EGMK Lympne/Ashford Aerodrome

MK0  Lympne airfield by Sky Fotos Lympne Airport. Nine Bristol Freighters and Superfreighters (and one Rapide)

MK1  photo via Barry Davidson

G-EBKP  Avro 562 Avis        

A lightplane built specifically for the Lympne Light Aircraft Trials.  Bert Hinkler won the Grosvenor Challenge Cup in it in 1924.  Initially powered by a 33 h.p. Bristol Cherub, the Avis was re-engined in 1925 with a 35 h.p. Blackburn Thrush.  It participated in the two-seater tests at Martlesham Heath in 1926 and was flown by (then Wing Commander-  later Sir) William Sholto Douglas.  The aircraft was finally withdrawn from active use in 1928.

Lympne had a long and distinguished history as a military and civil aerodrome, with the Royal Flying Corps, Fleet Air Arm and Royal Air Force (twice) all operating from there.

Dh 88 Comet Racer  GACSR at Lympne in 1934. G-SR came fourth in the London Melbourne race of that year. Its crew promptly collected film of the Australian stages of the race and set off to carry it back to Britain. Their return time of 13½ days set a new record. Is this them landing back in England with the films maybe?

Lympne aerodrome

Peter Ford (SATCO) and John Hinchley in the control tower at Ashford Airport in early 1971.

Larry Curry (SATCO in the 1960s) at Lympne, later renamed Ashford.

The two photos above are stills from a film made by Colin Mitchell in 1968/69. We are grateful to Colin for permission to reproduce them and to Dick Gilbert for telling us about the shots and for gaining us the necessary permission to use them.

the three photos below were taken by Alan Jackson in 1964, via Dick Gilbert

Lympne Airport control tower 1964.

Virtually new Piper Aztec G-ASEV taxying past the Lympne control tower in 1964. It belonged to McVitie & Price, the Scottish biscuit manufacturer and had smart red and black paintwork.

Skyways Coach Air Avro 748 G-ARMX on grass runway 34, seen from Lympne Airport’s control tower in 1964.