Port Victoria
Note: This map shows only my estimation of where this location was. If anybody can provide a more accurate position, this advice will be most welcome.
PORT VICTORIA: Military aerodrome (Co-located with GRAIN seaplane station)
Military users: RNAS/RAF Experimental Station and Flying Training School, also depot for testing, repair and construction
Civil users: Short Bros and Fairey Aviation (For manufacture and repair?)
Location: Very roughly 7nm NE of Chatham on the SE of the Isle of Grain near Thamesport
Period of operation: 1914 to 1925?
Combined site area: 90 acres Aerodrome: 823 x 457
NOTES: Following is a list of aircraft associated with this site and mostly copied from Ron Smiths British Built Aircraft Vol.3:
MARINE EXPERIMENTAL AIRCRAFT DEPOT
Type Serial First Flight Notes
PV1 Sopwith Baby ? ? Improved version with high-lift aerofoils
PV2 ? June 1916 A small sesquiplane without wire bracing
PV2bis N1 March 1917 Modified PV2
PV4 N8 ? Unsuccessful pusher design
PV5 N53 25.07.17 Sesquiplane developed from the PV2bis
PV5A N54 ? As above
PV7 N539 22.06.17 A biplane of just 18ft wingspan
PV8 N540 07.09.17 Known as the 'Eastchurch Kitten'
PV9 N55 Dec1917 Biplane seaplane fighter
It appears the last aircraft to be built by this establishment were seven ‘Grain Griffin’ reconnaissance aircraft with serials N100 to N108 in 1918.
GEORGE PARNALL & Co Ltd
Parnall Puffin N136 19.11.20 Just three were built
THE FAIREY AVIATION Co Ltd
F.127 N9 05.07.17 Precursor to the successful III series
F.128 N10 14.09.17 Later designated as the prototype for the
Fairey III Series N119 04.07.23
Note: It seems two were built, N119 named Atalanta and N129 Titania which first flew on 24.07.25.
This certainly appears to indicate the Marine Experimental Aircraft Depot was still operating until 1925?
michael Stevens
This comment was written on: 2021-01-15 23:29:58Sirs.. can you tell anything about the history about: PV9 N55. I understand it was fitted with a 80HP Le Rhone engine.
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