Bridlington flying sites
Note: This map only shows to position of Bridlington town within the UK.
BRIDLINGTON see also EAST LEYS FARM
BRIDLINGTON see also GRINDALE
BRIDLINGTON see also LOWTHORPE
BRIDLINGTON see also SANDS LANE
BRIDLINGTON see also SPEETON AIRFIELD
BRIDLINGTON: Temporary Landing Ground
NOTES: In the Winter 2011 edition of Prop-Swing magazine, the Journal of the Shuttleworth Veteran Aeroplane Society, I discovered this very interesting inclusion to an article about Harold Blackburn.
To quote: "In the late summer of 1913 Harold and Dr. Christie embarked on a hectic series of exhibition flights around Yorkshire. One of their first destinations was the seaside resort of Bridlington. "The Mayor and Mayoress.... were on the field", the Bridlington Free Press enthused. A telegram was received at about 6.30pm stating that the flyer had left Harrogate at 5.45 , and excitement grew as the clock went on towards seven. All eyes were towards Bessingby, when the whirr of an aeroplane was heard coming up from the south.. It was flying at a great height, probably 2,000 feet above the ground, and it swept in great circles around the field."
I suspect that Harold Blackburn was probably trying to figure out where the field was initialy, and then how to land - they hadn't invented windsocks in those days.
"Over the next five days Harold's passengers included Norman Blackburn (Robert's brother) ....and Isla Tudor, a nine-year old American girl whom he took up to 6000 feet. There is a photograph of her, barely able to peek over the Type 1's cockpit, her face dwarfed by a heavily padded helmet. The press dubbed her "the world's youngest aviatrix".
BUT WHERE?
Needless to say, my interest is where these flights took place. Does anybody these days know? If so I would much appreciate the advice.
BRIDLINGTON: Temporary airfield
Note:This first picture from Mrs C Prophet was scanned from the excellent book Cornwall Aviation Company by Ted Chapman. The caption reads: "Left to right: - Sammy Summerfield (pilot), Gerry Draycott (Ground engineer), Dick Turpin and Clarence Prophet. Taken on tour at Bridlington in 1928."]
Second picture: Although dated as the 17th August 1928 at BRIDLINGTON , this picture of the Avro 504K G-EBSE, was, without much doubt, taken elsewhere.
Operated by: Cornwall Aviation Company
NOTES: Can anybody today kindly give advice on where the venue was they used?
BRIDLINGTON: Temporary Landing Ground?
Bridlington was the 27th venue for Sir Alan Cobham's Municipal Aerodrome Campaign in 1929, commencing in May and ending in October with 107 venues visited. He used the DH61 'Giant Moth' G-AAEV named 'Youth of Britain' for this Tour. The pattern was he would fly the 'worthies' around and, during a slap-up luncheon extol the benefits of having a municipal aerodrome/airport.
Following this he flew children around sponsored by Lord Wakefield, then conduct joy-rides. The idea being that the revenue from the latter would subsidise the Tour. What seems extraordinary is the sheer stamina Cobham had, conducting such a punishing schedule, day after day with barely a break during six months.
BRIDLINGTON: Military aerodrome
Military users: 1930s: Various RAF Sqdns would decamp here and also to CATFOSS further S for bombing and gunnery practise on the nearby ranges
Location: W of A165, about 3.5nm NW of Bridlington town centre
Period of operation: 1930s only? I imagine it surely must have been used at least in the early years of WW2?
BRIDLINGTON: Private aerodrome (almost certainly aka GRINDALE? For which I have a separate listing)
Operated by: British Skysports
Location: About 3nm NW of Bridlington
Period of operation: Late 1970s, early 1990s only?
Runways: 1990: 06/24 571x18 grass 15/33 253x18 grass
NOTES: It is of course tempting to imagine that this rather small airfield was once part of the larger military airfield listed above. But is this the case? I was intrigued to discover, in a 1977 publication by P. B. Enterprises lodged in the Shuttleworth Trust library a list of aerodromes with aircraft based at various locations. One was GRINDALE. So, I’m guessing here in assuming this was probably the site later known as BRIDLINGTON and/or the EAST LEYS FARM site used by the Cobham Tours in the 1930s. Can anybody kindly clear this up?
david Mooney
This comment was written on: 2018-11-28 16:34:00Hi Dick , here goes , harold Blackburn flew from the south beach at bridlington for 4 days and every day was wet with constant rain , so he took off and did not come back ! Summerfield and others like Grahame white flew from the old aeroplane field to the south of the hull to Scarborough railway line , now built on ,{ sands lane ] summerfield had a crash but escaped un hurt , the local council banned flights after that , east Leys, Grindale was the field that COBHAM used and Amy johnson and Jim mollinson also used this field when visiting amy's parents who lived in Bridlington , my late uncle was mechanic for these pilots and later joined the R.A.F. in the middle east in ww2 . in the field next door the Airsports parachute centre is still in constant use , the Speeton airfield operatedfrom the 1950's to the late 60's and Ginger Lacey was an instructor , hope this helps , Norman blackburn lived in Bridlington and is buried here , THE author Colin Crudass lives here and has written 19 aviation books , he is Cobham's biographer , would you like to be put in touch with him has he is a mate of mine , David Mooney , local historian for Bridlington , East yorkshire .
Reply from Dick Flute:
Hi David, Many thanks indeed - I shall definitely keep this posted. Great stuff and much appreciated. As it happens I am now making my way for the second time through 'Those Fabulous Flying Years' by Colin Cruddas. A fabulous book and I now have two copies. Please give my kind regards to Colin. Best wishes, Dick
We'd love to hear from you, so please scroll down to leave a comment!
Leave a comment ...
Copyright (c) UK Airfield Guide
