Airfield search

Manston (Kent International)

Major
Decoy
Also known as: Kent International Airport / Manston Aerodrome / Manston Airport / Manstone / RAF Manston / RNAS Manston
County: Kent
Current Status: Unknown / Museum
Date: Opened July 1915 (earliest known date) – 15 May 2014; (decoy) 1940 - May 1941
Current Use: Disused
Used By: RAF / RAF (Czech) / RAF (Norwegian) / RAF (Polish) / RNAS / FAA / Civil / RAAF / RCAF / USAF
Prominent People: Eugene Esmonde VC
Decoy Type(s): KLG

The following organisations are either based at, use and/or have at least potentially significant connections with the airfield (as at 01/07/2013):

  • RAF Manston Spitfire & Hurricane Memorial Museum

Notable Past Associated Organisations:

  • Thanet Auto Club

Main unit(s) present:

  • No 1 AEF
  • No 1 Fighter Command Servicing Unit
  • No 1 General Reconnaissance Unit

  • No 1 (Observers) School of Aerial Gunnery
  • No 1 Sqn
  • No 2 Fighter Command Servicing Unit
  • No 2 General Reconnaissance Unit

  • No 2 Observers' School
  • No 2 Sqn

  • No 3 Fighter Command Servicing Unit
  • No 3 General Reconnaissance Unit
  • No 3 SoTT

  • No 3 Sqn

  • No 3 Wing RNAS
  • No 4 Fighter Command Servicing Unit
  • No 4 Sqn
  • No 6 FTS

  • No 7 Sqn RNAS
  • No 9 Sqn

  • No 16 Sqn
  • No 18 Sqn

  • No 21 Sqn

  • No 22 Sqn

  • No 23 Sqn

  • No 26 Sqn

  • No 29 Sqn

  • No 32 Sqn

  • No 33 Sqn
  • No 39 Sqn

  • No 46 Sqn

  • No 48 Sqn

  • No 50 (Army Co-operation) Wing

  • No 50 TDS

  • No 55 TDS

  • No 56 Sqn

  • No 59 Sqn

  • No 62 Sqn

  • No 63 Sqn

  • No 69 Sqn

  • No 72 Sqn

  • No 74 Sqn

  • No 77 Sqn

  • No 79 Sqn

  • No 80 Sqn

  • No 86 MU

  • No 88 Sqn

  • No 91 Sqn

  • No 91 Staging Post

  • No 92 Sqn

  • No 101 Sqn

  • No 107 Sqn

  • No 110 Sqn

  • No 118 Sqn

  • No 119 Sqn

  • No 123 Airfield
  • No 124 Sqn

  • No 130 Sqn

  • No 134 (Czech) (Fighter) Wing
  • No 137 Sqn

  • No 139 Sqn

  • No 143 Sqn

  • No 151 Sqn

  • No 155 (General Reconnaissance) Wing

  • No 158 Sqn
  • No 164 Sqn

  • No 174 Sqn

  • No 175 Sqn

  • No 181 Sqn

  • No 183 Sqn

  • No 184 Sqn

  • No 193 Sqn

  • No 197 Sqn

  • No 198 Sqn

  • No 202 Sqn

  • No 203 TDS

  • No 206 Sqn

  • No 213 Sqn

  • No 217 Sqn

  • No 219 Sqn

  • No 222 Sqn

  • No 224 Sqn

  • No 226 Sqn

  • No 229 Sqn

  • No 235 Sqn

  • No 236 Sqn
  • No 239 Sqn
  • No 242 Sqn

  • No 253 Sqn

  • No 257 Sqn
  • No 263 Sqn

  • No 266 Sqn

  • No 274 Sqn

  • No 305 Sqn
  • No 310 Sqn

  • No 311 Sqn
  • No 312 Sqn

  • No 313 Sqn

  • No 331 Sqn

  • No 332 Sqn

  • No 403 Sqn

  • No 406 Sqn

  • No 415 Sqn

  • No 421 Sqn

  • No 450 (Fleet Spotter Reconnaissance) Flight
  • No 451 Sqn

  • No 455 Sqn

  • No 460 (Fleet Torpedo Bomber) Flight
  • No 470 (Fighter) Flight

  • No 500 Sqn

  • No 501 Sqn

  • No 504 Sqn

  • No 555 (Light Bomber) Flight

  • No 556 (Light Bomber) Flight

  • No 567 Sqn

  • No 600 Sqn

  • No 601 Sqn

  • No 604 Sqn

  • No 605 Sqn

  • No 607 Sqn

  • No 609 Sqn

  • No 611 Sqn
  • No 615 Sqn

  • No 616 Sqn

  • No 617 GS

  • No 617 VGS

  • No 618 GS

  • No 618 Sqn

  • No 618 VGS

  • No 765 Sqn

  • No 812 Sqn

  • No 819 Sqn

  • No 820 Sqn

  • No 821 Sqn

  • No 822 Sqn

  • No 823 Sqn

  • No 825 Sqn

  • No 832 Sqn

  • No 841 Sqn

  • No 848 Sqn

  • No 1333 Wing RAF Regiment
  • No 1401 Met Flight 

  • No 2701 Sqn RAF Regiment
  • No 2715 Sqn RAF Regiment

  • No 2720 Sqn RAF Regiment

  • No 2726 Sqn RAF Regiment
  • No 2733 Sqn RAF Regiment
  • No 2758 Sqn RAF Regiment
  • No 2762 Sqn RAF Regiment
  • No 2763 Sqn RAF Regiment
  • No 2778 Sqn RAF Regiment
  • No 2782 Sqn RAF Regiment
  • No 2794 Sqn RAF Regiment
  • No 2795 Sqn RAF Regiment
  • No 2844 Sqn RAF Regiment
  • No 2909 Sqn RAF Regiment
  • No 3207 Servicing Commando
  • No 3209 Servicing Commando
  • 'A' Sqn RNAS
  • Air Ferry Limited
  • Air Force Department Fire Service School
  • Aurigny Air Services
  • Cargolux
  • CityJet
  • East Kent Air School
  • Handley Page Sqn
  • Overseas Ferry Unit
  • Pool of Pilots
  • RAF Fire Services Central Training Establishment
  • S.C.R.584 Training Unit
  • School of Air Navigation
  • School of Technical Training (Men)
  • Scout School, Pool of Pilots
  • Seaplane Training Sqn
  • Silver City Airways
  • TG Aviation Ltd
  • Transport Command Examining Unit/Staff
  • Viking Airlines
001geograph-354288-by-Stephen-Williams.jpg

T.G. Aviation hangar at Manston, 15 March 2004.

002geograph-382792-by-Nick-Smith.jpg

The control tower at Manston, 31 March 2007.

003Control Tower - 13 January 2008.png

The control tower at Manston, 13 January 2008. © Richard Flagg

004Control Tower - 26 May 2014.png

The control tower at Manston, 26 May 2014. © Richard Flagg

005Battle Headquarters - 26 May 2014.png

The Battle Headquarters and control tower at Manston, 26 May 2014. © Richard Flagg

006Airport Terminal - 26 May 2014.png

The Airport Terminal at Manston, 26 May 2014. © Richard Flagg

007Airport Terminal Interior - 26 May 2014.png

Interior of the Airport Terminal at Manston, 26 May 2014. © Richard Flagg

008Taxiway near the Control Tower. Looking south west - 26 May 2014.png

Taxiway near the Control Tower, looking south west, 26 May 2014. © Richard Flagg

009Hangars - 26 May 2014.png

Hangars at Manston, 26 May 2014. © Richard Flagg

010Fire Station - 26 May 2014.png

The Fire Station at Manston, 26 May 2014. © Richard Flagg

011Taxiway at the north west of the airfield. Looking south west from Manston Road - 27 May 2014.png

Taxiway at the north west of the airfield, looking south west from Manston Road, 27 May 2014. © Richard Flagg

012Radar - 27 May 2014.png

Radar at Manston, 27 May 2014. © Richard Flagg

Various American aircraft at Manston in 1955. Courtesy of Los Angeles to London

United States Air Sea Rescue at Manston, 1956. Courtesy of British Pathé

No 617 Gliding School at Manston in the late 1970s. Courtesy of awood12345

Crowds at the closure of Manston in 2014. Courtesy of KMTV Video News

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Plan of Manston, 1916. Courtesy of Ed Andrews

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Plan of Manston, 1918. Courtesy of Ed Andrews

Decoy Airfield(s):

Ash Level / Monkton

Predecessor Airport(s):

Westgate (Landplane)

Associated Airfield(s):

North Weald

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