Aviation Archives - About Us and our history..

Following on from an ever expanding amount of interest created during a talk and presentation for our local Hilderstone Radio and Electronics Club on MANSTON Airport and Thanet Aviation from 1914 to current day, together with keen interest and enthusiasm from the Manston Airport Director, Alastair Robertson, this unique pictorial archive project was born!

From around November 2004, many hundreds of photographs have been scanned (and continue to do so), in readiness for documentation and inclusion in Aviation Archives. The documenting and cross referencing is time consuming and photographs and other archive information will be uploaded as time permits.

This project is by no means short term and neither it is confined to Manston. The web site has been designed to be dynamic and the pages (including the search options), automatically update and expand as the archives and new categories / areas are added and uploaded. This keeps the overall site maintenance low, whilst maintaining full flexibility and ease of expansion as we receive much appreciated archive contributions.

It is also acknowledged that we are not able to provide a comprehensive range of periods, events, aircraft, crew details and airfields, from day one. The beauty of the site is that it will evolve and photographs for example which we are not able to fully describe will, I'm sure, hopefully jog peoples memory and in so doing expand and complete various parts of the historical 'jigsaw'.

A number of new sections of this website continue to be developed in order that people are able to post 'wanted' details in the hope others may be able to assist in their personal queries. In addition, you will be able to upload photographs directly to the site and download various resolutions, as required. A free member's area is also under development which provides additional information and options.

Finally, I would like to thank and acknowledge a handful of interesting aviation enthusiasts and professionals, whom have kindly helped me to date with information and photographic material. These include (in no order!), Alastair Robertson, Edwina Kilford and many other special and enthusiastic people at KIA Manston, The 'Walkers' (you know who you are), Ian James, Trevor Carruthers, Mark Girdler and Gina from TG Aviation, John Hibbert, Peter Hales, Roy Doherty, Don Turner, Dave Keep, ICOM UK, George Newport, Peter Medwell, Frank Beckley, Peter Turner, Gerry Abrahams, RAF History Museum, Spitfire Memorial Museum, Simon Moores, Eric McCabe, Tony Jenkins, Met Office - National Meteorological Archive, Mike Harvey and Andrew Warrilow of E2Connect. This list is by no means exhaustive, so sorry if I have missed you out!

Mention must also be made to Gareth Johns of Business Computer Solutions (Ramsgate), whom originally kindly sponsored the web site and its huge online storage and database requirements and now to DitroniX - Software and Database Solutions who took over and continue to fully sponsor the website and all its online hosting and support..

Thank you all for your continued support and look forward to the interesting evolvement of the Aviation Archives site.

Kind Regards
Dave Williams