Biggin Hill

[lee999]

Guys..

I had to start this thread on surely one of the most famous airfields in the country! Im just starting to research it so will be adding some bits in time. Does anyone have info/pics/research to get us started on

Lee

[PNK]

Used to be my local (40 mins on the push-bike).
When I was born it was a Fighter Station!

In the sixties the "At Home" days allowed you in free and on both sides of the airfield. You crossed at the Westerham road end with a canvas sheet to protect you from low flying aircraft! Got the fright of my life when a Navy Buccaneer came in low, fast and quiet and invisible behind the sheet only to shoot low over our heads with a loud roar. Most people hit the deck! Happy times.
I didn't have a camera until 1969 so I missed out. Would have been great shooting with the sun always behind you (why is the sun always in your face at airshows?).
I seem to remember a lot more fighter pens back then - we used to stand on them. I did take an 8mm cine and filmed a Spitfire (there was only 1 then?) and a pre airline Concorde - The film burned when it jammed in the projector.

I did have a full size AM airfield plan of 1963. It was an "original copy" - the purple type with the strange smell but when I pulled it out a few months back it had faded to almost invisible. Shame.
The National Archives have a copy of the same plan.

Apologies for the rambling but I will try to dig out my earliest slides of the Bump.

Peter

[lee999]

Peter..

Thanks for getting it started! I have been to a few Biggin Hill shows over the yrs and am now starting to read books etc about it! Can be quite eery driving passed at night! ...Lots of Hauntings but for the other forum thread I guess.
Apparantly there are still a few Nissan Huts..Pillboxes etc on the eastern side of the airfield ( well tucked in woods) and I think a fighter pen still remains ( can see it on google earth)
Any other bits/stories you had im sure everyone would love to hear!

Lee

[Lewis - A2A]

Anyone have any good suggestions for research on this airfield from 1940's wartime period, esp 1940 BOB period.

Ideally after visual aids, pictures, charts, layouts etc.

[David Thompson]

Six hundred and fifty (650) air traffic control tower log books covering the period 15 July 1960 to 27 April 1986 , with one or two gaps , are now in the safe keeping of a chap called Peter Bailey . He is willing to deal with any moderate enquiry on ; g3pjb@milnet.co.uk .

[CDP]

Whilst it's very easy for us all to share our information, can we please refrain from posting personal e-mail addresses!

If you have an e-mail address which you think may be useful, can you please deal with it via PM, not on the boards. It would be good not have people's mail addresses open harvesting programmes.

If you HAVE to post a mail address, please try and disguise it somehow.

Many thanks.

Chris (AiX Admin)

[PNK]

I don't know if there is a good way to disguise email addresses in text form but posting a small picture of the email adress text should work. It's a bit tedious for users as they have to type it in again but safer.

Peter

[Warthog]

I recall as a child visiting Biggin late 70's early 80's when there were many more hardstandings/blast pens standing where the row of hangars (including the Gold Air hangar) now reside.

I also remember a second smaller control tower next to R11/29.
Biggin had a lovely atmosphere in those days, a bit sterile now with the industrial estate, and biz jets.
That said, better than having a housing estate and no airfield.

[PNK]

Warthog,

The second control tower you mentioned was it just a "greenhouse" on top of a "shed" type of thing? I remember something but I assumed it was part of a flying club. If it was a control tower maybe it was just a civilian affair as the main tower was always seemed empty unless there was an airshow. I am going back to the late 60's early 70's when we used to cycle from Eltham and stop for an ice cream and minnow at Keston Ponds!

Peter

[Warthog]

Yes, thats the one.
The time I remember was when GA was prevalent at the field before the coming of the biz-jets.
Can't recall when the tower/greenhouse/shed arrangement disappeared though.