Rugby flying sites
RUGBY FLYING SITES
Note: Mike Holder, a great friend of this 'Guide', has kindly provided this map of most of the flying sites in and near Rugby listed in the 'Guide', as of November 2022.
RUGBY see also BILTON flying sites
RUGBY see also EASTLANDS SHOWGROUND
RUGBY see also NORMANDY FARM
RUGBY: Temporary landing ground
NOTES: In the spring of 1910 a most fantastic project was launched by Lord Northcliffe through his newspaper, the Daily Mail, offering a prize of £10,000 for the first pilot to fly from London to Manchester. Only two pilots seemed up for the task, Claude Grahame-White and the French pilot Louis Paulhan. Grahame-White got away first, on the 23rd April from PARK ROYAL in west London and his first stop was RUGBY. To aid navigation certain stretches of the main line railway had the track sleepers painted white to show the direction. Despite the early hours crowds, some sizeable, gathered along the way to cheer the airman onward.
He had taken off at 05.15 and landed at RUGBY at 07.20, a small hillock breaking one of the undercarriage struts. Nevertheless he had already broken the British distance record by flying non-stop for 83 miles. According to C C Turner, “At 08.25 he took off again. He passed close to the roof of the L & NW Railway station, and the engine drivers greeted him with a chorus of whistles.” Perhaps this provides a clue as to where he landed?
His next stop was the staging post at LIchfield, but an engine failure forced him to land at HADMORE south of Lichfield, which resulted in another broken landing skid. It was not possible to effect repairs before nightfall and during the night high winds blew his aeroplane over, causing substantial damage.
Now then, here’s the thing. Undaunted Grahame-White notified the Daily Mail he’d be making another attempt. That same evening, (a Sunday), Paulhan arrived in London saying he’d be making his attempt on Wednesday. So Grahame-White had barely three days to have his aircraft taken apart, transported back to London, repaired and rebuilt and ready to go. Fortunately Henri Farman, (his company had built the aeroplane), was in attendance to supervise the fettling and maintenance and repairs. (He and his staff travelled by road). Incredibly they had the aeroplane ready to go by Wednesday.
For a more detailed look as to where the location was, see the listing for NORMANDY FARM.
POLO GROUND: Temporary aerodrome
Operated by: Berkshire Aviation Co
Location: Barby Road, Rugby
Period of operation: 1st to 5th November 1919
NOTES: ‘Flying circus’ venue. It seems certain that at least one of the Alan Cobham Tours visited Rugby in the early 1930s, but to date I cannot find any details. If anybody can kindly offer advice, this will be most welcome.
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