York Historic Environment Record

Record redundant; see MYO3548 A military airfield opened in 1942 and closed in 1946. Wartime vertical photographs of 1942 show the airfield at Acaster Malbis camouflaged. Laid out as a grass airfield for fighter aircraft in late 1942, its location next to the river Ouse made it highly unsuitable because of mists. It was originally a satellite to Church Fenton, Number 12 Group Fighter Command. Initially 601 squadron flying Bell Airacobras and then Group Flying training Command with Airspeed Oxfords were stationed there until 1943. In 1943 the base was temporarily closed, and despite its unsuitablility the runways were rebuilt in concrete to accommodate heavy bombers. The airfield was officially re-assigned to number 4 Group, then number 7 Training Group (St Vincents) of Bomber Command but it did not receive any operational units. Late in 1944 Number 4 Aircrew school was stationed at Acaster, and the airfield was used to store bombs. Temporary accomodation was constructed, as were two Type 2 and one B-1 aircraft hangar. There were 36 "spectacle" type hardstanding areas. By 2002 parts of the runway and many of the buildings were being removed. The control tower remained extant at that date, but was derelict. The former airfield area was taken up by agriculture and an industrial estate