Whitfield
WHITFIELD: Civil Landing Ground, later aerodrome - much later (1930s) a temporary aerodrome
Operated by: From mid 1912 - Dover Aero Club
Location: Just E of the old A256, about 2.5nm NNW of Dover town centre
Period of operation: Pre WW1. Hard to say, probably from 1911 until 1914 Later, 28th August 1934
NOTES: Confession time. Have to admit that it was many years after starting this project over twenty years ago, (this being in 2023), before I learnt about WHITFIELD. The problem being, (and it often still is, such as for London airports for example), that the various accounts I had found referred to it as Dover. Therefore, I filed these accounts under the listing - DOVER FLYING SITES. Which, if I may, suggest you might also kindly refer to for further information.
Without any doubt its first claim to fame was as the first U.K. destination for the Circuit of Europe competition in 1911. Incredible is it not, that with powered aviation still in its infancy, a project as grand as this had even been contemplated.
Examples of other notable events taking place here include: On the 16th April 1912, the American aviatrix Harriet Quimbly departed from here to become the first women to fly across the English Channel, (or Le Manche as the French prefer to call it). A fairly full account, as mentioned, in my DOVER FLYING SITES listing.
May 1912 - the arrival of the Italian aviator Jules Nardini from France, to take part in the Daily Mail Aeroplane Circuit of Britain. In those days the Daily Mail was at the forefront of promoting aviation and offered very generous prize money.
On the 18th April 1913, the then very famous English aviator, Gustav Hamel, departed to make the first non-stop flight to Germany. He succeeded too, landing near Köln, or as we call it, Cologne. Again, more info in DOVER FLYING SITES.
A MICHAEL T HOLDER GALLERY
Mike is a great friend of this 'Guide' and we have him to thank for the following:
Note: The first newspaper article was published in the Dover Chronicle on the 29th June 1912. The second newspaper article was published, draw a deep breath, in the Folkestone Express, Sandgate, Shorncliffe. Hythe Advertiser on the 19th June 1912 when the Dover Aero Club was officially opened. It appears it was not a great success as the aerodrome is said to have been little used by early 1914.
The newspaper article above was published in the London Evening Standard on the 17th April 1912. The photo of Harriet Quimby was taken just before she took off to fly across the Channel. As the synoptic chart shows, there was a brisk easterly wind in the region at the time, which explains why she veered so far off course to the west. Following a compass is of little use if you cannot allow for drift.
I could well be mistaken of course, but, so far, it appears this was the first time this location was used after WW1? On this occassion by the British Hospitals Air Pageant Tour, which first took place in the previous year. The newspaper article above was published in the Dover Express on the 24th August 1934, and later, on the 31st August, they published the photo. At first glance it seems a modest affair, but of course, many aeroplanes could be outside of this limited view. Or indeed, in the air. The local area view is from my Google Earth © derived database.
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