Worcester flying sites
Note: This map shows the location of RAF Worcester in WW2.
See also PERDISWELL PARK
See also CLAINES
See also PITCHCROFT
See also WORCESTER ROYAL HOSPITAL
WORCESTER: Balloon ascent venue
NOTES: It appears that James Sadler performed two balloon ascents in Worcester during the mid to late 1780s but the location (s?) has yet to be found? His second attempt took him to Lichfield where he was badly injured trying to land. It appears the balloon dragged the basket for five miles before he fell out. The balloon then ascended never to be heard about again.
It appears that this incident convinced James Sadler, the first English aeronaut, (See CREMORNE GARDENS MIDLOTHIAN) to retire from the business for several years. The next ascent by Mr Sadler I have discovered took place in Birmingham during 1811. I would of course much welcome evidence of other venues - assuming there are any?
WORCESTER: Man carrying kite trials
NOTES: In January 1902 it appears Samuel F Cody conducted a demonstration of a man-carrying kite, or at least a kite carrying similar weights. The demonstration was attended by Major Trollope on behalf of the War Office. Today we tend to assume the glider was the antecedent to powered flight but it now appears the kite was a much better idea! Better to control and easier to arrange. If a wind wasn’t blowing a towing vehicle or boat or ship could be made available.
As mentioned elsewhere I now recognise the probable significance of the first practical ‘Bristol’ aeroplane being named - the ‘Boxkite’.
WORCESTER: Temporary intended flying site
NOTES: In early 2014 I came across this account in Patrick Bishop’s book Wings concerning an incident which took place in June 1910 :
“At an agricultural show in the city of Worcester a Blériot monoplane ‘ran amok’. At the controls was Mr Ernest Dartigan. He was assistant to a Captain Clayton, who had been due to give a ‘series of spectacular flights’ but had injured himself in a crash the previous day. Rather than disappoint the 14,000 people gathered at the showground, Dartigan had rolled the Blériot out to taxi up and down on the grass. The results were disastrous. Dartigan quickly lost control and the aeroplane charged into the crowd, killing a woman and injuring several others.”
“At the subsequent inquest, Clayton admitted that he was not a captain at all, but had adopted the title ‘for business purposes’. Neither he nor Dartigan possessed a certificate of competence from the Royal Aero Club. The pseudo-aviator did not shoulder the blame alone, however. A Worcestershire County Council official who witnessed the accident told the court that the ‘conduct of the crowd was foolhardy in the extreme. [They] insisted upon crowding around the aeroplane and badly hampered the movements of the man who was in control, in spite of the efforts of police and officials to keep them back.’ "
This was far from being a ‘one-off’ affair and pretty much up till WW2 there are accounts of crowds breaking through barriers to surround the aeroplane, still with its engine running, after landing from an epic flight. Not just in England either, but in many other countries and, quite often, substantial damage was done to the airframe as people tried to tear off bits of fabric as a souvenir.
WORCESTER: PITCHCROFT: Temporary Landing Ground
Note: See also seperate listing for PITCHCROFT when Henri Salmet landed here on the 22nd July 1912.
A MICHAEL T HOLDER GALLERY
Note: The picture of Cobham with schoolchildren was published in the Staffordshire Sentinel on the 24th June 1929.
Location: On the east bank of the River Severn, just NW of Worcester city centre
Periods of operation: March 1914 and circa early June 1929 (Are there other examples?)
NOTES: Mike Holder has found two instances of this site being used. The first being a visit by Gustav Hamel on the 1st March 1914. The newspaper excerpt illustrated is from the Evesham Standard & West Midland Observer.
The second was the 20th venue for Sir Alan Cobham's Municipal Aerodrome Campaign in 1929. The Tour started in May and ended in October with one hundred and seven towns and cities planned to be visited. Mostly in England, two venues in Wales and eight in Scotland. Along the way a couple of accidents and other factors prevented him from obtaining his goal, but over ninety venues were visited. A quite remarkable achievement.
Without any doubt this Tour encouraged the creation and construction of several aerodromes/regional airports. But not in Worcester. Cobham did, after the formalities had been dispensed with, subsidise this campaign by giving customers 'joy-rides'.
The aircraft he used for the 1929 campaign was the DH61 'Giant Moth' G-AAEV, named 'Youth of Britain'. I can highly recommend reading his memoirs in 'A Time to Fly' which clearly illustrates the amazing stamina and determination he possessed.
WORCESTER: Military aerodrome (see seperate entry for PERDISWELL PARK)
Military users: WW2: RAF Flying Training Command 50 Group
2 EFTS [Elementary Flying Training School] (DH Tiger Moths)
Flight testing of Fairey Battles certainly (?)….but by whom?
Location: E of A38, NW of canal, N of but almost within Worcester suburbs
Period of operation: 1936 to 1946
Runways: WW2: NE/SW 732 grass E/W 567 grass
NOTES: It really is so tempting to conclude that this aerodrome must surely have been on the site listed as PERDISWELL PARK, but, without convincing proof, I will regard them as separate. This said, by 2015 I was convinced they are one and the same, but however, as the site was known by two seperate names and conducted totally different operations, it seems only reasonable to give them each a seperate listing.
In their excellent book ‘Aviation in Birmingham’ Geoffrey Negus and Tommy Staddon claim that Fairey Battles produced by the Austin Works, were flown from CROFTON HACKETT to RAF WORCESTER for testing.
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