Lanark flying site
Note: This map only shows the position of Lanark within the UK.
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LANARK FLYING SITE: Temporary aerodrome?
NOTES: Lanark was the 35th venue for the 1929 Sir Alan Cobham's Municipal Aerodrome Campaign. The Tour started in May and ended in October with one hundred and seven towns and cities planned to be visited. Mostly in England but with two venues in Wales and eight in Scotland. In the end after a couple of crashes and other problems, he managed to visit 97 venues - which was still a magnficent achievement.
LANARK was the 5th venue in Scotland with GLASGOW, STIRLING, PERTH and EDINBURGH visited before. DUMFRIES, STRANRAER and AYR venues followed.
The aircraft Cobham usually used was the DH61 'Giant Moth' G-AAEV, named 'Youth of Britain'. The schedule he set seems astonishing today. Day after day without barely a break he would arrive at the next venue, take the 'worthies' for a flight, (or flights), fit in flying children sponsored by Lord Wakefield, attend a civic luncheon to extol the virtues of having an aerodrome or airport. Then conduct paying joy-rides until dusk. The latter paying most of the costs for the 'Tour'.
Clearly he did not succeed in persuading and convincing the 'worthies' of Lanark to establish an aerodrome, let alone a regional airport.
It is of course very tempting to imagine other known sites in the region could have been the venue location, but experience has taught me to be very wary of jumping to such conclusions.
If anybody can kindly offer advice, this will be much appreciated.
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