Cleethorpes flying sites
Note: This map only gives the location of Cleethorpes town within the UK.
CLEETHORPES see also THRUNSCOE
CLEETHORPES: Civil aerodrome? The seashore certainly
Note: This first fabulous picture, from a postcard, was kindly sent by Mike Charlton who has an amazing collection. See: www.aviationpostcard.co.uk
The second picture is also by Mike Charlton from a postcard.
This Airco DH.6 G-EAWT (ex. F3437) was registered on the 23rd May 1921 and acquired by Martin Aviation on the 4th August 1922. Which seems to date this picture rather nicely? It was WFU (Wihdrawn From Use) on the 27th August 1924. At the height of the summer season! I suspect there might well have been a good reason for this - but what? Seawater corrosion probably?
It is just a guess, but looking at Google Earth, I suspect this picture was taken south-east of the pier, adjacent to Central Promenade.
Operated by: Bernard Martin, later Martin Aviation Co
Period of operation: 1920 to 1922 only?
NOTES: ‘The Aeroplane’ magazine stated that in 1920 Mr Bernard Martin was awarded the flying rights for the 1920 season at Cleethorpes using a DH.6 G-EAQC which crashed in November 1921. The Martin Aviation Co later operated DH.6s G-EAWT, G-EAWU and G-EAWV plus an Avro 504K G-EAOE and operated as far afield as the Isle of Wight.
CLEETHORPES SANDS: Civil aerodrome (Aka CLEETHORPES BEACH AERODROME)
Location: S end of beach between the swimming pool and pier
Activities: Pleasure flights
Period of operation: Unknown? Certainly it seems 1949 to 1959
NOTES: Was this the same location as used by Bernard Martin (listed above) in the early 1920s? A distant relative of mine has reported that as a youngster he had his first and only flight in a light aircraft, (probably an Auster from the description), from here in 1957 but I expect pleasure flying probably went on for several years over this period?
MORE INFO
I was later kindly contacted by Mr Graham Frost, a great friend of this 'Guide', who informs us that the Taylorcraft Auster 4, G-AJYB (ex MS974) which was later modified to be an Auster J/IN Alpha, was registered to Mr J G Crampton, (based here), from 03.02.49 until 18.03.59.
AND A BIT MORE INFO
Other Auster aircraft reported to have been seen operating from CLEETHORPES BEACH AERODROME were G-AGWY, G-AIBY, G-AKWS and G-AMSZ.
After WW2, there were a lot of operators engaged in giving joy-rides, mostly from popular seaside resorts, and Austers were certainly the aircraft of choice. Indeed, my first flight as a young teenager in a light aircraft was in an Auster from WESTON-super-MARE. They were ideal for the task, having a high wing, robust construction and having reliable old 'thumpers' powering the propeller.
Typically, looking at the small sample of evidence, a far from clear picture emerges, but, it does give some idea. Without any doubt at all Mr J G Crampton was a major figure at CLEETHORPES. The Auster 5 Alpha, G-AMSZ (ex MS971) was registered to him from 20.04.55 until 09.11.65. However, in mid 1959, he changed his address from CLEETHORPES BEACH AERODROME to an address in Norwich. He also, using the Norwich address, registered the Auster 5A-160 Alpha G-AKWS (ex KT610) from 04.09.59 until 12.03.67. Which of course begs the question as to if he still, from time to time, flew from CLEETHORPES?
The other two Austers seen operating from here were the Auster J/1 Autocrats G-AGWY and G-AIBY and they, including G-AKWS, are reported to have been based and hangared at WALTHAM. The registered owners had addresses far away from CLEETHORPES. As always advice is most welcome and pictures much appreciated. It now seems likely that most if not all the aircraft operating from the beach after WW2 based themselves at WALTHAM?
A MICHAEL T HOLDER GALLERY
We have Mike Holder, a great friend of this 'Guide', to thank for investigating what might be available to illustrate this subject and providing the following items. Please note that two locations are covered: The beach and the probable location used by Western Aviation from the 26th July until the 12th August 1929. A third location, THRUSCOE, is in a seperate listing.
Advert One was placed in the Grimsby Daily Telegraph on the 27th July 1929.
Article One was obtained from Facebook by the Grimsby and Cleethorpes History Club. The excerpt is from Balloons, Bleriots and Barnstormers: 200 years of Flying for Fun by Alistair Goodrum.
Advert Two was also placed in the Grimsby Daily Telegraph, but this time on the 10th August 1929.
The photo with additional caption is from Wings over Lincolnshire by Peter Green.
The local area and area views are from my Google Earth© derived database. Please note that not all the locations listed in this 'Guide' are not 'pinned; on my database.
NOTES: Mike Holder found this listing for ownership details of "838 Auster 5". This is the first time in just over twenty-five years, that I have seen such a description regarding an aircraft's identity. Before and always a military serial number or civil registration is given. So, a bit of a delve, given that I had so many aircraft registrations listed as operating from here, was required, and fairly soon I found the answer. It was the Auster company constructors airframe number for G-AMSZ.
Brian Stafford
This comment was written on: 2018-09-09 21:56:50Pleasure flying did indeed commence from the beach opposite the Boating lake in 1951 until the mid 1960s using Auster aircraft operated by Norfolk Airways
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