RAF Middleton St. George

Royal Air Force Station Middleton St. George
Located Near Darlington, County Durham, England
Shown within County Durham
Coordinates	54°30′33″N 001°25′46″W
In use	1941–1964
Current condition	Closed
Battles/wars	Second World War

RAF. Middleton St. George August 1960

RAF Middleton St. George was a Royal Air Force (RAF) Bomber Command station during World War II. It was located in County Durham, five miles east of Darlington, England.

The airfield began its life as Royal Air Force Station Goosepool, and in 1941 became RAF Middleton St. George. The aerodrome opened as a Bomber Command station in 1941. In 1943 it was allocated to No. 6 Group, Royal Canadian Air Force. A sub-station was located at RAF Croft, Yorkshire. Squadrons based here include: 76 Squadron, which flew Halifaxes, 78 Squadron, which flew Whitleys, 419 Squadron RCAF, which flew Wellingtons, Halifaxes, and Lancasters, 420 Squadron RCAF, which flew Wellingtons, and 428 Squadron RCAF, which flew Wellingtons, Halifaxes, and Lancasters.

After the war, the aerodrome served various squadrons and units including No. 13 Operational Training Unit (OTU), No. 2 Air Navigation School, No. 4 Flight Training School, and squadrons that used Meteors, Hunters, Javelins and Lightnings.

The RAF left the station in 1964, but the aerodrome was reopened in 1966 as a civil airport. The airfield was named Teesside International Airport in the 1960s, and was renamed Durham Tees Valley Airport in 2004.

Units and aircraft

data from

Unit	Dates	Aircraft	Variant	Notes
No. 33 Squadron RAF	1958–1962	Gloster Javelin	FAW.7 and FAW.9 from 1960	Twin-engined jet fighter/interceptor
No. 76 Squadron RAF	1941–1942	Handley Page Halifax	Mks.I and II	Four-engined piston heavy bomber
No. 78 Squadron RAF	1941	Armstrong Whitworth Whitley	Mk.V	Twin-engined medium bomber
	1942	Handley Page Halifax	Mk.II	Four-engined piston heavy bomber
No. 92 Squadron RAF	1957 1958-1960	Hawker Hunter	F.6	Single-engined jet fighter/fighter-bomber
No. 264 Squadron RAF	1957	Gloster Meteor	NF.14	Twin-engined jet night-fighter
No. 419 Squadron RCAF	1942–1944	Handley Page Halifax	Mk.II	Four-engined piston heavy bomber
	1944–1945	Avro Lancaster	Mk.X	Four-engined piston heavy bomber
No. 420 Squadron RCAF	1942–1943	Vickers Wellington	Mks.III and later X before move to North Africa	Twin-engined medium bomber
No. 428 Squadron RCAF	1943–1944	Handley Page Halifax	Mks.V and II	Four-engined piston heavy bomber
	1944–1945	Avro Lancaster	Mk.X	Four-engined piston heavy bomber

1947- 1948 13 OTU Mosquito Mk.T3 & Mk 6

 1951 - 1953 205 AFS Meteor Mk7 & Mk 8

References

Bibliography

• Halley, James J. (1988). The Squadrons of the Royal Air Force & Commonwealth, 1918-1988. Tonbridge, Kent, UK: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd.. ISBN 0-85130-164-9. 
• Jefford, Wing Commander C.G. (2001). RAF Squadrons, a Comprehensive record of the Movement and Equipment of all RAF Squadrons and their Antecedents since 1912. Shrewsbury, Shropshire, UK: Airlife Publishing Ltd.. ISBN 1-85310-053-6. 
• Moyes, Philip J.R. (1976). Bomber Squadrons of the RAF and their Aircraft. London: Macdonald and Jane's (Publishers) Ltd.. ISBN 0-354-01027-1. 

External links

• 76 Squadron History
• 78 Squadron history and current status
• 419 Squadron History
• 420 Squadron History
• 428 Squadron History
• 608 Squadron History