Kenley
Jusr a few more notes on Kenley. My RAF 414 log book shows I took off with a Mr Smiles, (Civvy Airwork Instructor) from 10 BFTS at RAF Anstey on 20th November 1952 to land at Kenley ... apparently to collect an urgently required Chipmunk part. I was 19! I do recall a very active airfield and a small MU in a blister type hangar where the part was handed over.
Forty years later I bought a house in Cedar Walk off Hayes Lane and spent many a happy hour with my son, cycling around the airfield perimeter. Also recall the many pictures of WW2 aircraft and pilots in the nearby pub... (Wattenden Arms or similar) I know my son was mighty impressed to be close to the site where so many youngsters of his age fought in the B of B to help save the country from Germany. He used to get quite mad at the thought of it all being given away to the EU by the politicians.
Around 1995 ish, I did offer the author Peter Flint a helicopter flight over the aerodrome to precisely re-photo the pics in his book on Kenley. Sadly I think he passed away too soon.
I also seem to remember that a Mr Peter Michael of Quantel used to land his AS 350 Squirrel at his home just off the airfield and I read somewhere there was actually an airshow there around the 1980s? Lesser known probably is the 1930s existence of a second airfield just down the hill toward Caterham. Signs of it can still be seen from the air.
Love the thread and happy nostalgia times to all.
Dennis K