Trails

Our heritage trail for the South East of England features 26 historic airfields, museums, memorials and aviation heritage sites concerned with aviation history in the South East of England ranging from the earliest experimental aviation projects through to the Cold War and beyond.

Many sites are located at airfields used by RAF Fighter Command 11 Group, a section of the RAF formed in 1936 to provide air defence in the run up to the Second World War. The area is best known for its role in the Battle of Britain when it bore the brunt of aerial attacks from the Luftwaffe.

This region contains a huge array of aviation heritage sites connected with Fighter Command, and several are connected with the earliest days of aviation. Civil aviation also has a major role in a region with a large population and many airfields are still in use.

Aimed at families, the trail takes in a wide range of historic buildings and features, including an underground bunker, a historic chapel, a national memorial, numerous airfields and memorial plaques. It also includes the memorial stones placed by the Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust (ABCT) at disused airfield sites across the region. Along the way are museums with priceless collections of aviation heritage, all open to the public.

The attractions range in size from smaller, lesser-known sites with unique collections that bring alive a huge range of aviation history. One is even on the site of a working prison.

We strongly recommend checking the latest information and opening times when planning your visits — you can find contact information, addresses and website links to all the sites that feature on the trail.