As the war moved
further away from Kenley, restructuring was taking place and as 421
Squadron left for Tangmere in 1944 the 'era of glory' was ended and
sector control was taken over by Biggin Hill. By 1945 the war was over
and Kenley had "done it's bit". What Kenley had borne witness
to during this war was the rapid development of aviation. At the start
of the war, bi-planes were still flying operationally out of Kenley.
By the end, jet engine Meteors were being introduced. As there was little
scope for the extension of the runway that jet fighters needed, it was
perhaps another nail in the coffin as far as Kenley remaining a front-line
station was concerned.
Apart from some
low key aerial activity since the war, the station was placed in care
and maintenance for the most part. The airfield closed operationally
in 1959 but the station itself closed finally in 1974 leaving only 615
VGS there to represent the RAF. There was to be another spectacular
event however. This occurred in October 1978 when the last remaining
1917 hangar went up in flames, with it the entire stock of gliders and
ground equipment. No flying was possible the following year, but in
1980, using a Bessoneaux portable hangar, training was able to resume.
The hangar is the same type as that first erected in 1917, and so the
circle is drawn.
(Text
taken from RAF Kenley Memorial Day Programme - A Brief History of RAF
Kenley)