RAF Manston

RAF Manston is a former Royal Air Force station located near Ramsgate on the Isle of Thanet in Kent, England. The airfield has a long history dating back to the First World War and was an important Battle of Britain station due to its position on the southeastern tip of England, closest to the European coast. Its long runway made it a significant emergency diversion airfield for damaged aircraft and it served in this role throughout the Cold War. The site closed as an RAF station in 1999 and has since operated as a civilian airport under various names while subject to ongoing debate over its long-term future.