Burton-upon-Trent flying sites
Note: This map only provides a position for Burton-upon-Trent within the UK.
BURTON-upon-TRENT see also STRETTON, STAFFS
BURTON-UPON-TRENT: Early flying meeting venue
Location: Bass’s Meadow, alongside the Trent river
Period of operation: 26th September to 1st October 1910
NOTES: It appears that the French pilots, (they were the only other nationality to attend), departed from the DONCASTER meeting which had been plagued by bad weather and made their way to BURTON for this event. (See COLWICK PARK in NOTTINGHAMSHIRE for another aspect to this flying meeting)
BURTON-UPON- TRENT: OUTWOODS RECREATION GROUND
Operated by: Mnsr Henri Salmet
Period of operation: 27th and 28th August 1912
A MICHAEL T HOLDER GALLERY
In September 2021, Mike Holder, a great friend of this 'Guide', unearthed this information and has provided maps.
Note: These articles were all published in the Burton Chronicle.
ANOTHER VISIT
Note: Mike Holder has also found this account of Gustav Hamel making a display of flying here on the 25th April 1914. This was published in the Sheffield Daily Telegraph on the 27th April 1914.
BURTON-UPON-TRENT: Temporary aerodrome also on BASS'S MEADOW
A SECOND MICHAEL T HOLDER GALLERY
Note: The fourth item was published in the Exeter and Plymouth Gazette on the 23rd July 1929. I have added the area view from my Google Earth © database.
NOTES: Burton-upon-Trent was the 43rd venue for the 1929 Sir Alan Cobham's Municipal Aerodrome Campaign. Starting in May and ending in October one hundred and seven venues were planned visiting towns and cities, mostly in England but with two venues in Wales and eight in Scotland. In the end, after a couple of crashes and other setbacks he managed to visit 97 venues. Even so, a quite magnificent achievement.
The aircraft he used was the DH61 'Giant Moth' G-AAEV, named 'Youth of Britain'. The punishing schedule he set for himself seems astonishing today. See LEEDS FLYING SITES for more information.
BURTON-UPON-TRENT:
SHOBNALL: Temporary aerodrome used multiple times from 1932 until 1935
Operated by: Sir Alan Cobham’s Tours
Location: Near Shobnall Road, roughly 2nm W of Burton-upon-Trent town centre. This field used, probably forming part of the western side of the WW2 BATTLESTEAD HILL aerodrome. (See seperate listing)
Periods of operation: 11th May 1932, 11th May and later the 3rd August 1933 by the No.1 Tour. 19th September 1934 and the venue planned for the 19th September No.1 Tour. Cancelled due to gale force winds.
A THIRD MICHAEL T HOLDER GALLERY
Here, once again, we have to thank Mike Holder, such a long term friend of this 'Guide', for researching press items and providing the maps and pictures. Please note that all the press items are from the Burton Observer and Chronicle = BOC.
The Notice was published in the BOC on the 11th May 1933.
Article One was published in the BOC on the 18th May 1933.
The article Two was also published in the BOC on the 18th May 1933. We need to remember that in those days, before rado and let alone TV, many newspapers had, generally, three editions each day!
The Article Three was published in the BOC on the 20th September 1934.
OUR WONDERFUL WEATHER
Article Four was published in the BOC on the 26th September
NOTES: Sir Alan Cobham's National Aviation Day Tours, conducted from 1932 until 1935, during the height of the 'Great Depression', were vastly superior to any of the others, certainly in terms of the number of venues visited. In total roughly, and they did display at most, over 800.
BRANSTONE, also often spelt BRANSTON
Here once more we have Mike Holder to thank for researching and compiling the following items. This section of the listing can be divided into two parts. Firstly, the known history of the Navarro Aircraft Co Ltd and its later subsidiary Burton Aircraft and Manufacturing, then the field used by Berkshire Aviation in 1921.
PART ONE - NAVARRO AIRCRAFT Co Ltd.
There is one unusual aspect to this - namely that just about every aircraft manufacturing company I can think of - had an airfield either adjacent to their works, or nearby. In this case we do not know of one. There was a sports ground just to the east of the works, but no evidence has been found indicating that it was ever used by aircraft. This said, there is I suppose (?) another explanation. Perhaps they had no need for test flying? The finished airframes being loaded onto railway trucks and being sent directly to Aircraft Acceptance Depots? Any advice and information will be most welcome.
The Time Line diagram is from British Aviation. Advert One was placed in The Aeroplane on the 4th April 1917.
Notice One was published in Flight magazine on the 14th September 1916.
Notice Two was published, also in Flight magazine, but on the 26th July 1917.
It appears that the companies formed by J G Navarro occupied at least three sizeable premises in Burton-on-Trent.
A NEW DEPARTURE FOR THE COMPANY AFTER WW1
Article One was published in the Halifax Evening Courier on the 29th January 1919. Along with so many other aircraft manufacturing companies, once the orders dried up after WW1 ended, they also sought to survive in the lucrative but fiercely competitive 'Joy riding' market. The photo is from Avro Aircraft by A J Jackson.
Without any doubt J G Navarro was a most enterprising and inventive individual. We have no idea how many of these proposals came to fruition? All we know is that some did, for a short while at least. The following press items are listed by order of date of publication.
The Article Two was published in the Aberdeen Weekly Journal on the 28th February 1919. Most certainly a brave vision for the future, but many years ahead of its time and totally impractical in so many ways. I suppose we have to wonder, being based in Burton-on-Trent for many years, a major brewing town in England, if Mr Navarro had developed a fondness for the local ales? It had of course, (often still the case today?), become that extended boozy lunchtime sessions for company directors were nigh on obligatory.
This article in three parts was published in the Sheffield Independent on the 27th February 1919.
These two articles were published in fairly quick succession in the Thanet Advertiser. Article Four on the 1st March 1919, and Article Five on the 29th March.
Notice One was published in the Sheffield Daily Telegraph on the 27th May 1919. The photo and the excerpt are from Essex and it's race for the Skies by Graham Smith.
Article Six was published in the Hastings and St Leonards Observer on the 28th June 1919. The advert was placed in the Army and Navy Gazette on the 7th June 1919.
Notice Two appeared in the Skegness News on the 16th July 1919.
THE BEGINNING OF THE END - BUT NOT QUITE!
Notice Three was published in the Burton Observer and Chronicle on the 5th July 1919. Notice Four was published in the Derby Daily Telegraph on the 22nd November 1919.
Notice Five appeared in the Burton Observer and Chronicle on the 6th December 1919. I will happily admit to being a tad confused, but of course, I do not understand the ins-and-outs of Company law. See below.
Notice Six was published in the London Gazette on the 11th February 1921. The Notice Seven was published in Flight magazine on the 17th March 1921.
Article Seven was published in Flight magazine on the 29th November 1923. Yet another bright idea that came to nothing. So it seems, this was the end of Navarro Aviation and the associated Burton Aviation and Manufacturing companies. But, not quite. See below.
A BRAND NEW ENTERPRISE
Article Seven was published in the Burton Observer and Chronicle on the 28th May 1925.
This is probably the most hair-brained project I have ever heard of. I suppose we have to credit Mr J G Navarro, having had two failed companies, for persevering in aviation, but this was most certainly a none-starter.
Expect we have to be a bit careful here, when the project intended to use seaplanes rather than flying boats. People get confused, still do, about the difference between the two. Seaplanes are aircraft mounted on floats, flying boats use their fuselage as a hull. Seaplanes, being very top heavy, need to operate in calm waters, which the Atlantic Ocean is invariably not. Indeed, even when very strong flying boats were being built in WW2, such as the Short Sunderland and Consolidated Catalina, landing in the Atlantic was something to be avoided mostly.
THE BERKSHIRE AVIATION VISIT
Location: Hood's Field, Branstone
Period of operation: 1st to 8th September 1921
The short article was published in the Staffordshire Advertiser on the 3rd September 1921.
The Article in two parts was published in the Burton Observer and Chronicle on the 26th November 1921.I have no ideas about this, but suspect this is one of the first accounts of an air-taxi service being offered in the UK?
The local area and area views are from my Google Earth© derived database. The photo is of the Avro 504K, G-EAKX (ex H2600), also taken it seems on the 3rd September 1921.
AND FINALLY
The photo above, it appears, was published in the Burton Observer and Chronicle on the 3rd September 1921, but, the advert appeared on the 22nd March 1923. So, which company was hosting this event? Any advice and information is much appreciated.
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