RAF Leconfield
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53^52’37” N, 00^26’15” W
RAF Leconfield was sited in Leconfield, near Beverley, East Riding of Yorkshire.
265 Km North of London.
The site is now used by the MOD [Ministry Of Defense] School of Transport.
The Airfield was opened on 3rd December 1936 as a Bomber Command Airfield, with 5 large hangers, four of which were built facing the Bombing Circle, the fifth was placed behind them, in the South end.
The first residents were No 166 Squadron, flying Handley Page Heyfords, they re-equiped with Armstrong Whitworth Whitley Mk 1s on 1st June 1939.
Handley Page Hayford
Armstrong Whitworth Whitley
They were there from January 1937 to 18th September 1939.
They were followed a month later by No 97 Squadron, also flying Heyfords,
Both Squadrons were under the control of No 3 Group Bomber Command.
On the night of 3rd September 1939, the first night of the war, 10 Whitley bombers from Leconfield became the first British Aircraft to penetrate German airspace, dropping propaganda pamphlets over Germany.
In October 1939 the Station was taken over by 13 Group, Fighter Command, and the Mk 1 Spitfires of No 72 Squadron arrived from RAF Church Fenton.
During the Battle of Britain, many other Squadrons made Leconfield their tempory home, to rest and recuperate.
Included was No 485 [NZ] Squadron, flying Spitfires,
485 [NZ] Squadron, with the NZ Minister of Defence at Leconsfield.
On 18th June 1941 the pilot of this aircraft, [Spitfire P7758], was undertaking aerobatics over Leconfield airfield when the Spitfire struck the ground.
The pilot was killed in the crash.
There is a suggestion that he was undertaking these aerobatics for his brother who was visiting the station.
Pilot - Sgt Kevin Desmond Cox RNZAF (NZ401257), aged 20, of Hamilton, Auckland, New Zealand.
Buried Leconfield Churchyard, Yorkshire.
Spitfire P7758 was built to contract B.981687/39/CB.23(c) by Vickers Armstrong's Ltd. at Castle Bromwich and was delivered to the RAF on 10th December 1940 to 37 MU at Burtonwood.
On 21st February 1941 it was taken on charge by 145 Squadron at Tangmere, it then moved with the unit to Merston on 7th May 1941.
On 1st May 1941 it was transferred to 485 [NZ] Squadron at Leconfield.
As a result of the accident on 18th June 1941 Cat.E2/FA(Burnt) damage was recorded and the aircraft was struck off charge on 23th June 1941.
During this period there was also a dummy/decoy airfield at nearby Routh.
In early 1941, preparations were commenced to receive bombers again by laying 3 concrete runways, all originally 1,300 yards long, the perimeter track had 36 pan type parking sites built on it .
However as soon as the work was completed a lengthening was commenced, to allow the heavy bombers to operate from the Airfield.
The main runway, 01/19 was extended to 2,000 yards, 05/23 and 14/32 were extended to 1,400 yards long.
In the late 1950’s the main runway was extended to 3,000 yards long to accommodate the jets.
During the reconstruction the Airfield remained in use, with no 15 [Pilot] Advanced Flying Unit and also used to assemble and house the personnel of the new Canadian No 6 Group, that was being established in North Yorkshire.
At its peak, the Station provided accommodation for 2,560 personnel.
For interest, the following observation, that could apply to any of the Bomber Command Stations.
“In his book ”Wings” Patrick Bishop has this to say:
“In Churchill’s famous speech of 20 August 1940 there is a passage that no one now remembers.
While praising the fighter pilots, he also emphasized that ‘we must never forget that all the time, night after night, month after month, our bomber squadrons travel far into Germany, find their targets in the darkness by the highest navigational skill, aim the attacks often under the heaviest fire, often with serious loss, with deliberate careful discrimination, and inflict shattering blows upon the whole of the technical and war-making structure of the Nazi power.”
This was Churchill at his best. Full of bullshit, bluster and a consummate liar. “
Total Bomber Command losses in aircraft operation from Leconsfield was 143 aircraft.
Leconsfield was transferred to Transport Command on 7th May 1945
in October 1945, and until the early 1950’s, Leconsfield was home to the Central Gunnery School, which among other functions, trained Air Gunnery Instructors in Wellington Bombers, and Pilot Attack Instructors in Spitfire and Mosquito aircraft.
This School was later transferred into the Fighter Weapons School, flying mainly single seat De Havilland Venoms and Meteors and two seat De Havilland Vampire T11’s
In the 1950’s, Leconsfield was nominated as a ‘Dispersal’ Station for the RAF “V” bomber force.
In 1977 the Airfield was taken over by the Army, renamed Normandy Barracks, and its main role since has been in driving instruction.
The RAF has maintained use of an area of the site for Air Sea Rescue helicopters
with thanks to son-of-satire for the banner