Lightcliffe
LIGHTCLIFFE: Temporary aerodrome
Operated by: Central Aircraft Company for Halifax and District Flying Week
Location: Just S of the A649 in Lightcliffe village, about 1.5nm N of Brighouse town centre and roughly 3nm E of Halifax town centre
Period of operation: 26th October to 2nd November 1919
A MICHAEL T HOLDER GALLERY
We have Mike Holder, a great friend of this 'Guide', to thank for discovering this little known flying venue.
The advert above was published in the Halifax Evening Courier on the 24th October 1919, and the article was publ;ished on the 31st October.
This second advert and the short article were both also published in the Halifax Evening Courier, the advert on the 30th October, and the short article on the 4th November 1919.
Note: The picture of the Centaur IIA, seen flying above RAF NORTHHOLT, was published in Short History of the World by H G Wells in 1922. The local area and area views are from my Google Earth © derived database.
DOES THIS 'GUIDE' HAVE A SCOOP?
The small Central Aircraft Company, with a factory based in Kilburn, north London, was mostly concerned with manufacturing aircraft and lasted from c.1916 until 1926. However, they did design and build a few designs of their own. Principly the Centaur IIA, (aka C.F.2a), which was a twin-engine six seater 'airliner'. In those days pretty much any civil aircraft carrying more than three passengers, was known as an airliner. The Centaur IV, (aka C.F.4), was a two/three seater biplane.
It appears that sales failed to materialise so the company resorted to using them for joy-riding operations. Information about the company is generally fairly sparse in detail and their joy-riding operations virtually non-existent. So, finding this information provided by Mike Holder is really great. Not only a very rare, little known location in itself, but, operated by the Central Aircraft Company, without any doubt using only their own aircraft which also included a fleet of eight Avro 504Ks.
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