Alan Cobhams Flying Circus !

[mmitch]

Cobham's Circus also came to Gravesend pre war. My parents had a 'five bob' ride in an open cockpit aircraft. All they remembered years later was wearing heavy coats and goggles and they sat side by side.
mmitch.

[Smiffy]

I remember the Kent Messenger air races, they also took place at Rochester airport.
 
There is a short piece of newsreel here featuring Sir Alan Cobham and his Shorts Valetta seaplane.

http://screenarchive.brighton.ac.uk/detail/1109/

[castle261]

I was not sure as I wrote it, whether it was bee or flea. Drawings also for 5 metre wings.

[MartinR]

Are you sure it was a "flying bee"?  The "flying flea" was a tiny aircraft dating from 1933 with a wingspan of 6 m (20 ft).  They were dangerous, with several fatal crashes.  The early models were unstable and would nose dive under certain circumstances, and many were home built, not always to plan or particularly well.  I remember seeing one at the Shuttleworth collection as a kid.

[castle261]

Before the war, at Rochester Airport, the `Alan Cobhams Flying Circus `came to town `.
The paying gate was at the Chatham end then. All sorts of planes were on show,
including the `Flying Bee `the smallest aircraft I had seen, with a 9 foot wing span.
I never saw it take off. They was a Hawker Fury, bi-plane on the grass. Other planes.
The best was kept until last, the Air Race, About a dozen planes took off, circled the
airfield, waiting for the starter to start it, then a roar from all the engines, they roared
away, into the distance. Smaller planes lower down, faster planes higher up. I never
did know where the turning points were, probably forgot. They were gone some time,
as it was a handicap race, ideally they should all finish together. They were back, only
the faster ones, turning over the airfield, going out to West Malling way, then I imagine
round to Sevenoaks, then back again. The last lap, they almost came together. roaring
over the airfield, with everyone clapping.  -----------------------------------  A good day out.