RAF Biggin Hill Museum & Chapel

RAF Biggin Hill Museum & Chapel Biggin Hill; inspiring generations, remembering the Few and honouring the Many
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On this day, September 5th 1940 = Biggin Hill's Merlin Engine Maintenance relocates to dispersed siteWhilst the Spitfire...
05/09/2026

On this day, September 5th 1940 = Biggin Hill's Merlin Engine Maintenance relocates to dispersed site

Whilst the Spitfire and Hurricane are the acknowledged heroes of the Battle of Britain, their performance would not have been possible without the superb RR Merlin engine.

Almost daily bombing at end of August/beginning of September had left few buildings -inc the hangars - on the aerodrome undamaged. Supplies of spare Merline engines for Spitfires and Hurricanes had been dispersed around the perimeter in camouflaged dumps. But having a dry, secure location where essential maintenance could be performed on aero engines was proving more tricky.

So on 2 September Keston Riding Stables (at Keston Mark, 2 miles north of the airfield) was requisitioned by the Air Ministry and the transfer of servicing equipment began. This was completed on 5 September and essential maintenance work on engines could commence.

Of course this required a frequent shuttle service of personnel and equipment between the aerodrome and the site. Whereas the stables did not attract the attention of Luftwaffe aircraft, the trucks passing along the roads did not go unnoticed. Gordon Clarke*, an engine fitter with the station maintenance flight, recounted that once when travelling back to the aerodrome their truck was strafed by a German raider near Keston church and bullets entered the cab. Whilst the standard issue British steel helmet was not bullet-proof, it provided enough protection to deflect a bullet around his colleague’s head leaving only a superficial scratch. That man was patched up by the Medical Officer and was on duty again 2 hours later!

The other essential exodus from the aerodrome site was of personnel because most barrack blocks and living accommodation had been damaged. A number of local big houses were taken over e.g. some WAAFs to Cedars at Keston; one squadron’s officers to Southwood House; airmen occupied the old Army huts in the South Camp; and a further300 were billeted in Biggin Hill and Downe villages.

*Gordon had previously been an engine fitter with 32 Squadron (Hurricanes) but when they moved north to Acklington on 27 August he arranged a transfer because he was dating a London girl at the time).

Early Close - Sunday 6th September 2pmWe would like to say a huge thank you to our RAF Biggin Hill Museum & Chapel volun...
03/09/2026

Early Close - Sunday 6th September 2pm

We would like to say a huge thank you to our RAF Biggin Hill Museum & Chapel volunteer team, who have this week cleared the entire site of weeds, freshened up our children's play area and planted some lovely flowers around the café! (Not all pictured here!)

Volunteers are a fundamental part of the charity, and we really appreciate the time and effort they put in. So site will be closed from 2pm on Sunday 6th of September as we celebrate and give our thanks, and enjoy our summer party!

02/09/2026

Join us this September as we hold a series of events to mark the 86th Anniversary of The Battle of Britain. We come highly recommended!

This clip was filmed last year when Al Murray and James Holland filmed their series 'The Battle of Britain', you can watch it through the link below!

https://youtu.be/47gouOOVoMc?is=XvX3y3dV4SSln3zu

Yesterday marked the 86th anniversary of the destruction of the Sector Operations Room during the air raid on Biggin Hil...
01/09/2026

Yesterday marked the 86th anniversary of the destruction of the Sector Operations Room during the air raid on Biggin Hill, August 31st 1940.

In 1940, RAF Biggin Hill was a vital part of the Dowding System, with its operations room providing fighter control for the whole sector. But at around 6.30pm on 31 August, a devastating raid by up to 200 German aircraft caused yet more severe damage to the aerodrome, including to the crucial Ops Room.

Such Op rooms effectively were scaled-down versions of the one at HQ 11Group at RAF Uxbridge i.e with a map/plotting table crewed by WAAFs at the lowest level; a wall display showing the status of squadrons assigned to the sector; and a gallery above accommodating the Sector Controller with separate areas for the Army; AA defences; (Royal) Observer Corps etc.

Given the vital role played by these communication centres, it is hard to believe that the RAF had built them on the surface, in the middle aerodromes, protected by just a blast wall (an example still stands today at IWM Duxford). On 31 August It was for their heroic actions in and around the Ops Room that Helen Turner and Elspeth Henderson became the second and third WAAFs to receive the Military Medal at Biggin in the space of two weeks. Seven people on the ground were wounded in the raid, including the base commander Grp Capt Dickie Grice, who was hit by flying glass.

The story goes that an empty shop in Biggin Hill village was pressed into service as an emergency Ops Room, tapping into the GPO phone lines running along Main Road, until a more permanent home was found at Towerfields House near Keston Mark crossroads. However, given that a room above a shop provides only a fraction of the facilities previously offered by a full-scale sector operations room, it is possible this was a convenient cover story to mask the work that went on. At this time the Luftwaffe still had only a hazy idea about the purpose of Sector Stations and their Ops Rooms and it was vital to keep it as secret as possible. In reality it seems more likely that the Ops Room at RAF Hornchurch took up the slack until Towerfields was completed (whilst nearer, the one at Kenley had been damaged on 18 August so could not be used).

Towerfields was in operation until early 1944 when it too was damaged by bombing. For the rest of the war the Biggin Hill sector was controlled from a new site at the Rookery, Bromley Common (now the location of Bromley College). Although it has been suggested that the famous BBC commentator Richard Dimbleby made his “and this is where we won the war…” broadcast from Towerfields, eye-witnesses confirmed it was actually made at the Rookery.

(Image curtesy of BoB Ogley - Biggin On the Bump.)

Filming day at RAF Biggin Hill Museum & Chapel 🎥Thank you Phoenix History and Nick Oram for capturing the incredible ...
28/08/2026

Filming day at RAF Biggin Hill Museum & Chapel 🎥

Thank you Phoenix History and Nick Oram for capturing the incredible stories of the squadrons of RAF Biggin Hill.

We can’t wait to share the episode when it’s released! ✈️✨

Join us Saturday September 12th! Fancy dress is encouraged, we'd love to see some of your 1940's outfits in the comments...
26/08/2026

Join us Saturday September 12th! Fancy dress is encouraged, we'd love to see some of your 1940's outfits in the comments below! 👗🪖

Collections in the Museum: German SC50 Bomb Perhaps the most widely-used of the German air-dropped bombs in 1940, the ‘5...
24/08/2026

Collections in the Museum: German SC50 Bomb

Perhaps the most widely-used of the German air-dropped bombs in 1940, the ‘50’ refers to the fact it weighed 50kgs; and SC to show it was a ‘thin skinned’ bomb as opposed to SD with a thicker casing . It can often be seen in news reels tumbling out of the bomb bays of Heinkel 111 bombers (where it was carried nose up) or under the wings of Ju87 Stukas (two under each wing in addition to a larger single centre-line bomb). Interestingly, the one on display has a bullet hole passing though the tailcone (possibly from a .303 bullet?).

To increase the bomb’s effectiveness, the SC50 could be fitted with a delayed-action fuse allowing it to explode at any time up to three days after it was dropped. Perhaps 10% of the hundreds of SC50 bombs dropped on Biggin in the first raid of 18 August 1940 were delayed-action. This ‘area -denial’ weapon made it hazardous to resume operations on the aerodrome even once the ‘all clear’ had sounded, until such time as they were marked or defused.

Of course, it was not possible to know at the time whether any unexploded bombs (UXBs) found were ‘duds’ or primed to go off at any moment. This is why the first WAAF to be awarded the Military Medal at RAF Biggin Hill – Sgt Elizabeth Joan Mortimer – received it for marking unexploded bombs with red flags so that landing aircraft and ground personnel could avoid danger. During the first big raid on 18 August 1940, she was blown off her feet when one exploded nearby but she carried on, even though her lungs may have been damaged by the shockwave. But It did cause hearing loss, and partly as a result of that and of the contraction of pneumonia, Sgt Mortimer was out of active service in November 1940. When times became financially difficult she felt compelled to sell her medal to a rag and bone man in order to support her family. In subsequent years it was arranged for her to receive a duplicate of the medal.

The largest bombs dropped on Biggin Hill were SC or SD500 bombs i.e. 10 times the size of the SC50 on display. These were the ones which caused the greatest loss of life on 30 August 1940 when one scored a direct hit on a packed trench shelter, killing 39 people and severely injuring many more. Another landed adjacent to a similar shelter occupied by WAAFs, blocking the exits so they had to be dug out. These larger bombs could also be fitted with a second fuse, enabling an anti-handling device to be employed included. It was one such bomb that had caused the death of bomb disposal expert Sqn Leader Eric Moxey at Biggin on 27 August, with the posthumous award of a George Cross.

The SC50 bomb is displayed in the main gallery of the Museum and details of Sgt Mortimer’s actions (inc the duplicate of her Military Medal) are displayed in the St George’s Room.

🕙 10am–5pm, Saturday 12 September ✨ Battle of Britain Day at RAF Biggin Hill Museum & ChapelA few weeks ago, Dom Pound ...
20/08/2026

🕙 10am–5pm, Saturday 12 September
✨ Battle of Britain Day at RAF Biggin Hill Museum & Chapel

A few weeks ago, Dom Pound delivered a fantastic talk on the Defiant Squadrons that fought in the Battle of Britain — and kindly added two beautiful models from 141 Squadron and 32 Squadron. These are now proudly displayed in our permanent exhibition cases.

We’re delighted that Dom will be joining us again on 12 September, sharing stories of some of the lesser‑known pilots who played vital roles in the Battle of Britain.
🎤 This talk is included in the price of admission. Timings will be published soon!

On This Day: 18th August 1940 / 18th and 19th August 1942On 18 August 1940, RAF Fighter Command - including Biggin Hill ...
18/08/2026

On This Day: 18th August 1940 / 18th and 19th August 1942

On 18 August 1940, RAF Fighter Command - including Biggin Hill - was very much on the backfoot. Indeed, during the 114 day campaign of the Battle of Britain this date became known as ‘the Hardest Day’ due to the number of RAF aircraft lost in action. More specifically, Biggin Hill suffered its first big air raid that day when 60x He1-11s (escorted by 40x Me109s) dropped 84 tonnes of bombs on the site. The escorting Me109s did their job exceptionally well. Of Biggin’s fighter Squadrons, 610 did not lose any aircraft during the course of the day, in return managing to shoot down one He1-11 on the raid. But 32 Squadron lost 6 Hurricanes shot down that day – thankfully no pilots were killed but four were wounded. The airfield was damaged, but not put out of action. AA defences had been ordered not to fire for fear of hitting friendly aircraft. On the ground three military personnel died, and there were also civilian casualties at nearby Leaves Green.

In August 1940 the Luftwaffe hugely outnumbered the RAF. By August 1942 over France the RAF now outnumbered the Luftwaffe, and Biggin Hill was playing a big role in providing the air cover for Operation Jubilee – the Dieppe landings which took place on 18/19 August. Biggin’s two resident Spitfire Squadrons – No.133 (Eagle) and 401 (Canadian) had decamped to RAF Lympne on14 August and were temporarily replaced by another 3x squadrons - Nos 222; 602; and 307th Pursuit (USAAF). Whilst Biggin had dispersal areas for up to three squadrons to operate, it usually accommodated only two, but for short-term operations there was room around the perimeter to take more aircraft.

For Operation Jubilee, the RAF operation was the brainchild of AVM Trafford Leigh-Mallory, C-in-C of No.11 Group who for the last 18 months had been a great proponent of offensive fighter sweeps over France. He saw the Dieppe raid as a prime opportunity to bring the Luftwaffe to battle and cause the Germans grievous losses.

But the tables were turned in more ways than one. In 1940 Luftwaffe bombers had been escorted by Me109 fighters operating from Northern France which had only limited time over Southern England. In 1942 the Spitfires operating from Biggin Hill had only limited time over enemy territory. In 1940 the Spitfires and Me 109s had been pretty evenly matched, but in 1942 the Spitfire MkVs which made up the majority of the fighter force had inferior performance compared to the new Fw 190s. This would only be rectified when the MkIX Spitfire came into widespread use.

The August 1942 landing on Dieppe’s beaches was an expensive failure, the Allies suffering 3,625 casualties or taken prisoner. Luftwaffe losses were less than 50 aircraft. The RAF lost 100+ aircraft, with 53 aircrew fatalities. Yet despite having 5x Squadrons involved, Biggin Hill sector recorded only a single fatality – Flt Sgt Morton Buckley of 401 Canadian Sqn, flying his second sortie of the day. That is not to say there were not near misses – an American, Sam Junkin, flying with the same Squadron was wounded over the English Channel and had to bail out. Ironically, 401 were one of the few Squadrons who had converted on to the Spitfire MkIX.

Interestingly, AVM Leigh-Mallory considered the RAF role at Dieppe a success in bringing the Luftwaffe into the air. He lobbied for further such operations and would have been happy to see them take place on a weekly basis!

Join us at the St. Georges RAF Chapel of Remembrance for the Battle of Britain Flower Festival: 10th-15th September. ✈🌸T...
17/08/2026

Join us at the St. Georges RAF Chapel of Remembrance for the Battle of Britain Flower Festival: 10th-15th September. ✈🌸

This event is kindly supported by W. Uden & Sons Family Funeral Directors and London Biggin Hill Airport.

*We're Hiring!* We’re looking for a Museum Assistant to join us here at RAF Biggin Hill Museum and Chapel. If you would ...
14/08/2026

*We're Hiring!*

We’re looking for a Museum Assistant to join us here at RAF Biggin Hill Museum and Chapel. If you would like to find out more about the role head to our website for the full job description. (Closes August 23rd)

https://bigginhillmuseum.com/were-hiring-museum-assistant/

Due to the extreme heat the site will close today, Thursday 13th August, at 2pm. Last entry will be at 1pm. Many thanks ...
13/08/2026

Due to the extreme heat the site will close today, Thursday 13th August, at 2pm. Last entry will be at 1pm. Many thanks for your understanding.

Address

RAF Biggin Hill Museum & Chapel, Main Road
Biggin Hill
TN163EJ

Opening Hours

Tuesday 10am - 4pm
Wednesday 10am - 4pm
Thursday 10am - 4pm
Friday 10am - 4pm
Saturday 10am - 4pm
Sunday 10am - 4pm

Telephone

+441959422414

Website

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