Shoreham Airport – a timeline of development

Shoreham-airport-map

This pdf map of the entire site shows the expansion and change of use of the fields over time from 1910 to 1950. Compiled from various sources and original research of Tim Webb “History of Shoreham Airport” Pub.1996

1910 – 1925

Piffard’s early experiments with his Humming Bird aircraft outside his hangar in the SE corner of the field. c1910
Sheds 3 to 8 backing on to the railway embankment SE corner of current aerodrome site c1911
Crowds assemble for the Daily Mail Circuit of Britain Air-race 1911. Note the fencing erected on towpath

Shoreham airfield was used during the 1914-18 war as a Royal Flying Corp training base with No. 3 Training Squadron using Farmans, FE2s and eventually Avro 504s.

c1918 layout ©https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205354045

From 1921 the airfield reverted to cattle grazing.

1925 – 1926 Easter’s Field

Between 1925 and 1926 the field to the West of Salts Farm was home to the Sussex County Aero Club with construction of aircraft in the barn to the rear and flights in Easter’s Field. 1926 the Miles brothers from Portslade, joined forces with Cecil Pashley to form the Gnat Aero Company operating from wooden buildings on Easter’s Field.

Photo c1913 Overlays compiled from various sources and original research of Tim Webb “History of Shoreham Airport” Pub.1996

1926 – 1935 use of the Western field

As the Southern Aircraft Co. the Miles brothers had started to produce their own aircraft designs.

July 10th 1929 the Miles’ Southern Martlet took off from Shoreham.

Hangars on the Western Field, looking NW from brick tower. F.G. Miles’ Martlet with Genet radial engine and Metal Martlet G-ABJW. Photo 1929-1931, Source unknown

1930 Alan Cobham was engaged by the local authorities to survey possible airfield sites; he chose the original field that had been used until 1921. Brighton, Hove and Worthing Councils bought the land for the airfield. A sum of £31,000 was allocated for the construction of a terminal building and hangars.

1932 The first scheduled passenger services started with four flights a day.

1935 Construction of the new terminal was commenced to an art deco design by the architect R. Stavers Hessell Tiltman (designer of the Tudor House pub).

1935 during drainage works ahead of construction of the new airport terminal building. Looking NW in the background you can see the buildings and hangars of the Western field that was the centre for flying for the previous 10 years. Image from Rob Kent.

1935 – 1939 Municipal airport

1936 The new terminal building was officially opened 13 June 1936. The airfield would be named the Brighton, Hove and Worthing Municipal Airport, even though it was in Lancing and would be universally referred to as Shoreham Airport. Scheduled services expanded with flights to Bristol, Cardiff, Liverpool, Manchester, Jersey, Le Touquet and Deauville.

Airport Terminal from south c1935
G-ACYM-Terminal 1935 -1940
G-ADDO-Short-S16-Terminal 1935-1940

1940 – 1945 RAF use

1940 Shoreham was requisitioned by the RAF and used for anti-invasion patrols by 225 Squadron’s Lysanders; throughout the Battle of Britain Shoreham was used as an emergency landing ground.

1941 the airfield and runway was extended.

1946 Honeyman’s Hole in NW corner of Aerodrome showing locations of RAF infrastructure.
1946

1945 – present Municipal airport

1948 Frederick Miles established his business at Shoreham to produce aircraft under the Miles name. The Miles brothers had leased the airfield for work on aviation contracts.

1960 The aviation business of F. G. Miles Ltd was acquired by the newly formed Beagle Aircraft Limited.

1968 © Anders Lundquist
Present day. Overlays compiled from various sources and original research of Tim Webb “History of Shoreham Airport” Pub.1996

References:
Compiled from various sources and original research of Tim Webb “History of Shoreham Airport” Pub.1996
https://www.gracesguide.co.uk/Shoreham_Aerodrome

List of air accidents at Shoreham