Lashenden

Airfield
Aerial photograph of Lashenden (Headcorn) airfield looking north, the airfield had been returned to farmland, 16 January 1947. Photograph taken by No.82 Squadron, sortie number RAF/CPE/UK/1923. English Heritage (RAF Photography). eh-342.jpg RAF_CPE_UK_1923_RS_4229 Aerial photograph of Lashenden (Headcorn) airfield looking north, the airfield had been returned to farmland, 16 January 1947. Photograph taken by No.82 Squadron, sortie number RAF/CPE/UK/1923. English Heritage (RAF Photography). Historic England

IWM, English Heritage Collection

Object Number - RAF_CPE_UK_1923_RS_4229 - Aerial photograph of Lashenden (Headcorn) airfield looking north, the airfield had been returned to farmland, 16 January 1947. Photograph taken by...

Close to but completely separate from RAF Headcorn, Lashenden was built for the RAF during 1942-43 as an Advanced Landing Ground (ALG), initially as a light bomber base and then as a training base for mobile fighter squadrons. Enlarged and improved for the Ninth Air Force during 1943-44, the station eventually had two BRC runways, 80 Sommerfeld Track hardstandings, and a Butler combat hangar plus supplementary blister hangars. Taken over by the 100th Fighter Wing in April 1944, the station was occupied by the 354th Fighter Group, equipped with P-51s, for only two months from April to June 1944. The airfield was then unused from July 1944 and closed in September 1944. Dismantling of the runways and buildings began in October 1944, and the site officially returned to agriculture from January 1945. However, during the 1960s part of the site was used again for private flying, and has since been developed into the multi-role Lashenden (Headcorn) Aerodrome. This is confusingly sometimes called simply Headcorn Aerodrome, although completely separate from the wartime ALG at Headcorn. The current Aerodrome has been home since 1970 to the Lashenden Air Warfare Museum.

Connections

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People

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 334th Fighter Squadron 335th Fighter Squadron 4th Mobile Reclamation and Repair Squadron Headquarters (354th Fighter Group) Headquarters (4th Fighter Group)
  • Service Numbers: O-398492
  • Highest Rank: Major
  • Role/Job: Fighter Pilot
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 354th Fighter Group 355th Fighter Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-744674
  • Highest Rank: Captain
  • Role/Job: Fighter Pilot
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 20th Fighter Group 354th Fighter Group 353rd Fighter Squadron 79th Fighter Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-730327
  • Highest Rank: Captain
  • Role/Job: Fighter Pilot
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 354th Fighter Group 353rd Fighter Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-730327
  • Highest Rank: Captain
  • Role/Job: Fighter Pilot
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 354th Fighter Group 496th Fighter Training Group 355th Fighter Squadron 555th Fighter Training Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 15108652 / O-710029
  • Highest Rank: Captain
  • Role/Job: Fighter Pilot

Aircraft

  • Aircraft Type: P-51 Mustang
  • Unit: 354th Fighter Group 356th Fighter Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: P-51 Mustang
  • Unit: 354th Fighter Group 355th Fighter Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: P-51 Mustang
  • Unit: 354th Fighter Group 353rd Fighter Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: P-51 Mustang
  • Unit: 354th Fighter Group 363rd Fighter Group 355th Fighter Squadron 382nd Fighter Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: P-51 Mustang
  • Unit: 354th Fighter Group 359th Fighter Group 356th Fighter Squadron 370th Fighter Squadron

Revisions

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Barry Anderson, Army Air Forces Stations (Alabama, 1985) / Roger Freeman, Airfields of the Ninth Then and Now (London, 1994)

Chris Ashworth, Action Stations 5: Military Airfields of the South-West (London, 1982)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lashenden_(Headcorn)_Airfield

http://www.maconcerts.co.uk/venue-pdfs/History%20of%20Lashenden.pdf

http://www.lashendenairwarfaremuseum.co.uk/

Lashenden: Gallery (6 items)