In 1933 the pilot and adventurer Sir Alan Cobham brought his famous flying circus to Elstree.

Air travel was still a novelty at the time, and Cobham's Flying Circus, with its aerobatic wing-walkers, parachutists and stunts, was delighting crowds in a tour of Britain and South Africa during the year. Sir Alan had joined the Royal Air Force in 1917, and after the war helped to set up the Berkshire Aviation Company, giving rides to people in a war surplus Avro 504K.

Geoffrey de Havilland hired Sir Alan as a pilot in 1921, to work at his de Havilland Aeroplane Hire Service, which flew routes to Europe and the Middle East.

In 1932 Cobham's Flying Circus was launched, to great acclaim.

Author Grant Peerless is writing a book about the history of Elstree Aerodrome, and hopes to find out more about Sir Alan's visit to Elstree in 1933. Enquiries so far have been confusing, as one person believes the circus was held at a site near Elstree Aerodrome, and another in a field near Aldenham Reservoir.

Anybody with information about the visit is asked to call the Borehamwood & Elstree Times on 020 8953 3391.