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.
The airfield was built between 1940 and 1942 for No. 1 Group RAF,[1] its first residents were the No. 460 Squadron RAAF.[2]
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.[3]
The base closed in March 1964, when the last active unit (which operated the Bristol Bloodhound air-defence missile) withdrew.[4]
Squadrons
SquadronEquipmentFromToToNotes
No. 78 Squadron RAFHandley Page Halifax II/III/VI
Douglas Dakota16 June 194320 September 1945RAF Almaza[5]
No. 112 Squadron RAFBristol Bloodhound I7 November 196031 March 1964Disbanded[6]
No. 240 Squadron RAFPGM-17 Thor1 August 19598 January 1963Disbanded[3]
No. 460 Squadron RAAFVickers Wellington IV
Handley Page Halifax II
Avro Lancaster I/III4 January 194214 May 1943RAF Binbrook[2]
Units
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No. 20 Blind Approach Training Flight RAF (October 1941) became No. 1520 (Beam Approach Training) Flight RAF (October 1941 - June 1944)[7]
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Sub site for No. 35 Maintenance Unit RAF (November 1945 - June 1951)[8]
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Relief Landing Ground for No. 103 Flying Refresher School RAF (June - November 1951)[9]
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Relief Landing Ground for No. 207 Advanced Flying School RAF (November 1951 - June 1954)[10]
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No. 460 Conversion Flight RAF (May - August 1942 & September - October 1942)[11] became 'A' Flight of No. 1656 Heavy Conversion Unit RAF (October - November 1942)[12]
Current use
Mustangs flying during Breighton Airshow
The original runways are covered in buildings but the outline of the runways, taxiways and dispersal stands are clearly visible using satellite imagery.[4]
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.