RAF Skipton-on-Swale
Royal Air Force Station Skipton-on-Swale  |
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|---|---|
| Located Skipton-on-Swale, Yorkshire near Thirsk, UK | |
 Canadian war memorial, Skipton on Swale. In memory of the Canadian crew of a bomber which came to grief whilst trying to land at the nearby airfield in WW2. |
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| Type | Military Airfield |
| Coordinates | 54°13′26″N 1°25′36″W / 54.223998°N 1.426678°WCoordinates: 54°13′26″N 1°25′36″W / 54.223998°N 1.426678°W |
| Built | August 1942 |
| Current condition |
Closed since October 1945 |
| Controlled by | Royal Air Force Royal Canadian Air Force |
| Garrison | RAF Bomber Command No. 6 Group RCAF |
| Battles/wars | Second World War
 Map showing the location of RAF Skipton-on-Swale within North Yorkshire.
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RAF Skipton-on-Swale was a Royal Air Force air station operated by RAF Bomber Command during the Second World War. The station was located at Skipton-on-Swale four miles west of Thirsk (near the present-day junction of the A61 and A167), North Yorkshire, England. The village of Sandhutton is located just to the east. RAF Skipton-on-Swale was a sub-station of RAF Leeming.
Contents |
[edit] History
The base opened in August 1942, becoming operational in May 1943.
Skipton-on-Swale was originally a 4 Group facility and first hosted 420 Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF), which moved to RAF Middleton St. George in October 1942. Skipton was assigned to No. 6 Group, Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) in January 1943. RCAF squadrons stationed here included 424 Squadron, No. 432 Squadron (which moved to RAF East Moor in September 1943), and 433 Squadron. Both squadrons flew the Halifax bomber until replaced by the Lancaster in January 1945. 424 Squadron lost 52 aircraft[citation needed] and 433 Squadron lost 38 aircraft.[1]
Nos. 424 and 433 Squadrons were disbanded in October 1945 and in November 1946 No. 300 Polish Bomber Squadron moved in and disbanded here on 2 January 1947. After this the airfield was closed. The station was not used again and has since reverted largely to farmland. The site is home to turkey and pig farms.
[edit] Operational units and aircraft
| Unit | From | To | Aircraft | Version |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. 300 Polish Bomber Squadron | 25 November 1946 | 2 January 1947 | Avro Lancaster | Mks.I, III |
| No. 420 Squadron RCAF | 6 August 1942 | 15 October 1942 | Vickers Wellington | Mk.III |
| No. 424 Squadron RCAF | 6 November 1943 | 15 October 1945 | Vickers Wellington Handley Page Halifax Avro Lancaster |
Mk.X Mk.III Mks.I & III |
| No. 432 Squadron RCAF | 1 May 1943 | 18 September 1943 | Vickers Wellington | Mk.X |
| No. 433 Squadron RCAF | 25 September 1943 | 15 October 1945 | Handley Page Halifax Avro Lancaster |
Mk.III Mks.I & III |
[edit] References
[edit] Notes
- ^ Moyes 1976, p. 250.
- ^ Halley 1988, pp. 505, 508 and 512.
- ^ Jefford 2001, pp. 86, 92–93, 166.
[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.
