The Biggin Hill Heritage Hangar is a great accessible day out for those who have a passion for air transport, classic forces vehicles and wartime history.
RAF Biggin Hill is the most famous Battle of Britain fighter base – and here you can trace the footsteps of those brave young men who fought from here in 1939-1945.
The name ‘Biggin Hill’ is synonymous with the Battle of Britain, when a small band of fighter pilots stood alone against the might of the Luftwaffe, a fighting force greater in number and already proven in combat.
From this hallowed ground, young men, with little experience and only basic training, took off to engage this enemy, with the fate of western civilisation resting on their shoulders. Through sheer determination, they prevailed, as pilot Geoffrey Wellum simply put it: “we beat them.”
With dedicated tours available, you can learn more about the hangar, its planes and British wartime heritage in a modern, accessible environment.
Accessible day out complete with tour of the hangar
The Heritage Hangar was founded in early 2011 to house the activities of The Spitfire Company (Biggin Hill) Limited, with the purpose of restoring a single Spitfire. From this, it has grown to the point where it has now a whole squadron’s worth and completed its sixth airworthy example. At any one time, the hangar is a hive of activity with several ongoing restorations.
In the past, up-close access to Spitfires has been available to only a lucky few, but now you can take a tour around the facility and see at first hand what goes into putting a Spitfire back in the air, how they are maintained and what is involved in their day-to-day running.
There is nowhere else in the world that you can see a squadron’s worth of Spitfires up close all year-round and all the restoration work that supports their continued operation. A facility dedicated to putting aircraft back in the air, Biggin Hill Heritage Hangar has several more projects under restoration. As well as up to 13 Spitfires on-site the hangar has a 1940 Hawker Hurricane and Battle of Britain veteran Messerschmitt 109 on view.
Spitfire Restoration Hangar Tours of the facility are available on regular weekdays and Saturdays for £39, led by a knowledgable guide. You can also sit in a Spitfire for an additional charge of £30 and have the controls explained in detail.
Group sizes are deliberately kept small, with typically no more than ten people in each, ensuring that visitors can enjoy close, unhindered access to the iconic Spitfire in an unmatched historical setting.
Please be aware that this is a working hangar facility on a live airfield with loud machinery sometimes in operation, so is not suitable for the very young or pets, however wheelchair access is very good, with no steps to negotiate.
Situated within the M25 in Kent, Biggin Hill Heritage Hangar has two large hangars – both of which are wheelchair accessible and parking is available right outside the front doors. There is also a ramp providing access between the two hangars and all the tour routes can be negotiated by manual or electric wheelchairs.
For more information and to book your accessible day out see the Biggin Hill Heritage Hangar website.
You can WIN a prize of four tour tickets which Biggin Hill Heritage Hangar is kindly donating to UCan2 readers.
The tickets are for the ‘Spitfire Tour’, RRP £39 each. Alternatively, ‘Sit in a Spitfire’ is available as an upgrade on the day for an additional £30 per person.