Biggin Hill: RAF history, museum and flight experiences

Biggin Hill combines the history of British aviation with unique experiences around the airport. Anyone planning a trip and looking to combine culture, historic sites and active days will find several different ways to do so here: the Seeking RAF Biggin Hill Walking Trail is 1.6 miles long and suitable for walkers of all abilities. There is also a museum with a chapel, historic buildings, a Heritage Hangar and a popular cycling route around the highest point in Kent.

RAF history at Biggin Hill Airport

The site’s past is particularly vivid at the Fighter Dispersal Pens. The three pens at Biggin Hill Airport were built around 1939 to protect aircraft from air attacks. They are early E-type pens; surviving pens at former RAF airfields are considered rare nationwide. The southern pen is an exceptionally well-preserved example. As important operational structures of the most famous fighter station of the Battle of Britain, they serve as a reminder of the site’s military function.

The Biggin Hill Sector also played an important role in 11 Group of Fighter Command, defending London and south-east England. During the Battle of Britain, more than 1,000 sorties took off from the station and returned there.

Museum, chapel and personal stories

A visit to the RAF Biggin Hill Museum & Chapel is self-guided. A Discovery Tablet is available in English and is included in the admission price. The collection is directly connected with the people who served at RAF Station Biggin Hill and includes uniforms, medals, personal letters and documents. This means that the focus is not only on aircraft and military operations, but also on the people behind this history.

At St George’s RAF Chapel, the Book of Remembrance contains the names of 454 crew members who lost their lives on flights from the Biggin Hill Sector. In the Garden of Remembrance, the Maastrict Stone also commemorates the Royal Air Force’s assistance to the Dutch resistance during the Second World War: the stone was presented by the Dutch people in gratitude.

Experience aircraft up close

The Biggin Hill Heritage Hangar complements the museum visit with an insight into aircraft restoration. Visitors can watch engineers build wings, equip fuselages and service Merlin engines during ongoing Spitfire restorations. The hangar houses airworthy Spitfires, a Hurricane, a P51 and a Messerschmitt 109, as well as a collection of military vehicles and motorcycles.

You can also experience a flight in a legendary Spitfire at Biggin Hill Airport. This is a particularly impressive option for anyone who wants to do more than simply observe aviation history. When planning your day, you can combine peaceful visits to the museum and chapel, a walk or an active outing with an extraordinary flight experience.

Getting around on foot, by bus and by bicycle

The RAF Biggin Hill Museum & Chapel has its own bus stop directly outside the building. Bus routes 320 and 246 run from Bromley South and operate every 20 minutes. Bicycle parking is also available at the museum. It is located on a popular cycling route around the highest point in Kent. If you like to incorporate exercise into your trip, you can therefore choose between the 1.6-mile Walking Trail and a cycling tour without losing sight of the historic sites.

When looking for a holiday apartment or holiday home in Biggin Hill, it is worth considering the pace of travel you want. Anyone mainly interested in RAF history can plan the museum, chapel, Fighter Dispersal Pens and Heritage Hangar as a thematic focus. For active days, the Walking Trail and cycling route offer different options. Another addition to your day’s plans is the Nightingale Café, which serves lunch, cakes and coffee. From the terrace seating, you have a view of the airfield.

More destinations for your planning

If you would like to compare other places in addition to Biggin Hill, you can also visit the pages for West Wickham, Beckenham, Hayes, Chislehurst and Bromley. This allows you to match your choice of accommodation with the experiences that are most important for your trip.

For the higher-level travel overview: Bromley.