Burnham on Crouch RNAS Airfield
The airfield at Burnham was established as a night flight station in December 1914 at Wick Road an land adjoining Wick Farm.
Initially the airfield was used by RNAS with two Bristol TB8 biplanes but in 1916 the airfield was taken over the RFC who extended the site.
The airfield was the base for No 37 (HD) Squadron in 50th Wing.
Bristol
fighter picture courtesy of
www.wheels-and-wings.org.uk
Life at the base was hard as no buildings were erected which meant that the staff were billeted in tents which must have been difficult given the cold winds sweeping in from the North Sea.
The most exciting events occurred when aircraft from other stations used the site for emergency night landings.
At the end of the war in 1919 the site was returned to agricultural use.
Site of the RNAS airfield
An area of land between the old RFC airstrip and the River, to the rear of the existing Silver Road Caravan site was converted into an airstrip in 1934 by the Royal Corinthian Yacht Club for use by Club Members flying in for sailing at a charge of 5 shillings per landing.
The opening ceremony was carried out on 27 August 1934 by the Duchess of Bedford who was a flying enthusiast and arrived in her own aircraft.
The airstrip was in regular use until the start of WW2, when it was obstructed to prevent its use by an invading army.
During the war the site of the original airfield was surveyed for possible use as an airfield for American bombers but the site was never developed.
Since the war neither airfield has proved viable for reinstatement.
Visits
The site can be visited today by use of a public footpath from Wick Farm.
Please remember that this is private land so please stay on the footpath.
