Trafford Farm
TRAFFORD FARM: Private airstrip (Aka BENENDEN)
Operated by: Wing Commander Ronald Kellett
Runway: 09/27 350 grass
NOTES: Many years ago I made these notes: In 1977 two rather interesting aircraft were listed as being based here, in/near Benenden on the B2086 about 5nm W of Tenterden: A Beagle B.121 Pup 1 operated by the Ferryfield School of Flying according to a 1977 register and the Mitchell-Procter Kittiwake 2 registered in 1977 as belonging to Arkle Research & Development. See below for much more information.
When looking into this site it appears, during the Battle of Britain, that a Heinkel He.111 was shot down and crashed on TRAFFORD FARM. It would seem that the opinion is today, that this was a lone aircraft probably conductiing a weather recce prior to a big raid.
A FASCINATING INSIGHT
In November 2017 I received an e-mail from Peter Herzberg, which is mostly included here: "Many years ago, when I was starting my flying career, I had completed an assistant flying instructors course. In those days we started as assistant instructors and upgraded after so many hours to become a full instructor. I managed to get a job at Lydd as an assistant instructor and stayed there for the best part of a year. From memory we had 3 Beagle Pups at the club which was called the Rye and Romney flying school. The year was 1973/4."
"The aircraft were owned by Wing Commander Ronald Kellett. If you Google him you will see he was quite a character who led several Polish Hurricane squadrons during the war. He owned a property near Benenden where there was a field with a small hangar where the aircraft were maintained. The field was on a distinct slope with the hangar at the top. We had to land uphill and take off downhill. There were sheep on the field so we had to "beat up" the place at which time the Wing Commander's son Jonathan, appeared and cleared the sheep."
"Jonathan was one of the engineers who worked with the chief engineer who was a chap called Roger Boot. The chief instructor and myself were the usual two who took the aircraft in and out of Benenden, as it was called in those days. As I said, there were three, perhaps four aircraft involved. At the time, I seem to remember the Wing Commander was funding work on a Mitchell Proctor Kittiwake. The CFI was doing some of the test flying out of Lydd. I remember watching one particular test flight which included aerobatics. This aircraft was taken in and out of Benenden but I never flew the aircraft."
Mike Buck
This comment was written on: 2018-08-23 20:04:55I worked at Benenden for Arkle Reserch and Development during 75/76 maintaining the Beagle Pup 150's and assisting on modifications with Kittywake 2. We actually installed a Pup 100 control column and linkages in Kittywake 2 which was a vast improvement on the original unit. I accompanied Julian Soddy who was CFI at Lydd on the test flights as flight observer. Julian was an ex RAF Black Arrows pilot hence his aerobatics were somewhat interesting. Also kept at Benenden was a Luton LA5 Major serial 001 owned by Wing Cmdr Ronald Kellett, G-AVXG which crashed on the airstrip killing both pilots. regards Mike Buck
Reply from Dick Flute:
Hi Mike, Many thanks indeed. Best regards, Dick
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