Kingstown
KINGSTOWN: Civil aerodrome/airport later military aerodrome
(Aka THE CARLISLE MUNICIPAL LANDING GROUND)
A MICHAEL T HOLDER GALLERY
Notes: The first item was published in the Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer on the 8th December 1928. The third item in the same newspaper was published on the 4th May 1929. Without too much doubt the aerial photo was taken probably shortly after WW2.
Notes: The sixth item is also from the Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer, published on the 10th July 1929. The eighth item was published in the Sunderland Daily Echo and Shipping Gazette on the 16th July 1929.
AND LATER
Mike Holder found this article published in Flight magazine on the 3rd October 1935, and has kindly added this local map c.1938 with the WW2 boundaries marked.
SOMETHING OF A MYSTERY?
Although generally not listed, Mike Holder and myself are quite convinced that Sir Alan Cobham made Carlisle his 39th venue during his 1929 Municipal Aerodrome Campaign, on the 19th July 1929. With Ayr before and Sunderland after - as the eighth item above confirms. But, we cannot be certain that Cobham used KINGSTOWN. It seems most likely of course, but if anybody can kindly offer advice, this will be much appreciated.
It was very common if not always the case in those days, for aerodromes/regional airports to be in regular use for quite some time before being officially opened with a ceremony. Possibly because the powers in authority may have thought, we'll just wait and see if it gets going?
Note: Map source unknown?
Operated by: 1930s: Carlisle Corporation
Military users: Pre WW2 and during: RAF Flying Training Command
51 Group 15 EFTS (Tiger Moths)
KINGSTOWN in the 1930s
NOTE: These two pictures from postcards were kindly provided by Mike Charlton who has an amazing collection. See, www.aviationpostcard.co.uk
If anybody can kindly offer more information, this will be be most welcome.
The second picture appears to show something along the lines of a 'Fly-in' or possibly a local air show event? Any information about this will be much appreciated.
WW2: RAF Training Command
3 AONS (Air Observers Navigation School)
British airline users: Pre 1940: Isle of Man Air Services, Northern Airways, United Airways
Location: 2nm N of Carlisle city centre, west of Houghton village near the A6, on what is now the Kingsmoor Industrial Estate. In the ‘AA Landing Grounds’ publications of the 1930s the location is given as, “2m N town, imm W A74, imm N junct. With A7 at Kingston”.
Period of operation: 1933 to 1957
Runways: In the early 1930s the maximum run was: 411 grass (some say: 376 grass)
1937: SE/NW 686 grass N/S 549 grass NE/SW 549 grass
Oddly perhaps, in WW2 listed in 1944 as being: All-over grass airfield.
NW-SE 915 grass NE-SW 915 grass
NOTES: Just NE of the previous airfield site known as “THE SWIFTS”. What I think is worth mentioning is that fuel was supplied by the Kingstown Filling Station located on the main road adjacent to the airfield and indeed, quite possibly why this site was chosen. It was also an AA (Automobile Association) approved Landing Ground and, according to the AA in 1933, the nearest telephone was at Greymoorhill Farm, 250 yards away.
THE FIRST AIRLINE SERVICE?
In 1934 Northern Airways inaugurated a service from their base at CRAMLINGTON, (then the airport for Newcastle-upon-Tyne), to HALL CAINE (RAMSEY) on the ISLE of MAN via KINGSTOWN. It appears the service operated using the DH.84 Dragon G-ACFG from the 1st August to the 30th September.
However, in his excellent book The Triple Alliance Neville Doyle states; “From August 1st, a regular daily service was flown over the route Newcastle (Cramlington) – Carlisle (Kingstown) - Isle of Man (Ronaldsway), but this was reduced to thrice weekly on August 23rd, and to twice weekly through September and October when the service ended.” In 1935 United Airways, (using Spartan Cruisers), connected KINGSTOWN from Blackpool (STANLEY PARK) via RAMSEY (HALL CAINE) on the Isle of Man.
WW2 ENDED IT
When WW2 began, although used initially by the RAF it soon became clear the site was too small. And that is why RAF CROSBY-on-EDEN, now the present CARLISLE AIRPORT was built. However, that is not quite the end of the story. I had been sent this account which unfortunately I cannot attribute - so far - but I trust you will be as amused as I was: "In November 1942 two German pilots escaped from a prison camp in Westmorland and stole a Magister from this airfield on the outskirts of Carlisle. Posing as Dutchmen they pursuaded ground-staff to start the trainer for them, took-off and headed south. Their absence from the camp had been concealed and their intention was to land at an airfield in East Anglia, re-fuel and fly to the Continent."
"The plan went awry, however, because after re-fuelling successfully they got lost and eventually landed in a field near Great Yarmouth. Still claiming to be Dutch officers they were taken to RAF Horsham St Faith but their incredible luck ran out at this point because all RAF stations had finally been alerted that the aircraft was missing. They were arrested and put back behind barbed wire. All agreed it was a 'jolly good show' but the unit from which the Magister had been taken was very embarrassed."
Ian Pruce
This comment was written on: 2020-11-10 19:43:01My father trained at No15 EFTS, Kingstown in July 1944. Aircraft flown at site, all DH82A's. N6482 Unable to find info. IFP 82279 DH82A TIGER MOTH N9160 Crashed on takeoff Colerne 31.8.50 83447 DH82A TIGER MOTH T7055 Struck Off Charge 5.6.50 83646 DH82A TIGER MOTH T7180 Struck Off Charge 14.1.54 84560 DH82A TIGER MOTH T6069 Struck Off Charge 5.6.50 84760 DH82A TIGER MOTH T6386 Sold 30.3.51 85173 DH82A TIGER MOTH T6964 Dutch AF as A-46 Crashed 7.7.54 Training staff included; Sgt Boyd, F/Lt Casbold, F/Sgt Currie, Sgt Fortune, F/Lt Granger, F/O Anson
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