RAF Wombleton
Encyclopedia
RAF Wombleton was a World War II
training airfield located in the county of North Yorkshire
, about 1/2 mile south of Wombleton
, England
.
Wombleton opened in 1943 as a sub-station of RAF Topcliffe
. It was part of RAF Bomber Command
's No. 6 Group RCAF
, and along with the main station at Topcliffe and the station at Dishforth
, was designated part of No 61 (Training) Base. In November 1944, No 61 Base was transferred to No 7 (Training) Group
and it was renumbered No 76 Training Base. No 1666 Heavy Conversion Unit (HCU) was the first unit to move to Wombleton. Aircrew who were originally trained on twin-engined aircraft such as Wellingtons
or Whitley
s received conversion training on heavy four-engined bombers such as the Halifax
or Lancaster
. No 1666 HCU remained at Wombleton until the end of the war. The RAF
took over the station and stayed for several years. The Wombleton airport is now used for recreational flying.
|+data from
! Unit !! From !! To !! Aircraft !! Version
|-
| No 1666 'Mohawk' HCU || 21 October 1943 || 3 August 1945 || Handley Page Halifax
Avro Lancaster
|| Mks.II, III, V
Mks.I, II, III, X
|-
| No 1679 HCU || 13 December 1943 || 27 January 1944 || Avro Lancaster
|| Mk.II
|-
| No 261 Maintenance Unit RAF || 15 November 1945 || 10 September 1946 || ||
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
training airfield located in the county of North Yorkshire
North Yorkshire
North Yorkshire is a non-metropolitan or shire county located in the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England, and a ceremonial county primarily in that region but partly in North East England. Created in 1974 by the Local Government Act 1972 it covers an area of , making it the largest...
, about 1/2 mile south of Wombleton
Wombleton
Wombleton is a village and civil parish in the Ryedale district of North Yorkshire, England. it is on the A170 road and 7 miles west of Pickering....
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
Wombleton opened in 1943 as a sub-station of RAF Topcliffe
RAF Topcliffe
RAF Topcliffe is a Royal Air Force station in North Yorkshire. It is a satellite station of RAF Linton-on-Ouse.Topcliffe opened in September 1940 as a bomber station in RAF Bomber Command and was home to 77 and 102 Squadrons flying the Whitley heavy bomber. There was a decoy site at Raskelf...
. It was part of RAF Bomber Command
RAF Bomber Command
RAF Bomber Command controlled the RAF's bomber forces from 1936 to 1968. During World War II the command destroyed a significant proportion of Nazi Germany's industries and many German cities, and in the 1960s stood at the peak of its postwar military power with the V bombers and a supplemental...
's No. 6 Group RCAF
No. 6 Group RCAF
No. 6 Group RCAF was an organization of Royal Canadian Air Force bomber squadrons which operated from airfields in Yorkshire, England during the Second World War. Although 6 Group was RCAF, it was controlled by the Royal Air Force as part of Bomber Command. No. 6 Group had been previously active...
, and along with the main station at Topcliffe and the station at Dishforth
RAF Dishforth
Dishforth Airfield is a Royal Air Force/British Army station in North Yorkshire, England. It is currently an Army Air Corps helicopter base and a Relief Landing Ground for RAF Linton-on-Ouse. It is located next to the A1 at Junction 49 with the A168. Dishforth airfield is built over part of the...
, was designated part of No 61 (Training) Base. In November 1944, No 61 Base was transferred to No 7 (Training) Group
No. 7 Group RAF
Number 7 Group of the Royal Air Force was an RAF group active in the latter part of World War I, during the 1920s and also in World War II.-Organizational history:...
and it was renumbered No 76 Training Base. No 1666 Heavy Conversion Unit (HCU) was the first unit to move to Wombleton. Aircrew who were originally trained on twin-engined aircraft such as Wellingtons
Vickers Wellington
The Vickers Wellington was a British twin-engine, long range medium bomber designed in the mid-1930s at Brooklands in Weybridge, Surrey, by Vickers-Armstrongs' Chief Designer, R. K. Pierson. It was widely used as a night bomber in the early years of the Second World War, before being displaced as a...
or Whitley
Armstrong Whitworth Whitley
The Armstrong Whitworth A.W.38 Whitley was one of three British twin-engine, front line medium bomber types in service with the Royal Air Force at the outbreak of the Second World War...
s received conversion training on heavy four-engined bombers such as the Halifax
Handley Page Halifax
The Handley Page Halifax was one of the British front-line, four-engined heavy bombers of the Royal Air Force during the Second World War. A contemporary of the famous Avro Lancaster, the Halifax remained in service until the end of the war, performing a variety of duties in addition to bombing...
or Lancaster
Avro Lancaster
The Avro Lancaster is a British four-engined Second World War heavy bomber made initially by Avro for the Royal Air Force . It first saw active service in 1942, and together with the Handley Page Halifax it was one of the main heavy bombers of the RAF, the RCAF, and squadrons from other...
. No 1666 HCU remained at Wombleton until the end of the war. The RAF
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
took over the station and stayed for several years. The Wombleton airport is now used for recreational flying.
Units and aircraft
{|class="wikitable"|+data from
! Unit !! From !! To !! Aircraft !! Version
|-
| No 1666 'Mohawk' HCU || 21 October 1943 || 3 August 1945 || Handley Page Halifax
Handley Page Halifax
The Handley Page Halifax was one of the British front-line, four-engined heavy bombers of the Royal Air Force during the Second World War. A contemporary of the famous Avro Lancaster, the Halifax remained in service until the end of the war, performing a variety of duties in addition to bombing...
Avro Lancaster
Avro Lancaster
The Avro Lancaster is a British four-engined Second World War heavy bomber made initially by Avro for the Royal Air Force . It first saw active service in 1942, and together with the Handley Page Halifax it was one of the main heavy bombers of the RAF, the RCAF, and squadrons from other...
|| Mks.II, III, V
Mks.I, II, III, X
|-
| No 1679 HCU || 13 December 1943 || 27 January 1944 || Avro Lancaster
Avro Lancaster
The Avro Lancaster is a British four-engined Second World War heavy bomber made initially by Avro for the Royal Air Force . It first saw active service in 1942, and together with the Handley Page Halifax it was one of the main heavy bombers of the RAF, the RCAF, and squadrons from other...
|| Mk.II
|-
| No 261 Maintenance Unit RAF || 15 November 1945 || 10 September 1946 || ||