Barton-Le-Clay Airfield
Encyclopedia
Barton-Le-Clay Airfield
Before the mid-960s Barton-Le-Clay
was called Barton In The Clay but the name was changed to the current form by the Parish Council of the time. All references and documentation prior to this date will be in the original village name. Barton In The Clay Aerodrome was first established in 1935 to the west of the village, on farmland owned by the nearby Brook End Green Farm. Its first residents were the newly formed Luton Aircraft
Limited and The Dunstable Sailplane Company
, both companies co-owned by W.L.Manuel and C.H. Latimer-Needham
.
Luton Aircraft commenced construction of its two first aircraft under the management of W.L. Manuel, the Luton Buzzard
and the Luton Minor
. They were completed ready for flight on the 12 December 1935 and 11 July 1936 respectively. In late 1936 the company moved from Barton-Le-Clay to new premises named The Phoenix Works on Oxford Rd, Gerrards Cross
, after a fire substantially damaged the workshop building and contents.
The Dunstable Sailplane Company had started life just a year before, building and repairing gliders in the village of Hockliffe
south west of Barton-Le-Clay. Most of the company's clients were from the recently formed and nearby London Gliding Club
, from whose hangers Manuel had previously been working.
Marendaz Aircraft came to Barton-Le-Clay airfield in 1937, formed by D.M.K. Marendaz in 1936 from the remains of Marendaz
Special Cars Ltd at the Cornwallis Works, Maidenhead to manufacture aircraft. Production of the company’s first aircraft had been severely damaged in a fire and the work to rebuild was priority after the move. The Marendaz Mk3 was registered as G-AFGG on the 23rd March 1938; a second aircraft called the Marendaz Trainer
was registered as G-AFZX on 31 October 1939.
The Bedford School of Flying was granted licence on the 1st January 1938 and the Flying school formed on the 14th January 1938, training of a large number of CAG members (as many as 500). The airfield's day-to-day management was handled by International Aircraft & Engineering Ltd which, like the Bedford School of Flying, was owned by D.M.K. Marendaz and Dorothy Summers. The School operated until 1940.
On the 22nd July 1940 No 24 Elementary Flying Training School (EFTS) was established at Luton and Barton-le-clay was assigned as a Relief Training Ground as the main Luton airfield became more congested. When the EFTS relocated, Luton airfield became the home of No 5 Ferry Pool, an all-women group of the Air Transport Auxiliary
(ATA), who also used Barton-le-Clay as its Relief Training Ground. No.5 Ferry Pool had relocated from the Hatfield de Havilland Aircraft Company factory site and later moved operations to Haddenham, Buckinghamshire
(RAF Thame), in 1943 though they retained use of the Barton-Le-Clay airfield, transporting student pilots by bus each day until the ATA disbanded at the end of November 1945.
Barton-le-Clay airfield returned to civil use post 1945, with the grass airstrip being returned to agriculture and the buildings being occupied for industrial use.
The airfield has an active research group which documents its findings on the Barton-Le-Clay Community Website
Before the mid-960s Barton-Le-Clay
Barton-le-Clay
Barton-le-Clay is a large village and a civil parish located in Bedfordshire, England. The village has existed since at least 1066 and is mentioned in the Domesday Book...
was called Barton In The Clay but the name was changed to the current form by the Parish Council of the time. All references and documentation prior to this date will be in the original village name. Barton In The Clay Aerodrome was first established in 1935 to the west of the village, on farmland owned by the nearby Brook End Green Farm. Its first residents were the newly formed Luton Aircraft
Luton Aircraft
Luton Aircraft Limited was a British aircraft manufacturer of Barton-in-the-Clay, Bedfordshire, and later Gerrards Cross, Buckinghamshire.-History:...
Limited and The Dunstable Sailplane Company
The Dunstable Sailplane Company
The Dunstable Sailplane Company was established in 1934 by W.L. Manuel and C.H. Latimer-Needham to design, manufacture and repair gliders from its workshop at Barton-Le-Clay Airfield in Bedfordshire....
, both companies co-owned by W.L.Manuel and C.H. Latimer-Needham
C.H. Latimer-Needham
Cecil Hugh Latimer-Needham was a British aircraft designer, inventor and aviation author. He is best remembered for the series of aircraft he designed for the Luton Aircraft company and his invention of the Hovercraft skirt for which he was granted a patent...
.
Luton Aircraft commenced construction of its two first aircraft under the management of W.L. Manuel, the Luton Buzzard
Luton Buzzard
-See also:...
and the Luton Minor
Luton Minor
-References:* Smith, R. 2002. British Built Aircraft Vol.1 Greater London. Tempus. ISBN 0752427709-External links:* -See also:...
. They were completed ready for flight on the 12 December 1935 and 11 July 1936 respectively. In late 1936 the company moved from Barton-Le-Clay to new premises named The Phoenix Works on Oxford Rd, Gerrards Cross
Gerrards Cross
Gerrards Cross is a village in Buckinghamshire, England. It is in the south of the county, near the border with Greater London, south of Chalfont St Peter. Gerrards Cross is also a civil parish within South Bucks district, which was known as the Beaconsfield district from 1974 to 1980...
, after a fire substantially damaged the workshop building and contents.
The Dunstable Sailplane Company had started life just a year before, building and repairing gliders in the village of Hockliffe
Hockliffe
Hockliffe is a village and civil parish in Bedfordshire on the crossroads of the A5 road which lies upon the course of the roman road known as Watling Street and the A4012 road.It is about four miles east of Leighton Buzzard...
south west of Barton-Le-Clay. Most of the company's clients were from the recently formed and nearby London Gliding Club
London Gliding Club
The London Gliding Club is a private members' club, and was set up primarily to train pilots in powerless flight, and the skills necessary to fly cross country using nature's sources of energy. Aerobatics and instructor training is also available. The club provides gliding courses, one day courses...
, from whose hangers Manuel had previously been working.
Marendaz Aircraft came to Barton-Le-Clay airfield in 1937, formed by D.M.K. Marendaz in 1936 from the remains of Marendaz
Marendaz
Marendaz Special cars were made in Brixton Road, London SW9, England from 1926 to 1932 and in Maidenhead, Berkshire, England from 1932 to 1936.DMK Marendaz served as an apprentice at Siddeley-Deasy before the first World War...
Special Cars Ltd at the Cornwallis Works, Maidenhead to manufacture aircraft. Production of the company’s first aircraft had been severely damaged in a fire and the work to rebuild was priority after the move. The Marendaz Mk3 was registered as G-AFGG on the 23rd March 1938; a second aircraft called the Marendaz Trainer
Marendaz Trainer
The Marendaz Trainer was a two-seat low-wing training aircraft built in the UK just before World War II. Only one was completed.-Development:...
was registered as G-AFZX on 31 October 1939.
The Bedford School of Flying was granted licence on the 1st January 1938 and the Flying school formed on the 14th January 1938, training of a large number of CAG members (as many as 500). The airfield's day-to-day management was handled by International Aircraft & Engineering Ltd which, like the Bedford School of Flying, was owned by D.M.K. Marendaz and Dorothy Summers. The School operated until 1940.
On the 22nd July 1940 No 24 Elementary Flying Training School (EFTS) was established at Luton and Barton-le-clay was assigned as a Relief Training Ground as the main Luton airfield became more congested. When the EFTS relocated, Luton airfield became the home of No 5 Ferry Pool, an all-women group of the Air Transport Auxiliary
Air Transport Auxiliary
The Air Transport Auxiliary was a British World War II civilian organisation that ferried new, repaired and damaged military aircraft between UK factories, assembly plants, transatlantic delivery points, Maintenance Units , scrap yards, and active service squadrons and airfields—but not to...
(ATA), who also used Barton-le-Clay as its Relief Training Ground. No.5 Ferry Pool had relocated from the Hatfield de Havilland Aircraft Company factory site and later moved operations to Haddenham, Buckinghamshire
Haddenham, Buckinghamshire
Haddenham is a large village and is also a civil parish within Aylesbury Vale district in Buckinghamshire, England. Its estimated population in 2011 is 8,385 It is about south-west of Aylesbury and north-east of Thame.-History:...
(RAF Thame), in 1943 though they retained use of the Barton-Le-Clay airfield, transporting student pilots by bus each day until the ATA disbanded at the end of November 1945.
Barton-le-Clay airfield returned to civil use post 1945, with the grass airstrip being returned to agriculture and the buildings being occupied for industrial use.
The airfield has an active research group which documents its findings on the Barton-Le-Clay Community Website