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Breighton Airfield (RAF Breighton)
Breighton Airfield and Aeroplane Museum
IATA: none ICAO: none
Summary
Owner	Air Ministry 1940–1964 Private 1964 – present
Operator	Royal Air Force 1940–1964 Private 1964 – present
Location	Breighton, East Riding of Yorkshire
Built	1940 (1940)
In use	1942–1964 (1964)
Elevation AMSL	20 ft / 6 m
Coordinates	53°48′07″N 000°54′49″W / 53.80194°N 0.91361°W / 53.80194; -0.91361
Map
EGBRLocation in East Riding of Yorkshire
Runways
Direction Length Surface ft m 10/28 2,630 802 Grass 00/00 0 0 Asphalt 00/00 0 0 Asphalt 00/00 0 0 Asphalt

Breighton Aerodrome is a private aerodrome primarily used for general aviation flying located on the former Royal Air Force Breighton or more simply RAF Breighton, a former Royal Air Force station located near to the village of Breighton, East Riding of Yorkshire, England.

History

The airfield was built between 1940 and 1942 for No. 1 Group RAF, its first residents were the No. 460 Squadron RAAF.

From 1959 to 1963, as part of Project Emily, the base was a launch site for three nuclear-armed PGM-17 Thor intermediate-range ballistic missiles, operated by No. 240 Squadron RAF.

The base closed in March 1964, when the last active unit (which operated the Bristol Bloodhound air-defence missile) withdrew.

Squadrons

Units

• No. 20 Blind Approach Training Flight RAF (October 1941) became No. 1520 (Beam Approach Training) Flight RAF (October 1941 - June 1944)
• Sub site for No. 35 Maintenance Unit RAF (November 1945 - June 1951)
• Relief Landing Ground for No. 103 Flying Refresher School RAF (June - November 1951)
• Relief Landing Ground for No. 207 Advanced Flying School RAF (November 1951 - June 1954)
• No. 460 Conversion Flight RAF (May - August 1942 & September - October 1942) became 'A' Flight of No. 1656 Heavy Conversion Unit RAF (October - November 1942)
• No. 2716 Squadron RAF Regiment
• No. 2797 Squadron RAF Regiment

Current use

The original runways are covered in buildings but the outline of the runways, taxiways and dispersal stands are clearly visible using satellite imagery.

A part of the airfield is currently used by the Real Aeroplane Company to house and maintain private and historic aircraft and a home for the Breighton Flying Club which uses a separate grass runway located within the original airfield grounds.

Five people were injured in a helicopter crash at the airfield on 17 July 2016.

References

Citations

1. ^ "Airfield history". The Real Aeroplane Company. Retrieved 27 September 2012.
2. ^ Jefford 1988, p. 93.
3. ^ Jefford 1988, p. 76
4. ^ Delve 2006, p. 50.
5. Jefford 1988, p. 48.
6. Jefford 1988, p. 56.
7. Sturtivant, Hamlin & Halley 1997, p. 138.
8. Sturtivant, Hamlin & Halley 1997, p. 206.
9. Sturtivant, Hamlin & Halley 1997, p. 151.
10. Sturtivant, Hamlin & Halley 1997, p. 40.
11. Sturtivant, Hamlin & Halley 1997, p. 97.
12. Sturtivant, Hamlin & Halley 1997, p. 100.
13. ^ "Breighton - Units". Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust. Retrieved 4 June 2016.
14. "Five casualties after helicopter crash". BBC News. Retrieved 17 July 2016.

Bibliography

• Delve, Ken. The Military Airfields of Britain; Northern England. Marlborough, Wiltshire, UK: Crowood Press, 1988. ISBN 1-86126-809-2.
• Jefford, C.G. 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. ISBN 1-84037-141-2.
• Sturtivant, R; Hamlin, J; Halley, J (1997). Royal Air Force flying training and support units. UK: Air-Britain (Historians). ISBN 0-85130-252-1.

External links

• Real Aeroplane Company

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