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Alan Cobham's Flying Circus Display

1932 , Brentwood (Essex)

Cat no. 198

An air display at Maylands Airfield with mono and bi-planes.

A record of a display at Maylands Airfield, run by Hillman's Airways. The film opens with mono-planes on the ground. Alan Cobham's three engine plane, The Ferry, is used for taking people on pleasure flights. Other mono and bi-plane machines are seen flying, some in formation, and a Puss Moth taxis towards the camera. An Avro 404 is seen looping-the-loop and there are various acrobatics and stunt flying manoeuvres, one with a person on the wing. A formation of nine aircraft flies over and a Comper Swift is seen flying and on the ground. There is a shot of passengers getting out of a Puss Moth owned by Hillmans. A parachutist is seen descending in the distance. There are further shots of aeroplanes flying and on the ground. The next sequence was shot by another cameraman and many of the sequences above are repeated, shot from a different angle. In addition there are some good shots of the crowd including men passing around a bottle of beer. There is a brief glimpse of what might be a fun fair. There are shots of the main road, showing buses and other vehicles and shots of planes flying low over telephone wires and houses. At the end there is a shot of a sign by the perimeter fence identifying Hillman's Aerodrome.

Featured Events

Alan Cobham's Flying Circus Display, Brentwood, 1932

Keywords

Aircraft; Flying displays

Other Places

Maylands Airfield, between Brentwood and Romford

Background Information

Mr. R.H. Brighton of Norwich has supplied the following information.I am fairly certain that this was taken at Maylands Aerodrome, which belonged to Hillmans Airways and was situated alongside the A12 near Harold Wood, Essex, roughly between Brentwood and Romford.The field was officially opened on the 24th September, 1932, with the Great Essex Air Pageant, attended by the Lord Mayor of London and many civic dignitaries. There was a fly past of three 'Bulldogs' from No. 54 squadron and five 'Wapits' of No. 66 squadron, both based at RAF Hornchurch. That would account for the lone shot of high flying military planes. On the 16th July, 1934, Hillman Airways opened a new field at Abridge, Essex and Maylands became a large base for the Romford Flying Club.The three engined bi-plane was the air speed 'ferry' - G - ABSI, named 'Youth of Britain II', which the circus took on charge - 4th May, 1932. A second plane - G - ABSJ, was delivered in June that year. The stunt plane was an Avro 404K - G - ABHI, believed painted red. The man standing on the wings was Martin Hearn. The De Havilland Tiger Moth was - G - ABUL, flown by Flight Lieutenant Turner-Hughes. The front cockpit was normally covered over. The other bi-plane was a Gypsy Moth, possibly G - ABJC, but there were two so I cannot be so definite. The pilot was C.W. Berr. The high winged mono-plane was a Comper Swift - G - ABPY, which was equipped with a radio, whereby members of the public would talk to the pilot and request certain aerobatics. The pilot was H. Johnston, and the colour of the plane believed blue. Finally the Hillman Airways plane is a De Havilland Puss Moth. The company had at least two, one was registered G - ABSB. The were in blue and silver livery.

Manifestations

Alan Cobham's Flying Circus Display

  • Barcode
    INV337437
    Canonical Title
    Unknown
    Carrier Type
    MP4 H264 digital
    Dimension
    Duration
    0:13:28
    Modification Date
    03/03/2016
    Parts
    Reference
    740956
  • Barcode
    INV315143
    Canonical Title
    Unknown
    Carrier Type
    MP4 H264 digital
    Dimension
    Duration
    0:13:28
    Modification Date
    03/03/2016
    Parts
    Reference
    740952
  • Barcode
    INV385633
    Canonical Title
    Unknown
    Carrier Type
    MP4 H264 digital
    Dimension
    Duration
    0:13:28
    Modification Date
    03/03/2016
    Parts
    Reference
    740949
  • Barcode
    INV382137
    Canonical Title
    Unknown
    Carrier Type
    DV digital
    Dimension
    Duration
    0:08:37
    Modification Date
    10/05/2011
    Parts
    Reference
    711233
  • Activities
    Barcode
    INV497201
    Canonical Title
    Unknown
    Carrier Type
    master digital
    Dimension
    Duration
    0:08:37
    Modification Date
    13/04/2011
    Parts
    Reference
    706049
  • Activities
    Barcode
    INV152555
    Canonical Identifier
    TB 692
    Canonical Title
    Unknown
    Carrier Type
    Umatic tape
    Dimension
    Identifier
    Modification Date
    23/07/2008
    Parts
    Reference
    673755
  • Activities
    Barcode
    INV151133
    Canonical Identifier
    TB 151
    Canonical Title
    Unknown
    Carrier Type
    MII tape
    Dimension
    Identifier
    Modification Date
    22/07/2008
    Parts
    Reference
    672981
  • Barcode
    INV210315
    Canonical Identifier
    VP-174
    Canonical Title
    Unknown
    Duration
    0:09:00
    Identifier
    Modification Date
    25/06/2021
    Parts
    Reference
    562933
  • Activities
    Barcode
    INV183859
    Canonical Identifier
    A-702
    Canonical Title
    Unknown
    Carrier Details
    Carrier Type
    16mm film
    Colour Type
    bw
    Has Image
    Y
    Has Sound
    N
    Identifier
    Image Polarity
    negative
    Modification Date
    25/06/2021
    Parts
    Reference
    560795
    Sound
    silent

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