Workshop Farm
WORKSHOP FARM: Private airfield (Aka WORKSHOPS FARM)
Operated by: Mr Herbert Perkins
Location: W of the B4112, about 1nm NW of Withybrook village and roughly 6.5nm NE of Coventry city centre
Period of operation: August 1938 until March 1939
Note: Unless of course he operated another aircraft from here?
Landing area: Unknown? I expect the field used was the largest one just west of the farm buildings. If so, this had maximum runs of roughly:
N/S 385 E/W 340 NW/SE 530 NE/SW 390
The three maps are kindly provided by Mike Holder, a great friend of this 'Guide'.
The local view, local area and area views are from my Google Earth© derived database.
NOTES: I discovered this when looking into the WATCHFIELD listing and adding extra information about the Piper sales agents, Cub Airport Ltd who had moved their operation there before WW2. It seems probable that they sold the Piper J/3 Cub, G-AFIY, to Mr Perkins who based it here. This in turn led me to wonder when Piper aircraft were first imported into the U.K.?
SOMETHING OF A REVELATION?
Looking into this, the Piper Aircraft Company was originally the Taylor Aircraft Company, which according to main sources on the inter-web, was officially founded on the 1st November 1937. However, it now appears that they were producing aircraft before this, and after U.K. restrictions prohibiting American light aircraft imports, (or all types?), were lifted in early 1937, a few examples soon appeared. For example: The Taylor J/2 Cubs, G-AESK registered in March 1937, G-AEXY in June, and G-AEXZ in January 1938.
Very soon after the first Piper variants appeared from March 1938. For example the Piper J/2 Cub G-AFFH, J/3 Cub G-AFFJ and the J/4A Cub Coupe G-AFGM which had been on the U.S, register as N26895.
A PIONEER OF SORTS
So therefore it seems, Mr Perkins was one of the first, if not the first, private owners to own and operate a Piper aircraft in the U.K. For whatever reason he didn't keep it for long as it was sold to the West Suffolk Aero Club at the Municipal Airport, Bury St Edmunds and registered from 02.05.39 until 31.07.41.
We'd love to hear from you, so please scroll down to leave a comment!
Leave a comment ...
Copyright (c) UK Airfield Guide
