RAF Kingsnorth (WWII)

RAF Kingsnorth was a World War II airfield in Kent, England. The former Royal Air Force station was at Bliby Corner approximately southeast of Ashford; about southeast of London. It is not to be confused with RNAS Kingsnorth, later RAF Kingsnorth, which was an airship station in operation during and after World War I.

Opened in 1943, Kingsnorth was one of a number of prototype temporary Advanced Landing Ground airfields to be built in France after D-Day, as the Allied forces moved east across France and Germany. Kingsnorth was used by British, Dominion and the United States Army Air Forces until it was closed in September 1944.

Today the airfield is agricultural land with few remains visible on the ground, although the runways can clearly be made out on aerial and satellite photos.

Overview

The USAAF Ninth Air Force required several temporary Advanced Landing Ground (ALG) along the channel coast prior to the June 1944 invasion of Normandy to provide tactical air support for the ground forces landing in France. Kingsnorth airfield was selected in July 1942 and given the final go-ahead for construction in December with a completion date of 1 March 1943.

Kingsnorth was originally planned to support light bombers and therefore would need a bomb store near the site. However, in a review of airfield building plans, this requirement was dropped so Kingsnorth was of similar specification to other ALGs in the district.

The site required the cutting down of several acres of...
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