Castle Water
Note: This map only shows my guess for this location. Given that the prevailing winds in this area are south-westerly, and given the size of this area of water, it seems to make sense? However, I would much welcome further advice.
CASTLE WATER: Combined private airfield and unlicensed water aerodrome (also known as RYE)
Operated by: Mr N J Cole (?) and also used by Norman Jones and ‘The Tiger Club’. Regarding the “water aerodrome” this now seems incorrect as it appears it was used by ‘The Seaplane Club’ and Norman Jones had donated, free of charge, the Tiger Moth G-AIVW for their use.
Location: Near Camber Sands and roughly 1.5nm S of Rye
Period of operation: 1960s to 1980s only?
Runways: Two parallel grass strips N/S and just enough length to allow the Tiger Moth to take-off
NOTES: I have it on very good authority that The Seaplane Club DH.82A Tiger Moth G-AIVW was often flown into the longer of the two grass strips, (probably 300 yards long), stripped of all non-essential equipment and then flown into the much shorter strip alongside which was only about 150 yards long. From here it was a very short distance to the nearest gravel pit where it was fitted with floats. The procedure was reversed later in the season and I’m told that with a suitable wind blowing the ‘Tiger’ had no trouble taking off within 150 yards.
The reason for doing this was to enable G-AIVW to be flown to the Tiger Club at REDHILL for maintenance during the winter. Originally The Seaplane Club operated Victor Whisky from LEE-on-SOLENT, (I had thought it was probably CALSHOTT), and I’m certain I saw it as a young lad operating from pretty rough seas in this area. What I certainly did not appreciate was the fact that for many years, (or so it seems?), this Tiger Moth was the only seaplane operating in the UK.
MR N J COLE
Regarding who actually operated or perhaps owned these two strips it seems most likely this was Mr N J Cole who, in the mid 1970s, based two aircraft here: Gardan GY-201 Minicab G-BCNC and Taylor JT.1 Monoplane G-BDNC. And, I’ve just realised, it seems that he appears to be pre-empting having personalised aircraft registrations?
A SAD ENDING
In his excellent book Tiger Moth Stuart McKay tells us: “Despite the British weather, the stalwarts of the Seaplane Club operated for over 20 years, gathering a few scars along the way, until August 27th 1982 the faithful G-AIVW slipped out of a turn, hit the water and was broken into more pieces than even the Tiger Club could restore.” Only the Gipsy Major engine was salvaged.
It might come as a surprise to some to learn that for pilots, colliding with water at speed has similar properties to concrete. Which is why in anything other than fairly ‘flat’ or ‘still’ water any attempt at ditching will invariably result in very serious consequences, sadly often fatal. If for example a successful ditching along the top of a swell is achieved, the effect of the swell will often swamp the aircraft fairly quickly, and, unless a rescue is made within a few hours, in the seas around the UK, at any time of year. it is usually suffering the effects of hypothermia that kills.
Having a dinghy greatly increases the chances of survival of course, but even if one is carried, it is normally the case in modern light aircraft, that the aircraft sinks too quickly for it to be retrieved.
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