Ford Airfield

Ford is a former airfield in West Sussex. This is from the ABCT website: Ford, the world’s most famous intruder airfield, originally opened in March 1918 for use by RAF and American squadrons prior to closing in January 1920. The site reopened for civil flying ten years later, becoming involved in early air-to-air flight refuelling experiments, and resumed military aviation connections from the end of 1937. Fleet Air Arm training units primarily employed Ford into World War Two but their base suffered extremely heavy damage and loss of life following a ferocious attack by Junkers Ju 87s on August 18 1940. As a result the RAF quickly returned and Ford gained prominence in its best known role as various intruder squadrons – notably No 23 – roamed enemy-occupied territory to attack targets at will with considerable success. Operational duties gradually altered to also include fighter-bomber sorties as the airfield became heavily involved through the vital D-Day period and beyond. Ford kept busy during peacetime as the Fleet Air Arm returned in the summer of 1945 to enable first-line squadrons to form and work up to full readiness. Another major event occurred in August 1951 when No 800 Squadron formed at HMS Peregrine with Supermarine Attackers to become the first naval jet fighter unit. Eventually Ford was paid off or closed in November 1958 but this did not signal the end of flying by any means as civil aircraft continued to employ the airfield until all flying finally ceased in 1980. Today a wide variety of alternative uses which have become noticeable since the late 1950s are evident, ranging from industry and peripheral housing to leisure, an open prison and a popular Sunday market. In a brief visit last weekend I snapped the Hawker Hunter (see below) that now gaurds the entrance to the market area and also visited the little memorial garden.