Kenley

**Hautboy** · 25-11-2012, 15:25

You were probably challenged due to the married quarters being in use at Kenley by the army from nearby Caterham Barracks, don't forget the difficulties with troubles in Northern Ireland were considerable at the time as well. All the MQ were demolished and it's now housing. The roads are all named after Battle of Britain pilots connected with Kenley and are probably the best to be seen with the squadron crest and a quick biography.

It appears that others areas might we redeveloped as the Plymouth Brethren may sell their part of the site to turn 16 acres into a cemetery.

http://www.thisiscroydontoday.co.uk/...ail/story.html

Cheers

Hautboy

**Paul F** · 27-11-2012, 10:40

Originally Posted by Hautboy

The City of London Corporation who are responsible for a large part of the former RAF Kenley site have put together a very good series of information boards. The link to their site enables those not in the local area to be able to read them. However, It doesn't beat walking the perimeter track and visiting the remaining dispersal pens and structures.

http://217.154.230.196/Corporation/L...tage+Trail.htm

Cheers

Hautboy

Last time I was at Kenley was when I went gliding there with the Air Cadets (in 1976/77 I guess).

Memories of being a passenger on the last flight of the day while two instructors performed highly unauthorised "formation" loops in a pair of Kirby Cadet Mk3 gliders. "Formation" being a fairly loose term in this context, but suffice to say we were close enough to the other glider to easily hear the shouted instructions as to when to push/pull the stick.... After the loop there was an informal challenge to see who could land their glider closest to the hangar to save too much effort in manhandling them back for overnight storage....I can't remember whether my instructor won or lost, but I know that final approach meant the hangar looked very close as we trundled to a halt!

I didn't realise you could now walk round the peri-track - will add this to my list of things to do on a quiet sunday afternoon.

Paul F

**netcompsys** · 27-11-2012, 13:58

A nice painting of the Ops Room at Kenley

lne_rafm_x005_0314_large.jpg

by Lilian Ruth Antrobus Buchanan
part of the RAFM collection

**REF** · 27-11-2012, 20:22

Some phtoos of the gliders at Kenley.

Rear of the glider hangar August 2009

Front and interior of the glider hangar May 2006

Glider outside the glider hangar December 2006

Glider landing December 2006

**TimHarris** · 30-11-2012, 00:56

Hi all,

Great thread, would the control tower attached to the double-Belfast have existed and did the runway have markings (numbers/piano keys) back in 1940?

Cheers
Tim

**PETERTHEEATER** · 30-11-2012, 06:27

I can see the former WW2 25 yard Range here:

http://wtp2.appspot.com/wheresthepat...z=19&oz=7&gt=1

**REF** · 30-11-2012, 18:41

Originally Posted by TimHarris

Hi all,

Great thread, would the control tower attached to the double-Belfast have existed and did the runway have markings (numbers/piano keys) back in 1940?

Cheers
Tim

I'm not sure when it was built, it was knocked down in the late 1970's

Welcome to AiX as well.

**REF** · 02-12-2012, 18:29

25 yard Machine Gun Range at Kenley, 27 August 2009

**TimHarris** · 12-12-2012, 04:51

Thanks, I have recently managed to access to some old imagery from 42/43 which shows an awning or roof section in the place the tower is meant to be, so am pretty confident it was there at least from 42/43, in another forum somebody said 39

**Hautboy** · 03-03-2013, 13:00

The aviation press is showing an airshow advertised for Kenley.

RAF Kenley Empire Air Day 1930's revival charity airshow, 7 & 8 September 2013.

Hautboy