In February 1909, the first ‘flying ground’ in the United Kingdom was opened by The (Royal) Aero Club and Short Brothers Ltd at Shellbeach, Leysdown on the Isle of Sheppey.At Shellbeach, J.T.C.Moore-Brabazon (later Lord Brabazon of Tara) became the first Englishman to fly in Britain. Messrs Short Brothers set up the first Aircraft Factory in Britain, where, after a visit by the Wright Brothers, they contracted to build Wright ‘Flyers’ under licence.

 

There too, the first circular mile flown by a British pilot in an All- British machine won the Daily Mail prize of £1000 in October 1909.

In November 1909 the Hon.C.S.Rolls (of Rolls Royce fame) was the first to land at Eastchurch where (Sir) Francis McClean had purchased a more suitable ‘airfield’. The (Royal) Aero Club hangers and the Shorts Aircraft Factory then moved here over the following months.

(Sir) Francis McClean later paid for the first four Royal Naval officers to learn to fly at his own expense. Thus was founded the Royal Naval Air Service (later part of the RFC then RAF). Eastchurch Aerodrome became home to the R.N.A.S. during WW1 and continued as an RAF Station through the inter war years and into WW2.