{{Short description|Former RAF flying station in Yorkshire, England}} {{Use British English|date=September 2021}} {{Use dmy dates|date=September 2021}} {{Infobox military installation | name = RAF Bellasize | ensign = [[File:Ensign of the Royal Air Force.svg|90px]] | location = [[Gilberdyke]], [[East Riding of Yorkshire]] | country = England | image = | alt = | caption = | type = | coordinates = {{Coord|53.737|-0.762|display=inline, title}} | gridref = SE817724 | pushpin_map = East Riding of Yorkshire | pushpin_mapsize = | pushpin_map_alt = Relief map of the East Riding of Yorkshire | pushpin_map_caption = RAF Bellasize | ownership = [[Air Ministry]] | operator = [[Royal Air Force]] | controlledby = [[RAF Flying Training Command]] | open_to_public = | site_area = {{convert|33|acres}} | used = April 1916 – {{End date|1919|5}}<br>November 1939 – July 1945 | builder = | materials = | height = {{convert|3.7|m|order=flip}} | length = | fate = | condition = | battles = [[European theatre of World War II]] | events = | past_commanders = | garrison = | occupants = | designations = | website = | footnotes = | elevation = <!-- {{Convert| |m|0}} --> | r1-number = | r1-length = {{Convert|2,000|ft|0}} | r1-surface = Grass | airfield_other_label = | airfield_other = }} '''Royal Air Force Bellasize''', also known as '''RAF Bellasize''', was a former RAF airfield in the hamlet of [[Bellasize]], near [[Gilberdyke]], [[East Riding of Yorkshire]], England. Originally opened in 1916, Bellasize was one of only four Yorkshire-based RAF locations to see use in the [[First World War|First]] and [[World War II|Second World Wars]]. Flying at Bellasize was sporadic and training based, with the site not being used in an offensive capacity during the Second World War.
==History== Bellasize appears to have been equipped with just one runway, which was a grass strip measuring {{convert|2,000|ft}} angled in a north east/south west direction across a rectangular field. There are no records of any hangars or permanent buildings at the site.{{sfn|Delve|2006|p=44}}<ref>{{cite book |last1=Halpenny |first1=Bruce Barrymore |title=Action stations. |date=1982 |publisher=Stephens |location=Wellingborough |isbn=0-85059-532-0 |page=26}}</ref>
The site was opened in April 1916 as a 1st class landing ground.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Philpott |first1=I. M. |title=The Royal Air Force : an encyclopedia of the inter-war years |date=2005 |publisher=Pen & Sword Aviation |location=Barnsley |isbn=1844151549 |page=243}}</ref>{{#tag:ref|Philpott refers to the base as ''Bellsize'' rather than ''Bellasize''.|name=Spelling|group=note}} It was originally used by [[No. 33 Squadron RAF|No. 33]] and [[No. 76 Squadron RAF|No. 76 Squadrons]] in the Home Defence (HD) role, even though its proximity to the [[River Ouse, Yorkshire|River Ouse]] meant that the airfield was often flooded; Bellasize was only {{convert|12|ft}} above sea level.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Philpott |first1=Ian |title=The birth of the Royal Air Force |date=2013 |publisher=Pen & Sword |location=Barnsley |isbn=978-1-78159-333-2 |page=267}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=RAF Bellasize – Hull & East Riding at War |url=https://hullandeastridingatwar.co.uk/raf-bellasize/ |website=hullandeastridingatwar.co.uk |access-date=3 March 2021}}</ref> The site was handed over to the Royal Air Force in April 1918, and then relinquished a year later in April 1919.<ref>{{cite journal |editor1-last=Spooner |editor1-first=Stanley |title=Relinquishment of landing grounds by the R.A.F.[sic] |journal=Flight International & Aircraft Engineer |date=29 May 1919 |volume=XI |issue=544 |page=703 |publisher=Reed Business Information Ltd |location=London |issn=0015-3710 |oclc=747807447}}</ref>
However, during the [[World War II|Second World War]], the site was reactivated, and covered an area of {{convert|33|acres}}, measuring {{convert|420|yard}} by {{convert|380|yard}}.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Chorlton |first1=Martyn |title=Forgotten airfields of World War I |date=2014 |publisher=Crecy |location=Manchester |isbn=9780859791816 |page=41}}</ref> Bellasize was one of only four sites used by the RAF in the First and Second World Wars, (the other being [[RAF Driffield|Driffield]], [[RAF Doncaster|Doncaster]] and [[RAF Catterick|Catterick]]).{{sfn|Delve|2006|p=21}} For the entire period of the war, Bellasize belonged to [[RAF Flying Training Command]], and was used as relief landing ground (RLG) by [[No. 4 Elementary Flying Training School RAF]] (No. 4 EFTS).<ref>{{cite book |last1=Murland |first1=Jerry |title=Departed warriors : the story of one family in war |date=2008 |publisher=Matador |location=Leicester |isbn=978-1906510-701 |page=217}}</ref> No. 4 EFTS was based at nearby [[Brough Aerodrome]],<ref>{{cite book |last1=Lake |first1=Alan |title=Flying units of the RAF : the ancestry, formation and disbandment of all flying units from 1912 |date=1999 |publisher=Airlife |location=Shrewsbury |isbn=1-84037-086-6 |page=61}}</ref> and the increased use of Bellasize was due to the prevalence of aircraft movements at Brough originating from the aircraft factory.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Otter |first1=Patrick |title=Yorkshire airfields in the Second World War |date=1998 |publisher=Countryside Books |location=Newbury |isbn=1-85306-542-0 |page=298}}</ref> Flying at RAF Bellasize ceased in July 1945.{{sfn|Delve|2006|p=44}}
The site has been converted back to farmland.<ref>{{cite web |title=Bellasize - Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust UK |url=https://www.abct.org.uk/airfields/airfield-finder/bellasize/ |website=www.abct.org.uk |access-date=26 September 2021}}</ref>
==Notes== {{reflist|group="note"}}
==References== {{reflist}} ===Sources=== *{{cite book |last1=Delve |first1=Ken |title=Northern England : Co. Durham, Cumbria, Isle of Man, Lancashire, Merseyside, Manchester, Northumberland, Tyne & Wear, Yorkshire |date=2006 |publisher=Crowood |location=Ramsbury |isbn=1-86126-809-2}}
{{RAF stations in Yorkshire}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bellasize, RAF}} [[Category:Royal Air Force stations in Yorkshire]] [[Category:History of the East Riding of Yorkshire]] [[Category:Royal Air Force stations of World War I in the United Kingdom]] [[Category:Royal Air Force stations of World War II in the United Kingdom]] [[Category:Military airbases established in 1916]] [[Category:Military airbases closed in 1945]]