Royal Air Force Skipton-on-Swale or more simply RAF Skipton-on-Swale is a former

Royal Air Force The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the Air force, air and space force of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies. It was formed towards the end of the World War I, First World War on 1 April 1918, on the merger of t ...

satellite station A broadcast relay station, also known as a satellite station, relay transmitter, broadcast translator (U.S.), re-broadcaster (Canada), repeater (two-way radio) or complementary station (Mexico), is a broadcast transmitter which repeats (or tran ...

operated by

RAF Bomber Command RAF Bomber Command controlled the Royal Air Force's bomber forces from 1936 to 1968. Along with the United States Army Air Forces, it played the central role in the Strategic bombing during World War II#Europe, strategic bombing of Germany in W ...

during the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

. The station was located at

Skipton-on-Swale Skipton-on-Swale is a village and civil parish in the county of North Yorkshire, England. The population at the 2011 Census was less than 100. Details are included in the civil parish of Catton, North Yorkshire. It lies on the A61 road, abo ...

west of

Thirsk Thirsk is a market town and civil parish in North Yorkshire, England; it is known for its racecourse and depiction as local author James Herriot's fictional Darrowby. History Archeological finds indicate there was a settlement in Thirsk aro ...

(near the present-day junction of the A61 and A167),

North Yorkshire North Yorkshire is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in Northern England.The Unitary authorities of England, unitary authority areas of City of York, York and North Yorkshire (district), North Yorkshire are in Yorkshire and t ...

, England. The village of

Sandhutton Sandhutton is a small village and civil parish in North Yorkshire, England. It lies about west of Thirsk on the A167. It has been referred to as Hutton, Hutton (Sand), and Sand Hutton. The name derives from Old English which translates as ...

is located just to the east. RAF Skipton-on-Swale was a sub-station of

RAF Leeming Royal Air Force Leeming or more simply RAF Leeming is a Royal Air Force station located near Leeming, North Yorkshire, England. It was opened in 1940 and was jointly used by the RAF and the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF). Between 1950 and 19 ...

History

The airfield opened in autumn 1942, becoming operational in May 1943. Skipton-on-Swale was originally a 4 Group facility and first hosted 420 Squadron,

Royal Canadian Air Force The Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF; ) is the air and space force of Canada. Its role is to "provide the Canadian Forces with relevant, responsive and effective airpower". The RCAF is one of three environmental commands within the unified Can ...

(RCAF), which moved to RAF Middleton St. George in October 1942. Skipton was assigned to No. 6 Group,

(RCAF) in January 1943. RCAF squadrons stationed here included 424 Squadron, No. 432 Squadron (which moved to

RAF East Moor Royal Air Force East Moor or RAF East Moor is a former Royal Air Force satellite station located north of York, North Yorkshire and south-east of Easingwold, North Yorkshire, England. The airfield was initially controlled by the Royal Air For ...

in September 1943), and 433 Squadron. Both squadrons flew the Halifax bomber until replaced by the

Lancaster Lancaster may refer to: Lands and titles *The County Palatine of Lancaster, a synonym for Lancashire *Duchy of Lancaster, one of only two British royal duchies *Duke of Lancaster *Earl of Lancaster *House of Lancaster, a British royal dynasty ...

in January 1945. 424 Squadron lost 52 aircraft and 433 Squadron lost 38 aircraft. Nos. 424 and 433 Squadrons were disbanded in October 1945. After this the airfield was closed. The station was not used again and has since reverted largely to farmland. The site is home to turkey and pig farms. In 1984, veterans of the RCAF, including survivors of the crash of an RCAF Halifax in the area, and other air force representatives and local residents, gathered in the village for a commemoration of the wartime base. A cairn to 6 Group was dedicated and a Lancaster of the

Battle of Britain Memorial Flight The Battle of Britain Memorial Flight (BBMF) is a Royal Air Force Flight (military unit), flight which provides an aerial display group usually comprising an Avro Lancaster heavy bomber and two fighters, a Supermarine Spitfire and a Hawker Hurr ...

made a flypast.See video of commemoration: Yorkshire TV "Canadian Airforce Skipton on Swale UK Memorial Dedication news report 1984", https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hbu546l0PlU

Operational units and aircraft

References

Citations

Bibliography

* * * *

External links

RAF Skipton-on-Swale at RAF History - Bomber Command 60th Anniversary

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Skipton-on-Swale History of North Yorkshire Royal Air Force stations in Yorkshire Royal Air Force stations of World War II in the United Kingdom Military units and formations disestablished in 1945 Military history of North Yorkshire