Explore Biggin Hill through its RAF history: the airport is home to three historic Fighter Dispersal Pens; the RAF Biggin Hill Museum & Chapel and the Biggin Hill Heritage Hangar offer further perspectives on the station’s past and the work carried out on historic aircraft. Visitors choosing to stay in the area can explore its architectural traces, personal mementos and restoration work. These themes give a visit different focuses—from the defensive role of the installations to remembering those who lost their lives on flights from the Biggin Hill Sector.

Historic aircraft structures and remembrance

The three Fighter Dispersal Pens at Biggin Hill Airport were built around 1939 to protect aircraft from air attacks. They are of the early E type. Surviving pens at former RAF airfields are considered rare nationwide; the southern pen is an exceptionally well-preserved example. As operational structures, they belonged to a fighter station that was significant during the Battle of Britain.

The Biggin Hill Sector also played an important role: it was part of No. 11 Group of Fighter Command, which defended London and south-east England. During the Battle of Britain, more than 1,000 sorties took off from the station and returned there. The pens thus illustrate a specific aspect of the station’s history: the protection of aircraft and operational activity.

The RAF Biggin Hill Museum & Chapel focuses on the people of the station. Its collection relates to those who served at RAF Biggin Hill and includes uniforms, medals, personal letters and documents. The Book of Remembrance in St George’s RAF Chapel contains the names of 454 aircrew who lost their lives on flights from the Biggin Hill Sector. In the Garden of Remembrance, the Maastrict Stone also commemorates the Royal Air Force’s assistance to the Dutch resistance during the Second World War: it was presented by the Dutch people in gratitude for this help.

Museum, hangar and flying experiences

Visits to the RAF Biggin Hill Museum & Chapel are self-guided. A Discovery Tablet accompanies the visit; it is available in English and included in the admission price. As technology and admission arrangements can change, check the latest visitor information before planning your visit. This can also help you decide whether the historic objects and remembrance should be the focus of your visit.

At the Biggin Hill Heritage Hangar, visitors can watch engineers build wings, fit out fuselages and service Merlin engines as Spitfire restorations are under way. The hangar’s aircraft include airworthy Spitfires, a Hurricane, a P51 and a Messerschmitt 109; the collection also includes military vehicles and motorcycles. The collection may change. Check with the operator in advance for details of the restoration work described and visiting arrangements.

Visitors to Biggin Hill Airport can also experience a flight in a legendary Spitfire. Availability depends on the operator, so check the current options directly before your trip. A flying experience and watching restoration work offer a different focus from looking at the pens or museum exhibits. You can explore RAF history through technology and aircraft, or through architectural features and personal mementos.

Getting around and planning a break

The RAF Biggin Hill Museum & Chapel has its own bus stop right outside the building. Routes 320 and 246 run from Bromley South every 20 minutes. As bus routes and frequencies can change, check the connection before travelling. There is also bicycle parking at the museum; it is on a popular cycling route around the highest point in Kent.

For a walk, the Seeking RAF Biggin Hill Walking Trail is another option: it is 1.6 miles long and suitable for walkers of all abilities. Check path conditions and access before setting out. The Nightingale Café serves lunch, cake and coffee; its terrace overlooks the airfield. As the food offering may change, check it before your visit if needed.

To choose a focus, it helps to understand the difference between the attractions: the pens represent protection and operations, the museum and chapel focus on people and remembrance, and the Heritage Hangar on aircraft and restoration work. Which perspective interests you will determine which visitor information is most important for your plans.

Discover more destinations: Chislehurst, West Wickham, Beckenham, Bromley, Hayes.

Go to the main travel overview: Bromley.