Dambuster Bouncing Bomb Tests at Reculver and Manston
In May 1943, a top secret weapon was used against dams in the German Ruhr valley in an attempt to cause catastrophic damage to the enemy war machine. It was...
History of Manston Airfield 100 years of flight
No.600 Sqn Bristol Blenheim I crashes at Manston – 11th March 1940
No.600 Sqn’s Blenheim L6682 piloted by F/O Anthony Henry Hamilton Tollemache took off from Manston for a searchlight co-operation exercise. On completion, while approaching the flare-path at 2320hrs, the aircraft...
Herald of Free Enterprise Disaster, 6th March 1987
RAF Search and Rescue teams in helicopters from No.22 Sqn at Manston were part of the rescue operation for the Herald of Free Enterprise ferry which had capsized shortly after...
Spitfire Prototype K5054 maiden flight from Eastleigh airfield – 5th March 1936
Not directly related to Manston at the time, but the birth of another aircraft closely linked to Manston’s later history. The first test flight of Supermarine’s Type 300 K5054 prototype...
No.550 Sqn Avro Lancaster NF998 BQ-D Crash Landing – 24th February 1945
No.550 Sqn Lancaster I NF998 BQ-D crewed by Sgt. Melvin Tomas “Tom” Ditson RCAF (R.285781) – Mid Upper Air Gunner, F/O Robert Douglas Harris RCAF (J.37989) – Pilot, Sgt. Douglas...
Avro Anson K6158 crashes near Ewell Minnis – 22nd February 1937
No.48 Sqn’s Avro Anson K6158 flown by Sgt Plt Gwilym James Maurice (pilot, aged 23), Flt Lt George Edward Strangman (navigator), Aircraftman Stanley McCabe (radio operator) and F/L Reginald John...
