Somewhere in the West Country: The History of Bristol (Whitchurch) Airport 1930-1957 by Kenneth Wakefield newly listed for sale on the fantastic BookLovers of Bath web site!Crecy, 1997, Hardback in dust wrapper.
Illustrated by way of: Black & White Photographs; Facsimiles; Maps; Plans;
From the cover: During the Second World War Bristols Whitchurch Airport became Britains main air gateway to the free world. Service chiefs, foreign and British diplomats, Prisoner-of-War mail ( via neutral countries), and much else, passed through the airport, as did many important people. Among the latter, to name but two, were Mrs. Eleanor Roosevelt, wife of the President of the USA, and Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands. Other famous personalities passing through included film stars Bob Hope, Edward G Robinson and Bing Crosby, in Britain to entertain American forces. But security in wartime was paramount and Whitchurch Airport was never mentioned by name. Instead, news reports about the arrival or departure of celebrities referred only to an airport somewhere in the West Country . This is the book of that airport.
Although a history of Whitchurch, other aspects of aviation in the West Country are covered, including the pre-war expansion of civil and military flying. But much of the book is about the important part played by Whitchurch in wartime, when it was occupied by British Overseas Airways Corporation, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, the Air Transport Auxiliary and the Bristol Aeroplane Company. It concludes with an account of the difficult early post-war period and the events which led to the airports closure in 1957. This is a comprehensive history of one of Britains most important early airports and covers a period, seen by many, as the Golden Age of British civil aviation.
Very Good+ in Very Good+ Dust Wrapper.
Yellow boards with Silver titling to the Spine. 174 pages. Index. 10″ x 7½”.
Of course, if you don’t like this one, may I tempt with you something from here?
BookLovers of Bath 