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RAF Swingate Down

{{Short description|Former RAF station in Kent, England}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}

{{Infobox military installation

| name = RAF Swingate Down

| ensign = Ensign of the Royal Air Force.svg

| ensign_size = 90px

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| pushpin_map = Kent

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| pushpin_map_caption = Shown within Kent

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| pushpin_label = RAF Swingate Down

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| ownership = Air Ministry

| operator = Royal Air Force

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| built = {{Start date|1913}}
1938

| used = 1913-1920
1938-{{End date|1945}}

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Royal Air Force Swingate Down or more simply RAF Swingate Down is a former Royal Air Force Chain Home Low radar station operational during the Second World War located north of Dover, Kent, England.

The site was situated on alongside RAF Dover, another Radar section together on the removed First World War landing ground of RAF Dover.

History

= First World War =

Swingate Aerodrome was first established in 1910 by Charles Rolls (of Rolls-Royce). With the increasing possibility of war, the site was further developed as a military airfield, becoming Dover (St. Margaret's) Aerodrome in July 1913, although still also known as 'Swingate'. At the outbreak of war in August 1914, all four squadrons of the RFC were posted to Swingate, and on 8 August 1914, the entire strength, a total of 56 aircraft, set out to cross the English Channel, bound for Amiens in France.{{cite web |last1=Sencicle |first1=Lorraine |title=Swingate - World War I Aerodrome |url=https://doverhistorian.com/2019/10/06/swingate-part-iia-world-war-i-front-line-aerodrome/ |website=The Dover Historian |access-date=17 October 2024}}

For the duration of the war, Swingate served as a training centre, and as a stopping-off point for aircraft before flying over the English Channel to France. The following units used Swingate in one way or another:{{cite web|url=https://www.abct.org.uk/airfields/airfield-finder/dover-st-margarets-swingate/ |title=Dover (St Margaret's) (Swingate) |publisher=Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust|accessdate=15 June 2020}}

= Second World War =

RAF Dover was re-established as a Chain Home radar station during 1938.Action Stations No. 9 - Chris Ashworth pg. 79

RAF Swingate Down was located to the east of RAF Dover but within the confines of the old landing ground as Chain Home Low radar station.

Current use

The site is a transmitting station.

Notes

{{notelist}}

References

= Citations =

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= Bibliography =

  • {{cite book |last1=Jefford |first1= C.G. |title= RAF Squadrons. A comprehensive record of the movement and equipment of all RAF squadrons and their antecedents since 1912 |year=1988 |publisher= Airlife |location= Shrewsbury |isbn= 1-85310-053-6 }}

{{Royal Air Force}}

{{Royal Air Force radar stations}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Swingate Down, RAF}}

Swingate Down