RAF Breighton

RAF Breighton
Breighton Airfield

Breighton Airfield and Aeroplane Museum
IATA: none – ICAO: EGBR
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; -0.91361Coordinates: 53°48′07″N 000°54′49″W / 53.80194°N 0.91361°W / 53.80194; -0.91361
Map
EGBR

Location in East Riding of Yorkshire

Runways
Direction Length Surface
ft m
11/29 0 0 Grass
00/00 0 0 Asphalt
00/00 0 0 Asphalt
00/00 0 0 Asphalt

Royal Air Force Breighton or more simply RAF Breighton is a former Royal Air Force station located near to the village of Breighton, East Riding of Yorkshire, England which is now Breighton Airfield.

History

The airfield was built between 1940 and 1942 for No. 1 Group RAF,[1] its first residents were the No. 460 Squadron RAAF.[2]

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.[3]

The base closed in March 1964, when the last active unit (which operated the Bristol Bloodhound air-defence missile) withdrew.[4]

Squadrons

Squadron Equipment From To To Notes
No. 78 Squadron RAF Handley Page Halifax II/III/VI
Douglas Dakota 		16 June 1943 20 September 1945 RAF Almaza [5]
No. 112 Squadron RAF Bristol Bloodhound I 7 November 1960 31 March 1964 Disbanded [6]
No. 240 Squadron RAF PGM-17 Thor 1 August 1959 8 January 1963 Disbanded [3]
No. 460 Squadron RAAF Vickers Wellington IV
Handley Page Halifax II
Avro Lancaster I/III 		4 January 1942 14 May 1943 RAF Binbrook [2]

Units

Current use

Mustangs Flying During Breighton Airshow

The original runways are covered in buildings but the outline of the runways, taxiways and dispersal stands are clearly visible using satellite imagery.[4]

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.[1]

Five people were injured in a helicopter crash at the airfield on 17 July 2016.[8]

References

Citations

  1. 1 2 "Airfield history". The Real Aeroplane Company. Retrieved 27 September 2012.
  2. 1 2 Jefford 1988, p. 93.
  3. 1 2 Jefford 1988, p. 76
  4. 1 2 Delve 2006, p. 50.
  5. ↑ Jefford 1988, p. 48.
  6. ↑ Jefford 1988, p. 56.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 "Breighton - Units". Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust. Retrieved 4 June 2016.
  8. ↑ "Five casualties after helicopter crash". BBC News. Retrieved 17 July 2016.

Bibliography

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