BIRMINGHAM and surrounding airfields

[llanfairpg]

If anyone is interested in the history of Birmingham and its airfields could they PM me please or post on here?

Birmingham and the surrounding area had many airfields such as Shirley, Kings Heath, Knowle and Hockley Heath,

http://www.warwickshireaviation.co.uk/file0002.htm

these and more are covered in Alf Jenks book,

"Aviation in Warwickshire Between the Wars"

The book is privately published by Alf and only available from

http://www.warwickshireaviation.co.uk/

The author is hoping to interview more people who worked at Elmdon and recently interviewed an engineer who started at Elmdon a few months after it opened in 1939. He also worked at the sixties company Mid Fly.

He has also interviewed the last CFI of the Midland Aero Club and the Warwickshire Aero Club..

If anyone else worked at Elmdon, was based there or flew from there can they also make contact please.(esp pre 1980)

Birmingham airport will be 70 years old next year and it is hoped an event can be arranged..

[simoncorbett]

i am very interested in birmingham and other airfields local to me - i have seen recently that elmdon used to have 3 runways in the 40's - i have not heard this before and have been unable to confirm this either -can you or anyone help ?
thanks

[llanfairpg]

Its all in Alf's book which is quite frankly amazing

[ZeBedie]

YouTube - Birmingham Airport (Elmdon) 1965. BEA Viscount (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0SDOXrncKvI&feature=related)

[Dick Whittingham]

Shock, horror! Youv'e left out Honiley

Dick

[Propkid]

[QUOTE=Dick Whittingham;4902678]Shock, horror! Youv'e left out Honiley

Propkid
Dick, the book covers between the Wars not during the Wars!

[ATNotts]

[QUOTE=Dick Whittingham;4902678]Shock, horror! Youv'e left out Honiley

Propkid
Dick, the book covers between the Wars not during the Wars!

I feel sure that Honiley was operational well into the 1950s. My Dad worked for Lucas Aerospace and talked of working there as well as at Marston Green. It very nearly became operational again in 2006 courtesy of a Mahan Air A310. AAIB report here:-

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5422f806ed915d1374000691/7-2007_F-OJHI.pdf

Just rereading your posting - the 1950s were hardly "between the wars"!! - Well at least not WW1 and WW2.

[DH106]

Is the airfield that was at Fen End near Kenilworth covered?
Used to love racing round that testing truck brakes when I worked for Lucas in the late 80's

[Propkid]

"Aviation in Warwickshire Between the Wars" Covers from 1919 up to 1939.

Honiley wasn't built until 1941 the site closed for flying in March 1958.

Then Lucas/Verity in 1961, Prodrive around 2000, JLR 2015.

[DH106]

"Aviation in Warwickshire Between the Wars" Covers from 1919 up to 1939.

Honiley wasn't built until 1941 the site closed for flying in March 1958.

Then Lucas/Verity in 1961, Prodrive around 2000, JLR 2015.

Honiley - thanks! Never knew it by that name

[fauteuil volant]

Obviously, you've never drunk in the Boot!

[simoncorbett]

Or The Tipperary pub ... where they have pics of the airfield during RAF days from 50’s & 60’s on the pub walls