I have just found this Gatwick site and can add a little to what has been said already.
I landed at Gatwick in the mid '50's in a Miles Magister to collect a propellor for an Auster. The surface was grass with chicken wire embeded in it,(not PSP) as were many WW2 grass airfields, and on touchdown water enveloped the aircraft. The place was like a shallow lake.
We taxied to a hangar on the South side where a guy by the name of Bazil Maile operated a flying club with Taylorcrafts/Austers. We collected the prop' and departed with it sticking out of the top!!!
On the North side A.J.Walter had a couple of hangars with several J3/L4 Cubs stored on their noses and in the other hangar there were at least three Sikorski R4 helicopters in RAF markings.
Over at the Airwork hangars, behind the Beehive there were many Spitfire/Seafires being converted for the Burmese Air Force and BEA had a helicopter unit over there with a Bell 47.
The Windmill Theatre transport company had a hangar with several airplanes suitably painted with scantily clad young maidens on the cowlings!!
Speedbird 48.
Last edited by Speedbird48; 10th Sep 2012 at 23:29.