Midlands Airport at Horseleap

kilo delta · Post by **kilo delta** » Tue May 12, 2009 11:59 am

Sounds like a fasinating project,Hugo. It goes to show that Ireland has a vast aviation heritage, much of which is yet to be re-discovered.

Tony Kearns · Post by **Tony Kearns** » Tue May 12, 2009 6:09 pm

I think this is the location that you are looking for .
I have no record of the Air Corps ever operating from Athlone and I would appreciate any reference to check out such sources. It would not be my intention to be at variance with anyone but information based on anecdotes I tend to be sceptical of simply through experience. Many instances has resulted in fruitless hours of research. I have many stories of aircraft being" buried" at Baldonnel, Gormanston, Fermoy, Oranmore Castlebar etc. The Air Corps system was when an aircraft was withdrawn and after storing it was either sold as scrap or reduced to produce.
Athlone had detached flights of 106 Sqn RFC, (renamed RAF) Jan 1919 to October 1919 Bristol Fighters. 105 Sqn RAF from October 1919 to February 1920 Bristol Fighters and 2 Sqn RAF February 1920 to July 1920 Bristol Fighters.
Any additional information on this area most welcome.
Hugo I think Athlone was mentioned in one of the documents sent to you. Hopefully more to followIMG]http://i567.photobucket

Tony Kearns · Post by **Tony Kearns** » Tue May 12, 2009 6:19 pm

IMG]http://i567.photobucket.com/albums/ss114/Jetsi5/Athlone.jpg[/IMG]

Tony Kearns · Post by **Tony Kearns** » Tue May 12, 2009 6:23 pm

Sorry folks will try again

Tony Kearns · Post by **Tony Kearns** » Tue May 12, 2009 7:06 pm

hugoj_air · Post by **hugoj_air** » Tue May 12, 2009 10:10 pm

kilo delta wrote:Sounds like a fasinating project,Hugo. It goes to show that Ireland has a vast aviation heritage, much of which is yet to be re-discovered.

Exactly, kilo delta. For me it's a fascinating project, but I do realise many
others would and do find it a boring subject, so I don't dwell on it too often.

Hugo

Jim · Post by **Jim** » Tue May 12, 2009 11:11 pm

Hi Tony,
That is a print taken from an ordnance survey map, the Ref. is missing so not sure if it was the 1934 or 1943 survey, anyway thats immaterial!

Whoever marked the map obviously was either told or under the impression that only one field was used.
(It still happens even today, office clerk marking locations they never see)

Our historian clearly states that field plus the next field to the east plus the following field too, which had a wooden army hut. (His guess for fuel storage etc.)
A laneway ran across the landing ground.

The absence of any mention in IAC history books or sites tells us it was probably more of a site than a base.

I too heard many stories of the buried Aircraft at different locations, did'nt the contractors at Castlebar excavate parts to different aircraft.

Hugo...
Absolutely brilliant project, glad i could assist you.
I will provide you with free webspace on our server if you want to complete it online, that way others can submit material to your inbox.

hugoj_air · Post by **hugoj_air** » Wed May 13, 2009 12:10 am

Tony Kearns wrote:I think this is the location that you are looking for .
I have no record of the Air Corps ever operating from Athlone and I would appreciate any reference to check out such sources.
Thanks Tony. Looks like it's Fardrum/Ballydonagh. Jim seems to have more detailed information on the site.

Athlone had detached flights of 106 Sqn RFC, (renamed RAF) Jan 1919 to October 1919 Bristol Fighters. 105 Sqn RAF from October 1919 to February 1920 Bristol Fighters and 2 Sqn RAF February 1920 to July 1920 Bristol Fighters.
I have the same information. But nothing for Fardrum/Ballydonagh. I'm sure you know this is not the same site used by the RFC/RAF in 1918. That was at Ballykeeran 2.3nm N of Fardrum/Ballydonagh

Hugo I think Athlone was mentioned in one of the documents sent to you.
Fardrum was mentioned in two of the documents, but the map is new to me.

Hopefully more to follow
Thanks Tony. Look forward to that, but in your own time.

Hugo.
IMG]http://i567.photobucket

hugoj_air · Post by **hugoj_air** » Wed May 13, 2009 12:20 am

Jim wrote:Hugo...
Absolutely brilliant project, glad i could assist you.
Appreciate your help very much Jim. Thank you.

I will provide you with free webspace on our server if you want to complete it online, that way others can submit material to your inbox.

Sounds interesting. How does that work.

Hugo.

Jim · Post by **Jim** » Wed May 13, 2009 9:27 pm

Sounds interesting. How does that work

Well Hugo,
We have our own web server (Just finished loading a brand new one today) and i will set you up with your own website with lots of databases and webspace to put all your info on. Other surfers will see as much of your project as you allow them to and send you any info and photos they have through the internet.

hugoj_air · Post by **hugoj_air** » Thu May 14, 2009 12:33 am

Jim wrote:
Sounds interesting. How does that work

Well Hugo,
We have our own web server (Just finished loading a brand new one today) and i will set you up with your own website with lots of databases and webspace to put all your info on. Other surfers will see as much of your project as you allow them to and send you any info and photos they
have through the internet.

I have to admit I know very little about web servers, webspace and so on.
A couple of questions, if you dont mind Jim. What type of data do you put
up on the web and for whom. As I said I am very interested, so what do I
need to do now. My database is in two parts.

Part 1 is on "MS Access" running at 20mb and contains all the relevent
technical data such as location name-county-nearest town(distance in
Km+direction)-Irish grid-Lat/long-height amsl-site operator-radio-
runways/active areas.
I would have no problem placing this section on the web, but
part 2 on "MS Word" 6mb+ contains a lot of personal data names-
addresses-contact phone numbers and also as much text data as I can
find on each site. I would be reluctant to place that on the web for obvious
reasons. There are no photos or maps as they would take up too much
space.

Regrads,
Hugo.

Jim · Post by **Jim** » Thu May 14, 2009 1:09 am

@hugo
That is a small fraction of what i am supplying (5Gb = 5000Mb storage)
anyway, i will send you PM within next 24hrs as it would not be right to talk about webservers on this thread as we have already "robbed" the initial subject from papa8.

@papa8
Our sincere apologies for your subject being "Strayed upon"
This was unintentional as you can see from the posts.

Tony Kearns · Post by **Tony Kearns** » Thu May 14, 2009 2:21 pm

Thanks Jim and Hugo for your imput, the search is on for more references.
Jim the date of the survey for this landing ground was 1932.
regards
Tony K

Jim · Post by **Jim** » Thu May 14, 2009 7:11 pm

Tony,
1932 was not a survey year,
Maybe you you mean this print was '32?

Reference to the actual site is very rare.
Our local historian (Patsy) is only the second person i met who witnessed the use of it, a few others heard about it but that is 3rd level knowledge and best left not referring to.

@hugo
PM sent.

Tony Kearns · Post by **Tony Kearns** » Thu May 14, 2009 10:00 pm

Apologies Jim I may have given the wrong impression, when I say survey I mean a survey carried out by the Air Corps and not a national survey.
I am attempting to attached another Athlone location, this site was inspected in September 1933 . Fingers crossed!

FlyingInIreland

Midlands Airport at Horseleap

[IMG]http://i567.photobucket.com/albums/ss114/Jetsi5/Athlone

IMG]http://i567.photobucket.com/albums/ss114/Jetsi5/Athlone2

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