Goodwood Aerodrome: A History
From Battle of Britain fighter station to thriving general aviation airfield
Goodwood Aerodrome, originally RAF Westhampnett, has a history that is inseparable from the wider story of the Goodwood estate and from the defence of Britain during the Second World War. The airfield was established in 1940 as a satellite station for RAF Tangmere, located a few miles to the south, and it played a significant role during the Battle of Britain and the subsequent air campaigns over occupied Europe.
The airfield was built on the flat ground of the estate's parkland, using the level terrain that had previously served as grazing land. Grass runways were laid out, dispersal areas were created in the surrounding woodland and a collection of temporary buildings provided accommodation, operations rooms and maintenance facilities. The construction was rapid, driven by the urgent need for additional fighter capacity as the Luftwaffe intensified its attacks on southern England in the summer of 1940.
During the Battle of Britain, Westhampnett was home to several fighter squadrons, including 145 Squadron and 602 Squadron. The pilots who flew from these grass runways intercepted German bomber formations over the Channel and the Sussex coast, and their contribution to the defence of the region was significant. The airfield's proximity to the coast meant that interception times were short, and the fighters could be scrambled and in action within minutes. Notable pilots who served at Westhampnett included Wing Commander Douglas Bader, who led the Tangmere Wing from 1941, and Group Captain Paddy Finucane.
After the war, the airfield was decommissioned by the RAF and returned to the Goodwood estate. Freddie March, the 9th Duke of Richmond, converted the perimeter track into the motor circuit, but the flying field was retained as a civilian aerodrome. The grass runways were maintained, and Goodwood became a base for private flying, light aircraft operations and flying training.
Today, Goodwood Aerodrome is a busy general aviation airfield operating under the management of the Goodwood estate. It has two grass runways and handles a mix of private flying, flying training, parachuting and pleasure flights. The aerodrome is also home to several aviation businesses, including flying schools and maintenance organisations. The Spitfire experiences operated from Goodwood, offering flights in genuine wartime Spitfires, are among the most popular aviation experiences in the country.
The aerodrome's connection to the motor circuit creates a unique dual-purpose facility. During the Revival, the airfield hosts the Freddie March Spirit of Aviation Concours and provides a landing facility for those arriving by air. The sight of vintage aircraft on the grass beside the racing circuit, with the South Downs as a backdrop, is one of the most evocative images in British motorsport.
The aerodrome is open to visiting aircraft, subject to prior permission, and offers fuel, parking and basic facilities. For pilots, landing at Goodwood is a special experience, with the approach over the Downs and the knowledge that Spitfires once took off from the same turf adding a historical dimension to the practical business of flying.
The aerodrome's significance extends beyond its practical function as an airfield. It is a place of historical memory, where the courage of the wartime pilots is commemorated in the landscape itself. The grass runways, the approach paths and the views across the Downs are unchanged from the 1940s, and flying from Goodwood connects today's pilots to a tradition that began in the most testing circumstances imaginable. For visitors to the estate, the aerodrome provides a quieter, more reflective experience than the motor circuit or the racecourse, and its proximity to both makes it easy to include in a day's visit.