Lashenden (Headcorn) Aerodrome

From my visit back in August 2005.

Lashenden (Headcorn) Aerodrome lies 1.5 miles north of the village of Lashenden from which it drew its wartime name to differentiate it from the original Headcorn airfield to the north of the village of Headcorn. That airfield has long since disappeared and the present aerodrome 1.5 miles south east of the village is now known as Headcorn Aerodrome although it retains its old name on aviation charts and in aviation publications. It is in an area of low population on the northern edge of the Weald of Kent, most of the aerodrome being in the Borough of Maidstone whilst a small area north east of the eastern end of the main runway is in the Borough of Ashford.

The airfield has been in existence since the 1920s when the landowner flew from there with his friends. The site was taken over by the Airfields Board in 1942 and prepared for operational service. In 1943 the 127 Wing Royal Canadian Air Force comprising 403 & 421 Squadrons equipped with Spitfire IXbs moved to Headcorn. In 1944 the airfield was upgraded with two grass runways approximately 1600m in length and the United States 9th Air Force 354th Fighter Group moved in with P51B Mustangs of the 353rd, 355th and 356th Fighter Squadrons. These units left Headcorn in June 1944 to move to France and the aerodrome closed.

At the end of the War the site was handed back to the present owner's family. The area of the aerodrome was reduced to its present 164 acres leaving a main grass runway of 796 metres orientated approximately East/West and a shorter grass runway of 549 metres orientated approximately North East/South West.

Over the years various clubs have used the aerodrome as a base for flying training aerobatics and leisure flying. Commercial activities have included crop spraying, air taxi, aerial photography and aerial survey. A mix of activities which have fluctuated but in broad terms remained substantially the same up to the present time.
Headcorn is now the home of:

a. Weald Air Services
b. Headcorn Parachute Club
c. Thurston Helicopters
d. The Tiger Club
e. Kent Police Flying Club
f. Some 40 privately owned aircraft
g. No. 500 Squadron Air Training Corps
h. Lashenden Air Warfare Museum
j. Maidstone Model Club