>
EGHP :Lat/Long 50 50N/01 03W .Grid ref .SU 670035.12 feet ASL.
RUNWAYS Grass:18/36 1061x106 m.07/25 1041x122 m. 12/30 954x79 m.
NEW :A page of photos taken at Portsmouth Airport ,mostly during the late 40s.To view these images CLICK HERE
Portsmouth's first plans for an airport were for a 3 part scheme of a seaplane base in Langstone,municipal airport on Farlington Marshes and an international airport on Portsea Island.This idea dated from 1924 ,and was not proceeded with.Although the idea in total was a non- starter, the marine airport was still being discussed as late as November 1937.The sketchmap below shows the planned location of the proposal as at 1936 and the arrows indicate proposed tidal barrages that would enable aircraft to operate at any state of the tide.
However ,at the end of 1930,work started on a 276 acre site on Portsea Island.This was to be a conventional airport.Within a month of work starting,the first aircraft to use the site landed.This was Avian IVM G-AAWH,piloted by Flying Officer Al Mortimer who landed there on 14 th December 1930.On July 2nd 1932 the airport was opened with a flying display attended by more than 50000 people. Portsmouth was(and would remain) a grass airfield.First users were Portsmouth ,Southsea and Isle of Wight Aviation Co with services to Ryde.Other airlines soon followed including International Airlines ,Provincial Airlines and Jersey Airlines.
In September 1936 ,Portsmouth was the starting point for the England-Johannesburg Air Race.The race,in which 9 aircraft competed ,was won by C W A Scott and G Guthrie,flying a Percival Vega Gull,with a flight time of 52 hours and 56 minutes.
In March 1933 Airspeed Ltd arrived from York bringing with them the prototype Courier.The Courier was followed into production by the Envoy,and later by the Oxford.During WW2 production was dominated by the Oxford and also by the Horsa glider.For full details of Airspeed production follow the link to "AVIATION in Hampshire UK 1900 to 2000" at the bottom of this page
If there were prizes awarded for the ugliest aircraft then two of Airspeed's efforts would certainly be in the running - the AS4 Ferry and the AS 39 Fleet Shadower could never be called "good looking"
Around 1937 Airspeed aquired a licence to produce the Douglas Dc-2. The Depression, and the threat of war, kept them from commencing manufacture.
During WW2 the only military unit based was No.163 ATC Gliding School(formed 10/43 moved to Gosport Sept 1946)
Postwar ,Airspeed concentrated their efforts on civilian conversion of Oxfords into Consul passenger aircraft.In 1949 Airspeed became completely merged with De Havillands and,subsequently only produced components until the factory closed early in the 60s.Portsmouth Aviation tried their hand at building an aircraft - the Portsmouth Aerocar( G-AGTG f/f June 47) but the venture was abandoned when no sales were forthcoming
After the war airline operation recommenced,but the writing was on the wall for Portsmouth Airport.As aircraft became more demanding of runway length and surfaces,there were several accidents,mainly due to wet grass runways,culminating in two the same day on 15/8/67 when two Channel Airways HS.748s ran through the airfield boundary.Following these incidents,operating restrictions were imposed which inevitably led to a downturn in aircraft and passenger totals,and an eventual loss in revenue. By 1970 the City Council were wanting to close the airport.Following a £9000 loss in 1971-72 the decision was made to close the airfield and the last flight took place on 31 December 1973.Officially,the last flight was the departure of Beagle Terrier G-ASOI,but 7 weeks later,Bell 206 G-BBFB arrived bringing the Labour Party leader ,Harold Wilson to an engagement in Portsmouth.During the following decade the land was gradually redeveloped for housing and industry.
