an entity which needed to be curtailed, as do all ‘Empires’ I suppose - looking back at history. As so often happens in history I’ll bet a pound to penny that nobody in the Irish, Swedish or Swiss governments could have foreseen the eventual consequences? Or that a European war would become global ending up with two ‘Super-Powers’ facing off against each other for decades with the utterly futile Cold War regime.
Indeed, I suspect that most people around the world in 1939, interested in such matters, would have given the UK much of a chance of surviving even the first few months?
RUDIMENTARY BEGINNINGS
During WW1 a very rudimentary ‘Air-Sea’ Rescue service was developed here relying heavily on the goodwill of boatmen from Eastham Ferry, Whitby Locks and Garston Docks as aircraft from HOOTON PARK and SHOTWICK, (SEALAND), often made forced landings on the sandbanks and mudflats between Bromborough and Ince Marshes. This large open area was favoured by pilots for practising aerobatics and low level flying.
A NEW BEGINNING IN CIVIL AVIATION
In September 1927 the Liverpool Civic Week Air Pageant was held here and later HOOTON PARK became, (1930 to 1933), the officially designated ‘Airport’ for Liverpool. This was a very foolish decision and the mistake quickly realised so pretty soon afterwards a 400 acre site at Speke Hall, (see SPEKE in LANCASHIRE on the ‘correct’ side of the Mersey), was brought by the Liverpool Corporation.
By the end of 1929 it seems the Liverpool & District Aero Club ranked second in the UK behind the London Aero Club in terms of membership, number of aircraft operated, hours flown and pilots trained. They were also operating from AINTREE, ALEXANDRA PARK, HAWARDEN, SOUTHPORT, SQUIRES GATE and WOODFORD. By 1933 it appears there were seven hangars in use at HOOTON PARK.
'TED' FREESON
It never fails to amaze me what rich and diverse lives so many of those involved in the early years of aviation had led, and ‘Ted’ Freeson is a fine example. To quote from Neville Doyle in his book The Triple Alliance : “Highland Airways Ltd, was formed on 3rd April 1933 by Ernest Edmund (Ted) Freeson. Born in London in 1891, he was educated at Framlingham College. Employed by a London firm of Far Eastern merchants he was sent out to work in their Shanghai office. In 1917, he left China and joined the RFC, via North America. Demobilised in 1919, he returned to Shanghai with his wife of four months, but, tragically, one year later she died of typhoid fever. In 1924, he set up China’s first aircraft factory at Tai-Yuan Fu, but a wave of anti-British feeling due to the Shanghai police opening fire on rioting students, plus promises of cheaper aircraft from Junkers, ended this enterprise.”
Throughout its history the British Empire was plagued by uprisings and this included trading outposts such as Shanghai. Indeed, in China, the ‘Boxer Rebellion’ of 1900 can be considered to demonstrate just how ‘shaky’ the situation in China had always been.
To return to Neville Doyle: “After some time in the USA, Freeson arrived back in England in March 1927. In 1928, he flew with the well-known joy-riding company Berkshire Aviation Tours Limited, and at the end of the season, he joined their chief pilot, Lance Rimmer, to form their own company. This was North British Aviation Co Limited, registered on March 2nd 1929 [with] headquarters at Hooton Park. In the following years, Freeson saw a great deal of North Britain, joy-riding in one of the company’s Avro 504Ks (usually G-EBGZ) or flying Miss Heloise Auer’s Gipsy Moth G-AAWO.”
It appears that Freeson must have later acquired G-AAWO as it appears in the fleet list I have compiled for Highland Airways – see LONGMAN AERODROME (INVERNESS-SHIRE).
Wouldn’t it be great to discover the sites he used between 1929 and 1933. It certainly included the Orkney Isles. “Across the Pentland Firth at Kirkwall, in September 1931, Freeson was invited to a meeting with a local group, which included the Deputy Town Clerk, and he was asked whether he was planning an air ferry to the mailand. He said he was not but would think about it! During 1932, he did just that and spoke to many people in the North of Scotland, enlisting their aid and sometimes their capital. At the end of the joy-riding season, in late 1932, Freeson negotiated the sale of his interest in North British which was finalised at Hooton in February 1933.”
*I now reckon that some authors have got ‘Scottish & Midland Air Ferries’ discombobulated with ‘Midland & Scottish Air Ferries’?
AN INTERESTING ERA
This was obviously a fairly busy aerodrome in its day and was the base for the North British Aviation Co who undertook several tours of the UK between 1929 and 1935.
And, a visit by the dreaded enemy (?). On 1st May 1935 Alan Cobham’s UK Tour operated and displayed here.
On a rather ‘anoraky’note were the two ‘Flying Fleas’ built by members of the Rock Ferry and Birkenhead Flying Club offered for static display in a hangar at HOOTON for the Empire Air Day in May 1936, actually based here?
One aerodrome map I have seen is completely at odds with one of the descriptions given in WW2. On this map the 04/22 runway is shown as being barely 600x46 at best. Not only that but according to this map runway 04/22 couldn’t be extended more than 100 metres or so at best. Does anybody now know the true layout and runway dimensions in WW2 and those used prior to this period? An aerial photograph of HOOTON in 1946 published in Wings Across the Border clearly shows two quite long runways but the length proportions don’t agree with those I’ve given for WW2 use.
None of this disparate information is life threatening, or even mildly interesting to most people of course, but as a pilot I find the development of runways pretty interesting of course - as I find them to be very useful as you might well imagine.
NICHOLAS COMPER
In the December 2015 issue of Light Aviation magazine there is an excellent article about no only the buiding of the replica Comper CLA-7 Swift G-ECTF, but a potted history of the company and its history here. Well worth a read. For this 'Guide' suffice it to say that the first Swift (G-AARX), and the first of around forty-five examples built, flew here in January 1930.
SOMETHING QUIRKY
Turning to another tack I trust you’ll be as equally amused as I was learning that in the early days of WW2 the Tiger Moths of No.4 Coastal Patrol Flight searching for possible invasion landings and German U-boats, (plus Irish alledged spying missions on behalf of the Nazi regime using fishing boats), had yet to be repainted and still sported their civilian colours and registrations. In fact the whole operation was so ‘Mickey Mouse’ in todays terms it’s laughable if not hilarious. But it’s difficult to turn theclock back some sixty years or more and try to understand how these duties were not only very serious but could be very risky too.
Operating for hours over so much cold unforgiving water, with a negliable survival factor if the engine failed for example, isn’t the best occupation in a Tiger Moth. This said ‘state of the art’ survival methods were in fact employed; a small wicker basket containing two homing pigeons was essential 'front seat' equipment and stowed into the luggage locker was a partially inflated motor car inner tube with a marine distress signal attached to a 30ft cord. A ‘Verey’ pistol and Mae West completed this comprehensive survival kit list. Easy to mock today I suppose but in fact I doubt I’ve flown across serious stretches of water in recent years with anything really much more effective.
WRIGHT AVIATION
For this information I have to thank North West Air News, which is a free site on the web and a fund of valuable information.
"Wright Aviation was registered as an airline on 21st October 1946 by Sqdn Ldr G.C.Wright and Mr.J.P.Hodgson." I have always considered an airline to be, by definition, an operater of scheduled services - or at least regular charter services between defined destinations. But it appears, in those days at least, a much wider spectrum of operations could be applied.
"Operations from Hooton Park began immediately when Wright took delivery of an Auster Autocrat the same month, this aircraft being used for flying training and light charter work. Further Austers were acquired, and in addition to being flown by Wright Aviation, these aircraft were used by Wirral Aero and Gliding Club." Of much interest to this 'Guide' is the mention that in, "August 1947 no fewer than 300 people were given joy rides by the company at a local horse show. Now then, can anybody kindly give advice on the location of that venue?
It appears that the Austers purchased were G-AIBZ (Auster J/1N Alpha), G-AIGP (Auster J/1 Autocrat), G-AIKB (Auster 5 - possibly a Taylocraft Model J Auster 5?), G-AIGV (Auster J/1 Autocrat), and last but certainly not least, possibly G-AIPH is rare example of an Auster J4?. Plus the Miles Hawk Trainer G-AIZL. Later a Percival Proctor was added to the fleet, but I have yet to identify this aircraft.
"Late in 1949, Wright Aviation assisted in the formation of the Liverpool Flying Club at Speke." And, later in 1950, Wright Aviation transferred all operations to SPEKE.
**The THUM (Temperature and Humidity Flight) was transferred to Short Bros in 1951 and were flown by civilian pilots. At a later date (1954?) the THUM operations were transferred to WOODVALE in LANCASHIRE.
Peter
This comment was written on: 2020-02-05 02:08:03Thanks for the information. I'm currently building a version for MS Flight Simulator.
We'd love to hear from you, so please scroll down to leave a comment!
Leave a comment ...
Copyright (c) UK Airfield Guide
