The Estate - Bevendean History Project
Aeroplane’s Midnight Landing on Moulsecombe Green
Thanks to the skill and daring of a 25-year-old pilot and the presence
of mind of two Moulsecombe men, an eight-seater D. H. Express
aeroplane, the pilot of which had lost its bearings while returning
from Doncaster to Croydon, made a perfect landing in The Avenue at
South Moulsecombe shortly before midnight on Tuesday.
For some time previously the plane, which had been on Army co-operation duty, had been seen circling over the seafront at Brighton. People ran from hotels and cafes in alarm as it skimmed the rooftops. Eventually the pilot, Mr J. H. Chappel, of Air Dispatch, Ltd., Croydon, picked out an open space South Moulsecoomb and circled low.
Two brothers, Leslie and Albert Catt, seeing the pilot’s plight, dragged out their motorcycles, and signalled with their headlamps. They were joined by Mr S. C. Rawlins, chairman of the Moulsecoomb Social Club, who drove his car to the green verge and flashed his lights on the green.
On his first attempt to land, Chappel carried away a number of relay service and telephone lines, but lifted and circled again to glide down in a perfect landing, marred at the last second when his star but wingtip caught a small tree and ripped off part of the wing.
For some time previously the plane, which had been on Army co-operation duty, had been seen circling over the seafront at Brighton. People ran from hotels and cafes in alarm as it skimmed the rooftops. Eventually the pilot, Mr J. H. Chappel, of Air Dispatch, Ltd., Croydon, picked out an open space South Moulsecoomb and circled low.
Two brothers, Leslie and Albert Catt, seeing the pilot’s plight, dragged out their motorcycles, and signalled with their headlamps. They were joined by Mr S. C. Rawlins, chairman of the Moulsecoomb Social Club, who drove his car to the green verge and flashed his lights on the green.
On his first attempt to land, Chappel carried away a number of relay service and telephone lines, but lifted and circled again to glide down in a perfect landing, marred at the last second when his star but wingtip caught a small tree and ripped off part of the wing.
This picture shows the amazing landing made by the pilot.
Search for open space
The pilot, who was accompanied
by a wireless operator, Jack Tidbury, told the Herald reporter that he
was returning from Army co-operation work at Doncaster, and in the
slight mist overshot Croydon. He eventually picked up the coastline of
Brighton but could not attempt to land until he found an open space.
Just as his petrol was giving out he saw the green at South Moulsecoomb
and noticed the lights from the car and motorcycle.
“I cleared the telephone wires the first time,” he said, “but struck them on the second occasion and circled round again. Then, just as I was landing my starboard wingtip caught a small tree, ripped off a portion of the wing and slewed the plane completely round.”
“The lights shown helps me very considerably. But for their aid I doubt whether I would have got down safely in the pitch dark.”
“I cleared the telephone wires the first time,” he said, “but struck them on the second occasion and circled round again. Then, just as I was landing my starboard wingtip caught a small tree, ripped off a portion of the wing and slewed the plane completely round.”
“The lights shown helps me very considerably. But for their aid I doubt whether I would have got down safely in the pitch dark.”
Ran out in pyjamas
“I saw what appeared to
be a strip of green on the seafront and flew low in attempt to land,
but a crosswind made this impossible, so I lifted sharply, narrowly
missing some buildings, and flew northwards, hoping to find a
part.”
Mr Leslie, who is employed at the Brighton Hippodrome, told Herald reporter that he was awakened by the roar of the plane.
“Looking out of my window I saw aeroplane circling overhead. Dressed in my pyjamas and vest I ran into the street and heard the engine backfiring, flames were pouring from the exhaust.”
“I guess the pilot was in trouble was kept circling round and round as if he were looking for a landing place.”
“My brother Albert and I got out our motorcycles and played the headlamps on the grass. The pilot saw what we were doing and made an almost perfect landing.”
Mr Leslie, who is employed at the Brighton Hippodrome, told Herald reporter that he was awakened by the roar of the plane.
“Looking out of my window I saw aeroplane circling overhead. Dressed in my pyjamas and vest I ran into the street and heard the engine backfiring, flames were pouring from the exhaust.”
“I guess the pilot was in trouble was kept circling round and round as if he were looking for a landing place.”
“My brother Albert and I got out our motorcycles and played the headlamps on the grass. The pilot saw what we were doing and made an almost perfect landing.”
Leslie Catt, the young man who assisted the pilot to land by
signalling to him with the headlamp of his motorcycle
photographed on the machine.
signalling to him with the headlamp of his motorcycle
photographed on the machine.
Fifteen-year-old Richard Rodbard, who lives opposite Mr. Catt,
watch the machine while it was circling. He ran into the middle of the
green and saw it rushing towards him. Throwing himself to the grass, he
was just in time to escape being hit. The plane only past two feet
above him. His brother, Horace aged 23, also had a narrow escape.
As the plane landed he ran down The Avenue and was caught in telephone wires broken by the machine. The wires curled round his neck and lifted him into the air, and it was several minutes before he managed to free himself.
As the plane landed he ran down The Avenue and was caught in telephone wires broken by the machine. The wires curled round his neck and lifted him into the air, and it was several minutes before he managed to free himself.
From: Brighton & Hove Herald - 20 May 1939
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