# RAF Melbourne

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Royal Air Force base in Yorkshire, England

RAF Melbourne Melbourne, East Riding of Yorkshire in England Aerial view (2014) Site information Type Royal Air Force station Owner Air Ministry Operator Royal Air Force Controlled by RAF Bomber Command RAF Transport Command Location RAF Melbourne Shown within East Riding of Yorkshire Show map of East Riding of Yorkshire RAF Melbourne RAF Melbourne (the United Kingdom) Show map of the United Kingdom Coordinates 53°52′04″N 000°50′19″W / 53.86778°N 0.83861°W / 53.86778; -0.83861 Site history Built 1940 (1940) & 1942 In use 1940 - 1954 (1954) Battles/wars European theatre of World War II Airfield information Runways Direction Length and surface 00/00 Concrete 00/00 Concrete 00/00 Concrete

**Royal Air Force Melbourne** or more simply **RAF Melbourne** is a former [Royal Air Force](/source/Royal_Air_Force) [station](/source/Royal_Air_Force_station) located near [Melbourne](/source/Melbourne%2C_East_Riding_of_Yorkshire), [East Riding of Yorkshire](/source/East_Riding_of_Yorkshire), England.

## History

Handley Page Halifax aircraft landing at RAF Melbourne during the Second World War

East Common just outside the village of Seaton Ross was requisitioned for use as a grass airfield in November 1940. In late 1940 the airfield was used by [Armstrong Whitworth Whitleys](/source/Armstrong_Whitworth_Whitley) of [10 Squadron](/source/No._10_Squadron_RAF) as a relief landing ground for [RAF Leeming](/source/RAF_Leeming). The airfield soon closed for re-development as a standard [RAF Bomber Command](/source/RAF_Bomber_Command) airfield with three concrete runways and three hangars.

The first user of the re-built airfield was again 10 Squadron but by this time operating the [Handley Page Halifax](/source/Handley_Page_Halifax) four-engined heavy bomber, little time was wasted before the aircraft were used on operational sorties from Melbourne. The squadron continued with operation until March 1945 and lost 109 aircraft on operations.

Melbourne was one of seventeen sites equipped with [FIDO](/source/Fog_Investigation_and_Dispersal_Operation_(FIDO)) fog dispersant system. This made the airfield a popular diversion for other squadrons returning from operations to Yorkshire in extreme bad weather conditions.

In May 1945 the airfield was transferred to [RAF Transport Command](/source/RAF_Transport_Command) and [575 Squadron](/source/No._575_Squadron_RAF) moved in with the [Douglas Dakota](/source/Douglas_C-47_Skytrain). The squadron only stayed for a few months operating transport flight to and from continental Europe. With the departure of the Dakota a number of specialised Flights used the airfield for six months but by the middle of 1946 the airfield was no longer used for flying.

## RAF units and aircraft

[1][2]

Unit Dates Aircraft Variant Notes No. 10 Squadron RAF 1942–1945 Handley Page Halifax II converted to III from 1944 Four-engined heavy bomber.[3] No. 575 Squadron RAF 1946 Douglas Dakota Twin-engined transport.[3] No. 1510 (BABS) Flight RAF 1945–1946 Airspeed Oxford Blind approach training flight No. 1552 (Radio Aids Training) Flight RAF 1945–1946 Airspeed Oxford Avro Anson Blind approach training flight No. 1553 (Radio Aids Training) Flight RAF 1945 Airspeed Oxford Blind approach training flight No. 1554 (Radio Aids Training) Flight RAF 1945 Airspeed Oxford Blind approach training flight

Other units:[4]

- [No. 4 Group Communication Flight RAF](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=No._4_Group_Communication_Flight_RAF&action=edit&redlink=1) (1945–1946)

- [No. 91 Maintenance Unit RAF](/source/No._91_Maintenance_Unit_RAF) (1949–1954)

- No. 10 Conversion Flight RAF

- [No. 1658 Heavy Conversion Unit RAF](/source/No._1658_Heavy_Conversion_Unit_RAF)

- [No. 2820 Squadron RAF Regiment](/source/No._2820_Squadron_RAF_Regiment)

- [No. 4275 Anti-Aircraft Flight RAF Regiment](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=No._4275_Anti-Aircraft_Flight_RAF_Regiment&action=edit&redlink=1)

- [Aircrew Testing and Grading Unit RAF](/source/RAF_Transport_Command)

- [Transport Command Aircrew Examining Unit RAF](/source/RAF_Transport_Command)

## Current use

The site was used for a farmers market in the 1970s, but was gradually adapted into a racing track.[5] Until 2017 the airfield was home to York Raceway running drag racing throughout the summer. York Raceway did not operate at Melbourne in 2018 or 2019. After a fundraising effort a new drag strip was laid and drag racing returned to Melbourne in August 2020.[6] The airfield strip is now home to Melbourne Raceway running drag racing under the organisation of Straightliners.[7] The runway is also used for flying by Pocklington Gyroplane School for Saturday afternoon meets.[8]

## References

### Citations

1. **[^](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTESturtivant2007327_1-0)** [Sturtivant 2007](#CITEREFSturtivant2007), p. 327.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEDelve2006193_2-0)** [Delve 2006](#CITEREFDelve2006), p. 193.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEJefford1988168_3-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEJefford1988168_3-1) [Jefford 1988](#CITEREFJefford1988), p. 168.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-ABCT_4-0)** ["Melbourne"](https://www.abct.org.uk/airfields/airfield-finder/melbourne/). [Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust](/source/Airfields_of_Britain_Conservation_Trust). Retrieved 23 September 2021.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** Halpenny, Bruce Barrymore (1982). *Action stations*. Wellingborough: Stephens. p. 146. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0-85059-532-0](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-85059-532-0).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** Calton, Gary (10 August 2020). ["Burning rubber: racing returns to Melbourne Raceway – photo essay"](https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2020/aug/10/burning-rubber-racing-returns-to-melbourne-raceway-photo-essay). *The Guardian*. Retrieved 27 January 2021.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** ["Melbourne raceway Events"](https://straightliners.events/venue/melbourne-raceway/). Retrieved 13 May 2022.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** ["Pocklington Gyroplane School"](https://www.pocklingtongyroplaneschool.co.uk/). *pocklingtongyroplaneschool.co.uk*. Retrieved 27 January 2021.

### Bibliography

- Delve, Ken (2006). *The Military Airfields of Britain - Northern England*. The Crowood Press. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [1-86126-809-2](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/1-86126-809-2).

- 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, Ray (2007). *RAF Flying Training and Support Units since 1912*. Air-Britain. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-0-85130-365-9](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-85130-365-9).

## External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to [RAF Melbourne](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:RAF_Melbourne).

- [RAF Melbourne](https://web.archive.org/web/20081110070135/http://www.raf.mod.uk/bombercommand/s61.html)

- [York Raceway](http://www.yorkraceway.org.uk/)

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

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