RAF Croft
 |
This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (December 2009) |
| Royal Air Force Station Croft
|
|
|---|---|
| Located near Dalton Gates, North Yorkshire, UK | |
 RAF Building: Cockleberry Saw Mill. Part of RAF Croft during WWII |
|
| Type | Military Airfield |
| Coordinates | 54°27′24″N 1°33′36″W / 54.456599°N 1.5600119°WCoordinates: 54°27′24″N 1°33′36″W / 54.456599°N 1.5600119°W |
| Controlled by | Royal Air Force Royal Canadian Air Force |
| Garrison | RAF Bomber Command No. 6 Group RCAF |
| Battles/wars | World War II
 Map showing the location of RAF Croft within North Yorkshire.
|
RAF Croft, known locally as Croft Aerodrome or Neasham, opened in 1941 and served as a Second World War RAF Bomber Command station. In 1943, Croft became a sub-station of RAF Middleton St. George which was allocated to No. 6 Group, Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF). After the RCAF left in 1945, Croft saw little wartime activity. Later in 1945 the aerodrome became a satellite of No. 13 Operational Training Unit based at Middleton St. George (flying de Havilland Mosquitoes). The station was closed in the summer of 1946.
Contents |
[edit] Operational units and aircraft
| Unit | From | To | Aircraft | Version |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. 78 Squadron RAF | 20 October 1941 | 10 June 1942 | Armstrong Whitworth Whitley Handley Page Halifax |
Mk.V Mk.II |
| No. 419 Squadron RCAF | 30 September 1942 | 9 November 1942 | Vickers Wellington | Mk.III |
| No. 427 Squadron RCAF | 7 November 1942 | 4 May 1943 | Vickers Wellington | Mks.III, X |
| No. 1664 HCU | 10 May 1943 | 7 December 1943 | Handley Page Halifax | Mks.II, II, V |
| No. 431 Squadron RCAF | 10 December 1943 | 12 June 1945 | Handley Page Halifax Avro Lancaster |
Mks.V, III Mk.X |
| No. 434 Squadron RCAF | 11 December 1943 | 15 June 1945 | Handley Page Halifax Avro Lancaster |
Mks.V, III Mks.X, I |
[edit] Present use
The Croft aerodrome is now better known as a Croft Circuit, a regular venue for the British Touring Car Championship and British Superbike Championship. It is located near the North Yorkshire villages of Dalton Gates and Dalton-on-Tees.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
[edit] Notes
- ^ Moyes 1976, pp. 240, 246, 249 and 251.
- ^ Halley 1988, pp. 504–505, 510, 512–513.
- ^ Jefford 2001, pp. 92–93, 147.
- ^ Sturtivant and Hamlin 2007, p. 99.
[edit] Bibliography
- Halley, James J. The Squadrons of the Royal Air Force & Commonwealth 1918-1988. Tonbridge, Kent, UK: Air Britain (Historians) Ltd., 1988. ISBN 0-85130-164-9.
- Jefford, Wing Commander C.G., MBE, BA, RAF(Retd.). RAF Squadrons, a Comprehensive record of the Movement and Equipment of all RAF Squadrons and their Antecedents since 1912. Shrewsbury, Shropshire, UK: Airlife Publishing, 1988 (second edition 2001). ISBN 1-85310-053-6.
- Moyes, Philip J.R. Bomber Squadrons of the RAF and their Aircraft. London: Macdonald and Jane's (Publishers) Ltd., 2nd edition 1976. ISBN 0-354-01027-1.
- Sturtivant, Ray, ISO and John Hamlin. RAF Flying Training And Support Units since 1912. Tonbridge, Kent, UK: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd., 2007. ISBN 0-85130-365-X.
- Todd, A.A.B. Pilgrimages of Grace: a history of Croft aerodrome. Alan Todd Associates, Durham, UK: 1993. ISBN 0-95201-770-9.
