- RAF Skipton-on-Swale
RAF Skipton-on-Swale was a
Royal Air Force air station operated byRAF Bomber Command during theSecond World War . The station was located atSkipton-on-Swale four miles east ofThirsk (near the present-day junction of the A61 and A167),North Yorkshire , UK. The village ofSandhutton is located just to the east. RAF Skipton-on-Swale was a sub-station ofRAF Leeming .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 toRAF 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 toRAF 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 and 433 Squadron lost 38 aircraft.Fact|date=March 2008No. 424 and 433 Squadrons were disbanded in October 1945 and the airfield was closed. The station was not used again and has since reverted largely to farmland. The site is home to [http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/402077 turkey] and pig farms.
Operational units and aircraft
*
No. 420 Squadron RCAF (1942) - Vickers Wellington II
*No. 424 Squadron RCAF (1943-1945) - Vickers Wellington X, Handley Page Halifax III and Avro Lancaster I & III
*No. 432 Squadron RCAF (1943) - Vickers Wellington III and X
*No. 433 Squadron RCAF (1943-1945) - Handley Page Halifax III and Avro Lancaster I & IIIExternal links
* [http://www.raf.mod.uk/bombercommand/s94.html RAF Skipton-on-Swale at RAF History - Bomber Command 60th Anniversary]
* [http://www.wartimememories.co.uk/airfields/skiptononswale.html Wartime memories project]
* [http://www.controltowers.co.uk/S/Skipton_on_Swale.htm Control Towers]
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