River Thames flying sites
Note: This map only shows the position of the River Thames in central London within the UK.
RIVER THAMES see also BLACKFRIARS
RIVER THAMES see also ISLEWORTH
RIVER THAMES see also LAMBETH and also POOL of LONDON
RIVER THAMES see also WESTMINSTER AIRPORT
RIVER THAMES: Temporary landing sites
This picture, taken by the author, shows - in the centre of the picture - the sites on the River Thames used by McClean by the Houses of Parliament and Alan Cobham, plus the Short Calcutta also mentioned.
NOTES: Photographic evidence seems to indicate the first recorded landing on the River Thames was by Mr Francis K McClean flying a Short S.33 design. This was on the 10th August 1912. It appears he took off from HARTY FERRY on the Isle of Sheppy (KENT) and flew through Tower Bridge and under London Bridge before alighting near the Houses of Parliament. It is said that he was fined £1 for doing this!
He had an accident taking off, “Due to a Police Restriction. Had accident at take-off point indicated by police”. More evidence is provided in the FAA museum at YEOVILTON.
On the other hand, in his book Flying and Balloning John Fabb has a photograph clearly showing the Short tractor hydro-biplane making its way east, on the water and passing beneath Tower Bridge. His caption is: "The Short tractor hydro-biplane on the Thames, August 1912. It had just flown up the river from the Isle of Sheppey to Westminster Bridge". In effect almost certainly another view of the flight made by McClean.
A MAJOR EXPLORATORY FLIGHT - PERHAPS THE LONGEST EVER?
Alan Cobham landed on the Thames alongside the Houses of Parliament on the 1st October 1926 in the DH.50J G-EBFO after completing his first survey flight to Australia. This was the culmination of 62,000 miles using floats and wheels, on a route survey for Imperial Airways. (See also LAMBETH for a picture).
I would like to quote Sir Alan Cobham from his book A Time To Fly, (highly recommended), published in 1978 after his death in old age.
"It was not going to be an easy landing. The tide was low at Westminster, and the wind was blowing across the river: the great bulk of the Houses of Parliament would slow it down a little, but might also create turbulence. So I circled a couple of times to consider the situation, and decided to come in from the east. Back on the throttle, down went the nose of my DH.50 float-plane; a touch of aileron, a touch of opposite rudder, and we side-slipped over Westminster Bridge and touched down on the water in front of St Thomas's Hospital."
"We had taken off that morning from the Seine in Paris, but behind us there were more than twenty-seven thousand miles: we had flown to Australia and back." My note: the 27,000 miles+ referred to was only the return journey.
Another picture sometimes dated 01.08.28 shows the Short Calcutta flying boat, G-EBVG, moored opposite the Houses of Parliament. However, in his most excellent book British Commercial Aircraft, by Arthur W.J.G. Ord-Hume, he gives this account: "Short Brothers' test-pilot John Lankester Parker decided to show Members of Parliament the prototype Calcutta, G-EBVG. On August 1st 1929 with Oswald Short on board he flew from Rochester and landed on the Thames between Vauxhall and Lambeth bridges, taxied under Lambeth Bridge and was then towed to moorings of the Albert Embankment where the flying-boat remained until August 5th when Parker took off again, just clearing Lambeth Bridge and flying low over the terrace of the House of Commons."
"During those three days, many members of both Houses inspected the machine including Chancellor of the Exchequer Winston Churchill and Colonel the Master of Semphill whose Blackburn Bluebird seaplane, G-EBSW, was moored close by. Later Oswald Short....recalled: 'I don't know anyone else who could have put the Calcutta down on the Thames as he did....There was only just room and any miscalculation could have led to disaster. We nearly entered the House of Lords by the back door.'
ANOTHER LISTING
In 1946 apparently (? ), but probably in 1949, there was a Short Solent (or Sandringham) moored west of Tower Bridge. I would imagine that the river east of Tower Bridge was used to take-off and probably for the landing? See seperate listing for POOL of LONDON.
FLYING UNDER THE BRIDGES
1919
The next incident after 1912 appears to have been in 1919 when the Australian Flight Lieutenant Sidney Pickles flew a 'Fairey seaplane' through Tower Bridge. It appears that only after this incident, flying beneath London bridges became illegal.
1931
THE 'MAD MAJOR'
One example after WW2 of an illegal flight through Tower bridge, and under many other London bridges, (15 it is claimed), was the flight in an Auster by the ‘Mad Major’ Christopher Draper on the 5th May 1953 - the second time he had done this. The reason for the 'stunt' was to draw attention to the plight of war veterans and the abysmal way they were being trated by the British government. So - not much changed there then - sixty years later.
The first time Christopher Draper decided to fly under the bridges in central London was in a de Havilland DH.80A Puss Moth in 1931. This fuzzy picture is from the publication Wings, Volume 3, Part 43, but was incorrectly captioned as being Westminster Bridge. It was of course Lambeth Bridge. It is well worth looking up the information regarding this brave and campaigning individual who had a most remarkable career in flying. And, not in the least bit 'mad'.
1951
Frank Miller, apparently egged on by his young son as passenger, decided to fly an Auster through Tower Bridge. It needs to be remembered that in those days it was not illegal to fly a single-engine aircraft across London, although passing through Tower Bridge certainly was!
1953
See the 1931 account above.
1973
This photograph is copyright of the Steiner Saevdal Collection, which I have been unable to contact for permission to use.
We have Mr Graham Frost, a great friend of this 'Guide' to thank for pointing out this occassion. On the 24th March 1972, the Thurston (Schweitzer) TSC-1A Teal, G-AXZN, (ex N2008T), landed on the Thames opposite Battersea Heliport.
It appears that nearly fifty of the Thurston TSC-1A Teal were built in the USA, by three different manufacturers, this example being built by Schweitzer.
1968
It appears that Flight Lieutenant Alan Pollock, incensed at the cut-backs to the RAF by the Labour government under Harold Wilson, decided to break-away from a formation of Hawker Hunters and fly through Tower Bridge and then past the Houses of Parliament at low level.
1999
I have Geoff Hall for pointing this out as I missed seing any mention. (See 'Comment' below). There is quite a lot of general information available, including the involvement of Carlton TV who televised the 'event'. However, I have failed to identify the two pilots, and their micolight aircraft. On this occassion it seems they flew under 23 bridges from Kew Bridge to Tower Bridge. If anybody can kindly provide more information, including the outcome, this will be much appreciated.
2012 - THE OLYMPICS
In 2012, for the Olympic games, a helicopter was granted permission to fly through Tower Bridge. In fact there were two helicopters as the ‘hero’ helicopter was followed by a camera-ship helicopter. The practice flights took place on the 9th June and the event took place for the opening ceremony on the 27th July. These were the first legal flights being allowed through Tower Bridge since 1919.
Geoff Hall
This comment was written on: 2017-10-13 17:06:41A microlight flew under all the Thames Bridges a few years back
Reply from Dick Flute:
Hi Geoff. Many thanks - I missed that happening. This also served as a reminder to look up the history, and a couple more emerged which I shall now add. Best regards, Dick
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