 Kent International / Manston
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1916 to present | | Location: | 51 20 N - 1 21 E | | 2.5nm W of Ramsgate, Kent | | ICAO: EGMH | IATA: MSE | Elevation: 178 feet |
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| History of this Base/Heliport: | Help Us | |
Opened in 1916 for anti-Zeppelin and trials use, it became the main centre preparing RNAS aircraft for service in Flanders and France during WWI. Excavations were begun in 1918 for underground hangars (given its close proximity to continental Europe) but the work was never completed. The airfield was heavily and regularly damaged during summer 1940 and it was only in Jan 1941 that sustained operations from based squadrons could continue. 
Work began in 1943 to enlarge the main runway to assist damaged aircraft returning from Europe, which was completed in 1944. After WWII, Manston was a joint RAF and civilan airfield, the RAF using the ICAO code EGUM. After a period of use by the USAF, manston re-opened in Mar 1959 and its 61m wide main runway made it first choice as a Master Diversion Airfield for the RAF.
Whilst civilian flying continued, regular RAF operations scaled down to Search and Rescue missions from 22 Squadron D Flight, which arrived in the early 1960s. Local protests broke out when the Flight left in 1969, to such an extent that the Government agreed to replace SAR cover and Bristows ran a SAR contract between Jun 1971 and Sep 1974 with a silver and orange Whirlwind. 72 Squadron D Flight returned officially in Oct 1974 but had perfomed a rescue 2 days earlier, while training with its Wessex.
In 1982, Manston was reclassified as a Military Emergency Diversion Airfield and between Apr 1984 and Mar 1985, further improvements were carried out including re-surfacing the main runway and taxi-ways. A further proposed expansion was cut short by the collapse of the Berlin Wall and its military use went into decline, 202 Squadron F Flight left for Wattisham in Jul 1994, and it culminated in the closure of RAF Manston on 31 Mar 1999.
London Manston Airport plc now runs Kent International Airport with many cargo and some passengar flights using the airfield. Helicopter and fixed wing charters are available as well as an air training operation. |