RAF Dalton, Yorkshire.
RAF · Yorkshire · England · United Kingdom
RAF Dalton, Yorkshire.
RAF Dalton started life as a grass satellite airfield to become a full 'A' Class WW2 bomber station.
RAF Dalton, Yorkshire.
RAF Dalton to the east of the A1(M) exit junction 49 for Thirsk. Turn off the A168 at the Topcliffe bypass for Dalton. I came in from the east A19, on minor roads over the main line railway.
RAF Dalton, Yorkshire.
I started in the east at the two red arrows.
The yellow squares are where I visited & the red squares sites I did not.
The yellow line is the route I took, ;green line the original airfield perimeter.
The blue line the enlarged perimeter track.
The red line the perimeter of the steel factory.
RAF Dalton, Yorkshire.
The road into Dalton village.
11 April 2009
RAF Dalton, Yorkshire.
Dispersed site (I do not have a plan for Dalton)
History : Air Ministry surveyors early in the war were looking for dispersal airfields and they found a flat field here and RAF Dalton opened in November 1941 with a few buildings, a bomb store and grass runways..
11 April 2009
RAF Dalton, Yorkshire.
M&E Plinth.
On several of these plinths, broken glass is set into the cement around the top of the wall to stop anybody entering. The glass can be beer bottles, clear and in this case frosted glass the sort used in toilet windows.
11 April 2009
RAF Dalton, Yorkshire.
Domestic site.
History - The first occupants were 102 Squadron, one of the original Yorkshire bomber units. They moved in from nearby RAF Topcliffe pre war expansion airfield with their Whitley's and were quickly in action from the new airfield, providing aircraft for an attack on Emden on the night of 30th November 1941.
11 April 2009
RAF Dalton, Yorkshire.
Just along the road & another Domestic Site.
There are several hut bases and in the woods it looks as though there are more huts preserved?.
11 April 2009
RAF Dalton, Yorkshire.
The woodland & an Air-Raid Shelter
11 April 2009
RAF Dalton, Yorkshire.
'A' Site of Orlit Huts.
A roadway built for war to carry airmen to their huts in the wood.
11 April 2009
RAF Dalton, Yorkshire.
Fuel compound and 'A' One Orlit Hut & Site of some others.
The pile of dung is sat on the top of a fuel compound for coal/coke to use in their pot bellied stoves.
11 April 2009
RAF Dalton, Yorkshire.
'B' a pile of Orlit's & one behind
11 April 2009
RAF Dalton, Yorkshire.
Orlit hut Inside.
The view inside with a small room at the bottom. Orlit's were built out of concrete to save on wood which by the end of WW2 was getting very scarce.
There are many hut bases in this wood.
11 April 2009
RAF Dalton, Yorkshire.
Air-Raid Shelter.
History - Another Whitley attack was Brest. Then they converted to Halifax’s.
11 April 2009
RAF Dalton, Yorkshire.
Another Picket Post in the distance.
History - January 1942 converting to Halifax's, 102sqn left and 79 & 78 Sqn conversion flights joined 1652 HCU. [Heavy Conversion Unit] these were used to convert pilots from twin engined trainers to heavy bombers.
11 April 2009
RAF Dalton, Yorkshire.
Nissen Hut & Latrine.
History - Closed in August 1942 and the construction workers moved in. Three runways were laid, a perimeter track and a complete dispersed accommodation in hutted camps and a large bomb store.
11 April 2009
RAF Dalton, Yorkshire.
Another long shot across the fields to a Nissen hut in a back garden.
History - Dalton re opened in November 1942 with the RCAF with Wellington bombers.
11 April 2009.
RAF Dalton, Yorkshire.
Domestic Site.
Another large domestic site with several huts and good road system.
11 April 2009
RAF Dalton, Yorkshire.
Domestic Site.
The road way in with a Nissen hut, several latrines and a picket post.
11 April 2009
RAF Dalton, Yorkshire.
Nissen hut 16ft wide.
One end has a filling of wood and tarpaper covering and two large doors and the other is bricked up and rendered.
11 April 2009
RAF Dalton, Yorkshire.
Latrine 9026/41.
Of all buildings left over from airfields in WW2, the latrine block must be the most. They seem to be the one building that when all the others were being removed the workmen left them as a place to have a wee.
11 April 2009
RAF Dalton, Yorkshire.
Temporary brick hut.
I have superimposed what it would have looked like.
11 April 2009
RAF Dalton, Yorkshire.
Picket Post in amongst the farm buildings.
The picket post or small guard room for this site.
11 April 2009
RAF Dalton, Yorkshire.
Into the next field.
History - 1691 (Bomber) Gunnery Flight had been formed here early in July where it remained here until the end of the war - it became 1695 Bomber Defence Training Flight in February 1944 - providing support training for 6 Group.
11 April 2009
RAF Dalton, Yorkshire.
T2 hangar & technical site.
History - August 1945 and the airfield closed.
11 April 2009
RAF Dalton, Yorkshire.
24ft Nissen huts
These huts could be used for Flight, Squadron, Crew Locker & Drying room.
11 April 2009
RAF Dalton, Yorkshire.
The long Nissen hut.
11 April 2009
RAF Dalton, Yorkshire.
Technical site.
The hut behind the Nissen I have seen before but at the moment cannot identify it. Also it is built on the perimeter track for the E/W runway with another Nissen hut?
11 April 2009
RAF Dalton, Yorkshire.
Nissen hut garage.
11 April 2009
RAF Dalton, Yorkshire.
NFE Store & Floodlight Trailer & Tractor Shed.
Now we are in the area of the airfield site where the running of the airfield would take place. Night Flying Equipment Store & Floodlight Trailer & Tractor Shed were always sited next to the control tower now alas removed.
11 April 2009
RAF Dalton, Yorkshire.
Buildings around the airfield site near where the control tower was sighted.
Camouflaged shed and a flight hut behind.
11 April 2009
RAF Dalton, Yorkshire.
Standby Set House (small I think??)
To provide vital electricity in an emergency.
11 April 2009
RAF Dalton, Yorkshire.
Standby Set House (small I think??)
11 April 2009
RAF Dalton, Yorkshire.
This looks like station HQ.
11 April 2009
RAF Dalton, Yorkshire.
Romney hut
Romney huts were used for Main store, Main workshops, Turret training, and more.
11 April 2009
RAF Dalton, Yorkshire.
Romney Hut
11 April 2009
RAF Dalton, Yorkshire.
Picket post
Guard post for the airfield site where everybody entering and leaving checked in..
11 April 2009
RAF Dalton, Yorkshire.
This could be an Instructional and Operations room.
11 April 2009
RAF Dalton, Yorkshire.
Technical latrine 9026/41.
11 April 2009
RAF Dalton, Yorkshire.
Extended Marston shed.
Marston sheds could be built and dismantled easily and also used for very many uses and one was often engine maintenance.
11 April 2009
RAF Dalton, Yorkshire.
24ft short Nissen hut.
11 April 2009
RAF Dalton, Yorkshire.
24ft short Nissen hut
11 April 2009
RAF Dalton, Yorkshire.
Main gate
11 April 2009
RAF Dalton, Yorkshire.
The large temporary brick hut, may be Guard Room and Fire Party and the other a Seco prefabricated hut using wood & asbestos.
11 April 2009
RAF Dalton, Yorkshire.
Flight offices
There look to be three flight along the front and very close to the perimeter track for access to the airfield and aircraft..
11 April 2009
RAF Dalton, Yorkshire.
Another Nissen hut 24ft in the factory site.
11 April 2009
RAF Dalton, Yorkshire.
This is the early small bomb store dated around 1940/1.
Incendiary Bomb Store & Pyro Store 18185/40?.
11 April 2009
RAF Dalton, Yorkshire.
Fuzed & Spare Bomb Store
11 April 2009
RAF Dalton, Yorkshire.
Component Store 5384/40
11 April 2009
RAF Dalton, Yorkshire.
Component Store 5384/40
11 April 2009
RAF Dalton, Yorkshire.
ROC Post. (Royal Observer Corps)
Opposite the bomb store area is this little mound of earth with odd bits sticking out of it. It is a Royal Observer Corps Post. Built in the late 1950's early 60's and had one small room underground for three people. The ROC went from observing enemy aircraft above ground then underground to monitor the fall at nuclear bombs.
Subterranean Britannica has a very good site on the subject.
11 April 2009
RAF Dalton, Yorkshire.
T2 hangar in the steel works.
This is where I believe terminal 5 at Heathrow was built by the steel company.
11 April 2009
RAF Dalton, Yorkshire.
74,000 gal Aviation Petrol Instillation 9846/41
I have taken this directly from AIX and find it a great quote I am sure they won't mind me using it.
"Reminds me of a comment in a book I read a while ago, regarding ex aircrew visiting their old base. ... we managed to find the remains of the old communal site... the dilapidated officers' mess was full of pigs. Nothing changes !"
11 April 2009
RAF Dalton, Yorkshire.
74,000 gal Aviation Petrol Instillation (API) 9846/41 pipe inlets.
11 April 2009
RAF Dalton, Yorkshire.
25 August 1943