RAF Acklington

Location : 3 miles South-West of Amble
OS Ref : NU 230 010

 Map showing where the Acklington airfield was located.

RAF Acklington was built during the 1930's near the land of an old World War One landing site called Southfields. Southfields was a farm immediately to the South of Acklington village and 63 acres of its land was requisitioned for use as a 2nd class night landing ground for 36 (Home Defence) Squadron. It had been taken up by 31st October 1916 although it was not then ready for use. Its maximum dimensions were 800 x 460 yards. The Landing Ground was available for use until June 1919 when, following the disbanding of 36Sqn, was relinquished.

 The 'new' airfield opened during December 1937 operating under No. 25 (Armament) Group within Training Command. The first aircraft to be based at the airfield were the Fairey Seal's of No.7 Armament Training Camp which formed at the airfield on 1st April 1938.

At the outbreak of the Second World War the airfield was transferred to No.13 (Fighter) Group within Fighter Command which had formed on 15th March 1939 to cover the defence of the North of England and Scotland. Despite the airfield being designated as a rest station during the Battle of Britain, the based squadrons saw plenty of action in the early stages of war though this diminished as the war progressed and attacks on the North-East subsided. During this period the station was re-assigned to No. 12 (Fighter) Group still within Fighter Command.

In 1944, with the majority of allied assets being concentrated at Normandy No.5022 Airfield Construction Squadron (ACS) under the command of 5357 Airfield Construction Wing (headquartered at Jesmond Dene, Newcastle) moved in during June to upgrade the airfield which included the creation of three new tarmac/asphalt runways and perimeter track. The three runways were set out in the traditional ‘A’ pattern, the longest being 1,900 yards (23/05), second 1,518 yards (19/01) and third 1,208 yards (12/30), all 50 yards wide. By the time work was complete in November 1944 the airfield boasted 16 Blister, 2 F-Type and 1 Bellman hangars. Dispersals consisted of 12 single-engine protective pens, 7 twin-engine hardstands and 6 twin-engine protective pens.

In the post-war RAF re-structuring Acklington became a forward airfield within the new Newcastle sector which had its headquarters at Blakelaw equipped with a day and night-fighter squadron. This was short lived as on 1st May 1946, the airfield reverted to its Armament Practice role

On 25th Feb 1952 the station was transferred to No. 81 (Training) Group, around this time a new T2 hangar was built to the South-West of the original expansion.

On 14th January 1957 the airfield returned to being a front-line fighter station, a status it maintained until 30th Sept 1960 when 66Sqn with their Hunters disbanded. During this time a Gaydon hangar had replaced the Bellman. The following year the station was again assigned to training with 6FTS becoming resident and later transferring to No 23 (Training) Group within Flying Training Command on 4th August 1961. 6FTS remained in residence until it was disbanded on 30th June 1968, the same disbandment date as the whole 23 Group.

No 38 (Air Support) Group (Jun 1968 - 1972) within Transport Command took over the airfield with the helicopters of 18Sqn (Battlefield Support Helicopter unit) & 202Sqn (ASR) in residence. ASR hangars were built for 202Sqn

18Sqn had moved to Odiham in the summer of 69 & by the end of 1972, 202Sqn had moved to Boulmer bring an end to flying. The airfield was placed care and maintenance finally closing in late 1972. The site was purchased by the Home Office who converted the main buildings it into a category ‘C’ prison, opening in 1973, the airfield becoming an open case mine.


Spitfire LFXVI TB252 guarded the gate at RAF Acklington before moving to Boulmer in 1969

Based units

Unit

Arrived From

Arrival
Date

Dept Date

Departed To

Aircraft

7ATC

(Formed)

01/04/1938

01/04/1938

(to 7ATS)

Seal

7ATS

(7ATC renamed)

01/04/1938

15/11/1938

(to 2AOS)

Seal, Henley, Whitley III

2AOS

(7ATS renamed)

15/11/1938

03/09/1939

Warmwell

Seal, Overstrands, Hind, Harrow II

152Sqn

(Reformed)

2/10/1939

12/07/1940

Warmwell

Gladiator I / II,
Spitfire I

609Sqn

Catterick

07/10/1939

17/10/1939

Drem

Spitfire I

607Sqn

Usworth

10/10/1939

14/10/1939

Croydon

Gladiator I

111Sqn

Northolt

27/10/1939

07/12/1939

Drem

Hurricane I

43Sqn

Tangmere

18/11/1939

26/02/1940

Wick

Hurricane I

46Sqn

Digby

10/12/1939

7/01/1940

Digby

Hurricane I

72Sqn

Church Fenton

13/01/1940

31/08/1940

Biggin Hill

Spitfire I

79Sqn

Sealand

13/07/1940

27/08/1940

Biggin Hill

Hurricane I

32Sqn

Biggin Hill

27/08/1940

15/12/1940

Middle Wallop

Hurricane I

610Sqn

Biggin Hill

31/08/1940

15/12/1940

Westhampnett

Spitfire I

258Sqn

Drem

17/12/1940

01/02/1941

Jurby

Hurricane I

315Sqn

(Formed)

08/01/1941

13/03/1941

Speke

Hurricane I

317Sqn

(Formed)

19/02/1941

29/04/1941

Ouston

Hurricane I

141Sqn
(Det.)

Ayr

01/05/1941

29/01/1942

Acklington (perm)

Defiant I

406Sqn

(Formed)

10/05/1941

01/02/1942

Ayr

Blenheim IF / IVF,
Beaufighter IIF

74Sqn

Gravesend

09/07/1941

03/10/1941

Llanbedr

Spitfire IIA / VB

13TTF

(Formed)

16/07/1941

08/12/1941

(to 1490TT Flt)

Lysander II / III

43Sqn

Drem

04/10/1941

16/06/1942

Tangmere

Hurricane IIA/B

1490TT Flt

(13TTF renamed)

08/12/1941

22/04/1942

(to 1490FG Flt)

Lysander II / II
Henley, Master

141Sqn

Ayr

29/01/1942

23/06/1942

Tangmere

Beaufighter IF

1490FG Flt

(1490TT renamed)

22/04/1942

04/09/1942

Ouston

Master, Martinet

219Sqn

Tangmere

23/06/1942

21/10/1942

Scorton

Beaufighter IF

1Sqn

Tangmere

08/07/1942

09/02/1943

Biggin Hill

Hurricane IIB/C,
Typhoon IB

410Sqn

Scorton

20/10/1942

21/02/1943

Coleby Grange

Beaufighter IIF,
Mosquito II

409Sqn

Coleby Grange

23/02/1943

19/12/1943

Coleby Grange

Beaufighter VIF

198Sqn

Ouston

09/02/1943

24/03/1943

Manston

Typhoon IB

350Sqn

Fairlop

23/03/1943

08/06/1943

Ouston

Spitfire VC

6AAPS

(Formed)

01/06/1943

17/06/1943

(to 1630Flt

Lysander II / III

416th FS

Honiley

10/06/1943

04/08/1943

Maison Blanche, Algeria

Beaufighter VIF

1630Flt

(from 6AAPS)

17/06/1943

01/12/1943

(Disbanded into 291Sqn)

Lysander II / III,
Martinet

350Sqn

Ouston

20/07/1943

25/08/1943

Digby

Spitfire VC

349Sqn

Digby

25/08/1943

22/10/1943

Friston

Spitfire VA,
Spitfire VB

316Sqn

Northolt

22/09/1943

15/02/1944

Woodvale

Spitfire IX,
Spitfire LF.VB

3ADF

Catterick

08/11/1943

22/11/1943

(Disbanded)

Various

4ADF

Grangemouth

25/11/1943

08/03/1944

Clifton

Various

25Sqn

Church Fenton

19/12/1943

05/02/1944

Coltishall

Mosquito II/VI/XVII

130Sqn

Scorton

21/12/1943

04/01/1944

Scorton

Spitfire VB

409Sqn

Coleby Grange

05/02/1944

01/03/1944

Hunsdon

Beaufighter VIF,
Mosquito XIII

56Sqn

Scorton

23/02/1944

07/03/1944

Scorton

Typhoon IB

222Sqn

Catterick

25/02/1944

10/03/1944

Hornchurch

Spitfire LF.IXB

322Sqn

Hawkinge

10/03/1944

24/04/1944

Hartford Bridge

Spitfire VC
Spitfire XIV

164Sqn

Twinwood Farm

08/03/1944

16/03/1944

Thorney Island

Typhoon IB

266Sqn

Harrowbeer

15/03/1944

23/03/1944

Tangmere

Typhoon IB

3TEU ‘C Flt’

Honiley

29/05/1944

13/06/1944

Honiley

Typhoon IB

59OTU

(Reformed)

26/02/1945

06/06/1945

(Disbanded)

Typhoon IB,
Master, Martinet

19Sqn

Peterhead

23/05/1943

13/08/1945

Bradwell Bay

Mustang IV

219Sqn

Twente

14/08/1945

17/11/1945

Lübeck

Mosquito XXX

263Sqn

Manston

21/09/1945

24/01/1946

Charterhall

Meteor F3

219Sqn

Lübeck

02/12/1945

26/02/1946

Lübeck

Mosquito XXX

130Sqn

Charterhall

24/01/1946

27/01/1946

Manston

Spitfire IXB

263Sqn

Charterhall

01/03/1946

02/04/1946

Church Fenton

Meteor F3

219Sqn

Lübeck

09/03/1946

25/03/1946

Spilsby

Mosquito XXX

219Sqn

Spilsby

17/04/1946

01/05/1946

Wittering

Mosquito XXX

APS

Fairwood Common
(ex No.1 APS)

Spilsby
(ex No.2 APS)

01/05/1946

27/07/1956

(Disbanded)

Martinet TT1;
Mosquito T3/FB6/TT35;
Ballirol T2;
Spitfire LF16e;
Tempest TT5;
Vampire F1/F3/FB5/T11;
Meteor F4/T7/F8

1Sqn

Tangmere

17/06/1946

22/07/1946

Tangmere

Spitfire F21

130Sqn

Manston

17/06/1946

23/07/1946

Odiham

Spitfire IXB

85Sqn

Tangmere

07/08/1946

05/09/1946

Tangmere

Mosquito NF36

54Sqn

Odiham

09/08/1946

27/08/1946

Odiham

Tempest F2

266Sqn

Boxted

24/09/1946

31/10/1946

Boxted

Meteor F3

41Sqn

Wittering

11/11/1946

20/12/1946

Wittering

Spitfire F21

91Sqn

Duxford

06/01/1947

31/01/1947

(Renumbered 92Sqn)

Meteor F3

141Sqn

Wittering

09/01/1947

15/02/1947

Coltishall

Mosquito NF36

257Sqn

Church Fenton

12/01/1947

16/02/1947

Church Fenton

Meteor F3

92Sqn

(Reformed - ex 91Sqn)

31/01/1947

15/02/1947

Duxford

Meteor F3

1Sqn

Tangmere

24/02/1947

01/04/1947

Tangmere

Meteor F3

29Sqn

West Malling

26/02/1947

31/03/1947

West Malling

Mosquito NF36

264Sqn

Wittering

28/04/1947

05/06/1947

Wittering

Mosquito NF36

141Sqn

Coltishall

28/04/1947

05/06/1947

Coltishall

Mosquito NF36

23Sqn

Coltishall

28/04/1947

06/06/1947

Coltishall

Mosquito NF36

85Sqn

West Malling

16/06/1947

30/06/1947

West Malling

Mosquito NF36

29Sqn

West Malling

16/06/1947

24/07/1947

West Malling

Mosquito NF36

25Sqn

West Malling

16/06/1947

27/07/1947

West Malling

Mosquito NF36

54Sqn

Odiham

06/10/1947

27/11/1947

Odiham

Vampire F1

72Sqn

Odiham

06/10/1947

28/11/1947

Odiham

Vampire F1

247Sqn

Odiham

07/10/1947

27/11/1947

Odiham

Vampire F1

29Sqn

West Malling

05/01/1948

26/02/1948

West Malling

Mosquito NF36

85Sqn

West Malling

05/01/1948

26/02/1948

West Malling

Mosquito NF36

25Sqn

West Malling

05/01/1948

27/02/1948

West Malling

Mosquito NF36

64Sqn

Linton-on-Ouse

08/03/1948

30/04/1948

Linton-on-Ouse

Hornet F1;
Hornet F3?

65Sqn

Linton-on-Ouse

22/03/1948

12/05/1948

Linton-on-Ouse

Hornet F1;
Hornet F3

266Sqn

Tangmere

05/07/1948

24/08/1948

Tangmere

Meteor F4

23Sqn

Coltishall

04/10/1948

16/11/1948

Coltishall

Mosquito NF36

263Sqn

Horsham St. Faith

08/08/1949

01/09/1949

Horsham St.
Faith

Meteor F4

263Sqn

Horsham St. Faith

23/10/1950

22/11/1950

Wattisham

Meteor F8

264Sqn

Leuchars

07/08/1952

25/08/1952

Linton-on-Ouse

Meteor NF11

29Sqn

Tangmere

14/01/1957

22/07/1958

Leuchars

Meteor NF11;
Javelin FAW6;
Meteor NF12

66Sqn

Linton-on-Ouse

14/02/1957

30/09/1960

(Disbanded)

Hunter F4;
Hunter F6

275Sqn
(Det)

Detachment
from
Leconfield

09/10/1957

01/09/1959

(Renum. 228Sqn)

Sycamore HR14;
Whirlwind HAR4;
Whirlwind HAR2

228Sqn
(Det)

Detachment
from
Leconfield

01/09/1959

28/08/1964

(Renum. 202Sqn)

Sycamore HR14;
Whirlwind HAR4;
Whirlwind HAR2;
Whirlwind HAR10

6FTS

Ternhill

24/07/1961

30/06/1968

(Disbanded -
Reformed 01/05/70)

Provost T1
Jet Provost T3
Jet Provost T4

202Sqn
(Det)

Detachment
from Leconfield

29/08/1964

1972

Leconfield

Whirlwind HAR10

18Sqn

Gütersloh

05/01/1968

08/08/1969

Odiham

Wessex HC2