THIS IS FINDON VILLAGE — www.findonvillage.com  created by Valerie Martin, contains scenes from her home village of Findon, West Sussex, U.K.

FLYING OVER FINDON

Copyright Valerie Martin 2002

In 1933 Sir Alan Cobham brought his Flying Circus to The Wicks in Findon (off Long Furlong A280  — immediately on the right heading west after leaving the roundabout on the A24).  The display of thrilling flying went on for two days for the enjoyment of the crowds and bringing exhilaration and drama to the village.  These were the innocent days of open cockpits with the wind screaming past fragile wings; of dangerous landings on mud or grass where no plane had been before.

The Wicks field was used as an airstrip and the displays were given by two aircraft, giving twenty minute trips for 2/6 in an open cockpit and accommodating two persons.   Aircraft were still very much a novelty in those days.

 

2nd November 2007

Please see a pic from Alan Cobhams flying circus?  

Church Hill on the left and the start of Clapham woods on the top right.   Picture was taken on Long Furlong.

John Stepney, Findon Village, West Sussex.

 

The question is.... are you one of those lads who went to look at the aircraft when it was on the ground along the Long Furlong (A280) road?  

I wondered if anyone would write in and tell me what type of plane was depicted and they did.......  

FROM PETER TROUNCE..... ...."Hello Valerie,  The Aircraft is an Avro 504N, made in the 1920's for the RAF as a trainer.   You can see several RAF men with caps in the crowd.

I don't know if Alan Cobham ever had them in his flying circus. He certainly had 3 of the later Avro Cadets.
I attach a photo of a 504N.    Cheers, Peter.Toronto.

 

 

 

ROGER MOULDS SENT AN EMAIL FROM WALES SAYING...."I believe the aircraft is a DeHavilland DH50J. Cobham was a test pilot and promoter of DeHavilland aircraft. His record breaking seaplane was a DH 50, and I think the DH50 is the land version. The engine looks like the Armstrong Siddeley Jaguar engine.  Toodle Pip!  Roger".

TONY PRATT EMAILED..."Dear Valerie, You may already have plenty of idents for the plane shown in the old photo on Long Furlong, my research suggests it is an Avro 504N which was a development of the WW1 trainer with a Lynx IVC engine. The definitive features are the engine shape and two curved structures attached to the upper mainplanes above the fuselage - these are not present on other marks of the 504.

If you search on the web for "Avro 504N" you will find a site "British Aircraft of World War 11" which has the best photo showing these features found so far".

 

The modern globetrotter who checks in at the departure lounge to be flown from one part of the world to another, probably never gives a thought to how extraordinary the idea of air travel was originally. One man played a greater part than any other in convincing world opinion that flying could — and in all probability would — become the accepted means of travelling.  The name of this aeronautical daredevil was Alan Cobham.

Born on 6th May 1894 the young Alan John Cobham began his working life with clothing wholesalers in the City of London.  Following a brief exposure to agricultural work he joined the Army's Veterinary Corps at the outbreak of the First World War.

As the war progressed, Alan began to recognise the importance of mechanical transport and in 1917, (by then a Staff Sergeant), he secured a transfer to the Royal Air Force.  On 1st January 1919, he found he was a civilian once more.

Determined to secure a post-war career in aviation, he joined the British Aerial Transport Company.  It was a promising start flying over a war-torn England, but was, however, short-lived, and very soon afterwards he helped form the Berkshire Aviation Company.  During the latter half of 1919 and the early months of 1920, he toured Great Britain giving joy-rides in a war surplus Avro 504K.  A deteriorating financial situation put an end to it all.

You cannot keep a good man down and Alan rapidly gained valuable experience as an aerial photographic pilot.  Following this and, fortunately for him, on 1st January 1921, Geoffrey de Havilland who, throughout the war years had been Airco's Chief Designer, engaged him as the first pilot for his newly formed de Havilland Aeroplane Hire Service.

In support of his new company's proud claim to 'Fly Anyone - Anywhere', Alan was rarely found out of the cockpit of his aircraft. He was endowed with not only charm and luck but also great energy and enthusiasm.  Routine photographic work was supplemented by air taxi and charter flying which included long distance journeys throughout Europe and the Middle East.  Within a year, he was de Havilland's senior pilot.  His duties also embraced the test flying of new aircraft and entering them in performance competitions.

One of these was the D.H.50 in which, flying the prototype G-EBFN, he won the 1924 King's Cup Air Race at an average speed of 107mph, for this achievement he claimed the Royal Aero Club's Gold Medal and, for the second year running, the prized Britannia Trophy.

1924 was a momentous year.  As well as establishing himself alongside other famous racing aviators of the era, Alan was picked to accompany the Director of Civil Aviation Sir Sefton Brancker to India and Burma.  The purpose was to determine the viability of setting up airship routes.  Upon returning home, Brancker had been convinced and expressed his opinion that it would be the aeroplane and not the airship that would conquer the sky in the future.

Also in 1924 Alan commanded one of the new experimental flying boats around the entire perimeter of the African Continent.   This was back in the days of the Imperial British Raj and he completed the whole journey by only landing in British Colonies lying on the coasts of Africa.  This trip altered history and proved that air travel was firmly on the way.

 

27th October 2005

Hi Valerie



 

You may be interested in a further photo of Sir Alan Cobham’s DH-50 which was taken in probably Karachi in 1926 or 1927 by my father who was serving with the RAF there as an LAC.

The photo has been in my father’s possession ever since.

I had always been told by my mother that it was taken in 1934 when my father flew to Eastern India with Lady Blanche Douglas in a Miles Hawk Major

Best wishes

Michael Ogden

Michael Ogden, Amesbury, Wiltshire.
 

Knighted in 1926, Sir Alan Cobham (by now confident of his own resourcefulness), he branched out on his own.  Leaving de Havilland in May 1927, he founded Alan Cobham Aviation Limited with offices in  New Bond Street in London, which he shared with Malcolm Campbell (the racing car designer and driver).

 

Hilary Knowles emailed me in October 2005 to say she had discovered a photograph album her father had put together while he was serving with the RAF in !raq.   One of the pictures showed one of the Alan Cobham aircraft being flown by Sir Charles Wakefield on a flight to Australia in 1927.    Here it is being refuelled on the Tigris......

 

 

 

12th October 2002.

Having read your very interesting article on Sir Alan Cobham. I thought you would be interested to know that my Wife's mother now 87 and still living in Dover. Was one of three children from local schools in Dover to fly on one of Sir Alan's joyride trips in 1928.

She was 13 yrs old at the time, and her parents had to sign a consent form to allow her to go.

He took off behind Dover castle, flew over and around the town, and landed again at his take off point. She still talks of it today, as it was the highlight of her early years.

She has not flown since, and only ever been on one day trip to Calais!   
                                        Regards
                                                Michael Hearn

 

 

 

 

4th June 2004

Sir Alan Cobham

I read with interest your article on Sir Alan Cobham.

Like Mr Hearn’s mother, my Mum was also one of the children chosen to take part in Sir Alan Cobham’s aeroplane trips. This was in 1929 when she was 14.   She was living in Batley, West Yorkshire at the time.   She is just about to celebrate her 89th birthday this weekend.

She still has the commemorative certificate she was given at the time.  It is signed by Alan Cobham and Sir Charles Wakefield.   It is dated Summer 1929 and is inscribed “A souvenir of Sir Charles Wakefield’s gift flight in the “Youth of Britain”.   Inside is a colour print of the aeroplane, “The Youth of Britain.”   Mum remembers it had basket chairs.

Jacqui Witting

 

 

 

4th February 2006

Sir Alan Cobham

Reveiwing an old photo album of my Father's the attached pictures of
"The Youth of Britain" were discovered. taken according to the
notation in 1929 at Stranraer, Scotland.

I don't know if they are ofany interest to you but you are welcome to them.

Unfortuneately I can add no further details as my Dad passed away many years ago.


Robin Russell, British Columbia, Canada.

 

 

 

5th February 2006

Hi Valerie,



 

That large aircraft in Robin Russell's pictures is of G-AAEV a de Haviland "Giant Moth" which Sir Alan Cobham used in the 20's to give passenger flights, particularly to children. 500 horsepower, it carried 14 passengers.

The history says he flew it to the Isle of Man airfield to give rides, but it taxied into a pothole and broke the landing gear, so lots of disappointed kids.

It finished up crashing in 1930 in Northern Rhodesia.

Doesn't that look like Chanctonbury in the background ?
Cheers,
Peter.
Toronto, (Where we're expecting a severe winter storm tonight, after the
warmest January on record).

 

By 1932, Sir Alan's enthusiasm had turned towards providing his own touring air show.  Although formally registered as National Aviation Day (later Display) Limited, his travelling fleet of aircraft and airborne performers was more popularly referred to as 'Cobham's Flying Circus'.  Spectacular aerobatic pilots, wing-walkers, parachutists and novelty turns excited the crowds the length and breadth of the country, and also, during the winter of 1932/33, at locations throughout South Africa.

This is how Sir Alan's Flying Circus came to be in the sky over Findon.  Passengers could enjoy having a joy ride above the clouds and loop the loop over the village!  No flying restrictions in 1933.  Those were the days.  Part crusader, part showman, Sir Alan helped popularise flying by taking many of the Findon villagers on their first fight.

August 1933 — Sir Alan piloting a twin-engine airliner in the lead of a formation of his flying circus as he flew over our skies.   On this occasion he landed in the grounds of Goring Hall (now Goring Hall Hospital) to give the locals joy flights for a few shillings a go.

 

The air ace stayed at Shoreham Airport with his flying circus of stunt pilots.   He flew his 22-seat Astro airliner over to Worthing where, in his usual spectacular style, he landed it in front of the large crowd at the now Goring Hall Hospital grounds.    Once landed, he promptly offered to take bystanders on joy flights and, even more surprisingly, many of them accepted his invitation that day.

Peter Trounce who originated from nearby Worthing e-mailed me to say.....

 

30th November, 2003.

Dear Valerie,

Sir Alan Cobham and his "Flying Circus" used to come regularly to Shoreham Airport in the 1930's.

I, along with my father and my brother, had my first flight in one of his three Airspeed Ferries, which were designed by (the later author) Nevil Shute, as mentioned in Shute's book "Slide Rule".

There were I think 6 seats, or rather canvas chairs, in the biplane, which is the middle picture on your page "Flying Over Findon". The Circus that time flew from a field near Parham Park.

The plane had 3 engines, one on top of the upper wing. It was made from wood
and fabric. The vibration was enormous, your voice came out all wobbly.

The Air Circus was a revelation to me, aged about 12.  Stunting, a parachute
drop, clowns driving about the field in a Model-T being bombed with flour
bags by a man leaning over the side of a biplane cockpit, Flight-Lieutenant
Tyson stunting in a purple Gloster "Gamecock" and what I now know was a very
dangerous stunt, picking up a hankerchief on the ground with a wire on the
wingtip.  I still have a programme somewhere.

Sir Alan Cobham later ran "Flight Refuelling Ltd." in Gloucestershire which
resulted in all the later military inflight refuelling.
Cheers,
Peter Trounce.

Peter Trounce, Toronto, Canada.
 

Sir Alan Cobham's flying circus also staged a thrilling show over Sea Lane in nearby Ferring in 1935.   The attractions included it is reputed a pilot flying upside down and 20 ft. above the ground.    Also an aerial bombardment of "policemen" with bags of flour.

The nearby Ford Airfield was also taken over for joy rides and as Sir Alan's Cobham's headquarters.

 

 

10th March 2006

Hi Valerie,

Sir Alan Cobham

I'm attaching the Programme front page from Alan Cobham's Air Display of the
1930's.


The programme has 36 pages of description, photos and adverts.

Not bad for sixpence !!
Cheers,
Peter Trounce.


Peter Trounce, Toronto, Canada.

 

 

 

24th Februry 2006

NAD Pilot's Wings

The attached picture of pilot's wings is of wings worn by pilots flying
with Alan Cobham's National Air Displays. T

he badge was given to me by Arthur Neville Worger-Slade, a pilot who flew with Cobham's group. ~

I have just mailed the badge to the RAF Museum in Hendon to be added to their collection.

Mr. Worger-Slade told me that there were only nine such badges ever
issued.

Tom Roe
Salem, Indiana, U.S.A.

 

 

 

13th May 2006

Hi Valerie

Alan Cobham

Alan Cobham is my Great Great Grandfather.

My grandmother Sheila Valerie Vera lived with him and Gladys after the death of her mother (Vera) when she was 3 months old.

Her father was Michael (Alans' son). Michael and Vera married young, I think she was about 21, but died soon after my grand mothers birth apparently due to a week heart, and Alan and Gladys raised her from then on.

I have just been looking at lots of old photos of them, (my grandma has just given to my mother) - we have many many albums of great years they spent together.

From what I have been told, he was an adoring grandfather and great man.

My grandmother & husband Tony Tulit and their three children (one being my mum) moved to New Zealand in 1966? I think.

I thought I would look on the net to see if there was any information on him, and find it extremely interesting to read more about him.

Anyway, just thought you might be interested that there are relatives out there (on the other side of the world!) and want to thank you for the interesting website.

Thanks
Holly Chapman,
Paraparaumu,
New Zealand.

 

 



Sir Alan Cobham's Flying Circus in 1933.

 

After retiring to the British Virgin Islands, Sir Alan returned to England and died on 21st October 1973.

 

 

14th May 2006

Sir Alan Cobham's Flight Helmet

Dear Valerie. I came across your website looking for information on Sir Alan Cobham.

I have the flight helmet he wore on his historic flight from Rochester to Sydney and Melbourne and back to London in 1926.

I am planning to return it to the Cobham family in September of this year so it may be displayed in an appropriate museum.

Small world isn't it?

Robert Furness.

 

 

On 12th January 2007, Robin Jackson emailed to say "My grandfather was a District Commissioner in the Kenya Colony Administration and prepared a landing strip for Alan Cobham to land on during his first ? flight down Africa to Cape Town.

I remember being told by my uncle, Bill Brumage, that on that occasion there were problems with the local tribes people who had never seen an aircraft and in their excitement, kept running on to the landing strip, delaying Cobham's touch down.

My grandfather's name was Douglas Brumage OBE. The correspondence has his surname incorrectly spelt. He was one of the original coffee planters to settle in Kenya and shortly afterwards, joined the Colonial Service and eventually retired to his farm outside Nairobi.

Our family, including my grandparents, left Kenya during the Mau Mau uprising and settled in Cape Town. Douglas Brumage died in 1958 during a visit to Kenya.   Best wishes   Robin Jackson"

Continue if you would like to read about Chrissie the milkman's horse in Did Chrissie Get As Far As Findon Village?

 

 Back to Village Life Index
 Back to Main Index

This is Findon Village — www.findonvillage.com is a continually growing record created by Valerie Martin exclusively for documenting life in Findon.

 

E-mail: valeriemartin@findonvillage.com