Thurso flying sites
Note: This map only shows where the 1930s 'airport' was.
THURSO: Military Seaplane Station
Note: These two maps and the Google Earth © image were kindly provided by Mr Michael T Holder
Military user: RNAS (Royal Naval Air Service)
Location: In Thurso town centre where the River Thurso flows into Thurso Bay
Period of operation: 1914 only it seems
NOTES: Later merged with RNAS SCAPA. But, the essential question remains, what were they supposed to be defending in this very remote location? Some sort of ‘back-up’ to the Royal Navy in Scapa Flow presumably?
THURSO: Civil regional airport (Aka CLARENDON)
Note: Both of these maps were kindly provided by Mr Michael T Holder
British airline users: Pre 1940: Aberdeen Airways, Highland Airways, Scottish Airways
During WW2: Allied Airways
Location: To the east of Thurso town, just S of the A836. I reckon that THURSO was, (and still is for that matter), the most northern aerodrome/airport on the UK mainland?
Period of operation: 1930s only?
NOTES: It would seem that Capt E E Fresson was offering a kind of airline type service in 1932 (?) with the de Havilland DH60 Moth G-AAWO, (trading as Highland Airways it would appear), with connecting routes to KIRKWALL and INVERNESS. It must be borne in mind that a DH60 Moth can only carry one passenger.
It appears that on the 11th June 1935, Aberdeen Airways started a service to STROMNESS.
It must be explained that in the 1930s a regional 'airport' anywhere in the UK, let alone in the far reaches of Scotland, could be just a small strip with minimal facilities, perhaps only a windsock to assist pilots - if that.
Also, the definition of an 'airline' has changed considerably. Today of course an 'airline' can be defined by its scheduled services, but then it was often more like what we would now consider an air-taxi or charter operation. And indeed, in the 1920s and 30s regional airlines with regular established services often included destinations which were served "on demand" when passengers wanted to be dropped off or collected.
Note: These maps and the Google Earth © picture were kindly provided by Mr Michael T Holder
Note: Many years ago I posed the question for CLARENDON: "Was this also the venue on the 15th May 1934 when Sir Alan Cobham’s Tour displayed in/near Thurso?" In July 2020, Mike Holder, a great friend of this 'Guide' investigated the issue and came up with this answer. It appears that Cobham used a site on the other side of Thurso. SCRABSTER MAINS. This was not at all unusual - Cobham and most of the other 'Flying Circus' operators in the 1920s, and especially during the 'hey-day' period in the 1930s, usually preferred to find their own sites, as opposed to using established aerodromes.
Apart from being cheaper to operate from, it also meant they had total control of the proceedings. Further research by Mike Holder reveals that this site was also used by Cobham on the 18th July 1935 with his No.2 Tour.
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