RAF Worthy Down
After it was transferred to Royal Navy control in 1939 as Royal Naval Air Station Worthy Down (RNAS Worthy Down, or HMS Kestrel), the airfield remained in use throughout the Second World War, and then housed a RN Air Electrical School, HMS Ariel, from 1952.[12] The site was recommissioned by the Royal Navy in 1939 as HMS Kestrel, and used as a flying station by the Fleet Air Arm.During this time, the site was featured on the news when Lord Haw-Haw (William Joyce) claimed the Kriegsmarine sank HMS Kestrel.[2] The following squadrons were based at Worthy Down at some point: Additionally, Supermarine used the airfield in the development of the Spitfire from December 1940 to March 1944.[2] The technical site is now a tri-service establishment known as MOD Worthy Down, and the runway area is open grassland.