Royal Air Force Wye or more RAF Wye was temporary

Royal Flying Corps "Through Adversity to the Stars" , colors = , colours_label = , march = , mascot = , anniversaries = , decorations ...

First World War training airfield at Wye, Kent, England.

History

Wye aerodrome was opened in May 1916 by the

Royal Flying Corps "Through Adversity to the Stars" , colors = , colours_label = , march = , mascot = , anniversaries = , decorations ...

as a training airfield, it had a grass landing field and was located on of low-lying meadow between the main Canterbury to Ashford road and the railway line. No. 20 Reserve Squadron moved from nearby Dover on 1 June 1916, it operated the Avro 504 biplane trainer, the Royal Aircraft Factory RE.8 a two-seat biplane reconnaissance and bomber and the

Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.2 The Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.2 was a British single-engine tractor two-seat biplane designed and developed at the Royal Aircraft Factory. Most of the roughly 3,500 built were constructed under contract by private companies, including establish ...

reconnaissance biplane. In January 1917 No. 51 Reserve Squadron arrived as the demand for aircrew for the

Western Front Western Front or West Front may refer to: Military frontiers *Western Front (World War I), a military frontier to the west of Germany *Western Front (World War II), a military frontier to the west of Germany *Western Front (Russian Empire), a majo ...

increased and in May 1917 a third squadron (No. 66 Reserve Squadron) was formed from personnel and equipment from the two squadrons. At the end of May the Reserve Squadrons (now renamed Training Squadrons) moved out of Wye when the aerodrome was allocated for use as an Anglo-American training airfield. Three metal-clad aeroplane sheds were erected to join the original portable Bessonneau hangar and in May 1917 65 Squadron was based with Sopwith Camels for four months before it moved to France. No. 86 Squadron moved in from Dover with Sopwith Pup and Sopwith Camel biplane fighters to train at the end of 1917. In December 1917 No. 42 Training Squadron arrived and continued to train British pilots which were joined in the mid-1918 by Americans trainees. Following the Armistice with Germany the Americans departed but the training carried on, albeit not at the same pace until the training squadron was disbanded on 1 February 1919. Between February and May 1919 the aerodrome was used by 3 Squadron when it returned from France. RAF Wye was declared surplus to requirements in October 1919 and was restored to agricultural use.

Royal Flying Corps/Royal Air Force units and aircraft

Accidents and incidents

On 15 March 1917 Captain

Oliver Bryson Oliver Campbell Bryson (18 August 1896 – 27 March 1977) was a Royal Air Force officer who served in both World Wars. He was a flying ace credited with 12 aerial victories during the First World War. Early life Bryson was born in Lickey, a vill ...

was awarded the Albert Medal for his rescue of his passenger following a crash at Wye Aerodrome:

References

;Notes ;Bibliography * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Wye Royal Air Force stations in Kent Royal Flying Corps airfields Royal Flying Corps airfields in Kent Borough of Ashford