Skip to main content

Blandford Airfield

In the 1920s and 30s, Blandford had its own airfield known as the Blandford Aerodrome. It could be found next to Blandford Cemetery along Salisbury Road where today there is housing.

Apparently, it had three grass landing strips and was on the Automobile Association’s Register of Approved Landing Grounds all of which were inspected monthly. For an annual subscription, each AA member was provided with a site plan and airfield map reference. Facilities such as hangers were listed together with any hazards such as overhead power lines. Fuel supply details and suitable overnight accommodation were also detailed. The AA also provided a box for messages to be left which would be collected by an AA motorcyclist who would pass them on, as required.

In November 1931, a Bryanston schoolmaster crashed at Blandford when he lost control of his aircraft.  In Blandford Hospital with concussion and severe cuts, he laconically commented, ’luckily it did not burst into flames or I wouldn’t be telling the story!’

Blandford Airfield’s most memorable day was Wednesday 11th July 1934, when Alan Cobham’s Air Display Team arrived. With afternoon and evening shows, a large attendance was attracted. The group, known as his ‘Flying Circus’, consisted of daredevil pilots and parachutists and ten propeller driven aircraft. Among them was Flight Lieutenant Tyson and ‘glider girl’ Joan Meakin. Tyson’s performance involved looping a hoop located on the airfield, picking up a handkerchief with his wing tip and then flying upside down at 50 feet. Joan Meakin was the first woman to ‘loop the loop’ in a glider. Former Blandford Town Clerk, Charles Lavington recalled:

‘The late Sir Alan Cobham and Captain Black were two of the pilots I remember. I think the charge for a flight over the town was five shillings (25p) with an additional charge if one took part in stunt flying such as loop the loop.’

There was a competition to win free flights as well as free flights for local dignitaries.

In July 1935, Blandford Town Council was making representations to the Air Ministry for the site to be taken over to become a Royal Air Force base together with the then closed former RAF Blandford Camp site. Unfortunately, the proposal did not come to fruition as the site was considered too small not meeting the Air Ministry’s minimum 1,100 sq. yards requirement. Three years later there was less enthusiasm for a RAF bombing range being established a little to the north of the Cemetery Aerodrome. The Council had been invited to a bombing demonstration at Porton Down. The councillors were divided on the proposal but the mayor cast his vote against the bombing range so it progressed no further.









Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

True Lovers Knot - a Tragic Tale

True Lovers Knot public house describes itself as a traditional  inn set in a picturesque Dorset valley in Tarrant Keynston. Yet, this historical hostelry is said to have gained its name from a particularly tragic tale and still to be haunted by a distressed former publican. This publican’s son met and fell in love with the daughter of the local squire. Because the young lad was not from the gentry they decided to keep their relationship secret from her father. Unfortunately, a stable hand saw the two young lovers together and told her father. Set firmly against this friendship the squire made plans to send his daughter away from the district. Not able to face up to life without her boyfriend, the young girl decided to commit suicide and hanged herself from a tree in the village. So upset was the publican’s son of hearing of his girlfriend’s death he too hanged himself from the same tree. The Tarrant Keynston publican had, himself lost his wife at child birth and now losing his son b
4 comments
Read more

Tarrant Rushton's Nuclear Secret

Tarrant Rushton was a large RAF base used for glider operations during World War II. It was then taken over by Flight Refuelling for the conversion of aircraft for the development of aircraft in-flight refuelling. However, between 1958 & 1965, the Tarrant Rushton airfield had a much more secretive and less publicised role. This was in support of the nation’s nuclear bomber deterrent, as Tarrant Rushton airfield became a QRA (Quick Reaction Alert) dispersal unit.   During 1958, contractors Costain reinforced the main runway and carried out other work to ensure the giant bomber aircraft could be accommodated. At times just a few miles from Blandford, there would have been up to four RAF Vickers Valiant bombers at Tarrant Rushton ready to become airborne in minutes charged with nuclear weapons. The bombers were from 148 Squadron at RAF Marham in Norfolk. As there was no suitable accommodation at the airfield, an old US Air Force Hospital building at Martin was used. At the time, the
8 comments
Read more

Chimney Sweep Tragedy

Crown Hotel, Blandford is reckoned to be one of Dorset’s oldest hostelries. Yet its most tragic day, during a long history, must surely be when a young chimney sweep lost his life. The chimney sweep, who was just a child, suffocated and was burnt to death in a Crown Hotel chimney which had been alight a little while before. ‘His cries were dreadful and no-one could give assistance. Part of the chimney was taken down before he was got out.’ (Salisbury & Winchester Gazette 27th March 1780) The lad had gone up one chimney and attempting to go down another had become stuck. At the time children were used to climb up chimneys to clean out soot deposits. With hands and knees, they would shimmy up narrow dark flue spaces packed thick with soot and debris. After the 1731 Great Fire of Blandford it was realised that it was important to sweep chimneys regularly while many rebuilt houses had narrower ones. Smaller chimneys and complicated flues were a potential death trap for children. The sw
2 comments
Read more