Hornsea Mere
HORNSEA MERE: Temporary water flying ‘exhibition’ site later military seaplane station for Marine Operations
(Sub-Station to KILLINGHOLME)
Note: These two pictures were obtained from Google Earth ©
Military users: RNAS/RAF (Royal Naval Air Service / Royal Air Force)
248 Sqdn [RAF] (Fairey Hamble Baby, Short 184)
Operated by: (1913) The Lakes Flying Company (of Lake Windermere)
Location: S of the B1244, W of the B1242, just SW of Hornsea, 12nm S of Bridlington
Period of operation: Civil: 12th June, 1913
Military: 1914, (1915 according to other sources), to 1919
NOTES: On the 5th June 1913 The Lakes Flying Company dismantled their Waterhen aircraft and transported it by road to HORNSEA MERE. It was test flown on the 11th June. On the afternoon of the 12th a demonstration flight was given by Mr Adams, (before a crowd of 5,000 people), and then passengers were flown for just five minute flights at £2 a time. (Roughly a weeks wages for a skilled worker).
The Waterhen was then taken back to Lake Windermere, reassembled and test flown on 20th June. In other words this whole exercise took sixteen days - for just a few hours flying. I wonder if it proved profitable?
No. 248 Squadron was formed by the RAF in August 1918, by merging 404, 405 and 453 Flights of the RNAS. Their duties were patrolling the coast of Yorkshire and presumably Lincolnshire (?), mainly looking for German U-boats. It was disbanded in March 1919.
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