North Weald Airfield Museum is a registered charity, No 1081157. Run and staffed by volunteers.
The
airfield
opened
in
1916,
to
defend
London
against
the
German
Airship
and
Bomber
raids
of
the
First
World
War,
Operational
flying
ceased
in
1919,
but
restarted
when
the
airfield
became
an
operational
RAF
Fighter
station
once
again
in
1927.
More
than
52
squadrons
from
seven
nations,
including
the
U.S.
and
Norway,
flew
from
the
base
before
the
last
operational
fighter
squadron
left
in
1958.
It's
role
in
the
Battle
of
Britain
inevitably
brought the community into the firing line and during enemy raids on the airfield many bombs fell on North Weald village and the surrounding areas.
Several buildings received direct hits and in one of these air raids nine
young soldiers taking cover in a shelter were killed and the Woolpack pub
destroyed. Throughout the war local people continued to welcome the
airmen and women into their community, many of who returned and still
live here today. A lasting reminder of those epic days is provided by the
Airfield Memorial, sited at the former main entrance to the airfield and
dedicated to all who served at RAF North Weald between 1916 and 1964. It
incorporates the Norwegian Memorial Stone erected by the people of
Norway in 1952 and a Debt of Honour to the 264 people who died while
serving here.
The Airfield 1960
Owned by Epping Forest District Council this 385 acre example of our
heritage is a working airfield with facilities for all kinds of aviation activities;
including gliding, veteran and executive aircraft. It is an active base for
companies involved in aircraft restoration, maintenance and sales,
providing a home for a number of classic aircraft collections and the unique
‘ Squadron’.
Add to this; an international air fair, fly-ins, model aircraft flying, gymnastics, a golf driving range,
archery, shooting, various motor sports / training. Couple it with a Saturday and Bank Holiday Market
that is reputed to be the biggest in the U.K [attracting more than 25,000 people each week] and a
thriving business community on the south side of the airfield and it becomes abundantly clear that
the old fighter station continues to play an active role in the life of the district, county and local
community.
North Weald airfield is steeped in aviation history but retains its vitality through the people that
continue to work, live and play there. Over the years it has become the very heart of a community that
has grown around it – an RAF Fighter Station that has had a great past, and an airfield that deserves a
safe future.
The Airfield Now
2024
North Weald Airfield Museum is a registered charity, No 1081157.
Run and staffed by volunteers.
The
airfield
opened
in
1916,
to
defend
London
against
the
German
Airship
and
Bomber
raids
of
the
First
World
War,
Operational
flying
ceased
in
1919,
but
restarted
when
the
airfield
became
an
operational
RAF
Fighter
station
once
again
in
1927.
More
than
52
squadrons
from
seven
nations,
including
the
U.S.
and
Norway,
flew
from
the
base
before
the
last
operational
fighter
squadron
left
in
1958.
It's
role
in
the
Battle
of
Britain
inevitably
brought
the
community
into
the
firing
line
and
during
enemy
raids
on
the
airfield
many
bombs
fell
on
North
Weald
village
and
the
surrounding
areas.
The Airfield 1960
Several
buildings
received
direct
hits
and
in
one
of
these
air
raids
nine
young
soldiers
taking
cover
in
a
shelter
were
killed
and
the
Woolpack
pub
destroyed.
Throughout
the
war
local
people
continued
to
welcome
the
airmen
and
women
into
their
community,
many
of
who
returned
and
still
live
here
today.
A
lasting
reminder
of
those
epic
days
is
provided
by
the
Airfield
Memorial,
sited
at
the
former
main
entrance
to
the
airfield
and
dedicated
to
all
who
served
at
RAF
North
Weald
between
1916
and
1964.
It
incorporates
the
Norwegian
Memorial
Stone
erected
by
the
people
of
Norway
in
1952
and
a
Debt
of
Honour
to
the
264
people
who
died
while serving here.
Owned
by
Epping
Forest
District
Council
this
385
acre
example
of
our
heritage
is
a
working
airfield
with
facilities
for
all
kinds
of
aviation
activities;
including
gliding,
veteran
and
executive
aircraft.
It
is
an
active
base
for
companies
involved
in
aircraft
restoration,
maintenance
and
sales,
providing
a
home
for
a
number
of
classic
aircraft
collections
and the unique ‘ Squadron’.
Add
to
this;
an
international
air
fair,
fly-ins,
model
aircraft
flying,
gymnastics,
a
golf
driving
range,
archery,
shooting,
various
motor
sports
/
training.
Couple
it
with
a
Saturday
and
Bank
Holiday
Market
that
is
reputed
to
be
the
biggest
in
the
U.K
[attracting
more
than
25,000
people
each
week]
and
a
thriving
business
community
on
the
south
side
of
the
airfield
and
it
becomes
abundantly
clear
that
the
old
fighter
station
continues
to
play
an
active
role
in
the
life
of
the
district, county and local community.
North
Weald
airfield
is
steeped
in
aviation
history
but
retains
its
vitality
through
the
people
that
continue
to
work,
live
and
play
there.
Over
the
years
it
has
become
the
very
heart
of
a
community
that
has
grown
around
it
–
an
RAF
Fighter
Station
that
has
had
a
great
past,
and
an
airfield
that
deserves
a
safe future.
The Airfield Now
