Llangadog
Note: This map shows the position of Llangadog within the UK. I had originally had this site listed as Llandeilo and had made this remark several years ago: "Given the amount of publicity involved, I suspect that somebody even today will know of the site they landed on? If anybody could kindly provide a more exact location, this advice will be most welcome."
In January 2019 I was very kindly contacted by Mrs Eleanor Gudge (see 'Comment' below) which really does solve the problem. It also meant I could remove all the rubbish, (I'd say research of course), I had originally included trying to figure out where this location might have been.
LLANGADOG: Temporary Landing Ground
Location: The village is on the junction of the A4069 and the feeder road (also A4069) to the A40, about 6nm NE of Llandeilo
NOTES:
If you Google 'Ping Pong flight' or 'Ainsdale' you can see news footage of the aircraft in South Wales and taking off, plus the arrival at CROYDON. You can also find more information regarding this double crossing of the Atlantic in this 'Guide' in the SOUTHPORT flying sites listing.
CONSTANTLY AMAZED
As said elsewhere I have been constantly surprised if not amazed to keep discovering after many years research evidence of the most astonishing flights, and this was no exception. In fact the very first return flight made across the Atlantic, popularly known at the time as “The Ping Pong Flight” because the wealthy sponsor and ‘co-pilot’ Harry Richman (who had just learnt to fly), filled every available empty space in the wings and fuselage with 41,000 ping pong balls on the very practical grounds that they would act as a means of flotation should they need to ditch.
I suppose we now need to ask why most light aircraft which have to make long sea crossings don’t employ the same or at least a similar method? It is said Harry Richman autographed some of these ping pong balls for years after. Harry Richman was very aware of promotion possibilities and named their aircraft Lady Peace whilst they were in the UK. Yet another clue that in 1936 there was widespread knowledge of the intentions of Hitler and the Nazi Party in Germany?
SOMETHING TO CONSIDER
I have read that another very famous American pilot, Charles Linbergh, had also seen evidence of massive military build-up when flying over Germany and tried to warn the British government, but his advice went unheeded. This said, Linbergh also made a most outspoken protest, broadcast widely on American radio stations, against the USA getting involved in the war with Germany. But he was 'only' a pilot and could not, it now seems, comprehend the bigger picture.
For example, if Great Britain had been defeated, with the Kreigsmarine (German Navy), boosted with the combined naval forces of the Royal Navy, the French fleet and Italy then alongside, the then somwhat meagre US Navy would have stood no chance of defending their eastern seaboard at least. And, if these forces also joined the Japanese in the Pacific their western seaboard would almost certainly have been under seige.
Fortunately, by that early stage in WW2, Hitler and his cronies were mostly focused on conquering Russia, the UK being defeated was a side issue to a large extent. They did make a half-hearted attempt using the Luftwaffe alone, but this was mostly a futile lost cause. We called it; "The Battle of Britain". Even at the time it now appears that the British goverment, aided with photo-reconnaissance pictures, had seen that the build-up of the invasion seaborne force had already ceased.
THE FLIGHT
The flight was proposed and planned by Henry Tyndall ‘Dick’ Merrill and used the already famous and record breaking Vultee V 1A registered NC13770, albeit heavily modified. The original idea it seems was to fly from New York to London, but, encountering bad weather they force landed at LLANGADOG on the 3rd September 1936. They had hoped to make London, but even so established the fastest trans-Atlantic crossing to date of 18 hours 36 mins. (see SOUTHPORT, LANCASHIRE, for some more info). The next day they took off and landed at CROYDON.
Mrs Eleanor Gudge
This comment was written on: 2019-01-31 16:22:37Lady Peace landed in a field near where my father lived. It was in the village of Llangadog around 4miles from Llandeilo,Carms.
Reply from Dick Flute:
Dear Eleanor, Many thanks indeed. My best regards, Dick
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