| Summary : A former World War Two military airfield and Pre-War civilian airfield. It was first opened in 1930 as a private airfield, later in 1932 being registered as Maidstone Airport. In 1940 it became a Royal Air Force station, part of Royal Air Force Fighter Command's crucial 11 Group protection the south-east and London. For much of the Battle of Britain the airfield was renderd unusable by German bombing. Later it became a nightfighter station. In 1944 it was involved in "Operation Diver", which was the defence against the V1 "flying bomb" attacks. By 1944 the airfield had two runways constructed from Sommerfeld Track steel matting and concrete, with Type J and Blister design aircraft hangars. After the war the airfield was used as a rehabilitation centre for returning Allied prisoners of war. The airfield was inactive in 1960 and was sold to the County Council in 1970. In 1972 it was used to temporarily house Ugandan Asians who had been expelled from that country. The airfield is now a housing estate, supermarket and local government offices: the latter reusing some of the old military buildings. A number of the original fighter station buildings are extant , please see TQ 65 NE 73 to TQ 65 NE 78 for details of the indivdual buildings. The site of an observation tower is recorded as TQ 65 NE 79. |
More information : West Malling airfield, Kent TQ 680 555, opened 1930, closed 1969. By 1944 the wartime airfield was equipped with two runways constructed from Sommerfeld Track steel matting and a section of concrete. There were aircraft hangars of Type J and Blister designs, and permanent accommodation for 1412 personnel. (1)
The former RAF West Malling, situated at Kings Hill, Kent, TQ 680 555. It was first opened in 1930 as a private airfield, later in 1932 being registered as Maidstone Airport. In 1940 it became a Royal Air Force station , part of Royal Air Force Fighter Command's crucial 11 Group protection the south-east and London. For much of the Battle of Britain the airfield was renderd unusable by German bombing. Later it became a nightfighter station. In 1944 it was involved in "Operation Diver", which was the defence against the V1 "flying bomb" attacks. After the war the airfield was used as a rehabilitation centre for returning Allied prisoners of war. The airfield was inactive in 1960 and was sold to the County Council in 1970. In 1972 it was used to temporarily house Ugandan Asians who had been expelled from that country. Some of the old military buildings are now reused as council offices. (2-3)
An additional source for the airfield can be found in Ashley Bailey's article in "Airfield" Review journal, which takes the form of a tour around the former base illustrating the state of preservation in 1997. Bailey notes that some buildings such as the type J hangar were under threat of demolition at that time. (4)
RAF West Malling was used during the Battle of Britain by 11 Group. Specifially the following units were based there during the battle: No 141 Squadron from 12th July 1940 and No 66 Squadron from 30th October 1940. (5)
|