Chalvey
CHALVEY: Early experimental flying site, later private airstrip/airfield
Operated by: 1911 to 1915 Mr J F Benton 1927 to 1936 (at least?) Mr A C M Jackaman
Location: Today partially under the M4 and junction 5. Just W of the A355 and just SW of Slough town centre
NOTES: In his book British Built Aircraft Vol.3 Ron Smith gives details of aircraft built and eventually flown from CHALVEY by Mr J F Benton, (giving credit to the book British Aircraft Before The Great War by Michael H Goodall and Albert E Tagg). It appears the Benton B.I and B.II were unsuccessful but the later tractor biplanes, the B.III and B.VII flew successfully between 1912 and 1914.
In September 2018 I was kindly contacted by Richard Poad, Chairman of the Maidenhead Heritage Centre, who adds this information:
"In June 1911, Benton rented a 35 acre field at Chalvey from the Spackman family and built a hangar." See the entry for HOLYPORT for more info on the Benton B.1. "The B.2 followed quickly and they entered it as entry no.31 in the Daily Mail Circuit of Britain Air Race - but things didn't go too well and they scratched their entry."
"The B.3 marked a major advance: a single puller propeller, with a tail skid. This aircraft was flown Chalvey to Winter Hill and back. The B.6 appeared in 1915, an orthodox looking bi-plane with a single puller propeller, a steerable tail skid and a Benton sprung undercarriage; also a device for varying the angle of the wingtips to increase speed."
"Aircraft B.7 had a variable geometry wing, which could reduce wing area in flight by a third. However it never flew and was broken up in 1917." Clearly a visionary well before his time, how sad that his name is largely forgotten today. Perhaps a memorial can be erected at Chalvey? It certainly deserves to be.
NOTE: In 2022 Mike Holder, a great friend of this 'Guide', took it upon himself to investigate the history of this location, the bulk of what he found being in the gallery below. However, he also found this article published in the Maidenhead Advertiser on the 15th May 1912.
CHALVEY: Private airfield, later listed as a Civil Landing Ground
Operated by: Mr A C M Jackaman
Runway: Max landing run: SW/NE 475 grass (Possibly a NW/SE strip too?)
NOTES: Info source, ‘AA Landing Grounds’ publications, 1930s. In a list of Civil Aerodromes published by the Airfield Research Group the address for Mr Jackaman was “Highfield, Slough”. This being his private house, situated nearby. (See picture below).
A MICHAEL T HOLDER GALLERY
My notes: The newspaper article was published in the Bucks Advertiser and Aylesbury News on the 2nd March 1928. With streams bounding the north and west of his 'airfield', when he brought his first aircraft, the de Havilland DH60X Moth G-EBRT in mid 1927, perhaps winter flooding might have been foreseen? He crashed G-EBRT at Rustington near Littlehampton on the 13th September 1927.
What I find much more interesting is that he purchased a second Moth, this time a DH60G, a 'Coupe' version with an enclosed canopy, (the only example I have ever come across), in 1929. Registered G-AADX on the 21st January 1929, perhaps he decided this type was much more suitable for flying in winter months. The picture of it, (above), at a Northampton Air Pageant on Whit Monday was published in Flight magazine on the 23rd May 1929.
He and his brother made a regular habit of flying off shortly after dawn, around the year, to take a swim in the sea. Suitably refreshed, they would fly back, take breakfast, and be in the office at 9AM. I have never heard of any other pilot, before or since, engaging in this activity. He was certainly a very keen pilot, and rated as being very capable even in training at STAG LANE, and often flew quite long distances, including it appears, two trips to Paris. He crashed G-AADX on Dagenham Marshes on the 2nd Feburary 1931.
It also appears he purchased the de Havilland DH80A Puss Moth G-AAYE, and based it a HESTON from 26.05.30 until November 1932. It was then sold abroad. We don't know, but presumably he often flew it into CHALVEY?
Note: The article in Flight magazine was published on the 23rd June 1927.
A LONG STORY
This article was published in The Slough, Eton and Windsor Observer on the 26th August 1927.
EXTRAS
Regarding the second picture, his was the corner house, on the junction of the Bath Road, (the old A4) and Ledgers Lane. The third picture of the two brothers posed in their swim suits, with the DH60X Moth G-EBRT, was published in Graphic on the 3rd September 1927. Perhaps needless to say, they would surely not have gone flying clad in such skimpy attire - it gets very cold in an open cockpit aeroplane, even in mid-summer. The area view is from my Google Earth © derived database.
SOMETHING ELSE FOUND
Whilst investigating Slough Trading Estate flying circus venues in the Windsor, Slough & Eton Express archive, Mike Holder found this letter to the editor dated the 16th October 1936. So, clearly A C M Jackamans airstrip was still being used in 1936. Perhaps later?
AND FINALLY
Some time ago I made this comment: "It appears the Sir Alan Cobham’s 1933 UK No.1 Tour operated in this area on the 25th April and Cobham’s 1934 Tour on the 23rd September 1934. But, did they use this Landing Ground?" The anwer is NO. Although the address is given as Chalvey, Slough, in some sources, these events took place just north of the Slough Trading Estate, as it then was, which was north of the A4.
The Slough Trading Estate today is much larger than it was in the 1930s, and for more information see the listing for SLOUGH TRADING ESTATE.
Frank Cobb
This comment was written on: 2017-05-18 22:52:43Fantastic article I never realise there was so much going on in chalvey my mum and dad works at Hawker Siddeley is in Langley before and during the war.
Reply from Dick Flute:
Hi Frank, Many thanks for the kind comments. I'm glad to be of help. Best regards, Dick
We'd love to hear from you, so please scroll down to leave a comment!
Leave a comment ...
Copyright (c) UK Airfield Guide
