| RAF Clifton RAF York RAF Rawcliffe | |
| Type: | Military |
| Owner: | Air Ministry |
| Operator: | Royal Air Force (RAF) |
| Location: | Clifton Without, North Yorkshire, England |
| Built: | 1936 |
| Used: | 1936-1939 Civilian Use 1939-1946 RAF use 1946-1955 Civilian Use |
| Elevation-F: | 14m (46feet) |
| Elevation-M: | 14 |
| Coordinates: | 53.9806°N -1.1078°W |
| Pushpin Map: | North Yorkshire |
| Pushpin Label: | RAF Clifton |
| Pushpin Map Caption: | Location in North Yorkshire |
| R1-Number: | 00/00 |
| R1-Length-F: | 0 |
| R1-Length-M: | 0 |
| R2-Number: | 00/00 |
| R2-Length-F: | 0 |
| R2-Length-M: | 0 |
| R2-Surface: | Asphalt |
| R3-Number: | 00/00 |
| R3-Length-F: | 0 |
| R3-Length-M: | 0 |
| R3-Surface: | Asphalt |
Royal Air Force Clifton, or more simply RAF Clifton, is a former Royal Air Force station located north west of York city centre and south west of Haxby, 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 the Second World War and 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.
The airfield was originally York Municipal Aerodrome which opened in 1936 after an air circus had used the site previously but on 1 September 1939 the site was requisitioned by the RAF for Bomber Command.[1]
The first squadron to use the airfield was No. 613 Squadron RAF between 7 September 1940 and 8 July 1941 as a detachment while the main squadron were at RAF Firbeck. The airfield was empty until No. 4 Squadron RAF arrived on 27 August 1940 originally with the Westland Lysander III/IIIA adding the Tomahawk IIA in April 1942 and the North American Mustang I in May 1943.
On 27 June 1942 No. 169 Squadron RAF arrived with the Mustang I as a detachment from RAF Doncaster. The squadron stayed until 12 October 1942.
During its lifetime Clifton was used by RAF Bomber Command, RAF Army Cooperation Command, Fleet Air Arm, RAF Fighter Command and RAF Maintenance Command.[3]
A Handley Page Halifax Mk VII JP203 crashed on approach to Clifton on the 8 June 1945. The aircraft had left Hooton Park, Cheshire on route to Clifton for scrapping by No. 48 Maintenance Unit RAF. Both crew members on board were killed.[4]
The airfield site now forms a housing estate,[2] industrial estate, shopping centre[5] and local nature reserve (Clifton Backies).[6]
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.[7]