First World War Acklington was an aerodrome during the
First World War and known as Royal Flying Corps Station Southfields.
Second World War 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. The following squadrons were at some point posted or attached to RAF Acklington: •
43 (China-British),
46,
111,
152 (Hyderabad),
245 (Northern Rhodesian),
258,
600 (City of London) Squadron AAF,
607 (County of Durham) Squadron AAF and
609 (West Riding) Squadron AAF. 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. 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.
Battle of Britain 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. •
79 (Madras Presidency) Squadron between 13 July 1940 and 27 August 1940 with the
Hawker Hurricane Mk I before moving to RAF Biggin Hill. •
32 Squadron between 28 August 1940 and 15 December 1940 with the Hurricane Mk I before moving to
RAF Middle Wallop. •
610 (County of Chester) Squadron AAF between 31 August 1940 and 15 December 1940 with the Spitfire I before moving to
RAF Westhampnett.
October 1940–1945 The following squadrons were at some point posted or attached to RAF Acklington: •
1,
25,
43 (China-British),
56,
63,
74,
130 (Punjab),
141,
164 (Argentine–British),
167 (Gold Coast),
198,
219 (Mysore),
222 (Natal),
263 (Fellowship of the Bellows),
266 (Rhodesia),
278,
288,
289,
291,
309,
315,
316,
317,
322 (Dutch),
349 (Belgian),
350 (Belgian),
406 RCAF,
409 RCAF,
410 RCAF,
504 (County of Nottingham) Squadron AAF,
539 and
609 (West Riding) Squadron AAF.
Postwar use The following squadron were at some point posted or attached to RAF Acklington: •
18,
19 with Mustangs,
23,
25,
29 with Meteors & Javelins,
41,
54,
56,
64,
65,
66,
92 with Hunters,
74,
85,
91,
130,
140,
202,
219 with Mosquitoes,
228,
247,
257,
263 with Meteors,
264,
266 and
275. ==Airfield units==