Brockhurst Farm
BROCKHURST FARM: Temporary aerodrome
Note: These three pictures were obtained from Google Earth ©
Operated by: Sir Alan Cobham's National Aviation Day Display Tours
Location: Just S of Lye Green, probably just W of the B4505 and about 1nm NE of Chesham town centre
Period of operation: 14th June 1934 and - 21st June 1935?
NOTES: In May 2020 Mr Michael T Holder very kindly sent me a scan of an article published in The Bucks Examiner published on the 1st June 1934, which announced that the display would take place on the 14th. A voucher for a free flight was issued for the first ten vouchers returned. Also, two full displays would take place, one at 2.30pm and the second at 6.15pm.
Items of special interest were the aerobatic displays by Flight Lieut. Geoffrey Tyson. He would for example, (although it doesn't state which aeroplane type he'd be using): "......loop-the-loop through a hoop erected on the aerodrome, pick up a handkerchief from the ground with his wing, and fly inverted at a height of only fifty feat." He would then display the high-speed Siddeley-Lincock fighter at more than 250mph.
Another aspect was that the parachuting display, by Mr Price, from a platform on the wing of the Handley Page "Clive" airliner, could be viewed by the passengers it was carrying. (This was the HP.35 Clive G-ABYX)
Last but by no means least, was the aerobatic glider display by Miss Joan Meakin in her 'Rhombussard'. Without too much doubt a Rohan Bussard and wearing a Swastika on its tail - as all German civil and military had to do. It says that Miss Meakin was famous for making a Germany to England flight in a glider*, and was the first woman to perform a loop in a glider.
*Here again the press reporter got it wrong - as they invariably do. It now appears that Miss Meakin was towed to Ostend on the 5th April 1934 and flew across the Channel to land at LYMPNE in KENT one hour and twenty minutes later, performing three loops just before landing! Apparently doing it again a couple of days later, possibly with four loops before landing? Performing loops was her speciality and it seems her record was eighteen during one flight.
EXTRA NOTE
As the years pass additional information comes to light, so it is possible that the 1935 display took place in another field that was close by. This is illustrated in a seperate listing - CHESHAM FLTING SITES. As always, if anybody can kindly offer advice, this will be most welcome.
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