RAF Dover

[Nemo]

A couple of photos of Guston airfield appear here: https://guston-pc.gov.uk/the-parish/parish-history/


There was also a short-lived civilian aerodrome at Whitfield and of course the seaplane station in Dover harbour.  For the former, see: https://www.whitfieldparishcouncil.org/whitfield/whitfield-airfield/

[Alastair]

Thanks Cosmo. Swingate Downs it is then. I never knew there was one at Guston. Thanks for the pictures.
Alastair

[Cosmo Smallpiece]

Got me looking....also called Swingate Down?


Here's a site with some useful aerial pics.



https://www.49squadron.co.uk/airfields/af1_dover

[Alastair]

Probably got the wrong name for it but there was an airfield on the site of Swingate Radar station in WW1. The buildings were by Reach Road and the concrete bases can still be seen. There was also a Victorian water tower beside them that also supplied water to the Prison.
What has puzzled me is Pearson's Railway. It was built to construct Dover Harbour and the line ran under the Dover Road and down to the cliffs where it ran down an incline (still there) to the docks.
All plans show the line skirting the Radar station as, obviously, it wasn't there in the early years of the century when the Harbour was being constructed. Logically it would have taken a direct route across the Radar site but I have never seen a map showing this. Has anyone else?
The line was resurrected in WW2 and extended with several spurs for supplying guns and for rail-mounted guns,extending across Station Road to St Margaret's.
Alastair