RAF Driffield

RAF Driffield RAF Eastburn
Station badge
IATA: none ICAO: none
Summary
Airport type	Military
Owner	Ministry of Defence
Operator	Royal Air Force
Location	Driffield
Built	1918 as RAF Eastburn 1935 as RAF Driffield
In use	1918–1920 Royal Air Force 1936–1977 Royal Air Force
Elevation AMSL	82 ft / 25 m
Coordinates	53°59′41″N 000°29′11″W
Map
RAF Driffield Location in the East Riding of Yorkshire

Royal Air Force Station Driffield or RAF Driffield is a former British Royal Air Force station in the East Riding of Yorkshire, in England. It lies about 2 miles (3 km) south-west of Driffield and 11 miles (18 km) north-west of Beverley.

History

The site was first opened in 1918 by the Royal Air Force under the name of RAF Eastburn, and closed in early 1920. In 1935 a new airfield was built, initially training bomber crews. In 1977 the site was turned over to the British Army for use as a driving school, and was renamed Alamein Barracks, a satellite to Normandy Barracks of the Defence School of Transport at Leconfield.

The station was the initial posting of Leonard Cheshire VC, who was at that time a member of 102 Squadron.

On 15 August 1940 there was a German air raid on the airfield. Casualties included the first fatality in the Women's Royal Air Force.

On 1 August 1959, the base was armed with PGM-17 Thor ballistic missiles, which were subsequently decommissioned by April 1963.

Units

The following units were here at some point:

• No. 1 Fighter Command Modification Centre RAF
• No. 2 Blind Approach Training Flight RAF
• No. 2 (Coastal) Operational Training Unit RAF
• No. 2 School of Aerial Fighting RAF
• No. 3 School of Aerial Fighting & Gunnery RAF
• No. 4 Group Target Towing Flight RAF
• No. 5 Group Target Towing Flight RAF
• No. 5 Service Flying Training School RAF
• No. 6 Anti-Aircraft Co-operation Unit RAF
• No. 8 Flying Training School RAF
• No. 10 Air Navigation School RAF
• No. 21 Training Depot Station
• No. 21 Training Station
• No. 43 Base RAF
• No. 102 Squadron RAF
• No. 203 Advanced Flying School RAF
• No. 204 Advanced Flying School RAF
• No. 226 Operational Conversion Unit RAF
• No. 642 Gliding School RAF
• No. 1484 (Target Towing) Flight RAF
• No. 1484 (Target Towing and Gunnery Flight) RAF
• No. 1502 (Beam Approach Training) Flight RAF
• No. 1613 (Anti-Aircraft Co-operation) Flight RAF
• Air Bomber Training Flight (No. 4 Group)
• Aircrew Transit Unit
• Air Fighting Development Unit
• Fighter Weapons School

References

Bibliography

• Delve, Ken (2006). The military airfields of Britain : Northern England: Co. Durham, Cumbria, Isle of Man, Lancashire, Merseyside, Manchester, Northumberland, Tyne & Wear, Yorkshire. Marlborough: Crowood Press. ISBN 1-86126-809-2.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: ref duplicates default (link)
• Halpenny, B,B. Action Stations: Military Airfields of Yorkshire v. 4. Patrick Stephens Ltd, 1982. ISBN 978-0850595321.
• Philpott, Ian. The Royal Air Force 1930 to 1939, Volume II Rearmament. Barnsley, UK: Pen & Sword, 2008. ISBN 978-1-84415-391-6.

External links

• Derelict Places – RAF Driffield – May 2011
• Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust – RAF Driffield (Eastburn)
• Control Towers – RAF Driffield airfield