Yarmouth flying sites
NOTES: It is well worth reading the local history. It seems that many local people still prefer the term 'Yarmouth' to 'Great Yarmouth'. I of course can only refer to historical records. This map only gives the location of 'Yarmouth' or 'Great Yarmouth' within the UK.
YARMOUTH: Civil aerodrome
Note: This picture from a postcard was kindly sent by Mike Charlton who has an amazing collection. See: www.aviationpostcard.co.uk
It is a shame I cannot make out the registration. But, this Avro 504, presumably a 504K, could well have been an example operated by London and Provincial Aviation? It was marked on the reverse as being taken at South Denes, Great Yarmouth.
Pleasure flights: London and Provincial Aviation
Period of operation: 1919 only?
NOTES: It seems a pretty good guess they probably used the ex-military land site listed below? Unless you know better?
YARMOUTH: Military Seaplane Station and aerodrome (Town now known as Great Yarmouth)
Military users: RNAS/RAF Seaplane Station for Home Defence and Marine Operations 1913 to 1919
1917: “Heavies” were a variety of old two-seater Short’s like the Type 827. “Lights” mainly single-seat Sopwith Babes. Later Short Type 184s (many so-called Short Type two-seaters were so underpowered they were operated as single-seaters). Later still a few Fairey Hamble Baby single-seaters arrived, possibly the first UK aircraft to be fitted with flaps?
Here again please, please read G E Livstock, “To the Ends of the Air” to gain a better understanding of what actually took place here, for at least one part of WW1, an account of his flying career that often had me laughing out loud! Learn also something about the existence of Wing Commander “Sammy” Sampson for example, and several flying exploits very honestly told about from which, quite frankly, he was very, very lucky to have survived.
Aerodrome* for RNAS/RAF Home Defense and Marine Operations 1914 to 1919
(Curtiss H12 Large America, Small America & Felixstowe F2A)
On the 1st April 1918 the RAF was formed and this RNAS Station became 228 Sqdn.
I do think it is worth recording that the ‘boat’ pilots at this period in time were Harry Stewart, (Flight Commander), Bob Leckie, Fethers Featherstone, Fitz Randolph, Bogie Bolton and himself, G E Livstock. Harry Stewart was killed night-flying in Iraq after WW1. Bob Leckie became Chief of the Canadian Air Staff and Bernard Cross a senior officer in Imperial Airways.
Location: South Denes more or less it seems, a kind of peninsular, between the Canal/Quay and sea
Period of operation: 1913 to 1919
Site area: 85 acres 1097 x 274
*Also, a small landing strip for landplanes between the sand dunes and the River Yare. (RNAS pilots used this facility to “keep one’s hand in” on many different types.
NOTES: Many, (but only a few successful), anti-Zeppelin patrols were made from here in 1917.
The simple but effective ‘GRW wheel float attachment’ method for launching and beaching seaplanes was developed here during WW1
YARMOUTH: Temporary heliport (Grass helipad)
Operated by: BEA
Location: West Road, West Caister
Period of operation: June to September 1948
NOTES: Using a Westland Dragonfly and possibly a very early Bell type for route proving?
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