Sumburgh
SUMBURGH *Civil regional airport, military in WW2
Note: This picture (2008) was obtained from Google Earth ©
Both these pictures are from the John Stroud Collection. The first picture is of SUMBURGH probably taken shortly after the airport was redeveloped and must surely reflect the importance of Sumburgh in the development of the North Sea oil and gas industry. The second picture baffled me for ages until Peter Ward kindly pointed out that it was of SUMBURGH before the redevelopment.
Military user: WW2: RAF Coastal Command 18 (GR) Group
1693 Flt (Avro Ansons)
279 (ASR) Sqdn (Lockheed Hudsons)
404 (RCAF) Sqdn (Bristol Blenheims)
Torpedo squadron (No.?) (Bristol Beauforts)
*Battle of Britain RAF Station (1st August 1940) 13 Group
232 Sqdn Hurricanes .This airfield was added after the Battle of Britain started, probably in response to the Germans quite cleverly deciding to pose a few ‘flanker’ bombing raids in the north to spread the few British resources as far apart as possible. The first daylight raids on the UK being on Wick and Hull, 1st July 1940).
307 (Polish) Sqdn (Mosquitos)
Operated by: 1933: The Sumburgh Company Ltd
1959: MTCA
1965: Ministry of Aviation
1975: Department of Trade & Industry
1980s to -: Highlands & Islands Airports Ltd
A MIKE CHARLTON GALLERY
These pictures from postcards were kindly sent by Mike Charlton who has an amazing collection. See; www.aviationpostcard.co.uk
First picture: Seen here I suppose that G-DAJ was being operated by Scottish Airways based a RENFREW. They operated 'AJ' from the 18th June 1938 until the 31st January 1947 when it passed to BEA (British European Airline Corporation) from the 1st February 1947 until the 21st November 1947. It was then sold to France as F-BEDY.
Third picture: This Douglas C-47A Dakota 3 has an interesting history. It appears it was first registered for a civilian career by A.V. Air Transport of Johannesburg, South Africa as ZS-BCA from the 24th September 1948 until the 19th May 1949. At some point it was also registered as VP-KGL in Kenya. It was presumably offered for sale on the open market and BEA (British European Airways Corporation) acquired it and registered it in the UK as G-AJDE. BEA operated it from the 4th January 1951 until the 6th February 1961. It was then sold to The Netherlands as PH-SSM.
It needs to be remembered that in the austere years after WW2 all of BEAs aircraft were basically all second-hand, (as were many of BOACs airliners purchased in the U.S.A), and I think I am correct in saying that BEAs first new aircraft were the Vickers VC.1 Vikings. The Dakotas being civilianised ex-military aircraft from WW2.
Fourth picture: Could it be, as also seen in the second picture, that this very modest building served as 'the terminal' for SUMBURGH? It looks like it probably did.
Seventh picture: It appears that BEA acquired three Handley Page Series 100 Heralds, which entered service in 1962, ostensibly to replace their Dakotas, but they never fully fulfilled this - and as any fool would know - they were not suitable. The ineptitude of BEA management by this time, and not just in managing the Scottish services, is of course legendary. The three Heralds, G-APWB, G-APWC and G-APWD only served from 1962 until 1966, when they were sold to Autair International at LUTON.
Generally speaking, the BEA Herald services in Scotland, were replaced by Vickers Viscounts. The more marginal destinations were served by de Havilland DH.114 Herons.
Eighth picture: The Vickers Viscount operated by 'Scottish Airways' is of interest, and the history behind this seems difficult to unravel. In effect it seems, 'Scottish Airways' was a subsidiary of BEA. But whose 'Dakota' is that, seen beyond? Answer = Air Anglia - see comment below.
Ninth picture: In the 1970s it was boom time for the North Sea oil industry, and our Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher was beavering away to make sure it was all sold off to her corporate friends, mostly outside the UK. This picture shows the 'Virkie Terminal, before the new terminal opened in 1979.
Tenth picture: Almost certainly taken on the same day, this picture shows two Bristow Helicopter Westland/Sikorsky S-61Ns, G-BAKB in the foreground.
Twelth picture: Could anybody kindly offer advice regarding this picture?
British airline users: Pre 1940: Allied Airways, Highland Airways and Scottish Airways
During WW2: Allied Airways (?)
Post 1945: Allied Airways(?), Air Anglia, BEA, British Air Ferries, BA (British Airways, British World Airlines, Business Air
Cargo, charter: Air Charter (Scotland), Alidair, Fairflight, Macedonian Aviation
Location: N & E of A970, SSE of Toab, SW of Pool of Virkie, 1nm NNW of Sumburgh Head. In extreme south of Shetland Mainland
Period of operation: 1933 (some say 1934) to present day
Note: These maps are reproduced with the kind permission of Pooleys Flight Equipment Ltd. Copyright Robert Pooley 2014.
Runways: 1933: 594 (Probably grass?)
WW2: 15/33 1216x46 hard 10/28 1024x46 hard
04/22 896x46 hard
1959: 15/33 1239x46 hard 10/28 1026x46 hard
04/22 872x46 hard
1965: 15/33 1239x46 hard 09/27 1026x46 hard
04/22 878x46 hard
1990: 15/33 1426x46 hard 09/27 1084x46 hard
2000: 15/33 1426x46 hard 09/27 1180x46 hard
A Helicopter Runway has been added at one point: 06/24 550x45 hard
Listed in 1990 and 2000 to the south of the terminal building))
Notes: The first ever landing on the Shetland Isles, (or so it is claimed), was at SUMBURGH on the 19th April 1933 by the DH.83 Fox Moth G-ACEB. Possibly operated by Captain E Fresson’s Highland Airways? Although it is said this airline commenced a service in 1934. Will we ever know exactly where this aeroplane landed?
Apparently requisitioned and developed in WW2 for Coastal Command with, and I think this is of interest, “…paved runways and a terminal building.” So, why a terminal building? Perhaps for some of those secretive flights to and from Sweden? Still a busy Station in late 1944 with 1321 RAF personnel based here and, typical of so many WW2 Coastal Command aerodromes with all runways of non-standard length.
In 1959 it appears the only airline operation was by BEA (British European Airways) linking it with Aberdeen (DYCE), Glasgow (RENFREW), Inverness (DALCROSS), Orkney (KIRKWALL) and WICK.
mike
This comment was written on: 2018-09-08 19:59:14The Dakota in the eighth picture belongs to Air Anglia.
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