RAF Joyce Green

Royal Air Force Station Joyce Green
Located near Long Reach, Dartford, Kent, England
Long Reach Tavern with RFC hangars
Royal Air Force Station Joyce Green
Coordinates	51°28′27″N 0°13′00″E / 51.4743°N 0.2167°E / 51.4743; 0.2167
Type	Airfield
Height	beneath mean tide level
Site information
Condition	Closed
Site history
Built	1911
In use	1911–1919
Demolished	Oct 1919
Battles/wars	First World War
Garrison information
Occupants	Royal Flying Corps   Air Service, United States Army

Joyce Green, at Long Reach, near Dartford was one of the first Royal Flying Corps (RFC) airfields. It was established in 1911 by Vickers Limited (the aircraft and weapons manufacturer) who used it as an airfield and testing ground. At the outbreak of World War I in 1914, the RFC followed and established a base. Subject to frequent flooding and a reputation as being unsuitable and too dangerous for training, it was eventually replaced by a more suitable site at RAF Biggin Hill.

There were two parts to Joyce Green's military operations; the RFC, and the Wireless Experimental establishment. The latter were the first to move out in 1917 (after exhaustive searching south of London) when they found an ideal site on a farmers field near the village of Biggin Hill; the RFC were soon to recognize the new sites suitability for flying and its strategic location, and soon followed, transferring there on 13 February 1917. The RFC took with them their Bristol Fighters, leaving Joyce Green with only a pilots pool and ground crew. Once the RFC moved out the aerodrome, Vickers continued their testing work, until moving to Brooklands. Following the Armistice with Germany the airfield was closed by December 1919.

Joyce Green farm, a cattle farm to the north of Dartford, lent its name to the largely uninhabited area 15 miles (24 km) downstream of London Bridge, located between Dartford and the River Thames. The aerodrome itself was on part of a plot once known as Franks Farm, on ground reclaimed from the Dartford salt marshes.

The only habitation in the area, apart from the odd farm was the isolated "Long Reach Tavern"; known for organized bare-knuckle boxing matches in the 19th century, notably Tom Sayers who fought there between 1851-1854, and a ferry to Purfleet on the opposing bank of the Thames. A reach is a length of a river between 2 bends and the longest reach on the Thames is 'Long Reach' hence the name of the Tavern. The surrounds of the tavern were to become the RFC encampment.

1:62260/1:50000 OS map sheets 171/177 : (51): OS survey grid reference: TQ 542774. County: Kent, Area : 121 acres : 1200 x 1000 yards. Slightly below sea level.