RAF Melbourne

Royal Air Force Melbourne or more simply RAF Melbourne is a former Royal Air Force station used during the Second World War. Located 5 miles (8 km) to the south-west of Pocklington, Yorkshire, England. The nearest village is Seaton Ross.

RAF Melbourne

Aerial view (2014)
Summary
Airport typeMilitary
OperatorRoyal Air Force
LocationSeaton Ross
Coordinates53°52′04″N 000°50′19″W
Map
RAF Melbourne
Location in the East Riding of Yorkshire
Runways
Direction Length Surface
ft m
00/00 0 0 Concrete
00/00 0 0 Concrete
00/00 0 0 Concrete

History

East Common just outside the village of Seaton Ross was requisitioned for use as a grass airfield in November 1940. In late 1940 the airfield was used by Armstrong Whitworth Whitleys of 10 Squadron as a relief landing ground for RAF Leeming. The airfield soon closed for re-development as a standard RAF Bomber Command airfield with three concrete runways and three hangars.

Handley Page Halifax aircraft landing at RAF Melbourne during the Second World War

The first user of the re-built airfield was again 10 Squadron but by this time operating the Handley Page Halifax four-engined heavy bomber, little time was wasted before the aircraft were used on operational sorties from Melbourne. The squadron continued with operation until March 1945 and lost 109 aircraft on operations.

Melbourne was one of seventeen sites equipped with FIDO fog dispersant system. This made the airfield a popular diversion for other squadrons returning from operations to Yorkshire in extreme bad weather conditions.

In May 1945 the airfield was transferred to RAF Transport Command and 575 Squadron moved in with the Douglas Dakota. The squadron only stayed for a few months operating transport flight to and from continental Europe. With the departure of the Dakota a number of specialised Flights used the airfield for six months but by the middle of 1946 the airfield was no longer used for flying.

RAF units and aircraft

[1][2][3]

Unit Dates Aircraft Variant Notes
No. 10 Squadron RAF 1942–1945 Handley Page Halifax II converted to III from 1944 Four-engined heavy bomber.
No. 575 Squadron RAF 1946 Douglas Dakota Twin-engined transport.
No. 1510 (BABS) Flight RAF 1945–1946 Airspeed Oxford Blind approach training flight
No. 1552 (Radio Aids Training) Flight RAF 1945–1946 Airspeed Oxford
Avro Anson		 Blind approach training flight
No. 1553 (Radio Aids Training) Flight RAF 1945 Airspeed Oxford Blind approach training flight
No. 1554 (Radio Aids Training) Flight RAF 1945 Airspeed Oxford Blind approach training flight
  • No. 4 Group Communication Flight RAF (1945–1946)
  • No. 91 Maintenance Unit RAF (1949–1954)

Current use

The site was used for a farmers market in the 1970s, but was gradually adapted into a racing track.[4] Until 2017, the airfield was home to York Raceway running drag racing throughout the summer. York Raceway did not operated at Melbourne in 2018 or 2019, however, after a fundraising effort and a new drag strip laid, drag racing returned to Melbourne in August 2020.[5] The airfield is now home to Melbourne Raceway running drag racing under the organisation of Straightliners. The runway is also used for flying by Pocklington Gyroplane School for Saturday afternoon meets.[6]

References
  1. Jefford 1985, page 168
  2. Sturtivant 2007, page 327
  3. Delve 2006, page 193
  4. Halpenny, Bruce Barrymore (1982). Action stations. Wellingborough: Stephens. p. 146. ISBN 0-85059-532-0.
  5. Calton, Gary (10 August 2020). "Burning rubber: racing returns to Melbourne Raceway – photo essay". The Guardian. Retrieved 27 January 2021.
  6. "Pocklington Gyroplane School". pocklingtongyroplaneschool.co.uk. Retrieved 27 January 2021.

Sources
  • Delve, Ken (2006). The Military Airfields of Britain - Northern England. The Crowood Press. ISBN 1-86126-809-2.
  • Jefford, C.G. (1988). RAF Squadrons. Airlife Publishing Ltd. ISBN 1-85310-053-6.
  • Sturivant, Ray (2007). RAF Flying Training and Support Units since 1912. Air-Britain. ISBN 0-85130-365-X.
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