The history of Civil Aviation in the Orkney Islands
THE PIONEERS OF CIVIL AVIATION IN ORKNEY
Captain Ernest Edmund `Ted` Fresson is known today as the forerunner for Civil aviation in Orkney, Ted had become interested in aeroplanes at an early age and had learned to fly in Canada and America prior to the First World War and during the latter flew anti-submarine missions from England.
After WW1 Ted Fresson returned to China where he had once worked in the tea trade, here he now became a flying instructor and became also involved with aircraft construction.
After WW1 Ted Fresson returned to China where he had once worked in the tea trade, here he now became a flying instructor and became also involved with aircraft construction.
Above: Fresson`s DH-60 Moth in Kirkwall. Photo: Orkney Library Photo Archive.
In 1928 he returned to England and set up a business for pleasure flights around the British Isles, but had bigger ideas and in April 1931 made a succesful flight from Scotland to Kirkwall in his DH-60G Moth G-AAWO along with a passenger Miss Helen Pauer, the purpose of the flight being to find a suitable landing place for an airfield for running pleasure flights in the Summer months, The aircraft landed in a field near Balfour Hospital, close to the Scapa Pier road.
Above: Fresson & Miss Pauer at the shed of J.G.Shearer on Castle Street, Kirkwall in 1932. Photo: Orkney Library Photo Archive.
On 22nd August 1931 Fresson made another flight to Orkney in an AVRO 504 G-EBGZ and landed in a field off the Deerness Rd, Kirkwall and interest was shown by James Mackintosh the owner of the `Orcadian` who wrote a number of articles in the newspaper describing these pioneering flights.
In February 1932 Fresson again in the DH60 flew back to Orkney and landed the aircraft in a field near the Peedie Sea, it was then towed with folded wings to the Coal Mercheant J.G.Shearer`s shed where it was stored prior to a return flight and talks with local backers for a scheduled service to operate from Inverness to Kirkwall.
Above: FDC Commemorates the First Air Mail from Orkney in 1934.
Wideford Farm
Above: First arrival at Wideford in May 1933.
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Flight-Lieut. Geo. B. Holmes Death.
Aberdeen Press and Journal - Thursday 18 March 1937
PIONEER AIR PILOT VICTIM OP CRASH IN GERMANY FLEW ON NORTHERN ROUTE Flight-Lieut. Geo. B. Holmes, one of the pioneer pilots who flew thousands of passengers across the Pentland Firth before radio facilities developed, and who died in an Imperial Airways crash in Germany, was stationed at Kirkwall with Highland Airways in 1933 and 1935. In addition to operating on the Kirkwall-Wick-Inverness air mail route and the Kirkwall-Aberdeen route, he flew nearly 2000 passengers between Kirkwall and Wick on an early morning winter service to connect with a breakfast train for the south. Flight-Lieut. Holmes is survived by his wife and a four-year-old daughter, who reside at Stafford Road, Waddon, Surrey. They spent a year in the Orkney Islands, and resided also for some time in Inverness.
PIONEER AIR PILOT VICTIM OP CRASH IN GERMANY FLEW ON NORTHERN ROUTE Flight-Lieut. Geo. B. Holmes, one of the pioneer pilots who flew thousands of passengers across the Pentland Firth before radio facilities developed, and who died in an Imperial Airways crash in Germany, was stationed at Kirkwall with Highland Airways in 1933 and 1935. In addition to operating on the Kirkwall-Wick-Inverness air mail route and the Kirkwall-Aberdeen route, he flew nearly 2000 passengers between Kirkwall and Wick on an early morning winter service to connect with a breakfast train for the south. Flight-Lieut. Holmes is survived by his wife and a four-year-old daughter, who reside at Stafford Road, Waddon, Surrey. They spent a year in the Orkney Islands, and resided also for some time in Inverness.
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Hull Daily Mail - Monday 27 December 1937
SANTA CLAUS' 'PLANE
A pilot, dressed as Santa Claus, flew from Kirkwall, Orkneys, to Fair Isle, halfway to the Shetland's, on Christmas Eve with balloons and parcels of toys for the 17 children on the lonely island.
SANTA CLAUS' 'PLANE
A pilot, dressed as Santa Claus, flew from Kirkwall, Orkneys, to Fair Isle, halfway to the Shetland's, on Christmas Eve with balloons and parcels of toys for the 17 children on the lonely island.
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De Havilland Dragon Rapide (G-AFEY)
Above - De Havilland Dragon Rapide (G-AFEY)
Orkney Herald, and Weekly Advertiser and Gazette for the Orkney & Zetland Islands - Wednesday 20 March 1940
FIRE DESTROYS AIRLINER AT KIRKWALL
Six Passengers and Pilot Escape Unhurt after Take-off Crash.
Six passenger's and the pilot escaped injury when a Scottish Airways mail plane crashed in taking off from Wideford civil aerodrome Monday morning. A few minutes after they had got out however the machine burst into flames and was completely destroyed. The plane, a De Havilland Dragon Rapid seven-seater passenger liner (G A F E Y) was bound for Inverness when it taxied across the aerodrome to take off about 9.15 in the morning. Startled watchers saw it race across the field. rise a little and crash into the top of a stone wall at the north end of the 'drome’. It went on to crash through two wooden fences before coming to rest facing the way it had come and on an even keel. The pilot and passengers, one of whom was a woman, got out, all unhurt, and in a few moments the machine took fire. Passengers assisted in rescuing the mails, but all their own luggage was destroyed. Photographs of Saturday's air-raid destruction at Stenness were aboard the machine, and these were rescued. There were no local people among the passengers. who included--an Army officer, two naval officers, a member of the Women's Auxiliary Service, and two civilian Government officials. The pilot was Captain Henry Vallance.
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John o' Groat Journal - Friday 22 March 1940
Plane Crashes and Catches Fire.
PASSENGERS ESCAPE IN KIRKWALL MISHAP.
While taking off from Wideford civil aerodrome on Monday morning, a mail 'plane belonging to Scottish Airways crashed, and six passengers had a remarkable escape from injury, the machine bursting into flames a few minutes after they got out, A seven-seater passenger liner of the De Haviland Dragan Rapide type, the 'plane took off at 9.15 a.m. for Inverness. As it taxied across the aerodrome to rise, it failed to clear a stone wall at the north end of the landing-ground and crashed against the top of it. The machine broke ‘through two wooden fences before it stopped, and it had then wheeled round and faced the opposite direction. The pilot and passengers got out, none of them being injured, and just afterwards the plane went on fire. The mails were saved, but all the luggage was destroyed. Aboard the plane were photographs of the destruction at Stenness caused by Saturday’s air raid, and some of them were saved.
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Fife Free Press - Saturday 23 March 1940
PASSENGER PLANE CRASHES At Scottish Aerodrome Although a civil plane, which was making a forced landing in the North of Scotland because of engine trouble, struck a hedge, somersaulted, and shortly afterwards burst into flames, the six passengers escaped injury. All were able resume their journey later in a relief machine. The damaged plane was on its way to Inverness with mails and pictures of the damage caused in Orkneys during the Nazi air-raid Saturday. The pilot was able to drag the mail clear in time, but the photographs were ruined.
FIRE DESTROYS AIRLINER AT KIRKWALL
Six Passengers and Pilot Escape Unhurt after Take-off Crash.
Six passenger's and the pilot escaped injury when a Scottish Airways mail plane crashed in taking off from Wideford civil aerodrome Monday morning. A few minutes after they had got out however the machine burst into flames and was completely destroyed. The plane, a De Havilland Dragon Rapid seven-seater passenger liner (G A F E Y) was bound for Inverness when it taxied across the aerodrome to take off about 9.15 in the morning. Startled watchers saw it race across the field. rise a little and crash into the top of a stone wall at the north end of the 'drome’. It went on to crash through two wooden fences before coming to rest facing the way it had come and on an even keel. The pilot and passengers, one of whom was a woman, got out, all unhurt, and in a few moments the machine took fire. Passengers assisted in rescuing the mails, but all their own luggage was destroyed. Photographs of Saturday's air-raid destruction at Stenness were aboard the machine, and these were rescued. There were no local people among the passengers. who included--an Army officer, two naval officers, a member of the Women's Auxiliary Service, and two civilian Government officials. The pilot was Captain Henry Vallance.
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John o' Groat Journal - Friday 22 March 1940
Plane Crashes and Catches Fire.
PASSENGERS ESCAPE IN KIRKWALL MISHAP.
While taking off from Wideford civil aerodrome on Monday morning, a mail 'plane belonging to Scottish Airways crashed, and six passengers had a remarkable escape from injury, the machine bursting into flames a few minutes after they got out, A seven-seater passenger liner of the De Haviland Dragan Rapide type, the 'plane took off at 9.15 a.m. for Inverness. As it taxied across the aerodrome to rise, it failed to clear a stone wall at the north end of the landing-ground and crashed against the top of it. The machine broke ‘through two wooden fences before it stopped, and it had then wheeled round and faced the opposite direction. The pilot and passengers got out, none of them being injured, and just afterwards the plane went on fire. The mails were saved, but all the luggage was destroyed. Aboard the plane were photographs of the destruction at Stenness caused by Saturday’s air raid, and some of them were saved.
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Fife Free Press - Saturday 23 March 1940
PASSENGER PLANE CRASHES At Scottish Aerodrome Although a civil plane, which was making a forced landing in the North of Scotland because of engine trouble, struck a hedge, somersaulted, and shortly afterwards burst into flames, the six passengers escaped injury. All were able resume their journey later in a relief machine. The damaged plane was on its way to Inverness with mails and pictures of the damage caused in Orkneys during the Nazi air-raid Saturday. The pilot was able to drag the mail clear in time, but the photographs were ruined.
Above: A de Havilland Dragon G-ADFI at Berstane Farm near Kirkwall in 1938. Photo: Tom Scott.
Miles Merchantman G- AILJ 1948
Aberdeen Press and Journal - Wednesday 23 June 1948
THIS picture of the Miles Merchantman air freighter was taken at Aberdeen Airport, Dyce, yesterday, when the machine landed for refueling on a flight from Kirkwall to Reading. A four-engined development of the smaller Aerovan, the Merchantman is powered with four 250 h.p. Gipsy Queen engines. It was this aircraft which made the air delivery in Kirkwall of a 10 h p. Hillman car weighing 18J cwt. The aircraft was piloted by Miles' chief test pilot, Mr K. Waller, who was co-pilot to Captain Black on the record breaking London-Sydney flight before the war. In the freight compartment of the aircraft can be seen tins of liquid eggs from Orkney, bound for South markets.
Longhope Whirlybird 1964
Beryl Gillespie-Simpson sent us these great photos from one of her family albums of a Bell 47 Helicopter G-ARIA that landed at Longhope in July 1964. Her captions are given below the pictures. Thanks Beryl.
This was when they were laying new water pipes at Hogglins Water. My mum had to lay out a white sheet up above our house so that the pilot knew where to land, it can be seen in the photo.
As a treat for my brother Mervyn's 10th birthday the pilot Neville Mount took us both a trip around Flotta and Longhope Bay. We were great fans of the TV programme Whirleybirds so it was some treat! - at Up in the field above North Row. Photo: Beryl Gillespie-Simpson
As a treat for my brother Mervyn's 10th birthday the pilot Neville Mount took us both a trip around Flotta and Longhope Bay. We were great fans of the TV programme Whirleybirds so it was some treat! - at Up in the field above North Row. Photo: Beryl Gillespie-Simpson
Longhope July 1964.
Bill Irvine standing in front of the helicopter. - at Up in the field above North Row. Photo: Beryl Gillespie-Simpson.
Bill Irvine standing in front of the helicopter. - at Up in the field above North Row. Photo: Beryl Gillespie-Simpson.
Neville Mount the pilot on the left and Bill Irvine water board manager from Kirkwall must have been ex service man what a seam was always in his breeks and he polished his shoes every morning in the back porch of our house. I remember it as if it were yesterday and I was just 13. - at Field above North Row. Photo: Beryl Gillespie-Simpson.
Lift off :
And up it goes! Some bad bairn has scribbled on the photo. - at Up in the field above North Row. Photo: Beryl Gillespie-Simpson
And up it goes! Some bad bairn has scribbled on the photo. - at Up in the field above North Row. Photo: Beryl Gillespie-Simpson
THE FIRST CIVIL AIRLINE LANDING AT LONGHOPE
This photo appeared in the Orcadian sometime in the late 1960s or early 1970s, the clipping was found by Beryl Gillespi-Simpson. The article that appeared with the photo is below the picture. If anyone remembers the date please get in touch..The aircraft was a Loganair Norden Islander.
Staff of Loganair at Longhope. Photo: The Orcadian.
News clipping from the Orcadian.
VICKERS VISCOUNT G-BFYZ AT KIRKWALL LATE 1970s.
This Viscount formally operated by Guernsey Airlines and Alidair, became a charter aircraft for the oil industry in the 1970s. The aircraft suffered a landing accident at Kirkwall on the 25th October 1979, though fortunately there were no serious injuries to the 51 crew and passengers on board. Photo: Julie Rickards.
BRITTEN-NORMAN BN-2A ISLANDER G-BFCX ACCIDENT ON ROUSAY.
A forced landing on Rousay in February 1980 resulted in the aircraft ending up in a ditch, however both .the pilot and passengers escaped injuries and were taken off the isle by ferry. The aircraft only suffered minor damage and with the aid of a Sikorsky S-61 helicopter G-BDIJ, the Islander was airlifted to Kirkwall for repairs and flew again Photo: Tom Gibson.
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