Swalecliffe
Note: This map only shows the position of Swalecliffe within the UK.
SWALECLIFFE: Civil aerodrome
(Also referred to simply as an ‘airfield’ but also known as KITE FARM and HERNE BAY too?)
THE FIRST ARRIVAL AT SWALECLIFFE?
Note: In September 2021 Mike Holder unearthed this article published on the 31st May 1913 in the Whitstable Times and Herne Bay Herald.
A MICHAEL T HOLDER GALLERY
The third picture of Cobham, just after he arrived, is from the Whitstable Herald and Herne Bay Times. As is the advert in the third picture and the seventh and tenth pictures below.
Note the engine still running in the first picture - and no chocks!
ANOTHER ASPECT
Note: This picture from a postcard was kindly sent by Mike Charlton who has an amazing collection. See; www.aviationpostcard.co.uk
The caption is, "Desouter Air Taxi, Swalecliffe". Note the second 't' in Desoutter missing. Checking out the history of this aircraft appears to reveal conflicting information. One source claims it was registered on the 11th of November 1929 and crashed in Cape Town, South Africa on the 21st November 1931.
However, the UK register shows it as being owned by Mr Joseph King of Byfleet, Surrey and based at HANWORTH from the 15th October 1931 until September 1932.
Location: 2nm ENE of Whitstable town centre
Period of operation: 1929 to 1932 only
NOTES: I now have a suspicion that SWALECLIFFE was also known as the aerodrome for Herne Bay as well as Whitstable, can anybody throw more light on the subject?
SWALECIFFE aerodrome was the 52nd venue, on the 11th and 12th of August, 1929, for Sir Alan Cobham’s Municipal Aerodrome Campaign. This tour started in May and ended in October with one hundred and seven venues planned to be visited. Mostly in England but with two in Wales and eight in Scotland. In the end he managed to visit around 95 venues, which of course was still a remarkable achievement.
The aircraft Cobham used for this Tour was the DH61 'Giant Moth' G-AAEV named 'Youth of Britain'. The punishing schedule he set himself seems astonishing today - see STOCKON-on-TEES for more information. And indeed, was Cobham the first person to arrive and establish this venue as an aerodrome?
On the 8th August 1933 Cobham’s No.1 Tour
28th June 1934 Cobham’s 1934 Tour of the UK
3rd August 1935 for Cobham’s No.1 Tour? Or did they perhaps use BROOMFIELD, or both, or neither? It was certainly known that these various “Flying Circus” operations often used different sites over the years in any given locality.
THE POLO GROUND
NOTES: In September 2021 Mike Holder unearthed this account published in the Whitstable Times and Tankerton Press on the 15th July 1933 giving advance notice of the Air Pageant being held on the 22nd July by the British Hospitals Air Pageant tour, (planned for 150 venues), organised by Barker & McEwen KIng. There appears to be some controversy, in certain circles at least, concerning just how much money went to various hospitals after Mr Barker and Mr McEwen had deducted their expenses for arranging this Tour.
It had been announced that the Tour would raise some £20,000 for hospitals, but it seems, just £6,854 was donated - a very significant shortfall - especially when you consider what these sums represented in those days.
A SECOND GALLERY FOR MICHAEL T HOLDER
Clearly SWALECLIFFE had much going on in the 1930s.
Note: This article, regarding the Air Display on the 1st September, was published in the Whitstable Times and Herne Bay Herald on the 6th September 1930.
Note: The fifth item, an advert, was published in the Whitstable Times and Herne Bay Herald on the 6th August 1932. The seventh item, regarding an air race was published in the same newspaper on the 5th August 1933. The eighth item, the area view, was obtained from Google Earth ©.
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