Dates: 1917 - 1959
Its active phase commenced in 1917, and ceased in 1959 when RAF Fighter Command left the aerodrome. The airfield at Kenley now hosts 615 Volunteer Gliding Squadron (VGS), a Royal Air Force gliding squadron of the Air Cadet Organisation.
During World War II RAF Kenley was one of the three main fighter stations, which was, together with Croydon and Biggin Hill, responsible for the air defence of London. It was during the crucial days of the Battle of Britain that all three RAF stations came into their own, fighting off the overwhelming might of the German Luftwaffe.
RAF Kenley suffered its worst damage in an attack on 18 August 1940. September 15 is considered by many to be the climax of the Battle of Britain, but 18 August is often cited as the costliest or hardest - the British lost 68 aircraft and the Germans lost 69. At Kenley, all ten hangars and twelve aircraft, including ten Hurricanes, were destroyed and the runways badly cratered. The Sector Operations Room had to be moved to an emergency location away from the airfield.
Squadrons based at Kenley
No. 95 Squadron RAF 1918
No. 105 Squadron RAF 1918
No. 110 Squadron RAF 1918
No. 116 Squadron RAF 1918
No. 91 Squadron RAF 1918 - 1919
No. 1 Squadron RAF 1919 & 1941
No. 207 Squadron RAF 1920
No. 84 Squadron RAF 1920
No. 24 Squadron RAF 1920 - 1927
No. 39 Squadron RAF 1920 - 1921
No. 32 Squadron RAF 1925 - 1932
No. 13 Squadron RAF 1924
No. 23 Squadron RAF 1927 - 1932
No. 17 Squadron RAF 1934 - 1940
No. 3 Squadron RAF 1934 - 1940
No. 46 Squadron RAF 1936 - 1937
No. 80 Squadron RAF 1937
No. 615 Squadron RAF 1937 - 1941
No. 600 Squadron RAF 1938
No. 604 Squadron RAF 1940
No. 229 Squadron RAF 1940
No. 64 Squadron RAF 1940
No. 66 Squadron RAF 1940 & 1943
No. 616 Squadron RAF 1940 & 1942
No. 253 Squadron RAF 1949 - 1941
No. 501 Squadron RAF 1940
No. 258 Squadron RAF 1941
No. 302 Squadron RAF (Polish) 1941
No. 312 Squadron RAF (Czech) 1941
No. 485 Squadron RNZAF 1941 - 1942
No. 602 Squadron RAF 1941 - 1942
No. 452 Squadron RAAF 1941 - 1942
No. 605 Squadron RAF 1941
No. 111 Squadron RAF 1942
308th Pursuit Sq. (USAAF) 1942*
No. 402 Squadron RCAF 1942 - 1943
No. 611 Squadron RAF 1942
No. 401 Squadron RCAF 1942 - 1943
No. 412 Squadron RCAF 1942 - 1943
No. 350 Squadron RAF (Belg) 1942
No. 403 Squadron RCAF 1943 - 1944
No. 411 Squadron RCAF 1943
No. 165 Squadron RAF 1943
No. 421 Squadron RCAF 1942 - 1944
No. 416 Squadron RCAF 1943 - 1944
No. 400 Squadron RCAF 1943
No. 661 Squadron RAF RA & RAF 1949
No. 61 Comms Flight - 1959
