Historians have been left incensed after a decision to omit RAF Gravesend from a Battle of Britain tribute.

A flyover marking the Hardest Day, a raid on RAF bases in south east England during the Second World War, has left out Gravesend’s former military airport.

The Hardest Day was August 18, 1940 and, as part of the Battle of Britain’s 75th anniversary, Biggin Hill Heritage Hangar and Biggin Hill Airport has organised a flyover of Hurricane and Spitfire planes on Tuesday.

It will be split into three flights covering each area featured in the former theatre of operations.

One of these would have included RAF Gravesend airport but organisers decided to change the flight plan.

The original route would have seen aircraft set off from Biggin Hill Airport, which played a key role in the Battle of Britain, and fly over former RAF airfields at Detling, West Malling and Gravesend but will now fly 1.5 to two miles south of where our airport used to be.

John Tate of the Gravesend Airport Heritage Project has been angered at the decision, as are many others on the group’s Facebook page. Mr Tate, 59, said: “I and many of our members are furious.

“We have known of this event since January and had been planning to view the flypast from Cascades leisure centre, which is built on part of the former airfield site.

“We were expecting maybe 60 to 100 people to attend, to see this one-off sight and hopefully to reflect for a moment on what had occurred there some 75 years ago.”

The Hardest Day was given its name because it was thought to be the hardest fought conflict during the Battle of Britain and involved the German Luftwaffe flying 850 sorties, involving 3,200 airmen, as they raided RAF airfields. The RAF defended its bases by sending out 926 sorties involving 600 crew.

There were 10 British fatalities from the day, while 94 Germans died, and among the dead were two pilots from 501 Squadron based at RAF Gravesend, Plt Off J.W Bland and Flt Lt G.E.B Stoney. Both the men are commemorated on a memorial plaque at the entrance to Cascades in Thong Lane.

Mr Tate said the flyover should include Gravesend so that the brave men who put their lives on the line could get the recognition they deserve.

He said: “We are disappointed at losing the promised opportunity to see the planes over the airport but more importantly; we have lost the chance to use this to highlight the part played by RAF Gravesend in the Battle of Britain and the 15 pilots lost during that period – two of whom died on the very day being commemorated.

“Conversely, Biggin Hill lost no pilots on the day. This is certainly not Biggin Hill’s finest hour.”

Mr Tate said the group was assured by organisers that Gravesend would be commemorated, even though a flight plan revealed the route was not geographically accurate.

He said: “I cannot imagine that this “mess” has been caused on purpose; but it does appear this event has been ‘marketed’ wrongly.

"It is agreed that there are navigational problems; but it does seem that these could be worked around if the planners were willing to do so.”

Biggin Hill Airport was contacted for a comment but has not yet responded.