RAF Woodchurch

Military Decommissioning. RAF Woodchurch was a temporary Advanced Landing Ground (ALG) built for a specific, short-term purpose: to support the D-Day invasion of Normandy in June 1944. Once the Allied forces successfully established a foothold and captured airfields in France, the forward operating bases in Kent, like Woodchurch, became redundant. The USAAF units moved to continental Europe in August 1944, and the airfield was officially closed and returned to its original landowners shortly thereafter.

The site has been completely returned to agricultural use. The temporary steel runways, buildings, and other military infrastructure were removed shortly after its closure. Today, the area consists of open fields. However, the faint outlines of the former main runway and perimeter tracks are still visible from the air, particularly in certain light conditions or as crop marks. There are very few physical remnants on the ground, but a memorial stone was erected in 1994 on the B2067 road near the former airfield entrance to commemorate the personnel of the RAF and USAAF who served there.

RAF Woodchurch, also known as Advanced Landing Ground ALG-120, was a significant tactical airfield during World War II. Constructed rapidly in 1943 by the Royal Engineers, it featured two runways made of Sommerfeld Tracking (steel wire mesh) laid over the existing fields. It opened in April 1944 and was initially home to RAF Second Tactical Air Force squadrons flying the Hawker Tempest and Supermarine Spitfire. Its primary role began in the lead-up to D-Day, when it was handed over to the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) Ninth Air Force. It became the base for the 373rd Fighter Group, which flew P-47 Thunderbolt fighter-bombers. From Woodchurch, these aircraft flew numerous missions over Normandy, providing close air support for ground troops, attacking German transport links, and engaging in air-to-air combat during and after the D-Day landings. Its existence was crucial for maintaining air superiority and supporting the Allied advance into France.

There are zero plans or prospects for reopening RAF Woodchurch. The site is privately owned farmland, and its original function as a temporary wartime airfield is obsolete. It holds historical significance but has no potential for redevelopment as a modern aviation facility.