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Report - - RAF Kenley - Surrey - July 2016 | Military Sites | 28DaysLater.co.uk

Report - RAF Kenley - Surrey - July 2016

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silentwalker

28DL Full Member
28DL Full Member
History
The former Royal Air Force Station Kenley, more commonly known as RAF Kenley (now known as Kenley Aerodrome) was a station of the Royal Flying Corps in World War I and continued in the hands of the RAF.

Flying commenced in 1917, and ceased to be active in 1959. The airfield at Kenley now hosts 615 Volunteer Gliding Squadron (VGS), a Royal Air Force gliding squadron of the Air Cadet Organisation and the Surrey Hills Gliding Club.

Although few of the remaining buildings survive and the control tower was demolished after a fire in 1978 along with the hangars, Kenley is thought to be the best preserved of all World War II RAF fighter stations, with the runway still in its original configuration. In 2000, English Heritage identified Kenley as “The most complete fighter airfield associated with the Battle of Britain to have survived”. In 2006, the respective Councils of Croydon and Tandridge designated the airfield site as a Conservation Area.

Some of the original 12 E-shaped blast pens remain, as well as the shelters for the servicing personnel. One in particular — forming the background to the RAF memorial — has been fully restored. Since 2004 these structures have been protected as Scheduled Monuments.

The RAF finally left Kenley in March 1974, but a fire in October 1978 resulted in the control tower and hangars being demolished. However, the airfield continues its flying tradition as the home of the 615 VGS and of course Surrey Hills Gliding Club.

The Explore
Was on the was to another explore so thought we would pop in, would have been rude not to :D visited with @Porker of the night access was not a problem, in and out without bumping into a soul. Quite a shame as one of the main buildings has been gutted by a fire and the place is a mess but nevertheless still worth popping in if you are going past!

Anyway, on to the pics:

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5. Meet Percy the urbex pigeon
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Cheers for stopping by ;)
 
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