London (Stansted), in common with many UK airports, began life in the Second World War as a military airfield. During 1942, the United States Army Air Force commenced construction on a site on a plateau some two miles southeast of the village of Stansted Mountfitchet in Essex. In June 1943, it was opened as an Advanced Air Depot for the maintenance and storage of the medium bombers of the Ninth Air Force.

After the end of hostilities, the airfield was handed over to the Air Ministry to be placed on a Care and Maintenance basis. By early 1946, all flying had ceased and the hangars were used to store and dispose of war surplus equipment from airfields all over East Anglia. Once this was complete the Air Ministry handed over the airfield to the Ministry of Civil Aviation, and a new civilian role had to be found for Stansted.

It was adopted as a base for several charter airlines and was much used for trooping flights. By 1964, it was proposed that the airfield should become London’s third airport and it came under control of the British Airports Authority in 1966. The airport continued to grow and in 1991 a new terminal was constructed. A new runway was proposed but after the 2010 election this plan was scrapped. In the meantime, Stansted will no doubt continue to work around such obstacles as it has done so many times throughout its history.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Aviation enthusiast for 50 years and first visited Stansted in early 1960s. This was when there were hardly any airliner movements, except the odd trooping flight.

He has been writing books and magazine articles about airliners, airlines and airports since 1990.