Maidenhead
Note: This map only shows the position of Maidenhead town within the UK. If anybody can now offer advice on exactly where these venues were located, perhaps using the same site of course, this will be much appreciated.
MAIDENHEAD: Temporary Landing Ground (See seperate listing for STROUD FARM)
NOTES: Maidenhead was the intended 87th venue for Sir Alan Cobham’s 1929 Municipal Aerodrome Campaign. This Tour started in May and ended in October with one hundred and seven venues planned to be visited. Mostly in England, two were in South Wales and eight in Scotland. Due to a couple of crashes and other setbacks, Cobham eventually managed to visit 96 venues, this being his 90th venue. Still a magnificent achievement.
Without any doubt this Tour resulted in inspiring several aerodromes/regional airports being created in the early 1930s - but not in Maidenhead.
The aircraft Cobham mostly used for this Tour was the ten-seater de Havilland DH61 'Giant Moth' G-AAEV, named 'Youth of Britain'. The punishing schedule he set himself seems astonishing today. Highly recommended reading are his memiors in 'A Time To Fly'.
This episode in his schedule is of particular note. Cobham had flown from BROCKWORTH aerodrome in GLOUCESTERSHIRE to Maidenhead. He then flew to Louth in LINCOLNSHIRE. The way in which the schedule was arranged seems most odd, but I suppose, due to his team having to fit in with existing commitments arranged by the various town councils.
This venue appears to be the later BRAY COURT aerodrome used in WW2. The same question applies in 1935 when, on the 14th June Cobhams Tour is reported to have displayed in/near MAIDENHEAD, possibly also in BRAY?
Just as a note, it appears that nearby WHITE WALTHAM aerodrome wasn't commissioned until 1935.
See BRAY for WW2 operations
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