Gravesend Airport

Gravesend Airport, located to the east of the town of Gravesend, Kent, England was in existence from 1932 until 1956. [ [http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/609photos/Gravesend.htm Gravesend airport notes] ] It was initially a civil airfield, and became a Royal Air Force station shortly after opening.

Civil operation

The airport was operated by Gravesend Aviation Ltd served Gravesend and has a significant place in the history of British aviation. From 1933 to 1936 it was home to Percival Aircraft, building the famous Mew Gull racing aircraft among others, before the company moved to Luton. After 1936 Essex Aero was based on the site, and maintained the airfield's link with racing aeroplanes by preparing the de Havilland DH.88 Comets and Alex Henshaw's Percival Mew Gull that set the record for a flight from England to South Africa.

The airfield received Customs facilities in December 1933 and many European airlines made use of Gravesend as a diversionary airport, for use when Croyden was fogged-in. These airlines included: Imperial Airways, KLM, Sabena and Deutsche Lufthansa.

Royal Air Force

The Royal Air Force moved into Gravesend in 1937 when a Flying Training School began operating Tiger Moths and Hawker Harts at the airfield. In 1942, the RAF greatly enlarged the airfield, which included major extensions to both runways - albeit still formed of grass. Throughout WWII, Essex Aero continued to manufacture aircraft parts at the site. Accommodation for personnel was provided nearby at Ashenbank Wood.The company also drew up major plans for the airfield, including concreting the runways (the longest one being just over 5600ft after the RAF extensions), a new terminal and cargo centre west of the Thong Lane side and their aircraft parts main plant to the east of Thong Lane.

When the RAF requisitioned the entire aerodrome in 1939 at the beginning of the war they made it a sector airfield for Biggin Hill, as one of the airfields of 11 Group. The first squadron to occupy Gravesend was 32 Squadron, arriving on 3rd January 1940 with their Hawker Hurricane fighters, being replaced by 610 Squadron on 27th May. These were followed by another Auxiliary Squadron, 604, who operated Bristol Blenheims as night fighters from 3rd July. 501 and 66 Squadrons also flew from here during the 1940 Battle of Britain, arriving on the 25th July and 10th September respectively. Many other units also occupied the station during the war years, such as 71 Squadron, who arrived 14th August 1942 for the Dieppe raid, 92 Squadron (24th September 1941). 306 (Polish) Squadron, arriving 11th August 1943 and 65 Squadron, who arrived 29th July 1943, and were the first Squadron to be issued with the P-51 Mustang III in December - making Gravesend the first RAF base to operate it.

Accomodation was split between Cobham Hall (officers mess), the control tower (some pilots), and the 'Laughing Waters' restaurant (groundcrews), while aircraft were dispersed around the perimeter. Air defence was supplied by the army, and the airfield was only attacked a few times - on 2nd September 1940 two soldiers were killed when a pair of bombs were dropped, and on the 4th an attack was mounted by a force of Heinkels, but was aborted. Two more attacks came, but neither managed to hit the airfield itself.

The airfield was extended later in the war to accommodate three squadrons of American Fighters, and it was also used as an emergency runway for bomber aircraft returning from sorties over the continent. After the war, Gravesend Aerodrome largely returned to civilian use, with the RAF finally leaving in 1956, whereupon Gravesend airfield became a housing estate. All that there is to see now is a plaque in a local sports centre - listing the names of fifteen pilots killed in action whilst flying from this small field.

Approval for civilian use

After the war the then Gravesend Municipal Council gave planning permission to Essex Aero to take over the airport, but with severe (and unworkable) conditions. The main conditions were that the RAF extensions must be ripped up, thereby reducing the airport size by 40%; that the two runway lengths cut back to just 3000ft; and finally, provisions that a school and associated housing should be built on parts of the airfield. Under those circumstances, Essex Aero did not continue with their scheme.

ite today

The airfield site today has become a housing estate called Riverview Park. Little can be identified of the original use, but Leander Drive and Vigilant Way seem to have been built on the original perimeter track. "Cascades" Leisure Centre in Thong Lane has a plaque dedicated to the airmen of WWII who served at Gravesend Airport. The Control Tower from the Airport was located in the grounds. There is a small piece of the tarmac outer runaway ring road left in the fields behind Astra drive. But this has fallen into disrepair and is all the remains on the entire airfield.

Reference