Newhaven Seaplane Base facts for kids
The Newhaven Seaplane Base was once an experimental place where special planes called seaplanes used to take off and land on the water. Today, it's an old, unused site found on the beach east of Newhaven Harbour, near Tide Mills in East Sussex, England.
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History of the Seaplane Base
This seaplane base played a part in the First World War. On August 15, 1918, a special group of pilots and planes called No. 242 Squadron RAF was formed here. They used Short Type 184 seaplanes.
What Did They Do?
The squadron flew from Newhaven and a nearby airfield at Telscombe Cliffs. Their main job was to fly over the English Channel to look for and protect ships from enemy submarines. They continued these important patrols until the war ended.
Exploring the Old Base Today
Even though the base is no longer used, you can still see parts of it. In 2006, surveys were done that uncovered some of the old structures.
What Can You See?
- Part of the slipway: This was a sloping ramp that allowed seaplanes to move from the land into the water.
- Concrete areas: These were flat, concrete spaces in front of the hangars (where planes were stored). You can still see the tracks where the hangar doors used to slide open.
- Other concrete slabs: These are thought to be the foundations of workshops or other buildings.
The Sussex Archaeological Society started an archaeological dig in April 2006 to study and record everything found at this historic East Beach site.
