Leeds flying sites
Note: This map only shows the location of Leeds city within the UK.
LEEDS see also separate entry for LEEDS HELIPORTS
LEEDS see also LOFTHOUSE PARK
LEEDS see also MOORTOWN
LEEDS see also ROUNDHAY PARK
LEEDS see also SHERBURN-in-ELMET
LEEDS see also SPEN LANE
LEEDS: Man-carrying kite demonstration
Operated by: Samuel F Cody
Location: ?
Period of operation: Dec 1901
LEEDS: Temporary flying site
NOTES: In the Winter 2011 edition of Prop-Swing magazine, there was an article by Mike Hallett about the early flying career of Harold Blackburn, who was not related to Robert Blackburn the aircraft designer and manufacturer, even though he worked for the company as a test and demonstration pilot. What interested me was the news from Mike Hallett, and I quote: "Flight reported that at the Yorkshire Agricultural Show on 22 July (My note; 1914) Harold "..opened the first air-line service in Great Britain between cities flying to a timetable, "operating half-hourly trips in the Type 1 (My note - a two-seater Blackburn type) between Leeds and Bradford thus laying claim to the title of 'Britain's first airline pilot'.
Naturally my interest is firstly - where was the Yorkshire Agricultural Show held in 1914, and of course, where was Blackburn landing in Bradford? If anybody can kindly help in answering these questions, the advice will be most welcome.
LEEDS: Temporary Landing Ground
Leeds was the 25th venue for Sir Alan Cobham’s 1929 Municipal Aerodrome Campaign. This Tour started in May and ended in October with one hundred and seven towns and cities visited. Mostly in England but with two venues in Wales and eight in Scotland.
For this Tour Cobham used the DH61 'Giant Moth' G-AAEV, named 'Youth of Britain'. The scheme was to fly the 'worthies' around to see the sights, usually followed by a grand luncheon when Cobham expounded the benefits of a regional airport/aerodrome. Then flying children subsidised by Lord Wakefield, and finally offering joy-rides to the public. The idea being that the revenue from these would pay for the Tour.
Does anybody now know the location of the venue he used?
LEEDS FLYING CIRCUS VENUES
1931 CD Barnard Air Tours circuit of the UK. In similar terms LEEDS was the venue for Sir Alan Cobhams ‘Tour’ visit on the 29th May 1935.
It is of course tempting to think that both the Cobham 1929 tour and the CD Barnard tour used either ROUNDHAY PARK or YEADON but experience has shown it is foolish to rush to such deductions. Does anybody today know where these events took place?
BLACKBURN AEROPLANE & MOTOR
NOTES: During WW1 the Blackburn Aeroplane & Motor Co Ltd had a aircraft factory in the ‘Olympia’ district of Leeds. It appears that final assembly and test and proving flying took place at ROUNDHAY PARK, (see separate entry). However, to further confuse matters I have discovered a claim that prior to WW1 Blackburn were using LOFTHOUSE PARK, (see separate entry).
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