Royal Air Force Skipton-on-Swale or more simply RAF Skipton-on-Swale is a former Royal Air Force satellite station operated by RAF Bomber Command during the Second World War. The station was located at Skipton-on-Swale west of Thirsk (near the present-day junction of the A61 and A167), North Yorkshire, England. The village of Sandhutton is located just to the east. RAF Skipton-on-Swale was a sub-station of RAF Leeming.
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 (RCAF), which moved to RAF Middleton St. George in October 1942. Skipton was assigned to No. 6 Group, Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) in January 1943. RCAF squadrons stationed here included 424 Squadron, No. 432 Squadron (which moved to RAF East Moor in September 1943), and 433 Squadron. Both squadrons flew the Halifax bomber until replaced by the Lancaster 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 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 +data from Unit Aircraft Version(s) From To To No. 420 Squadron RCAF Vickers Wellington Mk.III 6 August 1942 15 October 1942 RAF Middleton St. George No. 424 Squadron RCAF Vickers Wellington Handley Page Halifax Avro Lancaster Mk.X Mk.III Mks.I & III 6 November 1943 15 October 1945 Disbanded No. 432 Squadron RCAF Vickers Wellington Mk.X 1 May 1943 18 September 1943 RAF East Moor No. 433 Squadron RCAF Handley Page Halifax Avro Lancaster Mk.III Mks.I & III 25 September 1943 15 October 1945 Disbanded
Civilian use In 2025, the charity Yorkshire Air Ambulance, which is currently based at RAF Topcliffe about away, started construction of a new purpose-built facility on the part of the airfield. It is being constructed on the site of the former medical centre and is planned to open in summer 2026.
References Citations
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External links RAF Skipton-on-Swale at RAF History - Bomber Command 60th Anniversary Wartime memories project Control Towers Geograph image