RAF Eastchurch

RAF Eastchurch
Eastchurch, Kent in England
RAF Eastchurch Shown within Kent Show map of Kent RAF Eastchurch RAF Eastchurch (the United Kingdom) Show map of the United Kingdom
Coordinates	51°23′40″N 000°50′48″E / 51.39444°N 0.84667°E / 51.39444; 0.84667
Type	Royal Air Force station
Code	EA[1]
Site information
Owner	Air Ministry
Operator	Royal Navy (1910–1918) Royal Air Force (1918–1946)
Controlled by	RAF Coastal Command 1938-41 * No. 16 Group RAF RAF Technical Training Command 1941-42 RAF Fighter Command 1942, 1943 * No. 11 Group RAF RAF Army Cooperation Command 1942-43 * No. 72 Group RAF RAF Flying Training Command 1943-46 * No. 54 Group RAF
Site history
Built	1911 (1911)
In use	1911-1946 (1946)
Battles/wars	European theatre of World War II
Airfield information
Elevation	14 metres (46 ft)[1] AMSL
Runways Direction Length and surface 00/00  Grass 00/00  Grass 00/00  Grass

Royal Air Force Eastchurch or more simply RAF Eastchurch (formerly RNAS Eastchurch) is a former Royal Air Force station near Eastchurch village, on the Isle of Sheppey, Kent, England. The history of aviation at Eastchurch stretches back to the first decade of the 20th century when it was used as an airfield by members of the Royal Aero Club. The area saw the first flight by a British pilot in Britain.

In 1910 it was operated by the Royal Navy as a training aerodrome and it was known as the Naval Flying School, Eastchurch. In the 1910s the airfield was designated Royal Naval Air Station Eastchurch. With the amalgamation of the Royal Naval Air Service and the Royal Flying Corps on 1 April 1918, the station was transferred to the newly formed Royal Air Force and was re-designated Royal Air Force Eastchurch.