RAF Acklington

Acklington was an aerodrome during the First World War and known as Royal Flying Corps Station Southfields.[4]

The airfield was reopened on Friday 1 April 1938 being renamed to RAF Acklington where No. 7 Armament Training Station was formed which on 15 November 1938 transformed into No. 2 Air Observers School. During September 1939 the school moved to RAF Warmwell and the airfield was handed over to RAF Fighter Command as part of 13 Group where it became a sector airfield.[5]

The following squadrons were at some point posted or attached to RAF Acklington:[6]

• 43, 46, 111, 152, 245, 258, 600, 607 and 609.

On 3 February 1940 three Hawker Hurricane fighters from 43 Squadron at Acklington intercepted and shot down a Luftwaffe Heinkel He 111 bomber at Whitby. The formation was led by Flight Lieutenant Peter Townsend. It was the first German aircraft to fall on English soil in the Second World War (although it was not the first to be shot down in the United Kingdom, that having occurred in Scotland). The intercept was based on a plot by operators at RAF Danby Beacon, a radar station about ten miles west of Whitby. Townsend visited the German rear gunner in hospital the next day, and visited him again in 1968 when Townsend was writing his highly-successful book about the Battle of Britain, "Duel of Eagles," which recounts the incident in detail.[7]

On 21 October 1942 well known test pilot Gerry Sayer departed from RAF Acklington in a Hawker Typhoon to test a gunsight during gun firing into Druridge Bay Ranges, and was accompanied by another Typhoon. Neither aircraft returned and it was assumed that they collided over the bay. Sayer was replaced as Gloster's chief test pilot by his deputy, Michael Daunt.

RAF Acklington was home to the following squadrons during the Battle of Britain:

• 72 Squadron between 6 June 1940 and 31 August 1940 with the Supermarine Spitfire Mk I before moving to RAF Biggin Hill.[8]
• 79 Squadron between 13 July 1940 and 27 August 1940 with the Hawker Hurricane Mk I before moving to RAF Biggin Hill.[9]
• 32 Squadron between 28 August 1940[10] and 15 December 1940 with the Hurricane Mk I before moving to RAF Middle Wallop.[11]
• 610 Squadron between 31 August 1940[12] and 15 December 1940 with the Spitfire Mk I before moving to RAF Westhampnett.[13]

The following squadrons were at some point posted or attached to RAF Acklington:[6]

• 1, 25, 43, 56, 63, 74, 130, 141, 164, 167, 198, 219, 222, 263, 266, 278, 288, 289, 291, 309, 315, 316, 317, 322, 349, 350, 406, 409, 410, 504, 539 and 609.

The following squadron were at some point posted or attached to RAF Acklington:[6]

• 18, 19 with Mustang's, 23, 25, 29 with Meteor's & Javelin's, 41, 54, 56, 64, 65, 66, 92 with Hunter's, 74, 85, 91, 130, 140, 202, 219 with Mosquitoes, 228, 247, 257, 263 with Meteor's, 264, 266 and 275.

• Birtles, P. (2012). UK Airfields of the Cold War. Midland Publishing. ISBN 978-1-85780-346-4.
• Delve, Ken (2006). The Military Airfields of Britain: Northern England: Co. Durham, Cumbria, Isle of Man, Lancashire, Merseyside, Manchester, Northumberland, Tyne & Wear, Yorkshire. Marlborough: The Crowood Press. ISBN 1-86126-809-2.
• Falconer, J (2012). RAF Airfields of World War 2. UK: Ian Allan Publishing. ISBN 978-1-85780-349-5.
• Jefford, C G (1988). RAF Squadrons. A comprehensive record of the movement and equipment of all RAF squadrons and their antecedents since 1912. Shrewsbury: Airlife. ISBN 1-85310-053-6.
• Stewart, Elizabeth (2002). RAF Acklington. Amble, Northumberland, UK: Amble Social History Group.
• Sturtivant, R; Hamlin, J; Halley, J (1997). Royal Air Force flying training and support units. UK: Air-Britain (Historians). ISBN 0-85130-252-1.