RAF Acaster Malbis, Yorkshire.
RAF · Yorkshire · England · United Kingdom
RAF Acaster Malbis, Yorkshire.
Originally built as a grass runway fighter airfield in 1939. It became a fighter satellite to RAF Church Fenton. Later it became under Flying Training Command's No.21 Group. It was then transferred again to Bomber Command. Taken on charge of No.4 Group Bomber Command and promptly given to the Air Ministry in 1943 to convert to a bomber station, attached to RAF Riccall. It then promptly went into 'Care & Maintenance'. It seems so far nobody wants it. It was then used by the local Heavy Conversion units as a satellite. As for that and a few other uses, by December 1945 it was placed back into 'Care and Maintenance'.
Perhaps 'Acaster Malbis' should just never have happened??
24 March 2008
RAF Acaster Malbis, Yorkshire.
RAF Acaster Malbis, Yorkshire.
Plan of the airfield site and all the dispersed sites.
Situated south of the A64 below York, I drove from Copmanthorpe junction south to the huts I found were near the village and not part of the airfield but were RAF style Laing huts.
RAF Acaster Malbis, Yorkshire.
Acaster Malbis, Yorkshire.
24 March 2008
RAF Acaster Malbis, Yorkshire.
Laing Hut.
I found these huts back near the village and they may have nothing to do with the airfield.
History : Laing huts were first designed in 1940 and made of timber framed, plaster board and covered in tarred felt sheeting. Inside was just plaster board. The roof is corrugated asbestos. This small camp has about 5/6 huts left and some have been re-clad with modern materials.
24 March 2008
RAF Acaster Malbis, Yorkshire.
Another hut and it looks as if these have been used for chickens and now as small factory units.
History : RAF Acaster Malbis opened in 1942 as a fighter station for No.12Group, Fighter Command and a satellite to RAF Church Fenton as a fighter base for one squadron. The first unit to arrive was No.601 with American P-39 Airacobra, not a very popular aircraft at all. They proved useless and were discarded in favour of Spitfires by March 1942.
24 March 2008
RAF Acaster Malbis, Yorkshire.
Site 12 Sewage Disposal
Its 2025 and I am updating this page, going back on my photos of March 2008 and I see this is the first photo in the sequence. I missed it the first time. I think its from one of the two sewage sites that were here and it looks like 457- Tool House - Local. The shed to store tools and not made to any Air Ministry plan (local).
24 March 2008
RAF Acaster Malbis, Yorkshire.
Site 10 'Quarters'.
Picket post of this small domestic site with several huts remaining.
24 March 2008
RAF Acaster Malbis, Yorkshire.
Site 10 Quarters.
406 - Picket Post - TB - 7900/4014509/41 with attached toilet.
24 March 2008
RAF Acaster Malbis, Yorkshire.
Site 10 Quarters.
406 - Picket Post - TB - 7900/4014509/41 with attached toilet.
Inside one of the rooms.
24 March 2008
RAF Acaster Malbis, Yorkshire.
Site 10 Quarters.
407 - Latrines Officers - TB - 9026/41, a standard latrine block found on all wartime airfields.
24 March 2008
RAF Acaster Malbis, Yorkshire.
Site 10 Quarters.
407 - Latrine Officers - TB - 9026/41.
24 March 2008
RAF Acaster Malbis, Yorkshire.
Site 10 Quarters.
409to411 - Quarters Officers - N - 2965/42.
This one is arraigned with a brick face, door, two windows and an air vent. There are many combinations that can have been used with this type of hut, wooden ends or just open for general storage.
24 March 2008
RAF Acaster Malbis, Yorkshire.
Site 10 Quarters.
409to411 - Quarters Officers - N - 2965/42.
24 March 2008
RAF Acaster Malbis, Yorkshire.
93 - Sub Station - PB - 11274/42.
A protected electrical substation with a pitched roof and blast walls.
History : April 1942 Acaster Malbis was turned over to 21Group Flying Training Command as No.15 (Pilot) Advanced Flying Unit with Oxfords.
24 March 2008
RAF Acaster Malbis, Yorkshire.
93 - Sub Station - PB - 11274/42.
Inside there are two ducts sunk into the floor running L/R and set into the walls are four vents with adjustable covers.
24 March 2008
RAF Acaster Malbis, Yorkshire.
93 - Sub Station - PB - 11274/42.
24 March 2008
RAF Acaster Malbis, Yorkshire.
6 - Machine Gun Range - TB - 4pts/25Yrd.
Set behind this house is the 25yd machine gun range now a garden.
24 March 2008
RAF Acaster Malbis, Yorkshire.
Airfield Site.
History : in 1943 all flying ceased and the airfield was re built as an 'A' class heavy bomber station. This included three runways, two T2 & one B1 hangar, 12 dispersed sites and a perimeter track with 36 of the later spectacle aircraft dispersals.
24 March 2008
RAF Acaster Malbis, Yorkshire.
Airfield Site.
7 - Crew, Restroom, Locker & Drying Room - TB - 1191/43.
A place where crew could meet, receive orders, call their own room. Also a room to rest and a third room with a heating plant to run a central heating through pipes, where crew could hang their clothing to dry. Flying cloths would become damp/wet when flying and needed a steady heat to dry out.
24 March 2008
RAF Acaster Malbis, Yorkshire.
Airfield Site.
Marston sheds could be clad with tin (as in this one), asbestos sheeting and brick. A very flexible building. Portable easy to dismantle & assemble.
This one is NOT on the plan and may have been moved here at a later date?
24 March 2008
RAF Acaster Malbis, Yorkshire.
Perimeter Track.
I walked the perimeter track in a clockwise direction.
History : The only problem here is that the airfield was built on low lying land close to a river which creates fog on too many occasions. This caused many flying accidents and the airfield was never used as an operational base. Several local airfields used Acaster Malbis as a training field by.
24 March 2008
RAF Acaster Malbis, Yorkshire.
NW/SE Runway heading 16,150ft wide.
24 March 2008
RAF Acaster Malbis, Yorkshire.
97 - Battle Head Quarters - 1108/41.
In the event of an attack by paratroopers the airfield defence commander would go straight here and run the battle via his viewing slits, his telephones and his runners to deliver messages.
24 March 2008
RAF Acaster Malbis, Yorkshire.
97 - Battle Head Quarters - 1108/41.
The steps down to the underground part of the bunker. Now full of water.
24 March 2008
RAF Acaster Malbis, Yorkshire.
97 - Battle Head Quarters - 1108/41.
24 March 2008
RAF Acaster Malbis, Yorkshire.
97 - Battle Head Quarters - 1108/41.
The view into the cupola and the man hole escape.
24 March 2008
RAF Acaster Malbis, Yorkshire.
95 - Petrol Installation Aviation - 72,000gal - 3022A/42.
24 March 2008
RAF Acaster Malbis, Yorkshire.
95 - Petrol Installation Aviation - 72,000gal - 3022A/42.
24 March 2008
RAF Acaster Malbis, Yorkshire.
98 - Mechanical & Electrical Plinth to transform high voltage electricity down to the power used in this area This was used to power the fuel pumps in the bulk fuel installation and the several huts in this area.
The top of the wall, glass was set into soft cement and was a security to stop anybody getting ins.
24 March 2008
RAF Acaster Malbis, Yorkshire.
Perimeter track north side.
24 March 2008
RAF Acaster Malbis, Yorkshire.
Main runway heading 22.
Runway drainage remains.
24 March 2008
RAF Acaster Malbis, Yorkshire.
Brick Slit Trench.
This is the first part of the woodland, a barrier of concrete drains from the runways bars a small entrance into the wood where there is a road way, a small square bomb store and two brick slit trench defences.
History : These defences must have been part of the earlier airfield of 1940 vintage when defences were put in against the threat of German parachutists. By the time the second airfield was being built that threat had gone.
24 March 2008
RAF Acaster Malbis, Yorkshire.
1940's 'L' Trench.
These trenches may have been part of the pre 1942 bomb store.
24 March 2008
RAF Acaster Malbis, Yorkshire.
139 - Fuzed & Spare Bomb Store - Earth - 4780/42.
24 March 2008
RAF Acaster Malbis, Yorkshire.
Main entrance off the Perimeter Track to the Bomb Store.
A full 'A' class bomb store with four main storage areas and three fuzing points.
24 March 2008
RAF Acaster Malbis, Yorkshire.
Roadway to Fuzing Points.
There were 2 fuzing points along the entrance track on the right and on the left an A.I.S. Laboratory.
140 - Fuzing point building - N - Ultra Heavy - 7900/42+4176/43.
142 - Fuzing point bldgs. - N - Heavy light - 4773/41.
144 - Sea Marker& Flame Float Store - N - 12725/41.
145 - Small Arms Ammu. [aircraft] store - N - 12725/41.
146 - Component Store -TB - 4733,42.
54 - A.I.S. Lab. - S - 6211/43.
N - Nissen.
S - Steel.
24 March 2008
![Jane type I.A.S Laboratory [54 on plan] 6211/43 steel. Aeronautical Inspection Service inspectors to check I presume quality. 'They were a nit picking bunch of job's worth at 16MU- most of them incapable of checking what they were tasked to do', from AIX.](https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/atlantikwall-a75d6.firebasestorage.app/o/archive-images%2Fd79ceb8b.jpg?alt=media)
RAF Acaster Malbis, Yorkshire.
Looking in to the woodland
At the base of the trees is a brick trench looking south.
24 March 2008
RAF Acaster Malbis, Yorkshire.
142 - Fuzing point bldgs - N - Heavy light - 4773/41.
History : Bomb trailers would pass through the huts and fuses fitted in. Paperwork would come down to the bomb store to say what bombs were needed, what fuze's and what settings. Then they would be collected, fuzed then driven around to the aircraft dispersed around the airfield.
24 March 2008
RAF Acaster Malbis, Yorkshire.
Bomb Store roadway.
History : A circular loop roadway with four main stores for heavy bombs and then different storage and hut for incendiaries and fuses, etc.
24 March 2008
RAF Acaster Malbis, Yorkshire.
Bomb Store Loops to left & right.
If bombers had or were used here, this would have been a very busy area.
24 March 2008
RAF Acaster Malbis, Yorkshire.
Bomb Store.
There was a brick wall with a concrete cap and a slope down. On the wall would be several iron rings to trammel the bombs off the lorries.
24 March 2008
RAF Acaster Malbis, Yorkshire.
151 - Incendiary Store - Earth Travers - 4734/42
There would have been a drive through earth traversed wall all the way around.
24 March 2008
RAF Acaster Malbis, Yorkshire.
Perimeter Track & a Spectacle Aircraft Dispersal.
Originally this was a grass airfield of 1939/40 period the runways were added at a later date and built to an 'A' class bomber station it had 36 spectacle aircraft dispersals instead of the circular aircraft dispersals .
24 March 2008
RAF Acaster Malbis, Yorkshire.
45 - Floodlight Trailer & Tractor Shed - TB - 12411/41.
49 - Aircraft Shed - S - (23bays) - 3653/42.
57 - T2 - St - 23bay - 3653/42.
T2 hangar, floodlight shed & control tower across the airfield.
24 March 2008
RAF Acaster Malbis, Yorkshire.
Broken runway foundations.
In this pile are pieces of lamp fittings.
24 March 2008
RAF Acaster Malbis, Yorkshire.
Stanton air-raid shelter.
Drain cover.
24 March 2008
RAF Acaster Malbis, Yorkshire.
50ft Perimeter Track running off to the B1 Hangar Base.
Bomber bases usually had two T2 hangars and one B1 Ministry of Aircraft Production (MAP) repair hangar. They repaired badly damaged aircraft with civilian workforce to take pressure of the RAF repair teams.
24 March 2008
RAF Acaster Malbis, Yorkshire.
The site of the B1 hangar, now a barn sits in its place.
24 March 2008
RAF Acaster Malbis, Yorkshire.
Perimeter track to B1 hangar.
24 March 2008
RAF Acaster Malbis, Yorkshire.
Base of the B1 hangar (how it would have looked).
113 - Aircraft Shed - St - B1 - MAP.
24 March 2008
RAF Acaster Malbis, Yorkshire.
114 - Armament Equipment Store - N - 14420/41.
Next to the B1 hangar were several huts, two sets of latrine and three Nissen huts.
24 March 2008
RAF Acaster Malbis, Yorkshire.
120 - Petrol Installation Aviation - 72,000gal - 3022/42.
The second petrol installation.
24 March 2008
RAF Acaster Malbis, Yorkshire.
York Minster in the distance.
There were three landmarks for pilots to use when landing here, York Minster in the north, the York to Selby railway line in the west and the river Ouse that flows SE of the airfield.
24 March 2008
RAF Acaster Malbis, Yorkshire.
Perimeter Track to the first T2 hangar base.
24 March 2008
RAF Acaster Malbis, Yorkshire.
Base of the first T2 Hangar.
57 - T2 - St - 23bay - 3653/42.
ST - Steel.
Hangar door runner.
24 March 2008
RAF Acaster Malbis, Yorkshire.
The second T2.
57 - T2 - St - 23bay - 3653/42.
Re-clad with the doors replaced and now used as a potato store.
24 March 2008
RAF Acaster Malbis, Yorkshire.
57 - T2 - St - 23bay - 3653/42.
24 March 2008
RAF Acaster Malbis, Yorkshire.
Roadway behind the control tower.
24 March 2008
![With the T2 on the right and a road leading along behind the control tower.
50 - fire tender shelter, Nissen,
12410/41.
51 - signals apparatus building, Steel, 4701/43.
52 - control tower [watch office], perm. brick, 345/43.](https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/atlantikwall-a75d6.firebasestorage.app/o/archive-images%2F8d337b85.jpg?alt=media)
RAF Acaster Malbis, Yorkshire.
92 - Combined Instructional Building - TB - 1191/43, right behind the second T2.
24 March 2008
RAF Acaster Malbis, Yorkshire.
Two blast air-raid shelters.
24 March 2008
RAF Acaster Malbis, Yorkshire.
Pathway to 90 - Squadron Maintenance Block - N - 12777/41.
24 March 2008
RAF Acaster Malbis, Yorkshire.
Works Service Buildings No's. 68 to 74 on the plan.
68 - Wrks. Store - N - 10024/41.
69 - Wrks. Latrine - TB - 5538/42.
70 - Wrks. Store - N - 10024/41.
71 - Wrks. C of Works. & Station Engs. Off - TB - 5538/42.
72 - Wrks. Mess Room Carpenters & Fitters Shops - TB - 5538/42.
73 - Wrks. Store - TB - 5538/42.
74 - Wrks. DSWO's Off. AG'L Imp. Shed - TB - 5538/42.
Wrks - Workshops.
24 March 2008
RAF Acaster Malbis, Yorkshire.
45 - Floodlight Trailer & Tractor Shed - TB - 12411/41.
TB - Temporary Brick.
N - Nissen.
St - Steel.
24 March 2008
![45 - Fl. & Tr.Shed., 12411/41
46 -
Sig's. & Int. Bldg., 4699/43,
47 - M&E Plinth [Transformer].](https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/atlantikwall-a75d6.firebasestorage.app/o/archive-images%2F33da603d.jpg?alt=media)
RAF Acaster Malbis, Yorkshire.
50 - Watch Office for All Commands - PB - 343/43.
24 March 2008
RAF Acaster Malbis, Yorkshire.
50 - Watch Office for All Commands - PB - 343/43.
24 March 2008
RAF Acaster Malbis, Yorkshire.
50 - Watch Office for All Commands - PB - 343/43.
24 March 2008
RAF Acaster Malbis, Yorkshire.
50 - Watch Office for All Commands - PB - 343/43.
Corridor from rear door to watch office.
24 March 2008
RAF Acaster Malbis, Yorkshire.
50 - Watch Office for All Commands - PB - 343/43.
Met office with a toilet in left corner, rear left room.
24 March 2008
RAF Acaster Malbis, Yorkshire.
50 - Watch Office for All Commands - PB - 343/43.
The watch room.
The cupboard on the left is for Very pistol & flair cartridges store. The doors are now bricked up.
24 March 2008
RAF Acaster Malbis, Yorkshire.
50 - Watch Office for All Commands - PB - 343/43.
Stairs up to landing.
24 March 2008
RAF Acaster Malbis, Yorkshire.
50 - Watch Office for All Commands - PB - 343/43.
Controllers rest room middle right.
24 March 2008
RAF Acaster Malbis, Yorkshire.
50 - Watch Office for All Commands - PB - 343/43.
Signals office, middle left.
24 March 2008
RAF Acaster Malbis, Yorkshire.
50 - Watch Office for All Commands - PB - 343/43.
24 March 2008
RAF Acaster Malbis, Yorkshire.
50 - Watch Office for All Commands - PB - 343/43.
View across the airfield. I believe its now been turned into a house.
How it would have looked. (Thanks to Terry for the Flight Sim image).
24 March 2008
RAF Acaster Malbis, Yorkshire.
50 - Watch Office for All Commands - PB - 343/43.
There has been some modern alterations to the control room.
24 March 2008
RAF Acaster Malbis, Yorkshire.
These are the little things I like to see. A boot scrapper. The airfield would be very muddy and scrapping our boots clean, would be very necessary.
24 March 2008
RAF Acaster Malbis, Yorkshire.
Signal Square.
It would have had a large AM stating Acaster Malbis. Signs laid out here tell a pilot wind direction and runway to use.
24 March 2008
RAF Acaster Malbis, Yorkshire.
23 - Speech Broadcasting - PB - 10786/41.
24 March 2008
RAF Acaster Malbis, Yorkshire.
Airacobra's at Acaster Malbis.
IWM