The Straight Corporation Ltd was a significant operator of British airlines, airports and flying clubs from 1935 until the mid-1970s. Its major unit, Western Airways, expanded to become an important parts manufacturer, a maintenance, repair and upgrade organisation, and a builder of transport aircraft.
Foundation
Whitney Willard Straight was a successful racing driver in the early 1930s, but his American millionaire mother and English step-father, Dorothy and Leonard Elmhirst, were concerned for his safety and sought a less dangerous occupation for him, especially as he was about to marry. At a dinner at their home, Dartington Hall in Devon, they discussed this with William (Bill) Parkhouse, who was the owner of a local auto engineering company, and founder of Haldon Airfield, where Straight had learned to fly a few years earlier.
Parkhouse had been concerned that smaller airports, such as Exeter and Torquay, with which he was also involved, and smaller airlines, were too small to survive on their own, and he proposed that a holding company operating many such ventures would be able to achieve economies of scale and be able to use resources much more efficiently, sharing them as needed. Straight was summoned the next day, and readily agreed to found the venture, so on 17 April 1935 Straight Corporation was born, and Straight gave up motor racing.
The corporation was funded by Straight's own trust, with the objective of controlling up to 15 municipal airports, with first-class terminals, restaurants and flight training facilities. The headquarters were at 17 Manchester Square, London W.1.
Straight recruited several friends as directors in his corporation. These included Bill Parkhouse; Louis Strange; Richard Seaman, a fellow racing driver whom he had met while they were both at Cambridge University; and Straight's solicitor, Frederick A.S. Gwatkin. Both Seaman and Gwatkin invested in the company. Company secretary was Stanley John Cox, who would also be the secretary of most of the corporation's subsidiary companies. Many of the corporation's aircraft would be initially registered in the name of Richard Seaman. Straight also recruited Mary De Bunsen who carried out public relations and was responsible for the house magazine, Straightaway, intended for staff and club members.
The progress and growth of the corporation went on unabated as detailed below, and the expansion became even faster at the airports with the demand for aircrew training in the two years before World War II. When the war came, however, all private flying, including that by clubs and airlines, was prohibited except under licence, and almost all the corporation's activities stopped.
Airlines Southern Airways Ltd This was a new company, registered at Straight Corporation headquarters in Manchester Square, London and its main operating base was Ramsgate Airport. It was mainly concerned with pleasure, charter and army co-operation flights, but also ran scheduled services along the Thames Estuary. Its fleet varied depending on its needs and those of the other of Straight Corporation companies, sometimes operating aircraft registered to them, and sometimes lending their aircraft to them. Several aircraft were at first registered to Richard Seaman, possibly reflecting his investment in the corporation. The larger aircraft most often used by Southern Airways included:
Fleet General Aircraft ST-6 Monospar G-ACGI from 6 November 1936, impressed 6 May 1940 as AV979 Short S.16 Scion G-ADDV from 22 May 1936, impressed 11 April 1940 as X9456 G-ADDX from 15 May 1936, impressed 3 April 1940 as X9430 Spartan Cruiser II G-ACBM from 28 July 1937 to August 1937
Routes Ipswich — Clacton Ramsgate — Ilford (London) Ilford — Ramsgate — Clacton — Ipswich with a request stop at Southend
All Southern Airways activities stopped with the outbreak of World War II in September 1939.
Western Airways Ltd
In January 1938 Straight Corporation bought a controlling share in Norman Edgar (Western Airways) Ltd, renaming it Western Airways Ltd. At that time it was operating the highest frequency of flights of any airline in the world, with 58 services a day on the Weston — Cardiff route alone.
The airline prospered and expanded its fleet and routes, and developed a strong engineering capability, which enabled it to survive WWII. It carried this on after the war, even building Bristol Freighters. Activity then started to wind down and the company was wound up in 1978.
Airports
The corporation set out to operate a large chain of civil airports. Some were bought outright, some leased, and some managed on behalf of the owners. All were run by a local operating company, and aero clubs were established or taken over at most airports. In addition to the locations listed below, attempts to lease Norwich Airport, Stoke-on-Trent Meir airfield and Cardiff's Pengam Moors airport were rejected.
Aircraft were owned by the airport operating company or the associated flying clubs, and were occasionally registered in the names of officials of the local organisations. They were used for charter, pleasure, training or army co-operation support flights as required, and were also often transferred between different Straight-operated airports, clubs or airlines as needs arose.
Many airports took part in the Civil Air Guard (CAG) scheme which started 1 September 1938. When the scheme began there were 1,299 applications to train at Straight Corporation-operated CAG airports. Extra Hornet Moths were acquired for this, and Straight's CAG courses started on 1 October. In 1939 Elementary and Reserve Flying Training schools (E&RFTS) were set up at some airports, and the fleet was expanded further with aircraft including Tiger Moths, Piper J-4 Cubs, Hillson Pragas and an Avro Anson.
The following list of Straight Corporation's airfields gives a brief account of their activities at each one. With the start of World War II in September 1939 all civil aviation activities stopped.
Bury St Edmunds Westley Airfield was opened in May 1938 by Straight Corporation, and was operated at first by Bury St Edmunds Airport Ltd as a satellite of Ipswich Airport, and later by Southern Airways. A municipal airport was planned but never started. West Suffolk Aero Club Ltd was set up with two Taylorcraft aircraft, and two small hangars built. Too small for CAG use, civilian flying stopped at the outbreak of WWII and the airfield was taken over by the RAF as RAF Westley.
Clacton This airfield was taken over in 1938 as a satellite of Ipswich. The airport was known as Earls Hall Airport or Alton Park Road Airport. There is no record of a flying club here at the time.
Exeter Exeter Airport at Clyst Honiton was the second airport operated by Straight Corporation, starting in January 1936. Exeter Airport Ltd, with Bill Parkhouse as manager, took a 21-year lease starting on 1 June 1937, and the field officially opened on 30 July. At first there was only tented accommodation, but a new terminal designed by Hening and Chitty was completed in 1938.
Exeter Aero Club was formed, and it participated in the CAG scheme. No 37 E&RFTS started on 3 July 1939.
At the start of WWII the airport was taken over by the Air Ministry and managed as a State Airport. During the war the airport was active, and 601 Squadron was based here in late 1940, during which time Flight Lieutenant Whitney Straight, flying a Hawker Hurricane, claimed to have shot down a Heinkel He 111. After the war, the airport was transferred to the Ministry of Civil Aviation on 1 January 1947. Exeter Airport Ltd leased it, with Wing Commander Bill Parkhouse (he had been promoted during the war) in charge, and also re-established Exeter Aero Club. The lease ended in 1974 when Devon County Council took responsibility for the airport.
Haldon Haldon Airport, later known as Teignmouth Aerodrome, was Devon's first airfield, and the airfield where Whitney Straight learned to fly in 1929. The corporation's Haldon Airport Ltd took over the management of the airfield from 1 January 1937 and bought it outright in 1938 after the scheduled airlines serving it had moved to Exeter in 1937.
The South Devon Flying Club had started here in 1933, but when the corporation took over it became a branch of the Plymouth and District Aero Club. When the CAG scheme started the Haldon club received 19 applications.
The airfield saw some military activity during WWII, but closed in 1946.
Herne Bay Straight Corporation was reported to have licensed an airfield at Pouts Field, Swalecliffe in 1938. The location of this airfield is unclear, and apart from some pleasure flights, no other aviation activity has been reported there.
Inverness Longman Airfield was built in 1933 for Highland Airways to serve Orkney and Wick, with services starting on 8 May.
The corporation took over the management of the airfield in 1937, forming Inverness Airport Ltd and Inverness Aero Club. After considerable activity during WWII, the airfield reopened, mainly for BEA services, but closed in 1947.
Ipswich Ipswich Airport was the third airport taken over by Straight Corporation, in February 1936. Ipswich Airport Ltd managed it and took over Ipswich Aero Club which was already established. A new terminal building was designed by Hening and Chitty, and opened on 9 May 1938, with an official opening ceremony on 9 July. It became a Grade II listed building in 1996.
The CAG scheme was adopted here, and in 1939 No 45 E&RFTS was established.
The corporation established an engine workshop in 1939, which worked for the corporation's own fleet and took on outside work.
Newquay Newquay's Trebelzue Big Field was first used for flying on 27 and 28 August 1933 by Alan Cobham's National Aviation Day tour, and used for occasional flying afterwards. Straight's corporation leased it in 1938 as a potential municipal airport, and Western Airways started services the same year.
In WWII the field was incorporated into RAF St Mawgan which was built adjacent to it.
Plymouth Plymouth (Roborough) Airport was the fourth airport to be taken over by Straight Corporation, in March 1936. It was managed by Plymouth Airport Ltd, and the Plymouth and District Aero Club was taken over, later setting up a branch at Haldon. It operated the CAG training scheme from 1938.
The airport reopened for civil traffic after the war in March 1947, and the aero club not only restarted, but managed the airport for the local council.
Ramsgate Ramsgate Airport was the first to be taken over by Straight Corporation, who often called it Thanet. It was operated by Ramsgate Airport Ltd which was formed on 25 July 1935. Its directors were Mr F.A.S. Gwatkin, Richard Seaman and Whitney Straight. The official opening of the new terminal, incorporating the control tower, was on 21 August 1937. The existing Ramsgate Flying Club was replaced by the Thanet Aero Club. It took part in the CAG training scheme.
The company also set up on the airfield a tented holiday camp with its own clubhouse. For the 1936 and 1937 summer seasons it was called the Ramsgate Aviation Holiday Camp, and it was renamed the Ramsgate Flying Centre for the following two years. It offered guests free pleasure flights and a free flying lesson.
Swansea Jersey Marine Airport had started in 1928, and been the base of Wales Airways. The airport was purchased or leased from the Earl of Jersey, who was a personal friend of Straight. The corporation planned to develop it into a municipal airport. It was licensed on 14 July 1938 and Western Airways routes started to Weston and Bristol. No development or terminal had been achieved before WWII.
Weston-super-Mare