Birmingham flying sites
Note: This map only gives the location of Birmingham city centre within the UK.
BIRMINGHAM see also COTTAGE FARM
BIRMINGHAM see also JOHN BRIGHT STREET
BIRMINGHAM: Balloon ascent venue
Operated by: Mr James Sadler
Period of operation: 3rd , 4th and also the 31st January 1785
Location: The tennis courts in Coleshill Street
NOTES: The first attempt to ascend on the 3rd failed and resulted in many from the assembled crowds rioting. The second attempt on the 4th was successful and Sadler, along with a Mr Harper eventually landed at Milstone Green near Newcastle-under-Lyen, (now Newcastle-under- Lyme). On the 31st after a very difficult launching with just Mr Harper on board, (which very nearly destroyed the balloon), Mr Harper was rescued from the basket and another man volunteered to enter the basket to act as ballast. However, it appears that in the bungled recovery operation the balloon broke loose carrying this unfortunate person as far as Chippenham in Wiltshire! Unfortunately no account of what this ‘passenger’ made of their ordeal appears to have been recorded?
BIRMINGHAM: Temporary balloon ascent venues
NOTES: Considerable detail can be found about balloon ascents taken from the Birmingham Gazette quoted by Geoffrey Negus and Tommy Staddon in their excellent book Aviation in Birmingham, and certainly regarding a balloon ascent by James Sadler during a festival on the 23rd September 1811, but unfortunately no location. Another ascent by Mr Sadler is listed on the 7th October 1811 which took him to Lincolnshire covering 112 miles in eighty minutes in gale force winds. In 1823 the Birmingham Gas Company donated £11 to a festival, this being the amount Mr Sadler paid for ‘filling’ his balloon. On the 10th October 1829 Mr George Green made a coal gas-filled balloon ascent during a festival in the Birmingham area. He of course became probably the most famous aeronaut in that era and features elsewhere in this 'Guide'.
BIRMINGHAM: Temporary landing sites
NOTES: In July 1912 Brentfield Hucks flew a Blériot monoplane from HENDON to Birmingham via Rugby in about 1.5 hours. Over Rugby it is said he was caught in a rain squall and thrown about like a leaf. If he did in fact complete the flight in 1.5 hours he must have had one hell of a tailwind! So, the usual question - is it now known where he landed?
In August 1913 Hucks and Hamel took part in a race from BIRMINGHAM via Redditch, Coventry, Nuneaton, Tamworth and Walsall arriving back in BIRMINGHAM. Hamel won but only twenty seconds separated them. Here again, is it now known which location they used for this event?
BIRMINGHAM: Military aerodrome (Now usually referred to as ADDERLEY PARK but apparently known as BIRMINGHAM aerodrome when operational)
Operated by: Wolsey Motors Ltd
Location: 2nm E of New Street station, now in the city centre of Birmingham
Period of operation: WW1: 1915 to 1919
NOTES: 2nd Lieut. Keneln Lyall was awarded Pilot Certificate No.1312 after flying a Maurice Farman Biplane from here.
BIRMINGHAM: Temporary aerodrome?
Pleasure flights: Aeroplane Services
Period of operation: 1929
NOTES: Was this from the same location as the previous WW1 Army (RFC) aerodrome listed above? It has often been both frustrating and even infuriating at times to discover that so little information often exists regarding the exact or even approximate location of many quite busy aerodromes in the past.
BIRMINGHAM: Temporary aerodrome?
NOTES: On the 9th October 1932 Sir Alan Cobham’s National Aviation Day UK Display Tour performed their all-day famous “Flying Circus” routine in/near “Birmingham”. In my quest the use of such a general term as ‘BIRMINGHAM’ is about as much use as an ashtray on a motorbike and as welcome as a fart in a space-suit. I feel sure somebody must know exactly where this event took place? On the 22nd April Cobham’s 1934 Tour displayed at “BIRMINGHAM” returning on the 9th and 10th of June, but did they always use the same site? It seems the Cobham Tours couldn’t leave “BIRMINGHAM” alone for long because the 1934 Tour returned a week later performing on the 17th June. On the 9th and 10th of June 1935 BIRMINGHAM was yet again the venue for the Cobham Tour. See COTTAGE FARM for their displays on the 19th and 20th April 1935.
BIRMINGHAM: Military airstrip?
Military user: US First Army ‘VII’ Corps 90th Infantry Division Artillery HQ
Location: Were they based at one of the known aerodromes or was another site used?
Period of operation: 1944/5 only?
Runways: ?
NOTES: Three Piper L-4 Grasshoppers and one Stinson L-5 Sentinel were based here. It really does seem astonishing, does it not, that I cannot pinpoint a location? But, try as I might, there doesn't appear to be any information. However, I strongly suspect that somebody can now shed some light on this?
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