# RAF Acaster Malbis

> Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/RAF_Acaster_Malbis
> Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/RAF_Acaster_Malbis.md
> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAF_Acaster_Malbis
> Source revision: 1352033962
> License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)

Former Royal Air Force station in Yorkshire, England

RAF Acaster Malbis Acaster Malbis, North Yorkshire in England Site information Type Royal Air Force station Owner Air Ministry Operator Royal Air Force Controlled by RAF Bomber Command Location RAF Acaster Malbis Shown within North Yorkshire Show map of North Yorkshire RAF Acaster Malbis RAF Acaster Malbis (the United Kingdom) Show map of the United Kingdom Coordinates 53°52′36″N 001°07′11″W / 53.87667°N 1.11972°W / 53.87667; -1.11972 Site history Built 1941 (1941) In use 1942 - 1957 (1957) Battles/wars European theatre of World War II Airfield information Elevation 8 metres (26 ft) AMSL Runways Direction Length and surface 04/22 1,828 metres (5,997 ft) Concrete 11/29 1,280 metres (4,199 ft) Concrete 16/34 1,280 metres (4,199 ft) Concrete

**Royal Air Force Acaster Malbis**, or more simply **RAF Acaster Malbis**, is a former [Royal Air Force](/source/Royal_Air_Force) [station](/source/Royal_Air_Force_station) located 5.9 miles (9.5 km) south of [York](/source/York) city centre and 5.7 miles (9.2 km) east of [Tadcaster](/source/Tadcaster), [North Yorkshire](/source/North_Yorkshire), England. It was developed from a small grass airfield at the beginning of the [Second World War](/source/World_War_II) and its main use was as a training base for [RAF Bomber Command](/source/RAF_Bomber_Command), before being used by [RAF Maintenance Command](/source/RAF_Maintenance_Command) from 1944 until 1957.

## Station history

The airfield was originally opened as a satellite of [RAF Church Fenton](/source/RAF_Church_Fenton) before [No. 601 Squadron RAF](/source/No._601_Squadron_RAF) arrived from [RAF Duxford](/source/RAF_Duxford) with [Bell Airacobras](/source/Bell_P-39_Airacobra) staying between January and April 1942 before being re-equipped with [Supermarine Spitfire](/source/Supermarine_Spitfire) VB's and moving to [RAF Digby](/source/RAF_Digby).[1] Acaster Malbis was then used by No. 21 Group Flying Training Command as a relief landing ground for [Airspeed Oxfords](/source/Airspeed_Oxford) of [No. 15 (Pilots) Advanced Flying Unit RAF](/source/No._15_(Pilots)_Advanced_Flying_Unit_RAF) ((P)AFU) from [RAF Leconfield](/source/RAF_Leconfield), with these leaving in January 1943.[2][3][4]

Then surprising during 1943 the airfield was re-built to the specifications of a heavy bomber station with hard runways and spectacle dispersals being built under the control of [No. 4 Group RAF](/source/No._4_Group_RAF) of [Bomber Command](/source/RAF_Bomber_Command), however the station did not receive any aircraft before being transferred to [No. 7 (Training) Group Bomber Command](/source/No._7_Group_RAF). During 1944 the airfield was used by [Handley Page Halifaxes](/source/Handley_Page_Halifax) of 1652 and 1663 Heavy Conversion Unit.[5][6] Also in 1944 the airfield was used by [Armstrong Whitworth Whitleys](/source/Armstrong_Whitworth_Whitley) of [1341 Special Duties Flight](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=No._1341_Flight_RAF&action=edit&redlink=1) on radio and signal counter-measures work.[7]

No operational flying units were based at the airfield but No. 4 Group Aircrew School (later [No. 4 Aircrew School RAF](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=No._4_Aircrew_School_RAF&action=edit&redlink=1)) did arrive in the winter of 1944 but they moved out in October 1945 before the airfield was closed to flying during February 1946.[2][8][9]

The airfield played host to three different maintenance units of [RAF Maintenance Command](/source/RAF_Maintenance_Command) with the first being [No. 91 Maintenance Unit RAF](/source/No._91_Maintenance_Unit_RAF) (MU) which arrived during 1944 before leaving on 15 December 1947 which was replaced by a sub-site of the same unit until 31 March 1948.[10] During this [No. 80 MU](/source/No._80_Maintenance_Unit_RAF) moved in on 21 January 1947 using Acaster Malbis until 12 December 1947.[11] The last maintenance unit was a sub site of [No. 93 MU](/source/No._93_Maintenance_Unit_RAF) which arrived on 1 April 1957 and left on 1 August 1957.[3][10]

## Current use

The site was decommissioned in 1963 and sold off but by the mid-1970s it was used by light aircraft transporting businessmen and jockeys for horse-racing season lasting until the mid-1980s.[12]

The airfield today still has bits of the old runways and perimeter tracks with hangars and dispersals easy to spot. The site also has two small industrial estates with the first being called "Brockett Industrial Estate" and the second "Waterline Industrial Estate" due to the close distance to the [River Ouse](/source/River_Ouse%2C_Yorkshire).[13]

Disused peritrack at RAF Acaster Malbis

## See also

- [List of former Royal Air Force stations](/source/List_of_former_Royal_Air_Force_stations)

## References

### Citations

1. **[^](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEJefford198898_1-0)** [Jefford 1988](#CITEREFJefford1988), p. 98.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-CT_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-CT_2-1) ["RAF Acaster Malbis"](http://www.controltowers.co.uk/A/Acaster_Malbis.htm). Control Towers. Retrieved 6 April 2012.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-RAFWEB_3-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-RAFWEB_3-1) ["RAF Acaster Malbis"](https://www.rafweb.org/Stations/Stations-A.htm). Air of Authority – A History of RAF Organisation. Retrieved 1 June 2012.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Sturtivant2007p34_4-0)** [Sturtivant 2007](#CITEREFSturtivant2007), p. 34.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Sturtivant2007p97_5-0)** [Sturtivant 2007](#CITEREFSturtivant2007), p. 97.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Sturtivant2007p99_6-0)** [Sturtivant 2007](#CITEREFSturtivant2007), p. 99.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Sturtivant2007p119_7-0)** [Sturtivant 2007](#CITEREFSturtivant2007), p. 119.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Sturtivant2007p44_8-0)** [Sturtivant 2007](#CITEREFSturtivant2007), p. 44.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Sturtivant2007p155_9-0)** [Sturtivant 2007](#CITEREFSturtivant2007), p. 155.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Sturtivant2007p179_10-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Sturtivant2007p179_10-1) [Sturtivant 2007](#CITEREFSturtivant2007), p. 179.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Sturtivant2007p178_11-0)** [Sturtivant 2007](#CITEREFSturtivant2007), p. 178.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-12)** ["RAF Acaster Malbis"](https://web.archive.org/web/20110903124814/http://www.ainstyvillages.org.uk/AsArticles1.html). AinstyVillages. Archived from [the original](http://www.ainstyvillages.org.uk/AsArticles1.html) on 3 September 2011. Retrieved 11 June 2012.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-ABCT_13-0)** ["Acaster Malbis"](https://www.abct.org.uk/airfields/acaster-malbis). [Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust](/source/Airfields_of_Britain_Conservation_Trust). Retrieved 7 June 2012.

### Bibliography

- Jefford, C G (1988). *RAF Squadrons. A comprehensive record of the movement and equipment of all RAF squadrons and their antecedents since 1912*. [Shrewsbury](/source/Shrewsbury): Airlife. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [1-85310-053-6](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/1-85310-053-6).

- Sturtivant, R. *RAF Flying Training and Support Units since 1912*. Air Britain, 2007. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0-85130-365-X](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-85130-365-X).

## External links

- [Airfield Archaeology – RAF Acaster Malbis](http://www.airfieldarchaeology.co.uk/raf-acaster-malbis.html) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20160303233110/http://www.airfieldarchaeology.co.uk/raf-acaster-malbis.html) 3 March 2016 at the [Wayback Machine](/source/Wayback_Machine)

v t e Royal Air Force Formations and units Units Commands Groups Wings Squadrons Flights Conversion units Operational Training units Schools / Training units Ferry units Glider units Misc units Stations Active Former Satellite Landing Grounds Station description Regiment Wings Squadrons Flights Branches and components Air Force Board RAF Regiment RAF Chaplains Branch RAF Intelligence RAF Legal Branch RAF Medical Services Princess Mary's RAF Nursing Service RAF Police RAF ground trades RAF Music Services RAF Search and Rescue Force RAF Mountain Rescue Service RAF Marine Branch RAF Air Cadets Operations Reserve forces Royal Auxiliary Air Force RAF Volunteer Reserve Equipment List of RAF aircraft current future List of RAF missiles List of equipment of the RAF Regiment Personnel Officer ranks Other ranks List of notable personnel List of serving senior officers Personnel numbers Appointments Chief of Air Staff Assistant Chief of the Air Staff Air Member for Personnel Air Secretary Air Member for Materiel Commandant-General of the RAF Regiment Warrant Officer of the RAF Symbols and uniform Badge Ensign Heraldic badges Roundels Squadron standards and battle honours Uniform Associated civil organisations Air Training Corps Combined Cadet Force (RAF section) RAF Association RAF Centre of Aviation Medicine RAF Benevolent Fund RAF Football Association RAF Museum History Timeline Future

v t e Royal Air Force stations in Yorkshire Flying stations Active Leeming Topcliffe1 Former Acaster Malbis Bellasize Beverley Bircotes Bramham Breighton2 Burn2 Carnaby Catfoss Catterick Church Fenton2 Clifton Coal Aston Cottam Croft Dalton Dishforth Doncaster Driffield East Moor Elvington Finningley2 Firbeck Full Sutton Hedon Helperby Holme-on-Spalding Moor Hornsea Mere Howden Hutton Cranswick Leconfield Lindholme Linton-on-Ouse Lissett Manywells Height Marske Marston Moor Melbourne Pocklington Redcar Riccall Ripon Rufforth2 Scorton Sherburn-in-Elmet2 Skipton-on-Swale Snaith Tholthorpe Thornaby Wombleton Yeadon2 Non-flying stations Active Fylingdales3 Menwith Hill3 Staxton Wold3 Former Bawtry Bempton3 Bent Rigg3 Bowes Moor Bridlington Cowden Danby Beacon3 Goldsborough3 Harrogate Holmpton3 Hunmanby Moor Misson Northallerton4 Norton Oxenhope Moor3 Patrington3 Shipton3 Sutton on Hull Notes 1: used for only for RAF gliders 2: now used for civilian aviation 3: communications or radar sites 4: RAF hospital

---
Adapted from the Wikipedia article [RAF Acaster Malbis](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAF_Acaster_Malbis) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAF_Acaster_Malbis?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.