Liverpool Flying Clubs in the '50s

[Deleted]

Strangely, I have only just come across this thread. Fascinating reading, especially for someone with whom Messrs Flood and Mackenzie had the pleasure of working many years ago

The only useful contribution I can make to this thread is a picture of G-ANEE taken between hangar 50 and hangar 39, obviously between 1960 and 1962:

(image lost when cancelled by photo host Photobucket)

I echo Ron's lament about photos and would remind all our contributors to ensure that they have back-up for their precious photos, especially now it's so much easier in the digital age. As I've mentioned before, one of my colleagues at BAe had a Stephen Piercey standard collection of photos from South America. We were lucky enough to see (and photograph) the Frigorifico Reyes B-17 one day at La Paz. He eventually got divorced and during the divorce proceedings and while he was away on a trip, his missus dumped the lot in the bin.

[viscount]

Frequently when I post pictures that I know will interest an individual, I send them a 'heads-up' PM or e-mail. Having posted the Flying Club pictures, I alerted Cedric Flood as he had considerably helped me with the top posts on the thread and written in his book about his times with the Flying Club. His reply came with surprise information - he is actually the person behind the engine on two of the photos! He has permitted me to quote from his e-mail:

Thanks for that, Brian. I've been racking my memory to remember when those pics were taken. That's me with my socks on my pants, of course, and Ron Ogden in overalls. We went in to hangar 39 when Dragon finished and Jack Green was taking over the club. Ron Ogden went to Newcastle with Dragon so he must have been signing out the aircraft on his days at home. We went into hangar 50 after a few weeks. Ron came back to work for Jack a year or so later.

The clubhouse and bar I recognise of course, I spent my first few weeks with Jack Green redecorating it inside. That building was built in 1939 for the Civil Air Guard and, I think, used as a medical centre during the war. The pre-war Flying Club building was a brick building riverside of 50 hangar, commandeered after the war by the Ministry for radio technicians who maintained radio aids.

'BZ is obviously at Hooton, there wasn't that much tarmac area by the club ! G-AHAK and 'PH running up are on the track leading down to Hangar 50 from the perimeter track. It would help if the pics were in colour of course. Dragon was blue and we changed the blue to red for M&NWFC.

I think that's all correct but I'll check with Bernie MacKenzie.

Cedric

My many thanks to Cedric for putting me right as to the origins of the Clubhouse building and interesting first hand detail. From the comments regarding the limited tenure of No.39 hangar, it would appear the red (or blue) Austers 'PH and 'AK are taken around the February to May period of 1956. The earlier photos of 'BZ in the days of Wright's I am convinced are at Speke, but are on the main apron, certainly the photos are captioned "at Speke ... to Hooton" along with an exact date. From the same source, I hope to post a few further photos of light aircraft and BEA Dakotas outside the terminal in 1948 a few days time.

Silly as it may sound, I'm quite chuffed at posting a 60 year old photo and a person depicted comes forward with a 'hey, that's me!'.

[longtimer]

I joined Wright Aviation/Liverpool Flying Club as an apprentice, the most junior in September 1953, just out of secondary school at age 15. Many of the photos bring back lots of memories from those earlier times in Speke Airport's post war history. Some contributors to this thread, and readers, may find interest in the book "Would a Man Return," by Edward Weinel in which there are a few chapters covering my time with the Club and Dragon Airways. It is not a book about flying, since I was never a qualified pilot. Rather,it describes my upbringing and schooling in Hunt's Cross and my engineering-training up to the age of 23, at which point I travelled abroad to work as an aircraft engineer for some 40 years overseas.

The book can be obtained through Amazon or The Book Depository. IBSN 978-1908135094

I also have some photos which I might try to post when I can dig them out of hiding and discover the way to put them on line.

Regards to the veterans who remember.

Ted.W

[bertson]

Hello to all,

I'm new to this forum and I'd like to introduce myself as, Mike Green Son of Herbert (Bert) Green and Nephew of John (Jack) Green.

From what I've read so far this place is really interesting and it's nice that there's strong interest in the history of Speke Airport & The Flying Clubs that have come and gone over the decades. There are some superb pictures on here but one picture stands out from the rest for me and it's the Tiger Moth which my late Uncle was flying when he was tragically killed in May 1958. Unfortunately I never got to meet Jack and my Dad passed away in 1979.

If possible I'd like to make contact with anyone who knew Bert or Jack ?

Kindest Regards,

Mike..