Lambeth
LAMBETH: Official (?) water landing site (Also known as WESTMINSTER)
Note: Picture published in the January 1988 edition of Aeroplane Monthly.
Location: River Thames in central London near the Houses of Parliament
Period of operation: 1920s & 1930s only?
NOTES: There are many records of aircraft landing on this stretch of the Thames (See also RIVER THAMES FLYING SITES) for various reasons including many for test flying. For example I was intrigued to learn that in 1920/21 the Vickers Company in conjunction with the Air Ministry conducted a series of experimental London to Paris city-centre to city-centre flights from here, landing on the Seine in Paris. A Vickers Viking III amphibian G-EAUK was used.
The picture is of Alan Cobham landing the de Havilland DH.50J G-EBFO on the Thames at Westminster on the 1st October 1926. This was after he had returned following his very successful aerial expedition to Australia.
This picture was scanned from The Pageant of the Century published in the mid 1930s. This book was kindly loaned to me by Mr Ed Whitaker who had found it in a car boot sale. It appears to show Cobham performing a low level flypast of the Houses of Parliament before turning around to land on the Thames in a northerly direction. Note: His mechanic was not shot in Malta, but killed in Iraq by somebody firing at their aircraft when it was flying at a fairly low altitude.
Note: First picture: Imagine my delight when in November 2018, my very good friend James Roland discovered this picture on a cigarette card! Without any doubt a first for this 'Guide'.
Second picture: This was kindly provided by Mr David Whittworth. See: www.Whittworth.Com
On the 1st August 1928 the Short S.8 Calcutta G-EBVG alighted here for a three day stay organised by the Air League when it was inspected by Members of Parliament and other interested parties. Colonel Semphill flew his Blackburn Bluebird seaplane G-EBSW in from the WELSH HARP in north London which made an interesting contrast between the two types.
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