West Malling

[Peter4456]

Lee,
I'm very happy to answer your WM questions!
The only grafitti, markings etc that I saw have been recorded on here (aircraft state boards etc). There were 85 Sqn two crests on huts in the north west corner and a lovely 500 Sqn one at their dispersal (sadly overpainted in green and impossible to photograph in those days!).
The CO's house was in the Officers' Married Quarters (OMQs) which are on the airfield side of the main road - Meteor Road, off Typhoon Road. Im sure it was at the end of Meteor Road on the right - look for the biggest ex RAF house and you've found it!
Apart from the obviously damaged toilet block shown in the Battle of Britain Then & Now book, many of the building behind the SHQ (mostly workshops) were a bit 'battered' - it's only a guess the PO Pope's Beaufighter caused it though!
I've always wondered if the fields at the southern end of the runway (where the Lanc & other aricraft crashed) would yield any finds - you'd need permission to look though!
I will start posting / listing aerial photos that I know of later, but here's another photo of a 25 Sqn Vampire starting at night - it must have been pretty spectacular!
25 Sqn Vamp.jpg

[Peter4456]

Maidstone Airport June 1938.jpgMaidstone Airport Aug 1938.jpgWM Sept 1942.jpgWM July 1943.jpgWM 1959.jpgRAF West Malling Aerial Photos.doc

Here are some aerial photos of WM and a list of aerial photos I know of. I would love to see some of those from the National Monuments Record but I'm sure they'd be expensive!

[avion ancien]

Ref the Lanc crash in 1952, please see my post #404 above - there's a photo of the aircraft!

I've only been on this forum for a couple of days and I've found the info on this crash that I've been looking for since about 1984!

Thanks very much indeed!!

Thank you, Peter, for referring me to the photo of the Lancaster crash. You've saved me searching through 400 plus posts to find it! I hope that you have no objection to me posting it on the Sussex History forum - with credit to you - as a quid pro quo for you obtaining the information that you've been seeking since 1984 (assuming that to which you refer is that on the Sussex History forum).

[lee999]

Hi Pete..

Once again fab pics!! :0) I am sure there are other remains in the remaining fields. I did hear from my sister that late 90s I believe, another UXB was found. In the area of 500 squadron there is what, im sure is a bomb crater ( obviously overgrown etc now) but its similar to the one in nearby Leybourne. Over by what remains of the perimeter of 85 squadron is some of the building bases and also some GPO telephone poles in situ....One of the long time serving security guards here also reckons there is a large shelter on the land where 'travellers' live....Lee

[Peter4456]

Thank you, Peter, for referring me to the photo of the Lancaster crash. You've saved me searching through 400 plus posts to find it! I hope that you have no objection to me posting it on the Sussex History forum - with credit to you - as a quid pro quo for you obtaining the information that you've been seeking since 1984 (assuming that to which you refer is that on the Sussex History forum).

Please help yourself - I'm so grateful to you for filling in the missing info for me. I can still remember reading about Flt Lt King in Paul Brickhill's 'Escape or Die' (I must have been about 12!) and experiencing the shock of learning that he was killed at WM, effectively 'hitching a ride' in the Lanc.

[Peter4456]

Hi Pete..

One of the long time serving security guards here also reckons there is a large shelter on the land where 'travellers' live....

The Site Plan I have shows a large hut on the road down to the 'site' from the peri track, a large hut in the middle of the loop and what looks like a shelter in the woods to the left of the loop. There was a similar arrangement around another 'loop' not far from the Sportsman Pub / Cottages area.

[Simm16]

More brilliant pictures - thank you Peter!

Please see attached a few of the aerial pictures from the national records office I have - I have better copies but this was the best resolution I could post - if anyone wants better copies drop me a line

[Peter4456]

Lee,
I traced the map from KCC man Fred Abbott's copy and stitched the sheets together with selotape - 30 years later it's a horrible mess but possibly the only surviving RAF WM Site Plan! I will try and get it looking better and those have a go at posting it. It seems everyone's tried to find a Site Plan for WM but all without success - surely one must have survived somewhere!
Simm16,
I'd to see really good copies of the 1961 and 1989 shots!

[Peter4456]

Here goes - this is my attempt to tidy up the plan and post it - it's not good but it's the best I can do, I'm afraid!
001.jpg020.jpg008.jpg003.jpg005.jpg006.jpg

[Peter4456]

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