The Kent Battle of Britain Museum, Hawkinge - History of Manston Airfield

The museum is the oldest established and largest collection of Battle of Britain artefacts on show in the country.

It is privately run by enthusiasts and volunteers and is administered as a charitable trust.

The Museum is on the site of the former RAF Hawkinge, the nearest Royal Air Force station to enemy-occupied France and only some ten minutes flying time away from the Luftwaffe fighter airfields in the Pas-de-Calais, in addition to which the airfield and surrounding district was subjected to long range cross-Channel shelling from the German shore batteries stationed along the French coast. Not for nothing was the Folkestone area known as “Hellfire Corner”. Despite the passing years today’s visitor can still savour the atmosphere of the airfield’s past with the landmarks and buildings that remain, acting as points of reference, whilst beyond can be seen the English Channel and the French coast.

Please note that due to security concerns cameras and mobile phones are not permitted on the museum site.