Hyde Park
Note: This map gives only the location of HYDE PARK in London.
HYDE PARK: Crystal Palace
NOTES: It appears that during the Great Exhibition held in HYDE PARK during 1851, where the original ‘Crystal Palace’ was built, John Stringfellow set up demonstrations of his steam powered flying ‘model’ aeroplane. The idea was it would be sent to ‘fly’ along a wire but, it seems, it once or twice broke free and flew very well along the ‘nave’ of the Crystal Palace. As I’ve mentioned elsewhere in this 'Guide', the importance of ‘model’ aeroplanes in aviation history is vastly underestimated.
See also CREMORNE GARDENS (LONDON) and CHARD (SOMERSET)
HYDE PARK: Emergency Landing Ground
NOTES: Two sites were recommended; one near Marble Arch and the other on Rotten Row were nominated for the RNAS for use between 1914 and 1915. It does seem that neither locations were actually used and indeed, an enquiry to the Royal Parks people revealed that no records of any fixed wing aircraft ever landing in HYDE PARK existed.
However, some years later Arthur Ord-Hume sent me a picture of the Bristol Bulldog IIA K2189 of 41 Sqdn based at NORTHOLT and flown by F/O Smith sitting in HYDE PARK after suffering engine failure when flying over central London. In those days, and up until the 1950s, (possibly later?), there were no restrictions on flying single engine aircraft across central London.
In the 1930s it appears that two proposals were put forward to establish a central London aerodrome in HYDE PARK but nothing came of these ideas. This really was of course the era for bright ideas, especially the project to construct a glass aerodrome above the roof at Euston main-line railway station! Maybe it didn’t rain much in the 1930s? If this all seems like utter nonsense see the early history attached to GATWICK in SUSSEX during the mid to late 1930s whereby a “State of the Art” airport terminal was built on a poorly contructed and often unservicable airfield!
JUST AN IDEA
After Amy Johnson returned from her record-breaking flight to Australia in 1930, the Daily Sketch mounted a campaign to buy her a new aircraft. Her original Gipsy Moth G-AAAH 'Jason' was purchased second-hand. The presentation of the new Gipsy Moth G-ABDV was held in HYDE PARK in August with a crowd of 100,000 attending.
So, did de Havilland transport the Moth by road from STAG LANE, roughly 7 miles away, to be assembled and shortly after disassembled; or - did they fly it in and out - which would make so much more sense?
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