Issue No 22 THE AVIATION HISTORIAN 91
Following a vigorous aerobatic display by
a former Free French Army pilot in a Miles
Magister, the all-Auster three-lap race was
flown, with, perhaps surprisingly, George
Snarey managing only second place (although
his pride was restored when he won the
speed handicap race later in the afternoon).
As the Austers settled back on to the grass, the
imposing sight of the first production Avro
Tudor I, G-AGRC, hove into view, flown by the
manufacturer’s chief test pilot Jimmy Orrell.
According to the Skegness Standard, “the aircraft
passed low over the heads of the crowd at high
speed and performed one of the most thrilling
demonstrations imaginable”.
The show had been a resounding success, The
Aeroplane asserting that “Skegness is a veritable
oasis in a part of England very poorly served
with up-to-the-minute facilities. A visit by air to
Ingoldmells for a weekend is an essential part of
everybody’s education”.
With the opening rally having been such a
success, it was decided to hold another air event
at Ingoldmells two months later, and so on the
weekend of September 25–26, 1948, several
thousand residents and visitors arrived by car
and coach to enjoy a varied programme of aerial
activity, including flypasts by various formations
and a spirited aerobatic display of Miles M.18
G-AHKY by Flt Lt H.B. Iles, who landed to a
round of applause. An aerial treasure hunt was
also organised, in which pilots searched the
foreshore and local area for large alphabetical
letters, followed by the more usual fare of
balloon-bursting and a spot-landing competition,
much to the crowd’s delight.
Parachute displays were made by a group
of RAF instructors when the Territorial Army
team was prohibited from displaying owing to
high winds. Thus ended the last “48” (weekend)
of the 1948 flying season, Flight concluding its
report on the September rally by stating that “a
large number of flying people have enjoyed Mr
Butlin’s hospitality at one or more of his camps
during the year, and they will look forward to
meeting during the 1949 season”.
As it turned out, there was only one notable
air event held at Ingoldmells in 1949, despite
the roaring successes of the previous year.
Over the weekend of September 10–11, theABOVE One of Bond Air Services’ two D.H.86Bs, G-ADVJ, swoops low over the crowd at Ingoldmells at the 1950
air rally. Both D.H.86Bs were acquired by Bond in 1947 (the other was G-ADUH) and used for charter work, often to
race meetings in the UK and on the Continent from the company’s bases at Gatwick, Rearsby and Skegness.
Miles Gemini G-ALUG, in the foreground here, won the concours d’élégance at the 1950 rally, and was flown by Dr
J.P. Daly, who, according to the Skegness Standard, “has only one arm, having lost his left arm some time ago...
he has a special metal attachment to handle flying instruments”. Behind the Gemini is Miles Messenger G-AKKK.