RAF Thornaby

The aerodrome was officially opened on 29 September 1929, although flying in Thornaby dates back to 1912 when Gustav Hamel used the Vale Farm for a flying display. Subsequently, the Royal Flying Corps used the same fields as a staging post between Catterick and Marske Aerodrome between 1914 and 1918. In 1920, the government purchased 50 acre of farm land from Thornaby Hall and developed the site. The first squadron to occupy the new airfield was No. 608, who were formed here as No. 608 County of York (North Riding) Squadron on 17 March 1930, under the command of Flying Instructor, Squadron Leader William Howard-Davies, and operating Westland Wapitis and Avro 504Ns. No 608 Squadron were the…

RAF Thornaby closed to flying in October 1958 when the Hawker Hunters of 92 Squadron left for RAF Middleton St George, the station was reduced to a care and maintenance level until being sold to the then Thornaby-on-Tees Borough Council for redevelopment in 1962. It became known to the council in 1958 that the RAF were to abandon the airfield and, after a period of negotiations with the North Riding County Council as local planning authority, the various land uses for the area were agreed upon and in 1961 an amended town map was approved by the Minister of Housing and Local Government. Most of the airfield now lies beneath houses, light industrial units and the Pavilions shopping centre as…