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Monument details

HER Number:TQ 65 NE 94
Type of record:Monument
Name:West Malling Airfield, West Malling

Summary

Having started life as an emergency landing ground for Detling Airfield after WW1, West Malling Airfield was not used as a military airfield until WW2. At various times it housed the Kent Aeronautical Services, Malling Aviation and Malling Aero Club.

In 1939 the Air Ministry took over the site and expanded it to become RAF West Malling. New grass runways were strengthened by Sommerfield Tracking and buildings, including a watch office and hangars, were erected.It played little part in the Battle of Britain but became a leading night fighter station from 1941. In 1944 it was part of Operation Diver,a campaign to defend the South East against the V1 Flying Bomb.

In 1945 the airfield was expanded and new concrete runways were built. It was important as a rehabiliation centre for POWs returning from Germany and then for peacetime training until the 1960s. It was used by the US Navy Air Service until1970 and then as a reception centre for Ugandan Asians. Finally it was used as acommercial airfield by Metair until its development as a Business Park and housing.

Much of the Beatles 1967 film 'Magical Mystery Tour' was filmed in and around West Malling airfield.

See also TQ 65 NE 93 TQ 65 NE 95 TQ 65 NE 78


Grid Reference:TQ 6770 5530
Map Sheet:TQ65NE
Parish:EAST MALLING AND LARKFIELD, TONBRIDGE AND MALLING, KENT
MEREWORTH, TONBRIDGE AND MALLING, KENT
WEST MALLING, TONBRIDGE AND MALLING, KENT

Monument Types

  • AIRFIELD (Modern - 1919 AD to 1939 AD)
  • MILITARY AIRFIELD (Modern - 1939 AD to 1964 AD)
  • MILITARY AIRFIELD (US Navy Air Service, Modern - 1964 AD? to 1966 AD?)

Full description

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West Malling began as an emergency landing gorund for Detling Airfield after WW1. In 1930 PH Meadway based his company Kent Aeronautical Services at the site. After a shortlived change of ownership, in 1934 the airfield was taken over by Malling Aviation and became the home of Malling Aero Club.

In 1939 the site was taken over and expanded by the Air Ministry as RAF West Malling. New grass runways strengthened by Sommerfield Tracking were laid, a watch office and other buildings and hangers erected and the airfield became a satellite of Biggin Hill. It played little part in the Battle of Britain base as series of night bombing raids rendered the airfield unserviceable although it became a leading night fighter station from 1941. In 1944 it played a key role in the 1944 campaign, Operation Diver, to defend the south east against the V1 flying bomb. Between August 1944 and June 1945 the airfield was expanded, with new H-block accommodation, and new concrete runways built to accommodate the new Meteor jet fighter.

With the end of the war West Malling became the main rehabilitation centre for prisoners of war returning from Germany. With the strenthened runway the station was used for peacetime training until the 1960's when it was placed on "care and maintenance" finally closing in 1964. Shortly after this for two years the airfield was used by the US Navy Air Service before being aquired by Kent County Council in 1970.

It was used in the early 1970's as a reception centre for Ugandan Asians and then a short-lived commerical airfield used by Metair.

From the 1990s the site became developed as a Business Park and for executive housing. Part of the airfield became a golf-course. This ongoing process has involved the reuse of H-blocks as offices and the erection of new buildings. As a result of this redevelopment a number of buildings have been demolished including an important J-type hanger, battle headquarters, dispersal pens and baffles for jet aircraft. Some imprtant features have survied such as a rare Bofors AA gun tower TQ 65 NE 93, a Picket-Hamilton Fort TQ 65 NE 95 which have been scheduled along with a Type-24 pillbox TQ 65 NE 66.(1-2)

Much of the Beatles 1967 film 'Magical Mystery Tour' was filmed in and around West Malling airfield.


<1> Department for Culture, Media and Sport, 2001, WWII Bofors AA Gun Tower, Pickett-Hamilton Fort and Pillbox: West Malling Fighter Station (Scheduling record). SKE7928.

<2> Victor Smith and Andrew Saunders, 2001, Kent's Defence Heritage (Unpublished document). SKE6956.

Sources and further reading

Cross-ref. Source description
<1>Scheduling record: Department for Culture, Media and Sport. 2001. WWII Bofors AA Gun Tower, Pickett-Hamilton Fort and Pillbox: West Malling Fighter Station.
<2>Unpublished document: Victor Smith and Andrew Saunders. 2001. Kent's Defence Heritage.

Related records

TQ 65 NE 93Parent of: Bofors AA Gun Tower, West Malling (Monument)
TQ 65 NE 95Parent of: Pickett-Hamilton Fort, West Malling Airfield, West Malling (Monument)
TQ 65 SE 78Parent of: Type 24 Pillbox, West Malling (Monument)

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