Origin In December 1915,
Beddington Aerodrome was established – one of a number of small airfields around London that were created for protection against
Zeppelin airship raids during the
First World War. In January 1916, the first two aircraft,
B.E.2Cs, arrived at the aerodrome as part of Home Defence.
Waddon Aerodrome opened in 1918 as part of the adjoining
National Aircraft Factory No. 1, to serve aircraft test flights. The two airfields were on each side of Plough Lane, Beddington to the west and Waddon to the east. Beddington Aerodrome became a large Reserve Aircraft and Training aerodrome for the
Royal Flying Corps. After the end of the
First World War the aerodrome became an important training airfield for the newly formed
Royal Air Force. During 1919, Prince Albert (later
George VI) gained his "
wings" here with No. 29 Training Squadron, the first member of the royal family to learn to fly. His elder brother, the Prince of Wales (later
Edward VIII), also received flying training with No. 29 Training Squadron at Beddington during 1919. The following units were also here at some point: Beddington and Waddon aerodromes were combined to become Croydon Aerodrome, the gateway for all international flights to and from London. The new, single aerodrome opened on 29 March 1920, replacing the temporary civil aerodrome at a Cavalry ground on Hounslow Heath. Plough Lane remained a public road crossing the site. Road traffic was halted when necessary, first by a man with a red flag and later by a gate. The aerodrome stimulated a growth in regular scheduled flights carrying passengers, mail and freight, the first destinations being
Paris, This situation lasted until Penshurst closed on 28 July 1936. Croydon was the first airport in the world to introduce
air traffic control, a
control tower, and radio position-fixing procedures. The "aerodrome control tower", high with windows on all four sides, was commissioned on 25 February 1920 and provided basic traffic, weather and location information to pilots. There,
Jimmy Jeffs was its first air traffic control officer. On the formation of Britain's first national airline,
Imperial Airways, on 31 March 1924, Croydon became the new airline's operating base. Imperial Airways was the British Government's chosen instrument to develop connections with the U.K.'s extensive overseas interests. It was therefore from Croydon that Britain first developed its European and longhaul routes to India, Africa, the Middle and Far East, Asia, Africa and Australia (in conjunction with
Qantas). Following the
Imperial Airways de Havilland DH.34 crash of December 1924, Britain's first major civil aviation accident, conditions at Croydon came under criticism from the
public inquiry that investigated the causes. The inquiry was Britain's first into an aviation accident which led to an
Act of Parliament, the '''''' (
15 & 16 Geo. 5. c. xviii). The act led to large scale expansion, redevelopment and construction of an improved new airport with airport buildings constructed adjacent to the Purley Way, Croydon.
Expansion Under the provisions of the Air Ministry (Croydon Aerodrome Extension) Act 1925, the airport was greatly enlarged between 1926 and 1928, with a new complex of buildings being constructed alongside
Purley Way, including the first purpose-designed airport terminal and air traffic
control tower, the world's first airport hotel, and extensive hangars. The development cost £267,000 (£ in today's prices) . Plough Lane was closed permanently to let heavier airliners land and depart safely. The airport's terminal building and control tower were completed in 1928, and the old wooden air traffic control and customs building demolished. The new buildings and layout began operations on 20 January 1928, and were officially opened on 2 May 1928 by
Lady Maud Hoare. The Aerodrome Hotel and the terminal building, including its grand booking hall, were built in a neo-classical architectural style. A
time zone tower (now lost) in the booking hall had dials depicting the times in different parts of the world. Croydon Airport's Aerodrome Hotel is now part of
Croydon Vision 2020 regeneration plan.
Interwar period In modern aviation terms, Croydon was where regular international passenger services began. Initially using converted wartime bombers, the Croydon–
Le Bourget route soon became the busiest in the world.
Air traffic control was first developed here, as was the "
Mayday" distress call. Croydon Council employed a medical officer, Dr John Robert Draper, for all medical duties at the airport from 1 January 1931. He was answerable to Croydon's
Medical Officer of Health. Following the
Public Health (Aircraft) Regulations 1938, his role changed significantly. On the morning of 11 July 1936, Major
Hugh Pollard, and
Cecil Bebb left Croydon Airport for the
Canary Islands in a
de Havilland Dragon Rapide aircraft, where they picked up
Francisco Franco, taking him to
Spanish Morocco and thereby helping to trigger the outbreak of the
Spanish Civil War. Imperial Airways used the
Handley Page HP42/HP45 four-engined biplanes from Croydon, and the
Armstrong Whitworth Atalanta, which was the first monoplane airliner used by the airline, intended for use on the African routes. In March 1937
British Airways Ltd operated from Croydon, moving to
Heston Aerodrome in May 1938. Imperial Airways, serving routes in the British Empire, and British Airways Ltd, serving European routes, were merged by the
Chamberlain government in November 1938 to become
British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC). Larger four-engined monoplanes,
Armstrong Whitworth Ensign series (G-ADSR) came into service that year. The airport also hosted a much-publicised visit by
Gertrud Scholtz-Klink, leader of the National Socialist Women's League (NS-Frauenschaft) and rumoured to be a spy; historians have speculated that she landed in Britain to cultivate German spies living here, in the run-up to WWII.
Second World War When the
Second World War started in September 1939, Croydon Airport was closed to civil aviation but played a vital role as a fighter station during the
Battle of Britain.
No. 92 Squadron flew
Supermarine Spitfires from RAF Croydon during the early part of the Second World War and the Battle of Britain. The following units were here at some point:
Post-war developments and final closure Following the end of the war, it was realised that post-war airliners and cargo aircraft would be larger and that air traffic would intensify. The urban spread of south London and the growth of surrounding villages had enclosed Croydon Airport and left it little room for expansion.
Heathrow was therefore designated as London's airport. Croydon returned to civil control in February 1946; a diagram in the issue of
Flight magazine dated 11 April shows ground run in the 170–350 direction, 060-240 and 120–300 (
the numbers are degrees clockwise from north). Northolt opened to the airlines soon after that, cutting Croydon's traffic, but the September 1946 ABC Guide shows 218 departures a week to Belfast, Dublin, Liverpool, Manchester, Glasgow (Renfrew), Jersey, Guernsey, and several continental airports. A year later there were 56 departures a week, mostly
BEA de Havilland Dragon Rapides that weeks later left Croydon for good. It was decided in 1952 that the airport would eventually be closed, as
Blackbushe Airport in
Hampshire and
Northolt Aerodrome in
Middlesex could accommodate European flights during the 1950s. The last scheduled flight from Croydon departed at 18:15 on 30 September 1959, On 27 September 2009, to mark the 50th anniversary of the closing of the airport, eleven
light aircraft, including eight biplanes, staged a flypast. A gold laurel leaf tribute was laid in the
control tower to mark the anniversary. ==Preservation==