Identified in 1940 as one of 149 airfields at threat of air assult in the event of a German Invasion three Pickett-Hamilton forts were installed at West Malling airfield (TQ 65 NE 94). These structures were designed in June 1940 by New Kent Construction Company, specifically for the close defence of airfield runways. The forts consistedsof two, vertically sunken concrete cylinders, one mounted inside the other. The inner cylinder, knwon as the lifting head, remains in its lowered position, flush with the ground surface. The lifting head, pierced with three apertures for its main Vickers or Bren gun, was designed to be raised to its firing position by means of a pneumatic jack, supplemented by a manual pump for emergancy use. The fort retains most of its original features, including its internal operating equipment as well as the access hatch in the lid of the lifting head through which the two man crew entered. The second fort was removed in 1983 to Duxford Imperial War Museum and the location of the third fort is unknown.

The fort is a well preserved example of a rare form of gun emplacement, 242 of which were installed on 82 airfields in 1940 - 1941 by a commercial construction company. (1)

<1> Department for Culture, Media and Sport, 2001, WWII Bofors AA Gun Tower, Pickett-Hamilton Fort and Pillbox: West Malling Fighter Station, RSM 34304 - 2 (Scheduling record). SKE7928.