Colchester flying sites
Note: This map only shows the position of Colchester town within the UK. If anybody can kindly add advice about any of these sites, this will be much appreciated.
COLCHESTER see also ARDLEIGH
COLCHESTER see also BERGHOLT ROAD
COLCHESTER see also BLACKHEATH
COLCHESTER see also BLUE BARNS AERODROME
COLCHESTER see also COLCHESTER HOSPITAL
COLCHESTER see also MALTINGS FARM
COLCHESTER see also SHAWS FARM
COLCHESTER: Military aerodrome (also known as ARDLEIGH)
Military users: Royal Flying Corps
Location: In/near Ardleigh on the A137, about 4nm NE of Colchester town centre
Period of operation: WW1, 1917 certainly
Runways: Presumably ‘all over’ grass aerodrome typical of the period
NOTES: At the PFA Rally in 2005 a Luscombe Model 8A G-CCRK and Piper PA-12 Super Cruiser G-BOWN were entered as flying in from ARDLEIGH in ESSEX. But is this private air strip on this location? See separate listing for ARDLEIGH
COLCHESTER: Temporary Landing Ground?
Colchester was, as originally planned, the 78th venue for Sir Alan Cobham during his Municipal Aerodrome Campaign in 1929. Lasting from May to October he intended to visit 107 venues - two in South Wales and eight in Scotland. Due to a couple of crashes and other setbacks, Colchester became his 82nd venue on the 16th September, (17th too perhaps?), or so it appears. In the end he visited 96 venues, which was of course, still a magnificent achievement.
The punishing schedule he set himself seems astonishing today. Without any doubt this 'Tour' did help a great deal in several aerodromes/regional airports being commissioned in the early 1930s. But not in Colchester.
The aircraft he mostly used for this Tour was the ten-seater de Havilland DH61 'Giant Moth' G-AAEV, named 'Youth of Britain'. If anybody can kindly give advice regarding where Cobham landed in Colchester on this 'Tour', this will be much appreciated.
COLCHESTER: Temporary aerodrome?
NOTES: Venue on the 4th May 1933 for Sir Alan Cobham’s No.1 Tour. Did they use BLUE BARNS perhaps?
COLCHESTER BARRACKS: Military airstrip
Military user: Army
NOTES: Apparently used by the Army Air Corps from the 1950s to the 1970s (Kirkee and McMunn Barracks are added info if that helps)
Any further information regarding this (or these) these sites will be most welcome.
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