By . Charles Walford . Last updated at 2:55 PM on 26th January 2012 . The Queen, pictured earlier this month in Norfolk, takes most of her flights from RAF Northolt . Defence chiefs could be forced to sell off the Queen's airfield as the MoD looks to slash budgets. The department is considering plans . to sell RAF Northolt, which occupies hundreds of acres of prime real . estate in Hillingdon on the outskirts of north London, it has emerged. The site could be worth . hundreds of millions of pounds to property developers. The plan is part of a wider review of MoD property and comes as the department is under severe pressure to cut its budgets. The Queen currently takes most of her flights from Northolt, which is also home to the 32 (Royal) Squadron. And since June 1998, RAF Northolt station commanders have served as aides-de-camp to Her Majesty. It . is also understood there have been recent high-level discussions within . Whitehall to discuss a plan which would see the base – where Princess . Diana’s body was repatriated from France -  used as a satellite airfield . for Heathrow, rather than being developed. Former defence chief Air Commodore Andrew Lambert said it would be a great shame if the airfield was lost. He said defence cuts had already . forced the RAF to lose historic bases, and questioned whether it was . necessary to add Northolt to the list. He . told the Guardian: 'I am sure that the site would make lots of money . because it is a prime bit of real estate. But I'd want to know if the . MoD has done its sums properly. ‘The MoD is in a position where it is saying, "we are running out of money, so let's sell something off to raise money". Repatriation: Princess Diana's body was flown back to RAF Northolt after she died in Paris . Ready for action: Newly delivered Hurricane fighters are lined up at RAF Northolt in 1938 . Northolt opened in 1915 - three years before the formation of the RAF . 'We . might be in a position where it doesn't make sense over the long term. It would have quite a big impact because Northolt is where all the very . senior people and the royals fly from.' Northolt is one of the most famous Second World War airfields, housing . Spitfire and Hurricane squadrons which protected the capital during the . Battle of Britain. In 1943 it became the first airfield flying Spitfires into German airspace to support bomber operations. An industry source told the Guardian that the Heathrow satellite idea 'has its advocates because of its . location close to the capital and to Heathrow, and there are some . people who would welcome it'. They added: ‘But it shares some of the drawbacks of extending Heathrow, including the increase in noise for communities in west London.’ A . Department for Transport spokesman said: ‘As the Chancellor made clear . in his autumn statement, we will explore all the options for maintaining . the UK's aviation hub status with the exception of a third runway at . Heathrow. 'The government will consult on an overarching sustainable . framework for UK aviation this spring.’ It is not the first time such a proposal has been made. In the 1990s the Commons Transport Select Committee considered converting RAF Northolt into an offshoot of Heathrow. While the existing runways would cause aircraft to cross the flightpaths of those using Heathrow, new parallel runways were suggested. These suggestions were opposed by then MP for Ruislip-Northwood, John Wilkinson, and eventually the scheme progressed no further. Northolt . is currently where Air Force One lands during visits by the U.S. president, but Heathrow is just four miles away and could be used for . visiting dignitaries. Binyam Mohamed steps onto the tarmac at RAF Northolt after being released from Guantanamo Bay . Property developers would be keen to get their hands on the prime real estate west of London . There . are some in the military who will argue to retain an MoD ‘core’ at . Northolt, even if it becomes a commercial hub in the future. A Ministry of Defence spokesman told MailOnline: 'We continue to scrutinise all defence expenditure to secure the best value for money. 'RAF Northolt is no exception. It already generates revenue through landing fees from private flights and sources of income generation are of course kept under review.' An MoD source suggested a sale was 'unlikely'. In . recent years the base, which is the RAF’s oldest operational airfield, . has been placed in the spotlight due to the UK's apparent support of CIA . rendition flights. Three years ago the former Guantánamo Bay prisoner . Binyam Mohamed was flown back to Northolt after his release. In . 2001 seriously ill Great Train Robber Ronnie Biggs was flown from . Brazil to the airfield to be arrested by waiting police officers. It has also been used as a location for films made at Pinewood studios. The Prince of Wales lands at RAF Northolt following the death of his grandmother, the Queen Mother in March 2002 . In 1912 a proposal was made for the area around what is now RAF Northolt to be developed as ‘Harrow Aerodrome’. The outbreak of the First World War necessitated a new airbase for the Royal Flying Corps. Major Sefton Brancker of the War Office settled on a site near Northolt Junction railway station but it was not until January 1915 that the British government officially requisitioned the land. Construction of the aerodrome, to be named RFC Military School, Ruislip, began in January 1915. It opened on 3 May 1915, and became known as ‘Northolt’ despite actually being situated in South Ruislip, because the nearest station was Northolt Junction. In the same year the airfield was extended westwards and aircraft began flying sorties in defence of London against Zeppelin raids. In 1918 the RAF was founded, replacing the RFC. The Officers' Mess was built around 1920, and is still operational today as is one hangar and several barrack blocks dating from the mid-1920s to the 1930s. In the 1930s, RAF Northolt was the first station to operate the Hurricane and during the Second World War was again one of the key airfields in the defence of London. During the Battle of Britain, Northolt was 'home' to a series of allied and British Hurricane and Spitfire squadrons, including a complete Polish Wing. In 1943, RAF Northolt's Spitfire Mk IX Squadrons became the first Spitfire Wing as a unit to operate over Germany. One notable flight took place in 1944 when liberator 'Marco Polo' flew non-stop from Washington to Northolt, taking a mere 19 hours and 46 minutes. In 1946 the airfield was loaned for civil use while Heathrow Airport was under construction and by 1952, Northolt was the busiest airfield in Europe. In December 1946, after taking off during a heavy snowstorm, a Douglas DC-3 operated by British European Airways, flying from Northolt to Glasgow, crashed onto the roof of a house in South Ruislip. A Douglas DC-3 Dakota crashed on the roof of a house in Ruislip shortly after taking off from Northolt in December 1946. Everyone escaped and left the house by the front door . All the crew and passengers escaped unharmed by climbing through the loft of the house and leaving via the front door. Civil flights ceased when the central area at Heathrow opened in 1954 with Northolt reverting to sole military use in May that year. By the 1980s movements of privately-owned aircraft, mainly corporate jets, outnumbered military aircraft. Civil flights were limited to 28 per day, with a maximum of 7,000 a year. This limit remains to this day. Much media attention focused on the airfield when the body of Diana, Princess of Wales, arrived there from Villacoublay airfield, in Paris after her death on 31 August 1997. The Queen's Colour Squadron, then based at neighbouring RAF Uxbridge, acted as the bearer party. Four years later attention again focused on Northolt when the seriously ill fugitive Great Train Robber Ronnie Biggs was flown from Brazil to the airfield to be arrested by waiting police officers. Biggs was taken straight to Belmarsh Prison to complete the remainder of his sentence. Over the past 60 years it has been used to welcome foreign dignitaries to the country.
RAF Northolt could be worth 'hundreds of millions' to developers .
Airfield where Princess Diana's body was repatriated from Paris .
MoD also considering plans to use base as a Heathrow satellite .
By . Charles Walford . Last updated at 2:55 PM on 26th January 2012 . The Queen, pictured earlier this month in Norfolk, takes most of her flights from RAF Northolt . Defence chiefs could be forced to sell off the Queen's airfield as the MoD looks to slash budgets. The department is considering plans . to sell RAF Northolt, which occupies hundreds of acres of prime real . estate in Hillingdon on the outskirts of north London, it has emerged. The site could be worth . hundreds of millions of pounds to property developers. The plan is part of a wider review of MoD property and comes as the department is under severe pressure to cut its budgets. The Queen currently takes most of her flights from Northolt, which is also home to the 32 (Royal) Squadron. And since June 1998, RAF Northolt station commanders have served as aides-de-camp to Her Majesty. It . is also understood there have been recent high-level discussions within . Whitehall to discuss a plan which would see the base – where Princess . Diana’s body was repatriated from France -  used as a satellite airfield . for Heathrow, rather than being developed. Former defence chief Air Commodore Andrew Lambert said it would be a great shame if the airfield was lost. He said defence cuts had already . forced the RAF to lose historic bases, and questioned whether it was . necessary to add Northolt to the list. He . told the Guardian: 'I am sure that the site would make lots of money . because it is a prime bit of real estate. But I'd want to know if the . MoD has done its sums properly. ‘The MoD is in a position where it is saying, "we are running out of money, so let's sell something off to raise money". Repatriation: Princess Diana's body was flown back to RAF Northolt after she died in Paris . Ready for action: Newly delivered Hurricane fighters are lined up at RAF Northolt in 1938 . Northolt opened in 1915 - three years before the formation of the RAF . 'We . might be in a position where it doesn't make sense over the long term. It would have quite a big impact because Northolt is where all the very . senior people and the royals fly from.' Northolt is one of the most famous Second World War airfields, housing . Spitfire and Hurricane squadrons which protected the capital during the . Battle of Britain. In 1943 it became the first airfield flying Spitfires into German airspace to support bomber operations. An industry source told the Guardian that the Heathrow satellite idea 'has its advocates because of its . location close to the capital and to Heathrow, and there are some . people who would welcome it'. They added: ‘But it shares some of the drawbacks of extending Heathrow, including the increase in noise for communities in west London.’ A . Department for Transport spokesman said: ‘As the Chancellor made clear . in his autumn statement, we will explore all the options for maintaining . the UK's aviation hub status with the exception of a third runway at . Heathrow. 'The government will consult on an overarching sustainable . framework for UK aviation this spring.’ It is not the first time such a proposal has been made. In the 1990s the Commons Transport Select Committee considered converting RAF Northolt into an offshoot of Heathrow. While the existing runways would cause aircraft to cross the flightpaths of those using Heathrow, new parallel runways were suggested. These suggestions were opposed by then MP for Ruislip-Northwood, John Wilkinson, and eventually the scheme progressed no further. Northolt . is currently where Air Force One lands during visits by the U.S. president, but Heathrow is just four miles away and could be used for . visiting dignitaries. Binyam Mohamed steps onto the tarmac at RAF Northolt after being released from Guantanamo Bay . Property developers would be keen to get their hands on the prime real estate west of London . There . are some in the military who will argue to retain an MoD ‘core’ at . Northolt, even if it becomes a commercial hub in the future. A Ministry of Defence spokesman told MailOnline: 'We continue to scrutinise all defence expenditure to secure the best value for money. 'RAF Northolt is no exception. It already generates revenue through landing fees from private flights and sources of income generation are of course kept under review.' An MoD source suggested a sale was 'unlikely'. In . recent years the base, which is the RAF’s oldest operational airfield, . has been placed in the spotlight due to the UK's apparent support of CIA . rendition flights. Three years ago the former Guantánamo Bay prisoner . Binyam Mohamed was flown back to Northolt after his release. In . 2001 seriously ill Great Train Robber Ronnie Biggs was flown from . Brazil to the airfield to be arrested by waiting police officers. It has also been used as a location for films made at Pinewood studios. The Prince of Wales lands at RAF Northolt following the death of his grandmother, the Queen Mother in March 2002 . In 1912 a proposal was made for the area around what is now RAF Northolt to be developed as ‘Harrow Aerodrome’. The outbreak of the First World War necessitated a new airbase for the Royal Flying Corps. Major Sefton Brancker of the War Office settled on a site near Northolt Junction railway station but it was not until January 1915 that the British government officially requisitioned the land. Construction of the aerodrome, to be named RFC Military School, Ruislip, began in January 1915. It opened on 3 May 1915, and became known as ‘Northolt’ despite actually being situated in South Ruislip, because the nearest station was Northolt Junction. In the same year the airfield was extended westwards and aircraft began flying sorties in defence of London against Zeppelin raids. In 1918 the RAF was founded, replacing the RFC. The Officers' Mess was built around 1920, and is still operational today as is one hangar and several barrack blocks dating from the mid-1920s to the 1930s. In the 1930s, RAF Northolt was the first station to operate the Hurricane and during the Second World War was again one of the key airfields in the defence of London. During the Battle of Britain, Northolt was 'home' to a series of allied and British Hurricane and Spitfire squadrons, including a complete Polish Wing. In 1943, RAF Northolt's Spitfire Mk IX Squadrons became the first Spitfire Wing as a unit to operate over Germany. One notable flight took place in 1944 when liberator 'Marco Polo' flew non-stop from Washington to Northolt, taking a mere 19 hours and 46 minutes. In 1946 the airfield was loaned for civil use while Heathrow Airport was under construction and by 1952, Northolt was the busiest airfield in Europe. In December 1946, after taking off during a heavy snowstorm, a Douglas DC-3 operated by British European Airways, flying from Northolt to Glasgow, crashed onto the roof of a house in South Ruislip. A Douglas DC-3 Dakota crashed on the roof of a house in Ruislip shortly after taking off from Northolt in December 1946. Everyone escaped and left the house by the front door . All the crew and passengers escaped unharmed by climbing through the loft of the house and leaving via the front door. Civil flights ceased when the central area at Heathrow opened in 1954 with Northolt reverting to sole military use in May that year. By the 1980s movements of privately-owned aircraft, mainly corporate jets, outnumbered military aircraft. Civil flights were limited to 28 per day, with a maximum of 7,000 a year. This limit remains to this day. Much media attention focused on the airfield when the body of Diana, Princess of Wales, arrived there from Villacoublay airfield, in Paris after her death on 31 August 1997. The Queen's Colour Squadron, then based at neighbouring RAF Uxbridge, acted as the bearer party. Four years later attention again focused on Northolt when the seriously ill fugitive Great Train Robber Ronnie Biggs was flown from Brazil to the airfield to be arrested by waiting police officers. Biggs was taken straight to Belmarsh Prison to complete the remainder of his sentence. Over the past 60 years it has been used to welcome foreign dignitaries to the country.
considering plans . to sell RAF Northolt, which it has emerged. The site could be worth . hundreds of millions of pounds to property base – where Princess . Diana’s body was repatriated from France -  used as a satellite