Bournemouth flying sites
Note: This map only gives the location of Bournemouth within the UK.
BOURNEMOUTH AIRPORT see also BURRY’S FARM
BOURNEMOUTH see also CASTLE LANE
BOURNEMOUTH see also CENTRAL GARDENS
BOURNEMOUTH see also EAST PARLEY
BOURNEMOUTH see also ENSBURY PARK (DORSET)
BOURNEMOUTH see also ETCHES AERODROME & TALBOT VILLAGE
BOURNEMOUTH see also MEYRICK PARK
BOURNEMOUTH see also ROYAL BATH HOTEL
BOURNEMOUTH see also ROYAL BOURNEMOUTH HOSPITAL
BOURNEMOUTH see also WALLISDOWN (WINTON)
BOURNEMOUTH MUNICIPAL AIRPORT
NOTES: Here again small errors seem to muddy the waters as one account says this was intended to be situated at Moortown which I suspect is the area known as Moordown today about 2nm N of Bournemouth city centre. I mention this because the history and development of so many aerodromes and airports often follows a very devious history many of which were abandoned - like this one, despite apparent good intentions as often as not. Here it seems the land was purchased to develop an airport during 1936/37 but the project was given up for various reasons in 1938. As it happened along the way HURN eventually became the major BOURNEMOUTH airport but HURN initially had nothing much to recommend it as such and I’m pretty certain that but for the workings of local interests and various political machinations etc, it’s quite possible that under slightly different circumstances CHRISTCHURCH for example, could have become the site of the BOURNEMOUTH major airport
BOURNEMOUTH PIER: Seaplane venue and terminal
NOTES: It appears that Bournemouth pier was the venue for the 1919 Schneider Trophy races and that later the pier served as a terminal for services to Southampton and the Isle of Wight
BOURNEMOUTH: Schneider Races venue
NOTES: It appears that the 1919 Schneider races were held in Bournemouth. According to Mike Roussel in his book Spitfire's Forgotten Designer (that is Joe Smith, not R J Mitchell) : “Only one pilot completed the course – the Italian Sgt Guido Janello – but he was disqualified as the judges ruled that he had not competed the set route because he had not been observed negotiating the Swanage turn.
Having flown in this area, and being very familiar with region, it is arguably one of the easiest areas in Europe to navigate around, so why this Italian pilot appears to have 'lost the plot' seems a complete mystery. But, it now seems, foggy conditions prevailed, resulting in the races being terminated.
See the second entry below.
BOURNEMOUTH: Civil aerodrome (Known as SOUTHBOURNE AERODROME)
See seperate entry with maps
Joy rides: Mr S. Summerfield (?) and perhaps also the Bournemouth Aviation Co?
Location: In Southborne roughly 2 to 3nm E of Bournemouth town centre
Period of operation: Used in 1910 and again in 1920? And probably in between times?
NOTES: When operational SOUTHBOURNE was, it now appears, in HAMPSHIRE but is now in DORSET. I have seen a picture of a Hanriot monoplane about to take off at ‘Bournemouth’ dated 1910 and this was either taken at SOUTHBOURNE or WALLIS DOWN.
I wonder if it’s possible to determine if Mr Summerfield and the Bournemouth Aviation Co used this site? In those days the Bournemouth Aviation Co were based at WALLIS DOWN aerodrome. After WW1 Bournemouth Aviation in the 1920 summer season, used five AVRO 504Ks around the area but was SOUTHBOURNE still in use? The five main 504Ks used by Bournemouth Aviation were G-EADR, G-EAHK, G-EARZ, G-EASA and G-EASB. These aircraft were almost certainly used flying from several seashore sites along the South Coast
This was probably (?) the site for the “International Aviation Meeting” on 11th and 12th July 1910. The “International” bit being that five foreign pilots competed. It was at this meeting on July 11th that the Hon Charles Stewart Rolls, (the Rolls in Rolls-Royce), was killed in a flying accident. The first person in the UK to die in a flying accident. One account says it took place, “..on a specially prepared landing ground.” So I suppose it is reasonably safe to assume this site did later become the SOUTHBOURNE aerodrome?
BOURNEMOUTH: (CASTLE LANE) Temporary aerodrome
Note: CASTLE LANE has a seperate listing.
Note: This map was very kindly provided by Mr Michael T Holder
It appears that Sir Alan Cobham's National Aviation Day 1932 tour displayed here on the 12th and 13th August. The address being; Iford Bridge, Castle Lane, Bournemouth.
BOURNEMOUTH: Civil water landing site
Users: Pleasure flights.
Location: On beach near the pier
Period of operation: 1919
NOTES: It was here, also in 1919 that the Royal Aero Club staged the first post-war Schneider Trophy race which soon became a major international event with huge national prestige for the winner. It was these races of course which were crucial in pioneering the quest for more power and speed. See CALSHOTT for more details about how Great Britain gained the Schneider Trophy in perpetuity.
BOURNEMOUTH: Military airstrip
Military user: US First Army 32nd Field Artillery Brigade
Location: Was this perhaps HURN?
Period of operation: 1944/5 only?
NOTES: It appears that only two Piper L-4 'Grasshoppers' were based at this location.
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