Redhill Aerodrome
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| Redhill Aerodrome | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| IATA: KRH - ICAO: EGKR | |||
| Summary | |||
| Airport type | Public | ||
| Operator | Redhill Aerodrome Ltd | ||
| Serves | Redhill, Surrey | ||
| Elevation AMSL | 222 ft (68 m) | ||
| Coordinates | |||
| Runways | |||
| Direction | Length | Surface | |
| ft | m | ||
| 18/36 | 2,792 | 851 | Grass |
| 08R/26L | 2,943 | 897 | Grass |
| 08L/26R | 2,241 | 683 | Grass |
Redhill Aerodrome (IATA: KRH, ICAO: EGKR) is located 1.5 nautical miles (2.8 km) southeast of Redhill, Surrey, England.
Contents |
[edit] Early History
The airfield came into use in the 1930s for private flying and it was used as an alternate airfield to Croydon Airport by Imperial Airways.
An Elementary Flying Training School was formed at Redhill in July 1937. Training continued at the start of the Second World War using the Miles Magister. The Fairey Battle was also flown particularly for use with the Polish Grading and Testing Flight.
With the threat of a Germany attack on the airfield the Flying Training School moved to northern England in June 1940.
[edit] RAF Redhill
With the withdrawal of the Flying Training School the airfield became an operational RAF station. First to move in were 16 Squadron operating the Westland Lysander. The Lysander's did not stay long and RAF Redhill had many short-term deployments of mainly fighter squadrons.
In August 1942 the airfield had five squadrons based. By the end of 1943 the fighter squadrons had moved on and the airfield was used by support units until the end of the war.
[edit] Flying Squadrons
- 1 Sqn - Hawker Hurricane
- 16 Sqn - Westland Lysander
- 66 Sqn - Supermarine Spitfire
- 116 Sqn - Airspeed Oxford and Avro Anson
- 131 Sqn - Supermarine Spitfire
- 219 Sqn - Bristol Blenheim, Bristol Beaufighter
- 231 Sqn - North American Mustang
- 258 Sqn - Hawker Hurricane
- 287 Sqn
- 303 Sqn - Supermarine Spitfire
- 310 Sqn - Supermarine Spitfire
- 312 Sqn - Supermarine Spitfire
- 340 Sqn - Supermarine Spitfire
- 350 Sqn - Supermarine Spitfire
- 400 Sqn - North American Mustang
- 402 Sqn - North American Mustang
- 414 Sqn - North American Mustang
- 416 Sqn - Supermarine Spitfire
- 421 Sqn - Supermarine Spitfire
- 452 Sqn - Supermarine Spitfire
- 457 Sqn - Supermarine Spitfire
- 485 Sqn - Supermarine Spitfire
- 504 Sqn - Supermarine Spitfire
- 602 Sqn - Supermarine Spitfire
- 611 Sqn - Supermarine Spitfire
- 110 Sqn RCAF - Westland Lysander
[edit] Post-War
The airfield returned to civilian use in 1947 but was suspended in 1954. In 1959 flying resumed at Redhill when the Tiger Club moved in. The following year Bristow Helicopters started to use Redhill as an operating base and carry out Helicopter maintenance for the next 40 years.
The grass airfield is still operated for private flying and training, with an emphasis on helicopter operators.
