Hendon was one of Britain's pioneering aviation sites: a civil aerodrome, aircraft-manufacturing centre and later a major RAF station.
History
Hendon became the London Aerodrome
Claude Grahame-White acquired the site in 1911 and promoted it as the London Aerodrome, combining flying schools, aircraft manufacture and public air displays.
Britain's first airmail flew from here
The first British airmail service departed Hendon in September 1911. The airfield also became famous for aerial derbies and huge public flying displays.
The RAF took over
The government took possession of Hendon after the First World War. It became an RAF station and remained an important military aviation site for decades.
Legacy
The RAF Museum occupies the site
The last fixed-wing aircraft landed at Hendon in 1968. The RAF Museum opened there in 1972, preserving several historic hangars and the site's aviation heritage.