Hello Kenley-ites, I only became aware of this illuminating thread (and the "Kenley 2015" one) recently, and can't claim any aviation credentials at Kenley. So I hesitate to comment - but will anyway!
Up to the age of six, I lived in Whyteleafe Hill, about a quarter of a mile due east of the Rwy 31 threshold. That could account for a lot, although down in our steep valley none of the airfield manoeuvring areas was visible (as many of you would know well). I seem to recall a few a/c flying low over us, but we were more interested in news of the Comet's progress into service.
My older brother would cross the road and a token fence to climb trees in the woods on the slope, sometimes enticing me to follow. I was convinced we would be spotted, arrested, or maybe even shot by the scores of guards I assumed were on patrol. (No doubt these fears were nurtured by my sibling...) Just before we moved abroad, circumstances forced me for a couple of weeks to return home from school in Purley alone, as my dear brother was doing some after-school activity. (Sounds ridiculous now...) Boarding the 115 bus in Purley Way, I was horrified to see a man in RAF uniform. Realising he would be on the lookout for me, I scuttled terrified upstairs, hoping he would not recognise me in school uniform. (I think he got off the bus at Kenley village.)
One evening in the autumn of 1955, there was an official party at the officers' mess at the aerodrome in connection with
The Dam Busters film, which I now see was already on general release in the UK. My parents and I were in the UK on leave. The bash was probably one of many, as Kenley hardly seems the most relevant airfield, but I seem to recall my parents telling me that several cast and production members were there, as well as RAF top brass. I guess that shows that Kenley was still a significant London-area base in the early-to-mid Fifties?
These days, "running" the dogs, I regularly see Kenley-based gliders (not to mention buzzards) soaring in the Chaldon/Farthing Down area, of course. Rarely take the dogs to Kenley, but one of the guys gave me (not a glider
cognoscento) a real fright a few years back. We were somewhere on the east boundary, outside the peri track. The wind was moderate-to-fresh westerly, so I was surprised to see a glider low in the west, heading for the field. Coming straight towards us, it looked as if it was trying to land downwind. It soon became apparent that it was going much too fast for the LDA. You've guessed the rest?
Well, you can thank a wet Bank-Holiday Monday for this mundane contribution! Time to venture out into the residual drizzle with the hounds, as you may agree...
PS
I missed the August flypast, due to lack of local publicity, and XH558 failed to show for the last time at Dunsfold yesterday.
The "Ten" high-speed taxi-run was good, though. Well done, Brooklands!
