History of Manston Airfield 100 years of flight

Because of some of the detail for the daily posts, you can see today’s events on our timeline page

• #OnThisDay1924
• Vickers Vimy (F9182) of No.9 Sqn crashes on take off.
• #OnThisDay1935
• The ADF Signals from the Territorial Army depart after their attachment.
• No.608 Sqn (RAF reserve) depart after their attachment.
• #OnThisDay1940
• No.264 Sqn Defiant N1535 last seen pursuing Ju88s over Manston 12:40pm, Sqn Ldr P.A. Hunter and P/O F.H. King posted as missing.
• Felwebel Herbert Bischoff force lands his Bf 109E 'White 9' of JG52 on the Minster Road, at Westgate. Claim made by P/O G.D. Gribble of No.54 Sqn, but Luftwaffe records claim engine failure. Pilot uninjured and POW.
• Oberleutnant Werner Bartels force landed his Bf 109E Wk.Nr 6296F of III./JG 26 in a wheat field at Northdown near Margate at 1300hrs after combat with a Spitfire of No.65 Sqn. Pilot seriously wounded, but taken prisoner. Later repriated to Germany in 1943 possibly as part of a prisoner swap, was later involved in the Me 262 project.
• Attack on Ramsgate Airport, damaging airport buildings and houses. ARP personnel machine-gunned by 2 low flying aircraft, casualties not reported
• Raid on Ramsgate 'The Murder Raid', killed 29 people, destroyed 78 houses, 300 not fit for habitation, 700 damaged. More casualties would have been likely if not for the Ramsgate Tunnels.
• No.264 Sqn Defiant L6965 piloted by P/O R.S. Gaskell badly damaged near Hornchurch. Pilot safe, but air gunner Sgt W.H. Machin died of his wounds.
• No.264 Sqn Defiant L7027 failed to return from combat with Messerschmitt Bf 109s off Manston 12:45pm, Sgt Alan Berry (968035) and F/O Ian Garstin Shaw (40265) posted as missing.
• Ju88 A-1 of 4/KG-76 crewed by Hans Grell, Uffz Henneberg, Fw Thomas and Uffz Wetzker shot down by a Defiant of No.264 Sqn over the Channel, south of Manston.
• No.264 Sqn Defiant L7013 piloted by F/O Ernest William Campbell-Colquoun and P/O Gerald Robinson brought down at Manston from attack by Bf109s, after Verey cartridges exploded in the cockpit. Both men were unhurt. Three other Defiants missing in sea off Thanet, crews assumed dead.
• No.264 Sqn Defiants sent forward from Hornchurch to Manston for air defence. They were refuelling when a force of enemy bombers was reported. Before the Defiants could form up, three were shot down by the Bf109 fighter escort from JG3. The squadron lost four aircraft and seven airmen this day, destroying four enemy bombers and two Bf 109s.
• Six heavy attacks, the first at 0600hrs when approximately 80 aircraft crossed the coast to Thanet, left Manston unserviceable after the heavy raid at 1520hrs, restricted to emergency use.
• No.54 Sqn Spitfire I X4019 piloted by P/O A. R. McL. Campbell (42393) damaged in combat by a Bf 109 over Manston, pilot injured.
• #OnThisDay1942
• First Flying Fortress seen at Manston, lands badly shot up, with three aircrew injured after an attack on Le Trait shipyards.
• #OnThisDay1955
• USAF Airman Napoleon Green, 21 from Chicago shot 10 people, killing 3 on a spree from Manston to Broadstairs harbour. Green walked into the sea and used his rifle to commit suicide.

The History of Manston Airfield site is dedicated to the history of Manston Airfield, in Kent from its first official usage back in 1916.

It is intended to bring together the various sources of information at events, squadrons, aircraft and personnel that have been involved in the site.

The site and social media pages are currently all non-profit making. Obviously we do incur costs so any contributions via donations or online sales are appreciated to ensure this project continues.

We are not directly connected with either of the two museums currently at Manston, but may work alongside them.

Due to the amount of history, it is likely that this site will be continually updated and extended and is not intended to be a complete historical record for some time to come.