Also known as Ivychurch · Station 438
History
The story of RAF Brenzett
The first users were Spitfires of No. 122 Squadron, easing pressure on their home base at Kingsnorth. Brenzett played no part in supporting D-Day. In July 1944 No. 133 Wing arrived with three squadrons of Mustang IIIs: No. 129 and the Polish Nos. 306 and 315. They flew mainly against the V-1 flying bombs crossing the coast towards London. The Americans listed the field as Station 438, and a US anti-aircraft battery was based there.
The Mustang wing left in October 1944, and the airfield closed on 13 December 1944. The land went back to farming. In 1972 a military and aviation museum opened near the site in buildings once used by the Women's Land Army. It is now the Romney Marsh Wartime Collection.
Order of battle
Flying units
| Unit | Years | Aircraft |
|---|---|---|
| No. 122 (Bombay) Squadron (detachments) | 1943–1943 | Supermarine Spitfire IX |
| No. 129 (Mysore) Squadron, No. 133 Wing | 1944–1944 | North American Mustang III |
| No. 306 Polish Fighter Squadron, No. 133 Wing | 1944–1944 | North American Mustang III |
| No. 315 Polish Fighter Squadron, No. 133 Wing | 1944–1944 | North American Mustang III |
Today
What survives
- Former Women's Land Army hostel buildings, now the Romney Marsh Wartime Collection
Visit
The museum on the airfield
| Museum | Adult entry | Airframes | Headline exhibit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Romney Marsh Wartime CollectionRomney Marsh, Kent | £8 | 5 | The Romney Marsh Wartime Collection at Brenzett: a former Women's Land Army hostel stuffed with locally dug aircraft archaeology from the… |