Bognor Regis flying sites
BOGNOR REGIS see also ELMER
BOGNOR REGIS see also FELPHAM
BOGNOR REGIS see also MIDDLETON-on-SEA
BOGNOR REGIS: Flying boat site (Aka MIDDLETON-on-SEA)
NOTES: According to Andrew Renwick in his excellent book RAF Hendon the White & Thompson Co Ltd had a facility at “Bognor” for producing flying boats. Possibly mostly Curtiss designs?
His account regarding John C. Porte states: “He had been a naval officer before being invalided out and taking up flying. When the Deperdussin School had closed in 1913, (My note: At HENDON (LONDON)), he had moved to White & Thompson Co Ltd at Bognor, becoming involved with Curtiss flying boats; he was in America with Curtiss when the First World War started. He had been preparing to cross the Atlantic using a Curtiss America flying boat, but immediately returned to Britain, was accepted as an officer in the Royal Naval Air Service and became commanding officer of RNAS Hendon.”
There is something very important indeed I have discovered, mostly due to Andrew Renwick. And this is that before WW1 four major people were actively engaged in attempts to fly across the Atlantic. In the USA Glenn Curtiss and John Porte, and in the UK at HENDON, Claude Grahame-White and James Martin.
Later on in WW1 John C Porte became a significant figure in flying boat development.
BOGNOR REGIS: RNAS Air Station
Period of operation: WW1 only? 1916/17 certainly
NOTES: In January 1917 two damaged F.B.A.s, (3201 & 3206), were crated up at HILL OF OAKS on Lake Windermere (CUMBRIA) for consignment to RNAS BOGNOR.
BOGNOR REGIS:Temporary Landing Ground (Aka LIDNEY FARM)
NOTES: On September 9th, 1929, BOGNOR REGIS was the 75th venue for Sir Alan Cobham's Municipal Aerodrome Campaign. This Tour started in May and ended in October with one hundred and seven venues intended to be visited. Mostly in England two venues were in Wales and eight in Scotland. In the end he managed to visit 96 venues - which was still a remarkable achievement.
The aircraft Cobham mostly used was the DH.61 'Giant Moth' G-AAEV, named 'Youth of Britain'. The punishing schedule he set seems quite extraordinary today. Highly recommended is reading his memoirs - A Time To Fly. Without any doubt this Tour encouraged many aerodromes and regional airports being commissioned, but not in Bognor.
A MICHAEL T HOLDER GALLERY
The second item was published in the Bognor Regis Observer on the 4th September 1929.
The fourth item was published in the Bognor Regis Observer on the 11th September 1929.
It is interesting to note, as quoted in the newspaper article above, that Sir Alan stated that Bognor was the 69th town he had visited. He was mistaken. Mike Holder, a great friend of this 'Guide' has painstakingly pieced together very nearly all of the venues in considerable detail, backed up by contemporary newspaper reports. The only venue he hasn't been able to trace, (yet), is the venue for Coventry.
In the original plan, BOGNOR was the 71st venue, out of 107. Along the way, due to a couple of crashes and other setbacks, the schedule had had to be adjusted, making this the 75th venue. This said, considering the astonishing pace Cobham had set himself, pretty much without a proper rest since he set out in May, it is surely hardly surprising that he was struggling to keep count!
BOGNOR: Military ALG (Advanced Landing Ground)
Military user: RAF Fighter Command 11 Group
331 & 332 [Norwegian] Sqdns (Vickers-Supermarine Spitfires)
83 GSU
Location: 2nm NW of Bognor Regis
Period of operation: 1943 to 1945
Runways: Steel matting (Somerfield track) 07/25 1463 grass 15/33 1280 grass
BOGNOR REGIS: Private airfield (Aka LEC AIRFIELD)
Note: This photo and the two maps were kindly provided by Mr Michael T Holder
Note. Both pictures by the author taken through perspex. The second picture clearly shows runway markings, indicating that this airfield is back in use.
Operated by: LEC Refrigeration plc
Possibly from 1946 (?) until 2002 (?)
2016: BR Aviation (see 'Comment' below)
Location: E of A29, just NE of Bognor Regis
Period of operation: Late 1940s to 2004?
Gliding: Since 2016 to -
Note. These maps are reproduced with the kind permission of Pooleys Flight Equipment Ltd. Copyright Robert Pooley 2014.
Runway:
1965: 05/23 762x21 grass
1993: 05/23 610x18 hard
2016: 05/23 560 hard
NOTES: I seem to recall LEC operating a Piper PA-24 Comanche, G-APZF, from here when I was just a spotty teenage spotter in the early 1960s. In 1977 two aircraft were reported as being based here; the Cessna FR.172E G-AWCN belonging to LEC Refrigeration and the PA-E23 Aztec 250 G-BCRP of American Airspeed Inc. Ltd.
However, in 2024, Mr Graham Frost, a great friend of this 'Guide', brought to our attention that LEC had previously operated the Miles M.38 Messenger 2A, G-AKDF, from 09.10.48 until 21.10.50. Then a gap to be filled - any ideas? Well, yes, Graham did have some ideas.
Miles M.65 Gemini 3A, G-ALMU, from 17.02.56 to 14.06.57. Then, two years later a Dove. This was the de Havilland DH104 Dove 6, G-ALEC (ex G-APPD), which is, I think, the first example of an out of sequence UK registration? Certainly the first example that I know of. The original G-ALEC registration was allocated to a Handley Page HP.61 Halifax B. Mk.6 - (ex RG847) - almost certainly a freighter conversion. The Dove did not last long though. Although official records state it was registered to LEC Refrigeration from 21.01.59 to 19.07.60, it was actually destroyed in a crash at Cardiff on the 6th May 1959. Which just goes to show how long it can take for the paperwork to take effect!
In adding the notes above I noticed a gap in the dates between LEC operating the Gemini and the Dove. A bit of a delve revealed that LEC had the Avro C19 Anson Srs.2, G-AHIB, registered, (and used as a flying showroom), from 14.06.57 until 04.03.59. What I also found interesting is that this Anson started life with Railway Air Services, (30.04.46 to 01.02.47), then to BEA (British European Airways Corporation) from 01.02.47 to 30.04.47. I can imagine that BEA were saying, "What the f*>!~ do we want an Anson for? In the most remotest regions of the UK, like Cornwall and the western isles of Scotland, give us a biplane DH89A Dragon Rapide any day."
LEC also operated the Auster J/I Autocrat, G-AHSI, from 03.07.47 to 05.10.51, for use by their salesmen. This being registered in the full LEC company name of Longford Engineering. This was replaced by the Auster J/5B Autocar, G-AJYY, registered from 05.10.51 until 08.01.56.
It is reported that the last GA type to use this runway was a Cessna 172 in 2007 - just before it fell into disuse. However, it now appears that the period of disuse was somehat short-lived.
A COMMENT
Made by the author many years ago: "In 2006 I flew over this site and to all intents and purposes it still looked useable. I suppose I will never understand why so many viable runways such as this, having been constructed, aren’t made available either for occasional use, or even emergency use? In the UK we always seem to be wasting away, bit by bit, valuable resources such as these runways. Why?" But, I spoke too soon.
21st CENTURY VIEWS
These four pictures were obtained from Google Earth ©. The first picture shows the Lec hangar, which had been demolished about a year later.
A NEW LEASE OF LIFE
Note: This picture was obtained from the Bognor Regis Gliding Club website.
It appears that permission to use this runway with the D G Flugzeugbau DG-1000M, G-CGRV, a self-launching motor glide was first given in 2013.
By 2016 BR Avation, the owner of G-CGRV, had taken over operations of the site, and established the Bognor Regis Gliding Club. In recent years with so much negative news pervading the GA community, it is refreshing to see new enterprises such as this taking place. And, looking at Google Earth images, this site has been spruced up no end. A credit to all involved.
BOGNOR REGIS see also CHALCRAFT FARM
Terry Clark
This comment was written on: 2018-10-01 17:57:54Bognor (LEC airfield) re-opened in about 2014, primarily for gliding but they will allow powered aircraft in too. I think it's unlicenced; doubt if there is any fuel there.
Julian Hitchcock
This comment was written on: 2019-08-07 09:41:57Lots of info re LEC Airfield EGKC Now Bognor Regis Gliding Club www.brgc.co.uk
We'd love to hear from you, so please scroll down to leave a comment!
Leave a comment ...
Copyright (c) UK Airfield Guide
