Airport type Military Location Ripe, East Sussex Elevation AMSL 62 ft / 19 m Address Lewes BN8 6AR, UK Owner Air Ministry | Operator Royal Air Force In use 1943-1944 (1944) 00/00 500 Year built 1943 | |
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RAF Deanland is a former Royal Air Force advanced landing ground located 4 miles (6.4 km) west of Hailsham, East Sussex and 13.4 miles (21.6 km) north east of Brighton, East Sussex, England
Contents
History
The airfield was heavily involved in the fight against the V-1 flying bomb's (with 185 destroyed) and during D-Day where it is believed to be home of the first Supermarine Spitfire squadron to provide air cover.
The landing ground was used by multiple units:
Alongwith the following ground units at some point:
Current use
The Airfield was dormant for a time, post-war, but the land came into the ownership of Richard Chandless, a farmer, who reactivated the site as an airfield in 1963. Richard operated his own aircraft, and he was for a number of years the main U.K. agent for Avions Pierre Robin demonstrating and selling new and used aircraft from Deanland. Richard invited a number of other aircraft owners to keep their machines at Deanland. During Chandless' time Deanland became a very active airfield, both day and night, lights were installed shortly after the runway was re-activated. It was used by a number of local business people, farmers and visitors to the area. With Glyndebourne Opera House close it was very normal to see both light aircraft and helicopters parked while their owners enjoyed the opera. In 1991 the airfield came into the ownership of Deanland Airfield LLP. In 2012 the airfield is still in use as a private airstrip.