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From Moths to Merlins: RAF West Malling: Premier Night Fighter Station
Robin J. Brooks
€ 19.99
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Description for From Moths to Merlins: RAF West Malling: Premier Night Fighter Station
Paperback. RAF West Malling was not among the more well known military airfields of the Second World War. However its contribution to the destruction of enemy aircraft in the night skies above the UK was immense. In 1944 it became the foremost anti-diver airfield in the destruction of the V1 'Doodlebug'. This is the story of a lesser famous Kent airfield. Num Pages: 160 pages, 132 black and white. BIC Classification: 1DBKESK; HBWQ; JWG. Category: (G) General (US: Trade). Dimension: 159 x 236 x 7. Weight in Grams: 286.
As a small club airfield during the 1930s, West Malling was very popular with flyers. Taken over by the RAF in 1939 it became a forward landing airfield to Biggin Hill. Unfinished by the time the Battle of Britain began, it played no operational part during the conflict. However, due to faulty German intelligence it was bombed on several occasions delaying completion even further. From 1941 it became the home of many night fighter squadrons within the umbrella of No. 11 Group, Fighter Command. During the Dieppe operation it became a forward base for day fighter squadrons after which it reverted to its primary role. One of the main anti-diver bases during the V1 campaign during 1944, it continued in its defensive role during peacetime until 1960 when the MOD leased the airfield to the American Navy. After two years it returned to the MOD who sold the site to the Kent County Council for development as an industrial park together with housing. This entailed all civil flying and Air Cadet gliding to cease despite much local opposition to the plans.
Product Details
Publisher
Fonthill Media Ltd United Kingdom
Number of pages
160
Format
Paperback
Publication date
2013
Condition
New
Number of Pages
160
Place of Publication
Toadsmoor Road, United Kingdom
ISBN
9781781553350
SKU
V9781781553350
Shipping Time
Usually ships in 5 to 9 working days
Ref
99-50
About Robin J. Brooks
Robin J Brooks is an aviation historian and writer. His interest in aviation began as an Air Cadet with No. 2158 (Sevenoaks) Squadron. Following two years National Service in the RAF writing aircraft servicing schedules with CSDE, he continued writing as a hobby and is now the author of ten books on airfield histories and a regular contributor to the aviation journals. He is the publicity director for Medway Aircraft Preservation Society and is chairman and treasurer of the Kent Aviation Historical Society. He is married with a son and lives in Maidstone.
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