大象传媒

The area in front of Redcar Racecourse was where navy pilots were trained during WW1. Many of them were in their early twenties and started to earn themselves a reputation for showing off.

The local council wrote letters to the station commander complaining about aeroplanes flying low over the beach. Local postcard makers saw this as a benefit to tourism and displayed images of this happening.

Despite being ordered not to fly beyond the confines of the aerodrome one trainee pilot Christopher Bliney said: 鈥淢e being a naughty boy I went to look at Saltburn one morning鈥�. He describes engine problems on the way back to Redcar and crashed into a hedge, fortunately he was unharmed.

On one occasion a navy pilot was delivering a love letter by aeroplane to a woman at Redcar. After a few aerial stunts he attempted to land only to crash his aircraft into the latrines. He survived although his pride may have been somewhat damaged.

Location: Redcar Airfield, Redcar and Cleveland TS10 2BY
Image: Aeroplane used in Redcar, courtesy of IWM

Show less