Christchurch Airfield

[1] In the same year, the Rambler Air Station was established and airline services commenced on 14 May 1934 with Western Airways operating a de Havilland Dragon Rapide and the airfield was known as Christchurch Airport.

The Air Defence Research and Development Establishment was built at the northeastern end of the airfield, and in May 1940, the RAF Special Duties Flight, operating an assortment of aircraft arrived to take part in the experiments with radar.

The Airspeed factory was also built on part of the original airfield and began production of Horsa Mk I gliders, AS.10 Oxfords, and de Havilland Mosquitos for the RAF.

In 1943, the USAAF Ninth Air Force required several temporary advanced landing grounds along the southern English Channel coast prior to the Normandy invasion to provide tactical air support for the ground forces landing in France.

The main activities continued to be production (Mosquitos) by Airspeed, radar trials and glider pick-up training.