CLETHORPS FARM:   Private airstrip/Landing Ground














Note:  All four of these maps and pictures were kindly provided by Mr Michael T Holder










Location:  1.5nm NW of Conon Bridge, 2.5nm SW of Dingwall town centre, 11.5nm NW of Inverness city centre

Period of operation:  1935 to ?


NOTES:  This is a nice example of a bit of teamwork by two great friends of this 'Guide'. I was contacted by Mr Graham Frost in November 2020. He had being trying to locate the site, (Clethorpes Farm) for G-ADWX in the mid to late 1930s - could Mr Holder assist he asked? Having sent an e-mail to Mike, he had the answer, complete with maps and pictures in next to no time. The correct spelling being CLETHORPS FARM.

I then delved into the history of G-ADWX, and came up with some answers - but also a query. G-ADWX was registered as a Lamb EM HM14 Pou-du-Ciel (Flying Flea) in November 1935 to Mr Ernest Murray Lamb, giving his address as: 'Ardlair, Conon Bridge'. Perhaps 'Ardlair' was the name of the house on CLETHORPS FARM? 

The Pou-du-Ciel design by the Frenchman Henri Mignet, for home-builders and first flown in 1933, saw a great response in this country when plans became available, in English in 1934, and many were built and flown. Indeed, it appears some 500 were under construction or completed in the U.K. when the restrictions for flying the type came into place in 1936.

Unfortunately too few builders understood the basics of keeping the weight of the aeroplane exact, the centre-of-gravity very precise - critically important on such a small aircraft - and started adding more powerful engines, making other modifications and so on. This resulting in many crashes, usually fatal. There was nothing fundamentally wrong with the original design as flown and tested by Mignet.


THE QUERY
As said, registered in November 1935, the registration wasn't cancelled until November 1945. Can we assume that Mr Lamb was safely flying his aircraft until at least 1939? Perhaps even flying locally during WW2? If put into store, as so many light aircraft were during WW2, it seems it might have suffered considerable deterioration?

As  always in this 'Guide', if anybody can kindly offer advice, this will be much appreciated.