1920s and 1930s used as a departure point for record attempts to
Eastern Europe (1927), Australia (1931/4/6/7), South Africa (1927/31/2/6)
and
South America (1933/35). Pilots included Amy Johnson, Jim Mollison,
Kingsford Smith, Tommy Rose and Jean Batten.
1928 East Kent Flying Club formed becoming Cinque Ports Flying Club in
1930. Trained large numbers of pilots from UK and abroad.
1936 RAF returned, used by Royal Auxiliary Air Force and the University
Air Squadron for pilot training.
1939 Became HMS Buzzard hosting the Fleet Air Arm.
1940s Was a forward base for the Biggin Hill Sector hosting Spitfires,
Hurricanes later Typhoons.
1947 Skyfotos (now Fotoflite) _ photographing ships in the Channel and
North Sea.
1948 Silver City Airways started flying cars to Le Touget and Ostend.
The Bristol Freighters could 2/3 cars and passengers.
1954 Silver City Airways moved to Ferryfield (Lydd).
1955 Skyways coach/air initially operated to Paris, later expanding to
other French Belgian towns using Dakotas.
1962 Skyways introduced the Avro 748 turboprop airliners.
1967 Concrete runways built.
1968 Airport renamed Ashford Airport.
1969 New passenger terminal opened dealing with 300,000 passengers.
1972 Skyways merged with Danair.
1974 Activity reduced to a parachute jumping school and joyriding.
