RAF Clifton

RAF Clifton RAF York RAF Rawcliffe
IATA:none ICAO:none
Summary
Airport type	Military
Owner	Air Ministry
Operator	Royal Air Force(RAF)
Location	Clifton Without,North Yorkshire,England
Built	1936
In use	1936-1939 Civilian Use 1939-1946 RAF use 1946-1955 Civilian Use
ElevationAMSL	46 ft / 14 m
Coordinates	53°58′50″N001°06′28″W
Map
RAF Clifton Location in North Yorkshire
Runways
Direction Length Surface ft m 00/00 0 0 Asphalt 00/00 0 0 Asphalt 00/00 0 0 Asphalt

Royal Air Force Clifton,or more simplyRAF Clifton,is a formerRoyal Air Forcestation located 1.5 miles (2.4 km) north west ofYorkcity centre and 2.6 miles (4.2 km) south west ofHaxby,North Yorkshire,England.

The airfield was opened in 1936 as a civilian airport but by 1939 the station was taken by the Royal Air Force (RAF) for use in theSecond World Warand was returned in 1946 when the airport reopened. However, in 1955 the airfield was closed for good. The airfield during wartime was also known as RAF York and RAF Rawcliffe.

Station history

The airfield was originallyYork Municipal Aerodromewhich opened in 1936 after an air circus had used the site previously but on 1 September 1939 the site was requisitioned by the RAF forBomber Command.

The first squadron to use the airfield wasNo. 613 Squadron RAFbetween 7 September 1940 and 8 July 1941 as a detachment while the main squadron were atRAF Firbeck.The airfield was empty untilNo. 4 Squadron RAFarrived on 27 August 1940 originally with theWestland LysanderIII/IIIA adding theTomahawkIIA in April 1942 and theNorth American MustangI in May 1943.

On 27 June 1942No. 169 Squadron RAFarrived with the Mustang I as a detachment fromRAF Doncaster.The squadron stayed until 12 October 1942.

• No. 169 Squadron RAFbetween 15 November 1942 and 18 December 1942 with the Mustang.
• No. 4 Squadron RAFbetween 12 March 1943 and 20 March 1943 with the Tomahawk and Mustang.
• No. 231 Squadron RAFbetween 21 March 1943 and 6 July 1943 with the Mustang I. The squadron had a detachment atRAF Ballyhalbert.
• No. 659 Squadron RAFbetween 17 August 1943 and 23 April 1944 with a brief change toRAF Burnon 31 December 1943. The squadron flew the Auster III before upgrading to the Mk. IV during March 1944.
• No. 658 Squadron RAFbetween 29 August 1943 and 1 January 1944 with theTaylorcraft AusterIII.
• No. 48 Maintenance Unit RAF.

During its lifetime Clifton was used byRAF Bomber Command,RAF Army Cooperation Command,Fleet Air Arm,RAF Fighter CommandandRAF Maintenance Command.

Accidents

AHandley Page HalifaxMk VIIJP203crashed on approach to Clifton on the 8 June 1945. The aircraft had left Hooton Park, Cheshire on route to Clifton for scrapping byNo. 48 Maintenance Unit RAF.Both crew members on board were killed.

Current use

Memorial plaque to the former aerodrome

The airfield site now forms a housing estate,industrial estate, shopping centreandlocal nature reserve(Clifton Backies).

However, there are two stubs of the original runways still visible north of the A1237 near the roundabout leading to the shopping centre. There is also a stub of another runway and taxiway visible to the south of the A1237 just west of Wigginton Road.

See also

• List of former Royal Air Force stations

References

Bibliography

• Jefford, J (1988).RAF Squadrons, a Comprehensive Record of the Movement and Equipment of all RAF Squadrons and their Antecedents since 1912.Shrewsbury: Airlife Publishing.ISBN1-84037-141-2.

External links

• UK Airshow Review Message Board - Farewell RAF Clifton