
- 256 pages
- English
- ePUB (mobile friendly)
- Available on iOS & Android
About this book
From Battle of Britain fighter station to commercial airport, this is the inspiring story of Biggin Hill.Biggin Hill, world-famous as a Battle of Britain fighter station, has had many lives. First used as an airfield in 1917, Biggin Hill saw brutal action in both World Wars, never losing a day's operations despite devastating enemy attacks. Since 1959 two dynamic figures have kept this historic airfield open against the odds: fighter ace Jock Maitland, creator of the renowned Biggin Hill International Air Fair, and army pilot Andrew Walters, who has turned it into London's No 1 business airport, with a thriving aviation community that includes air charter companies, engineering firms, flying schools, storage and restoration, and major Formula 1 and Bombardier operations. Meanwhile a new Museum and St George's Memorial Chapel keep memories of its days as a Royal Force Station alive.The first full history of this great airfield, Nine Lives looks behind the scenes of a busy modern airport, digs deep into its dramatic past, and tells an inspiring tale of enterprise, innovation, teamwork and determination.
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Information
Table of contents
- Title Page
- Contents
- Foreword - Air Chief Marshal, Sir Michael Graydon GCB CBE FRAeS
- 1: The Birth of an Airfield - 1917β18
- 2: Between the Wars - 1919β39
- 3: The Second World War - 1939β45
- 4: Changing Roles: RAF Biggin Hill - 1945β92
- 5: Flying Clubs and Air Shows - 1959β1994
- 6: A New Life - 1994β2022
- 7: The Airport Today
- Afterword - Andrew Walters, Chairman London Biggin Hill Airport
- Appendix 1: RAF Squadrons at Biggin Hill
- Appendix 2: RAF Station Commanders
- Appendix 3: Airport Directors - 1959β2022
- Appendix 4: Airport Staff β February 2023
- Acknowledgements
- Photo Credits
- Sources
- Index
- Copyright