Seeing Foxy's photos of Dunkeswell prompted me to put my pics up of this place, which similarly is both derelict and live at the same time!
RAF Kenley was where Fighter Command was based for most of the Battle of Britain, and so was pretty important. If you want to know about its history Ken Delve's book Military Airfields of Southern England is a good place to start - which would tell you that the runway was 1200 yards of concrete with 18 dispersal bays. It would also tell you that a significant number of Spitfire and Hurricane squadrons were based there from1939 to 1944 and also (perhaps more interestingly) it was use to house captured German planes and rocketry after the war.
Today, it is part of Kenley Common, but at the same time, is still used by both private gliders AND VGS (Volunteer Glider Squadron) Viking 615. A substantial part of the base is derelict but still heavily fenced off with mucho security. The main part of the airfield though, is easily accessible, with people jogging, walking their dogs all over it. There are still a number of interesting buildings around this bit and with a bit of explore will probably reveal even more interesting stuff.
When you get on to the airfield site you come up right beside one of the old dispersal bays, where the planes were parked up. Each of these is surrounded by a tunnelled bunker, which all appear to be sealed off. This first one is, appropriately enough, home to Kenley's Battle of Briatin Memorial.
There used to be 18 of these dispersal bays, and there are now about five of them left. Most of them have entrances at both back and front, but some of them have been filled in.
There are also outer doors on some of these bunkers, but again they have been sealed.
You can walk the length of the main runway - it seems to go on forever! Some days you have to watch out for gliders though, which still use the site.
Down at the far eastern and of the runway, where not many people seem to go, is the most interesting stuff. Firstly on a raised bank to one side of the runway, I found this
As you can see, it still has some kind of metal fixing in the middle of it. I was thinking searchlight emplacement, but if anyone has any ideas, I'd be really interested in hearing them.
Also down at the eastern end there is a fairly substantial bunker which drops down the hillside away from the end of the airfield. At the top there is this hatch, which is a bit like one of the hatches on one of the remaining dispersal bays.
The bunkers sides are reinforced concrete, but at the back, there is a ramp up to what was clearly the main entrance. Again this is sealed. Does anyone know what the purpose of such a bunker might have been?
Finally, at the Western end of the site, just off the runway and in a wood, are the remains of a large brick building. I have absolutely no idea what this was either. It appears to have a trench in front of it.
Answers on a postcard please!
Anyway - hope you enjoy these. If anyone wants to have a look round, I'm happy to be tour guide!
GDZ
RAF Kenley was where Fighter Command was based for most of the Battle of Britain, and so was pretty important. If you want to know about its history Ken Delve's book Military Airfields of Southern England is a good place to start - which would tell you that the runway was 1200 yards of concrete with 18 dispersal bays. It would also tell you that a significant number of Spitfire and Hurricane squadrons were based there from1939 to 1944 and also (perhaps more interestingly) it was use to house captured German planes and rocketry after the war.
Today, it is part of Kenley Common, but at the same time, is still used by both private gliders AND VGS (Volunteer Glider Squadron) Viking 615. A substantial part of the base is derelict but still heavily fenced off with mucho security. The main part of the airfield though, is easily accessible, with people jogging, walking their dogs all over it. There are still a number of interesting buildings around this bit and with a bit of explore will probably reveal even more interesting stuff.
When you get on to the airfield site you come up right beside one of the old dispersal bays, where the planes were parked up. Each of these is surrounded by a tunnelled bunker, which all appear to be sealed off. This first one is, appropriately enough, home to Kenley's Battle of Briatin Memorial.
There used to be 18 of these dispersal bays, and there are now about five of them left. Most of them have entrances at both back and front, but some of them have been filled in.
There are also outer doors on some of these bunkers, but again they have been sealed.
You can walk the length of the main runway - it seems to go on forever! Some days you have to watch out for gliders though, which still use the site.
Down at the far eastern and of the runway, where not many people seem to go, is the most interesting stuff. Firstly on a raised bank to one side of the runway, I found this
As you can see, it still has some kind of metal fixing in the middle of it. I was thinking searchlight emplacement, but if anyone has any ideas, I'd be really interested in hearing them.
Also down at the eastern end there is a fairly substantial bunker which drops down the hillside away from the end of the airfield. At the top there is this hatch, which is a bit like one of the hatches on one of the remaining dispersal bays.
The bunkers sides are reinforced concrete, but at the back, there is a ramp up to what was clearly the main entrance. Again this is sealed. Does anyone know what the purpose of such a bunker might have been?
Finally, at the Western end of the site, just off the runway and in a wood, are the remains of a large brick building. I have absolutely no idea what this was either. It appears to have a trench in front of it.
Answers on a postcard please!
Anyway - hope you enjoy these. If anyone wants to have a look round, I'm happy to be tour guide!
GDZ
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