Manston

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.

preserved/instructional/dump aircraft on field.
Whirlwind XK968 : XN380 fake c/s H-19 (2001-2011) : Wessex XS482 (1996-untill now) : Chinook ZA676
all for Fire Service Central Training Establishment FSCTE, Gazelle XW870 (2008-2011) : Wessex XR503 (2008) : XV720 (2008) : XV725 (2008-2011)

As a result of the UKSRR SAR service main contract award from Apr 2015, Bristow has been enhancing SAR facilities due to start from here on 1 Jul 2015.

The airport closed in May 2014 and plans have been proposed to turn the site into a business and residential park. Counter-proposals for re-development of the airfield as a freight / cargo hub are being developed and as of June 2015, the future is uncertain. Manston was one of the sites selected for the UKSRR SAR contract and Bristow has been forced to move its new operation to Lydd.