Cofton Hackett
COFTON HACKETT: Civil aerodrome first referred to as a ‘Landing Ground’. Later airfield in WW2 for the Austin Motor Co ‘shadow factory’ of LONGBRIDGE
(Also known as NORTHFIELD AERODROME)
Note: This picture was obtained from Google Earth ©
Operated by: 1930s? WW2: Austin Motor Co. Ltd.
Location: 3nm NNE of Bromsgrove, 8nm SSW of Birmingham City centre
Period of operation: Civil: 1929 to 1932 certainly - perhaps till 1934 and beyond?
Runways: An aerial photograph of the COFTON HACKETT site, taken just before WW2 was declared, clearly shows three equi-distant runways. They are so clearly defined it is hard to believe they weren’t bitumen covered runways but it seems they were all grass. See page 44 in the book ‘Aviation in Birmingham’ by Geoffrey Negus & Tommy Staddon. It appears these grass runways were ‘officially’ only 366m long! The photograph appears to show runways at least 500m long?
NOTES: On bill-posters, Cobham’s publicity team used the term NORTHFIELD AERODROME for their operations at COFTON HACKETT.
COFTON HACKETT Landing Ground was the planned 92nd venue, (in late September), for Sir Alan Cobham’s 1929 UK Municipal Aerodrome Campaign. This Tour started in May and ended in October with one hundred and seven venues intended to be visited. Mostly in England, two were in South Wales and eight in Scotland. However, he did not in the end visit this location.
Due to a couple of crashes and other setbacks, needing much rearranging of the schedule, in the end he managed to visit 96 venues. In itself still a magnificent achievement of course. The aircraft Cobham mostly used for this Tour was the de Havilland DH61 'Giant Moth' G-AAEV, named 'Youth of Britain'. The punishing schedule he set himself seems astonishing today. Highly recommended are his memoirs in 'A Time To Fly'.
Venue, (28th & 29th May 1932), Cobham’s National Aviation Day UK Display Tour although it appears they may have only operated on the 29th?. It also appears that during this day Cobham landed his 'airliner' on ROW HEATH Recreation Ground in Bournville due to problems with heavy rain.
Venue, (6th & 7th May 1933), for Cobham’s No.1 Tour of the UK.
AN INTERESTING LIST
In a list of civil aerodromes and landing grounds for 1933 published by the ARG (Airfield Research Group) it is claimed there were seven hangars here which would make it a very important aerodrome at that time. Perhaps eclipsed by CASTLE BROMWICH simply because the foundling regional airlines decided to use that site as it was closer to the centre of Birmingham?
There are other reports of COFTON HACKETT being used occasionally during 1933 – 34 like a Cierva Autogyro demonstration in 1934 (?) and a flight of RAF Hawker Harts landing here? If so - why? Just for fun, or a weather diversion perhaps? However, there appears to be a gap in the information regarding use of the site between the mid 1930s and the Austin Motor Company using it in WW2.
THE 'SHADOW' FACTORY
I have come across a report that when Fairey Battles were being built here the airfield was equipped with hard runways. So far, I can’t find more supportive evidence - but who knows? It now appears, and Ian Elliott supported this in 2015, that some of the large bombers such as Short Stirlings and Avro Lancasters were transported in sections from the Austin factory in Longbridge for final assembly and initial flight tests.
It now seems to me, given more information, (and it is only a guess), that the 'Shadow' factory here was more probably a final assembly operation - the aircraft being built at the Longbridge factory. Although it might appear that runways of 500 metres or so would be inadequate for use by Stirlings and Lancasters, I suspect this wasn't the case. The difference in performance in being lightly laden pretty basic airframes, and being fully laden for combat operations was considerable.
Also, the concept of allowing, as we often do today, 30% extra above calculated performance figures for safety margins did not exist in those days. Indeed, it was if anything expected that 'pilot error' would often result in in a 'prang'. In addition it must be remembered that military aircraft did not emerge from the factory fully equipped as much of the 'extra' equipment was classified as secret, and added later at secure sites under full military control.
A LAST NOTE
The location of COFTON HACKETT on the map is a very approximate guess, and just intended to position the site within the U.K. If anybody can provide a more exact location this will be much appreciated.
Alf Jenks
This comment was written on: 2016-05-31 11:14:25Cohhams Municipal Aerodrome Campaign never visited Cofton Hackett it went to Castle Bromwich.
Reply from Dick Flute:
Hi Alf, Many thanks for this information. I believe I found this info from an itinerary, but I am aware that sometimes changes were made at short notice. Best regards, Dick
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