Royal Air Force East Fortune
Or RAF East Fortune was a fighter station during the Great War, designated as a Fighter and Airship airfield. After the First World War the airfield was disbanded, the RAF buildings were broken down and parts of the land were sold. When World War Two set in the airfield was reactivated, buildings and hangars were rebuilt and the site was used for night fighter training purposes for pilots and ground personnel at first. Later in the war, when the Luftwaffe turned its attention on Russia and the Mediterranean, the nightly bombardments became less, daytime and coastal attack training was conducted by the RAF at the airfield.
After World War Two the airfield had a role during the cold war for the United States Air Force, but it was never used by the USAF. In 1960 the airfield was shut down but the hospital was in use until 1985.
The National Museum of Flight
The museum opened its doors in 1976 on the former RAF Airfield, today the buildings are in use to display civil planes and planes from both World Wars, the Cold War, the Falklands War and more. Besides the aircraft there are multiple items used by pilots and ground personnel on display. For the kids there are interactive games, trails to follow and more.
Zeppelin / Airship Monument
Rolf Niehoff
Rolf Niehoff was a Luftwaffe navigator and captain of the first enemy aircraft to crash on British soil in the Second World War. His Heinkel He 111 was shot down by a Scottish Spitfire squadron on October the 28th in 1939. The German bomber crash landed killing two of the crew, Rolf Niehoff and his pilot became prisoners of war.
Visit
On the website of the museum you can find opening times, entree fees, maps and other useful information.
