RAF Riccall is a former Royal Air Force airfield located 3.1 miles (5 km) north east of Selby, North Yorkshire and 7.9 miles (12.7 km) south west of Elvington, North Yorkshire, England.

RAF Riccall
IATA: none ICAO: none
Summary
Airport type	Military
Owner	Air Ministry
Operator	Royal Air Force
Location	Riccall, North Yorkshire
Built	1941 (1941)
In use	1942-1958 (1958)
Elevation AMSL	33 ft / 10 m
Coordinates	53°49′26″N 001°01′50″W
Map
RAF Riccall Location in North Yorkshire
Runways
Direction Length Surface ft m 00/00 5,940 1,810 Asphalt 00/00 4,290 1,310 Asphalt 00/00 4,620 1,410 Asphalt

History

The airfield was opened in September 1942 as a satellite to RAF Marston Moor.[1] It had three runways of the A-style airfield; the longest was 5,940 feet (1,810 m) long, the second was 4,290 feet (1,310 m) long and the third was 4,620 feet (1,410 m) long. All were 50 yards (46 m) wide.[2][3] The technical site consisted of six T2 hangars and one B1 hangar.[4]

During October 1942, No. 76 and No. 80 Conversion Flights (along with No. 10 Conversion Flight from another airfield) joined together to make No. 1658 Heavy Conversion Unit RAF.[5][6]

The following units were based at the airfield:

• No. 35 Maintenance Unit RAF.[7]
• No. 91 Maintenance Unit RAF.[7]
• No. 261 Maintenance Unit RAF.[7]
• No. 268 Maintenance Unit RAF.[7]
• No. 939 (West Riding) Balloon Squadron AAF.[7]
• No. 1332 (Transport) Heavy Conversion Unit RAF.[7]
• No. 1341 (Special Duties) Flight RAF.[7]
• Airborne Forces Experimental Establishment.[7]
• York & District Flying Group.[7]

After 1945, flying ceased, although the site was used as storage until 1958. The south west side of the airfield and storage area is now part of Skipwith Common National Nature Reserve.[8] Part of the site was also used for mining coal as part of the Selby Coalfield operation between the 1980s and 2004.[9]

Current use

The site is now used for farming.[7]

References

Sources

• Delve, Ken (2006). Northern England : Co. Durham, Cumbria, Isle of Man, Lancashire, Merseyside, Manchester, Northumberland, Tyne & Wear, Yorkshire. Ramsbury: Crowood. ISBN 1-86126-809-2.
• Jacobs, Peter (2021). Bomber Command Airfields of Yorkshire. Barnsley: Pen and Sword. ISBN 978-1-78346-331-2.
• Halpenny, Bruce Barrymore (1982). Action stations 4: military airfields of Yorkshire. Wellingborough: Stephens. ISBN 0-85059-532-0.
• Jefford, C. G. (2001). RAF squadrons : a comprehensive record of the movement and equipment of all RAF squadrons and their antecedents since 1912 (2 ed.). Shrewsbury: Airlife. ISBN 1-84037-141-2.
• Lake, Alan (1999). Flying units of the RAF : the ancestry, formation and disbandment of all flying units from 1912. Shrewsbury: Airlife. ISBN 1-84037-086-6.
• Otter, Patrick (1998). Yorkshire airfields in the Second World War. Newbury: Countryside Books. ISBN 1-85306-542-0.

External links

• Atlantik Wall - RAF Riccall
• Image of RAF Riccall from 1947