Heinkel He.72 Kadett near Poppleton.
Over the weekend of 4th to 6th June 1937 the Yorkshire Aeroplane Club ran an international air meeting at the York aerodrome at Rawcliffe / Clifton. Fifteen German, twelve French, four Belgian, two Dutch, one Swiss and two Irish were due to attend with most of these foreign numbers due to take part in a series of air races including an international race. In the end around a hundred aeroplanes arriving at York on 4th and 5th June 1937 with the number of foreign aeroplanes that actually arrived was slightly less than planned (in the region of twelve German, seven French, three Belgian and one Dutch). Catterick based 26 Squadron were due to attend and give an RAF display but had to cancel owing to being employed in the search of a missing RAF aeroplane that was subsequently located as having crashed in the Lake District. The event was a success and around 10,000 spectators attended. The visiting German aeroplanes were flown from Germany and used Heston aerodrome as a customs stop on 4th June 1937 and to re-fuel once in England. Most must have been fast, single engine aeroplanes though one was a Junkers W.34 flown by "Gras Shaesburg" and was used to carry the other pilot's luggage. The German aeroplanes reached York either later that day or very early the following morning. After arrival pilots spent the morning of 5th June 1937 practicing for the air races and giving passengers joy-rides in their aeroplanes. The foreign visitors were also taken to places of interest in York. One of the German pilots that made a practice flight unfortunately ran out of fuel so had to make a force landed in a cornfield near Poppleton. Ground engineers at the aerodrome went to assist and it appears to have received no damage, it was re-fuelled on site and flown back to the aerodrome. The named pilot flew with Herr Thiel and he may also have been on board at the time of the forced landing.
Pilot - Herr Wilhelm Berlin. He was killed serving with the Luftwaffe on 1st August 1943 in Germany.
Later in the day a series of air races took place between eighteen competing pilots in their aeroplanes. The final of the triangluar course had to be flown three times and was won by German, Herr Helmutt Taxis (in Klemm Kl.35 D-ERSI), narrowly beating German, Baron Friedrich Edler Von Braun (in a Focke-Wolfe Fw.44), both of the "Aero Club von Deutschland". Miss Sheila Glass (in a Gipsy Moth (G-ABOE?)), of the Heston Flying Club came third. The winner of the fastest time for the course was won by Herr Ernst Gerbrecht (in Messerschmitt Bf.108 D-INKY) flown during one of the earlier heats.