History of RAF Leeming

Origins

Work began on RAF Leeming in 1938 as part of the Royal Air Force expansion scheme and was based on the site of the Londonderry flying club and Newton House which was part of the Duke of Cleveland’s estate. Prior to official opening on 3 Jun 1940 the station was used by Catterick based 219Sqn as a night fighter base flying Blenheim Mk.1Fs under the command of Sqn Ldr J H Little.

World War II

10Sqn were the first to be officially assigned to the station under the leadership of Gp Capt ‘King Kong’ Staton DSO MC DFC ADC before 77Sqn became the primary bomber sqn at RAF Leeming under the command of Wg Cdr B Bennett, later of Pathfinder fame.

In 1942 the station was handed over the No 6 (Royal Canadian Air Force) Bomber Group and was home, firstly to 405 (Vancouver) and 408 (Goose) Sqns before 427 (Lion) and 429 (Bison) Sqns from 1943 to 1945.

Training Station

On 30 June 1946 the station was earmarked for disbandment, a reoccurring theme in RAF Leeming’s history, but instead became a flying training centre. No54 OTU, a night-fighter conversation unit arrived on 28 June 1946 followed by the arrival of No13 OTU a light-bomber training unit on 1 May 1947; this led to the amalgamation of both OTUs to form No228 OCU, which for the next 14 years saw an assortment of aircraft stationed at RAF Leeming.

During this period RAF Leeming had its fair share of accidents, one of the most tragic occurred on 13 August 1951. Flt Lt George Quinton DFC was a navigator under instruction on a Wellington bomber which was involved in a mid-air collision with a Miles Martinet. With the Wellington breaking up mid air, Quinton grabbed the only parachute and fitted it to an Air Training Corps Cadet, who was taking part in an air experience flight, before pushing him out of the aircraft. Flt Lt Quinton was posthumously awarded the George Cross for his courage and self sacrifice. One of the new SLAM accommodation blocks due to open in the summer of 2011 is to be named after him.

The Mountain Rescue Team was reformed at RAF Leeming on 6 July 1959 following its disbandment at RAF Topcliffe and consisted of full-time and volunteer staff. The Team still looks after an area ranging from the Lake District to the North Yorkshire Moors and the Cheviots to the Peak District.

The rebirth of No3 Flying Training School on 15 September 1961 saw the new concept of ‘all through jet training’ for the RAF, leading to the arrival of the Jet Provost aircraft to RAF Leeming. No 3FTS remained in existence at RAF Leeming until 11 September 1984.

Northumbria University Air Squadron was formed from Durham UAS (originally formed in 1941), Newcastle University and various polytechnics in 1963; accepted students were required to join the RAFVR and undergo 65 hours of flying tuition. Around this time saw the arrival of No11 Air Experience Flight; both units still exist today. The Royal Naval Elementary Flying Training Squadron (RNEFTS) joined the training squadrons at RAF Leeming on 29 November 1974; the purpose of the RNEFTS was to instil an ‘air mindedness’ into its officers prior to rotary training at RNAS Culdrose.

Air Defence Station

Following the demise of No3 FTS in March 1984, the station underwent a £148m reconstruction period that was based around the new F2 Air Defence Variant Tornado.

RAF Leeming received formal recognition on 10 September 1988 as a Air Defence Main Operating Base under Strike Command with XI(fighter), 23(fighter), and XXV(fighter Squadrons equipped with F3 Air Defence aircraft.

As late as 2007 the F3s from RAF Leeming were used to monitor Russian aircraft overflying UK airspace. The last F3 left RAF Leeming in April 2008.

The F3s were joined by the black Hawk T1 aircraft from No 100 Sqn on 1995, who provide Fast Jet Weapon Specialist Training and with RAF Leeming’s access to the North Sea flying ranges, 100Sqn providing more cost effective ‘Red Air’ for flying training missions.

Diversification.

Given the location of RAF Leeming in the heart of North Yorkshire, affords it access to prime training ranges. Capitalising on this fact and with access to the Hawk aircraft, 1995 also saw the arrival of the Joint Forward Air Control Training and Standards Unit, which provides ab initio Forward Air Control (FAC) training and supervisory FAC training in support of UK, NATO and Coalition operations.

In 1999 No 609 (West Riding) RAF Auxiliary Squadron was reformed from the Air Defense Support Squadron which itself had formed on 1 Jul 1998 at RAF Leeming. This was followed by the arrival of 34 Squadron RAF Regiment in 2001; both units come under No2 Force Protection Wing’s command and control and provide Force Protection to UK, NATO and Coalition forces around the World

On 26 Feb 2004 No 10 Royal Engineers Field Squadron finally completed work on their new home which was formally occupied by 234 Fd Sqn (Air Sp) (V) and is situated on the south-west corner of the airfield.

90 Signals Unit arrived in 2005 from RAF Brize Norton and forms the largest lodger unit on the station. 90SU has around 950 personnel who provide information and communication services to operations both within the UK and operations around the world.

Future

RAF Leeming’s strength lies in its location in North England near numerous Air and Ground ranges and is the only Royal Air Force Fast Jet airfield between RAF Leuchars in Scotland and the airfields in Lincolnshire. Furthermore, given the diversity of the units lodged at RAF Leeming, the future looks strong for the station.