RAF Leconfield
Station Crest
Role	Defence School of Transport
Location	Beverley, Yorkshire
Date Opened	1936
Date Closed	Currently Active

The former Royal Air Force Station Leconfield, more commonly known as RAF Leconfield, or 'Leconfield Camp' was a Royal Air Force airbase in Leconfield (near Beverley), East Riding of Yorkshire, England. Beverley is a Market town, Civil parish and the County town of the East Riding of Yorkshire, England, located between the River Yorkshire is a historic county of Northern England and the largest in Great Britain. An airbase, sometimes referred to as an Air Force Station, a military Airport or airfield, provides basing and support of Military Leconfield is a village and Civil parish in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. Beverley is a Market town, Civil parish and the County town of the East Riding of Yorkshire, England, located between the River England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland The site is now used by the MoD Defence School of Transport. The Ministry of Defence ( MoD) is the United Kingdom government department responsible for implementation of government defence policy and is the headquarters

History

Leconfield opened in December 1936 as part of RAF Bomber Command. Year 1936 ( MCMXXXVI) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. RAF Bomber Command was the organisation that controlled the RAF 's bomber forces from 1936 to 1968 Handley Page Heyford bombers were flown from there from 1937. The Handley Page Heyford was a twin-engine British Biplane bomber of the 1930s Year 1937 ( MCMXXXVII) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. On the night of the 3 September 1939, the first night of the war, ten Whitley bombers from Leconfield became the first British aircraft to penetrate German air space, dropping propaganda leaflets over Germany. Events 36 BC - In the Battle of Naulochus, Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa, Admiral of Octavian, defeats Sextus Pompeius Year 1939 ( MCMXXXIX) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. In October 1939 it was taken over by Fighter Command and the Spitfires of 72 squadron arrived from RAF Church Fenton. Fighter Command was one of three functional commands that dominated the public perception of the Royal Air Force for much of the mid-20th century No 72 Squadron Royal Air Force is currently a training reserve squadron based at RAF Linton-on-Ouse. RAF Church Fenton is a Royal Air Force airfield in North Yorkshire, England. During the Battle of Britain, the station was a temporary home to many other squadrons of Fighter Command which made short stays here to rest and re-group. The Battle of Britain (German ''Luftschlacht um England'' is the name given to the sustained strategic effort by the German Luftwaffe during the summer and During this period there was also a decoy airfield at nearby Routh.

During the war the RAF squadrons based at Leconfield were: No. 51 Squadron; 166 Squadron; No. No 51 Squadron of the Royal Air Force operate the Nimrod R1 from RAF Waddington, Lincolnshire 196 Squadron; No. 466 Squadron; 610 Squadron; No. 640 Squadron. No 610 (County of Chester Squadron of the Royal Air Force was formed on Feb 10, 1936 at Hooton Park, Wirral, Cheshire No 640 Squadron RAF was a bomber squadron of the Royal Air Force during the Second World War.

In the 1950s Leconfield was a 'dispersal base' for the RAF V-bomber force. History Early development RAF Bomber Command ended World War II with a policy of using heavy four- Piston-engined bombers for massed In the early 1950's it was home to the Central Gunnery School which, among other functions, trained air gunners in Lincoln bombers. This School later transformed into the Fighter Weapons School. The aircraft then flown were mainly single seat Venoms and Meteors, plus twin seat Vampire T11, Meteor trainers & Hawker Hunters for trials with ADEN cannons in 1957. Bristol Sycamore helicopters of No. 228 Squadron RAF arrived there in 1957.

In the 1960s it became home to 19Sqdn and 92 Sqdn with Lightning F. 2s, which moved from RAF Church Fenton, before their move to RAF Gütersloh in West Germany. It then became home to 60MU and also 202 'D' Flight with Wessex Whirlwind helicopters. 60MU was responsible for the Major Servicing of the EE/BAC Lightnings plus several other tasks.

In the 1970s the control tower at Leconfield developed a reputation for being haunted by a Flight Lieutenant who had been killed on the station. This article is about the Decade 1970-1979 For the Year 1970 see 1970. A ghost is said to be the apparition of a Deceased person frequently similar in appearance to that person and usually encountered in places she or he frequented

The cinema on the camp is now a listed building because the building is the only one of its type.

Current role

Leconfield is now administered by the Royal Logistic Corps of the British Army as the Defence School of Transport, Europe's largest driver training establishment, the accommodation is designated as Normandy Barracks. Royal Logistic Corps is the British Army Corps that provides the logistic support for the Army The British Army is the land armed forces branch of the British Armed Forces. Driving is the controlled operation of a land Vehicle, usually a Motor vehicle such as a Truck or a car.

Although flying operations are not now the main role of Leconfield, two Sea King helicopters of 'E' Flight, 202 Sqn are based here in the Search and Rescue role. History Since 400 AD Chinese children have played with bamboo flying toys. No 202 Squadron of the Royal Air Force operates the Sea King HAR For the TV series of this title see Search and Rescue (TV series.

References

• The Wartime Memories Project - RAF Leconfield
• The Wartime Memories Project - No. 166 Squadron
• The Wartime Memories Project - No. 610 Squadron

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