Breighton Aerodrome Explained

Breighton Airfield (RAF Breighton)
Icao:	EGBR
Owner:	Air Ministry 1940–1964 Private 1964 – present
Operator:	Royal Air Force 1940–1964 Private 1964 – present
Location:	Breighton, East Riding of Yorkshire
Used:	1942–
Elevation-M:	6
Elevation-F:	6m (20feet)
Pushpin Map:	East Riding of Yorkshire
Pushpin Label:	EGBR
Pushpin Map Caption:	Location in East Riding of Yorkshire
R1-Number:	11/29
R1-Length-M:	0
R1-Length-F:	0
R1-Surface:	Grass
R2-Number:	00/00
R2-Length-M:	0
R2-Length-F:	0
R2-Surface:	Asphalt
R3-Number:	00/00
R3-Length-M:	0
R3-Length-F:	0
R3-Surface:	Asphalt
R4-Number:	00/00
R4-Length-M:	0
R4-Length-F:	0
R4-Surface:	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,^[1] 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

Squadron	Equipment	From	To	To	Notes
		16 June 1943	20 September 1945
	Bristol Bloodhound I	7 November 1960	31 March 1964	Disbanded
		1 August 1959	8 January 1963	Disbanded
	Vickers Wellington IV Handley Page Halifax II Avro Lancaster I/III	4 January 1942	14 May 1943

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^[2]
• No. 2797 Squadron RAF Regiment^[2]

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.^[1]

Five people were injured in a helicopter crash at the airfield on 17 July 2016.^[3]

References

Bibliography

• • • Book: Sturtivant. R. Hamlin. J. Halley. J. Royal Air Force flying training and support units . 1997 . Air-Britain (Historians). UK. 0-85130-252-1.

External links

• Real Aeroplane Company

Notes and References

1. Web site: Airfield history . The Real Aeroplane Company. 27 September 2012.
2. Web site: Breighton - Units . Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust. 4 June 2016.
3. News: Five casualties after helicopter crash. BBC News. 17 July 2016.