RAF Driffield

Royal Air Force Station Driffield or RAF Driffield is a former Royal Air Force station located south west of Driffield, East Riding of Yorkshire and north west of Beverley, East Riding of Yorkshire, England.The site was first opened in 1918 by the Royal Air Force (RAF) under the name of RAF Eastburn, before closing in early 1920. However, in 1935 a new airfield was built for the RAF initially training bomber crews before closing in 1977 when the site was turned over to the British Army for use as a driving school being renamed Alamein Barracks.HistoryThe first aerodrome to occupy the site was made up of wooden and brick buildings, similar to those found at Duxford or Hendon. Known as Eastburn, No.21 Training Depot was the first unit to occupy the site from 15 July 1918, joined later by Nos. 202 and 217 Squadrons from March 1919. However, by early 1920, these units had disbanded, leaving a deserted airfield, which was removed some years later.During the early 1930s, Driffield was selected for one of the RAF's expansion scheme aerodromes, with construction work beginning in 1935. This new airfield consisted of five large aircraft hangars, curved round the grass runways that stretched towards the north-west. Placed neatly behind these hangars were the many buildings that made up the camp. Opened on 30 July 1936, RAF Driffield became home to a number of bomber squadrons. By 1938, these had been replaced by No.77 and No.102 Squadrons, and were eventually equipped with the twin-engined Armstrong Whitworth Whitley bomber.