Record Breakers
Lympne was the start and finish for several record attempts. Wing Commander E. R. Manning left for India in a Westland Widgeon in 1923, but only got as far as Baghdad. In 1930 the Fokker F VIIA (G-EBTS) The Spider flown by Charles Douglas Barnard and R F Little, with Mary Russell, Duchess of Bedford as passenger, left Lympne for Maitland Airport, Cape Town, which was reached in a record 100 hours. In 1931 C.W.A. Scott set a UK-Australia record in a DH.60 (G-ABHY). On the return he landed at Lympne in the aircraft which had been re-registered VH-UQA. Also in 1931 Glen Kitson and Owen Cathcart-Jones left Lympne bound for Cape Town in a Lockheed DL-1 Vega Special. Cape Town was reached in 6 days, 10 hours. On 31 October C. Arthur Butler flew from Lympne to Darwin in a Comper Swift (G-ABRE), beating C.W.A. Scott's record by 102 minutes.
In October 1932, a Spartan A.24 Mailplane (G-ABLI) left Lympne en route for Karachi from Blackpool. Karachi was reached in less than six days. On 14 November 1932, Amy Johnson left Lympne for Cape Town in DH.80a Puss Moth (G-ACAB). She beat her husband Jim Mollison's time by 10 hours and 28 minutes, setting a new UK-South Africa record. On the return she also set a new South Africa-UK record. On 11 April 1933, William Newton Lancaster departed Lympne in an Avro Avian V (G-ABLK) Southern Cross Minor to beat Amy Johnson's UK-South Africa record. The aircraft crashed in the Sahara next day and although Lancaster survived he died eight days later when his water ran out. On 2 November 1934, Owen Cathcart Jones and Ken Waller landed at Lympne in a de Havilland Comet (G-ACSR) after a record breaking flight from Australia to the United Kingdom. Harold Broadbent landed at Lympne in a DH.85 Leopard Moth (VH-AHB) on arrival from Australia on 27 April 1937, filmed by Gaumont News, and an Australia-UK record was set. On 24 October 1937 Jean Batten flew to Lympne in a Percival Gull Six (G-ADPR), having set a solo Australia-UK record and female Australia-UK record.
In 1947, four national records were set at the Lympne Air Races.
| Distance | Class | Speed | Set by | Aircraft |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 100 km (62 mi) closed-circuit | Aircraft of any power | 496.88 mph (799.65 km/h) | John Cunningham | De Havilland Vampire |
| 100 km (62 mi) closed-circuit | Aircraft fitted with an engine between 6.5 and 9 l (400 and 550 cu in) | 178.33 mph (286.99 km/h) | Pat Fillingham | De Havilland T.K.2 |
| 100 km (62 mi) closed-circuit | Aircraft fitted with an engine between 4 and 6.5 l (240 and 400 cu in) | 178.33 mph (286.99 km/h) | Pat Fillingham | De Havilland T.K.2 |
| 100 km (62 mi) closed-circuit | Aircraft fitted with an engine between 2 and 4 l (120 and 240 cu in) | 123.72 mph (199.11 km/h) | R I Porteous | Chilton D.W.1 |
On 8 May 1960, a world record was set for the distance flown by a model aircraft at 45.75 mi (73.63 km). The 8 feet 6 inches (2.59 m) wingspan aircraft had taken off from Lympne and was flown by radio control from cars to Sidcup.
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“The history of the world is the record of the weakness, frailty and death of public opinion.”
—Samuel Butler (1835–1902)