The end of the Aeroplane and the Aerodrome!

Whilst browsing the TNA catalogue, I came across record: ADM 1/13528 (1943)
It is entitled:
Comments should be limited to less than 1,000 words please

I understood that these revised titles were introduced to avoid potential confusion with our American colleagues.

They had used a title like airdrome where as it had been shortened to Drome in the UK and they had specific different meanings within the flying community.

A relative who claimed he was involved with compulsory purchase during that time told us it had been an instruction from the PM to the Ministry ?

During the process of formulating the certification process for the A400M I was asked by the French leader of the committee to review the documents he was producing for 'correct English usage'. On the whole he was good (better than my French) but he did insist on using the word Airplane. I would replace it with, as I pointed out to him, the correct English word that had a French origin, Aeroplane. The trouble was he would correct my correction and put the word Airplane back in. As he said, "English may be one of the official languages in Airbus, but unfortunately it has to be American English."

Here's something I wrote for Airfield Review many moons ago. Possibly in the last century!


What’s in a name?

If we had existed in the 1930’s, we should no doubt have called ourselves “The Aerodrome Research Group”, rather than “The Airfield Research Group”.

And while we are on the subject of fashions in technical terminology, how, why and when was it, that aeroplanes became aircraft?

I recently stumbled upon the answer in an Admiralty file, at the Public Records Office, when researching something entirely different. A letter, dated 3rd November 1942, from the Offices of the War Cabinet, addressed to the Private Secretary to the First Lord of the Admiralty, says the following:-

“The Prime Minister has expressed the wish that in future, the words aircraft and airfields should be used instead of aeroplanes and aerodromes.

I would be grateful if steps could be taken to comply with the Prime Minister’s wish so far as concerns your Department.

I am writing in similar terms to other Departments who have much occasion to use these terms.

Yours sincerely,

E.E. Bridges”

Early in 1943 came the ruling that the area used for the operation of seaplanes was to be described as a “seaplane base”.

A letter dated 15th June 1943 authorised the additional term “airport” but emphasised that the British would definitely not use the word “airdrome”, that was in vogue with the USAAF at the time.

So it seems that Winston Churchill really liked to get into the nitty-gritty detail, (or whatever they called that at the time).

Mike Osborn

JSP 318( military flying regulations) states that aerodrome and airfield are exactly the same thing. IIRC it states that both are places prepared for the movement of aircraft.

A little more information on the subject.

Conversation with a young 95 year old relates to what became RAF Oakley.

It was known as the Drome until the military moved in when it became an airfield.

The significant difference for the local non military population had been that once it had became an airfield ~ they were no longer permitted to recover fire wood for their own home use ~ as it was needed for the many Nissan huts spread around the airfield perimeter.

Apparently when they had needed to construct Aerodromes in Belgium & France during 1939 & 1940 ~ these had been constructed by the Air Ministry Works units.

The RAF Airfield Construction Service had not been so titled until May 1943 ~ prior to this they had been known as Air Ministry Works units.

The confusion arose when people who had worked for the local council prior to the start of Drome construction in 1941 ~ were transferred to work for the Drome sub contractors ~ where they were employed under what they understood to be the 1939 RAF Airfield Construction program.