RAF Fairlop

History

A site to the east of RAF Fairlop called "Hainault Farm" was used during the First World War, and saw service as a Royal Air Force Home Defence Flight Station. A small flying club used another nearby site between the wars and there were plans to build a commercial airport in the Fairlop area for London, but those plans were later abandoned due to the realization that smog and haze from the residential and industrial areas nearby would be a hazard to operations. A further three sites just to the north of Fairlop and Hainault Farm were used as civilian aerodromes mid-war (see "Fields of the First", by Paul A Doyle, 1997). The airfield at Fairlop was built in late 1940 when three concrete runways in an "A" pattern tilted 45 degrees anti-clockwise were constructed. The airfield became operational in September 1941 with the arrival of No. 603 (City of Edinburgh) Squadron RAF, flying Supermarine Spitfires, previously stationed at RAF Hornchurch. The adjacent Hainault Lodge was used as officer accommodation. In June 1944 RAF Fairlop became home to No. 24 Balloon Centre with four squadrons forming part of the balloon barrage around London. The balloons were manned by members of the Women's Auxiliary Air Force. No 24 Balloon Centre was disbanded in February 1945 and the airfield closed in August 1946.

It is believed that the site was one of the first RAF airfield to trial underground hangars (the remains of one of which could be seen on the east side of Feltwell, Norfolk up to the 1970s) but no trace of any such works have been located at Fairlop.

Squadrons

Squadrons stationed at RAF Fairlop:

Current use

The site was used for gravel extraction and became a country park known as Fairlop Waters with sailing facilities and a golf course.