RAF Full Sutton

Full Sutton was one of the last Second World War airfields to be opened in Yorkshire and became operational in May 1944 as a bomber station in No.4 Group, Bomber Command. It was a standard heavy-bomber station with the usual three paved runways, the main one 5,940ft long and the two subsidiaries 5,100ft and 3,900ft in length. These were linked by a perimeter track around which were dispersed hardstandings for the aircraft. By April 1947 the airfield had outlived its usefulness, all units had moved out and at the end of the month the station was put on a Care and Maintenance basis.

Some repair work was carried out at the airfield and Full Sutton re-opened in 1951 as a result of the emergency in Korea. In 1954, the airfield was vacated by the RAF and 1955 to 1957 it was designated a reserve site for the US Air Force but it was not used operationally and housed only 3930 Air Base Squadron SAC.

The station was returned to UK control on 05 February 1957 and re-occupied by the RAF. Full Sutton then became a satellite of the Driffield Thor missile complex and housed three missiles. In April 1963, Full Sutton finally closed.