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Penshurst Airfield
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Penshurst Airfield
Penshurst Airfield was an airfield in operation between 1916–36 and 1940–46. Initially a military airfield, after the First World War it was used as an alternate destination to Croydon Airport, with some civil flying taking place. The airfield closed following the crash of a Flying Flea at an air display in 1936, and was converted to a polo ground.
It re-opened during the Second World War as an Emergency Landing Ground, RAF Penshurst. As well as serving in this role, it was mainly used by air observation post (AOP) squadrons of the Royal Air Force. The airfield finally closed in May 1946.
The airfield was located south of Charcott, on the western edge of Leigh, and eastern edge of Chiddingstone, at 51°12′N 0°11′E / 51.200°N 0.183°E (TQ 525 468). The parish boundary running through the site. It was named Penshurst as it was considered that name was more up-market than Chiddingstone Causeway or Leigh. The airfield was some 2 miles (3.2 km) north of Penshurst. Nearby Penshurst railway station lies within the parish of Chiddingstone.
An airfield was established at Penshurst in December 1916. The airfield had a grass runway. The site measured 800 yd (730 m) from north to south and 400 yd (370 m) from east to west. In total it extended to 72 acres (29 ha). Facilities included two hangars of 130 ft × 60 ft (40 m × 18 m), and a 2,000 ft (610 m) long grass runway, aligned east–west. A large house, Knotley Hall, which stood to the south of the airfield was requisitioned for use as the officer's accommodation. During 1917, Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.12 aircraft of No. 78 Squadron RFC were based at Penshurst.
On 8 November 1917, No. 2 Wireless School was formed at Penshurst. It operated a variety of aircraft, including Airco DH.6, Avro 504K, Avro 504N, Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.2c and B.E.2e, Sopwith Camel and Sopwith Snipe. Aircrew attended the school for a one-week-long course in wireless telephony procedures. The school was disbanded on 23 March 1919. Knotley Hall was offered for sale in May 1919. In September 1919, it was announced that Penshurst had been disposed of by the Royal Air Force, and that it could be considered as an emergency landing ground for civil aircraft.
In February 1920, a Notice to Airmen was issued advising pilots that had made emergency landings at Penshurst that they could use the War Office telephone to inform the police of their arrival and to obtain conveyances for their passengers to take them to Penshurst station. On 5 June 1920, the first air mail flight between the Netherlands and the United Kingdom was made. Bert Hinchcliffe departed from Schiphol in a hired Airco DH.9 with 300 letters on board. Despite the bad weather, Hinchcliffe decided not to land at Lympne and pressed on towards Croydon. He was eventually forced to land at Penshurst due to a combination of the weather and running low on fuel. A taxi was hired to take Hinchcliffe and the letters on to London. A linen windsock was installed at Penshurst in November 1920. The War Office telephone was notified as having been discontinued in January 1921. On 24 September 1921, a de Havilland DH.18 aircraft diverted to Penshurst as Croydon was fogbound.
From February 1922 the airfield, which was in use as an emergency landing ground, had an illuminated T as part of the illumination of the London-Paris airway. Also at the airfield were coloured lamps connected to an anemometer to indicate wind strength, green for no wind, white for moderate wind and red to indicate strong wind.
On 10 June 1922, Alan Cobham was forced to land his de Havilland DH.9 at Penshurst owing to poor weather conditions at Stag Lane Aerodrome, Edgware. He was attempting a 1,200 mi (1,900 km) flight from Belgrade, Yugoslavia bringing photographs of the Royal Wedding between King Alexander and Princess Maria for publication by the Daily Mirror. The photographs were taken on to London by road. On 7 July 1922, two Farman Goliaths diverted to Penshurst during a gale. One aircraft belonged to Compagnie des Messageries Aériennes and the other to Compagnie des Grands Express Aériens. Both aircraft were picketed overnight as there was no hangar large enough to accommodate them. A gust of 65 mph (105 km/h) was recorded.
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Penshurst Airfield
Penshurst Airfield was an airfield in operation between 1916–36 and 1940–46. Initially a military airfield, after the First World War it was used as an alternate destination to Croydon Airport, with some civil flying taking place. The airfield closed following the crash of a Flying Flea at an air display in 1936, and was converted to a polo ground.
It re-opened during the Second World War as an Emergency Landing Ground, RAF Penshurst. As well as serving in this role, it was mainly used by air observation post (AOP) squadrons of the Royal Air Force. The airfield finally closed in May 1946.
The airfield was located south of Charcott, on the western edge of Leigh, and eastern edge of Chiddingstone, at 51°12′N 0°11′E / 51.200°N 0.183°E (TQ 525 468). The parish boundary running through the site. It was named Penshurst as it was considered that name was more up-market than Chiddingstone Causeway or Leigh. The airfield was some 2 miles (3.2 km) north of Penshurst. Nearby Penshurst railway station lies within the parish of Chiddingstone.
An airfield was established at Penshurst in December 1916. The airfield had a grass runway. The site measured 800 yd (730 m) from north to south and 400 yd (370 m) from east to west. In total it extended to 72 acres (29 ha). Facilities included two hangars of 130 ft × 60 ft (40 m × 18 m), and a 2,000 ft (610 m) long grass runway, aligned east–west. A large house, Knotley Hall, which stood to the south of the airfield was requisitioned for use as the officer's accommodation. During 1917, Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.12 aircraft of No. 78 Squadron RFC were based at Penshurst.
On 8 November 1917, No. 2 Wireless School was formed at Penshurst. It operated a variety of aircraft, including Airco DH.6, Avro 504K, Avro 504N, Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.2c and B.E.2e, Sopwith Camel and Sopwith Snipe. Aircrew attended the school for a one-week-long course in wireless telephony procedures. The school was disbanded on 23 March 1919. Knotley Hall was offered for sale in May 1919. In September 1919, it was announced that Penshurst had been disposed of by the Royal Air Force, and that it could be considered as an emergency landing ground for civil aircraft.
In February 1920, a Notice to Airmen was issued advising pilots that had made emergency landings at Penshurst that they could use the War Office telephone to inform the police of their arrival and to obtain conveyances for their passengers to take them to Penshurst station. On 5 June 1920, the first air mail flight between the Netherlands and the United Kingdom was made. Bert Hinchcliffe departed from Schiphol in a hired Airco DH.9 with 300 letters on board. Despite the bad weather, Hinchcliffe decided not to land at Lympne and pressed on towards Croydon. He was eventually forced to land at Penshurst due to a combination of the weather and running low on fuel. A taxi was hired to take Hinchcliffe and the letters on to London. A linen windsock was installed at Penshurst in November 1920. The War Office telephone was notified as having been discontinued in January 1921. On 24 September 1921, a de Havilland DH.18 aircraft diverted to Penshurst as Croydon was fogbound.
From February 1922 the airfield, which was in use as an emergency landing ground, had an illuminated T as part of the illumination of the London-Paris airway. Also at the airfield were coloured lamps connected to an anemometer to indicate wind strength, green for no wind, white for moderate wind and red to indicate strong wind.
On 10 June 1922, Alan Cobham was forced to land his de Havilland DH.9 at Penshurst owing to poor weather conditions at Stag Lane Aerodrome, Edgware. He was attempting a 1,200 mi (1,900 km) flight from Belgrade, Yugoslavia bringing photographs of the Royal Wedding between King Alexander and Princess Maria for publication by the Daily Mirror. The photographs were taken on to London by road. On 7 July 1922, two Farman Goliaths diverted to Penshurst during a gale. One aircraft belonged to Compagnie des Messageries Aériennes and the other to Compagnie des Grands Express Aériens. Both aircraft were picketed overnight as there was no hangar large enough to accommodate them. A gust of 65 mph (105 km/h) was recorded.
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