| Title | Aerodrome |
| Date | Undated (c1948) |
| Location | Yeadon |
| Photo ID | J128 |
| Comment | See below … |
A group of people with an aircraft in the background, the donor of the image Howard German suggests that the aircraft is possibly an Avro York.
Thomas Tyerman, father of Albert and Hannah Tyerman is 2nd from the right on the front row. Thomas, with son Albert built the private houses on 1st Avenue, 2nd Avenue (Rawdon) and Hill Crescent, Albert lived at number 1 Hill Crescent and Thomas lived at number 11 Hill Crescent.
FBA291 – Yeadon Aerodrome, 1948.
Aerodrome & 609 (West Riding) Squadron RAF Yeadon – 1948
This aircraft is a Spitfire Mark XV1, a late post-war (1939-46) model belonging to 609 Squadron.
The 2 images were donated by Michael Clements , his Grandfather Laurie Clements worked at the airport with the airport fire service.
Additional information regarding these photos would be very welcome.
Donated by Michael Clements.
FBA292 – Yeadon Aerodrome, 1948.
Aerodrome & 609 (West Riding) Squadron RAF Yeadon – 1948
As above.
Y695 – Yeadon Aerodrome, 1948.
Aerodrome & 609 (West Riding) Squadron RAF Yeadon – 1948
The Spitfire TE432 when the undercarriage collapsed on landing at Yeadon. This would be sometime after the squadron had returned to Yeadon.
From Wikipedia: –
After the war, 609 Squadron was stood down, and the name transferred back to the Royal Auxiliary Air Force. In 1946, the squadron reformed at RAF Church Fenton, then moved back to Yeadon. 609 was once again a squadron manned by part-time civilians using front line fighters, this time the Mosquito NF.30 night-fighter and later, when the squadron changed role to that of a daylight fighter squadron, the Spitfire LF.16.
N979 – Yeadon Aerodrome, 1948.
Aerodrome & 609 (West Riding) Squadron RAF Yeadon – 1948
Aerial photo taken on an open day at the airport, flight sheds still have their wartime camouflage.
Courtesy of Ken Cothliff.
U615 – Yeadon Aerodrome, 1948.
Aerodrome & 609 (West Riding) Squadron RAF Yeadon – 1948
A post-war Open Day, crowds around the clubhouse, donated by Ken Cothliff.
Y675 – Yeadon Aerodrome, 1949.
Aerodrome & 609 (West Riding) Squadron RAF Yeadon – 1949
The Yorkshire Aeroplane Club, Clubhouse and Municipal hanger viewed from the upper mid-gun turret of a Halifax bomber in the winter of 1949.
C208 – Yeadon Aerodrome, 1949.
Aerodrome & 609 (West Riding) Squadron RAF Yeadon – 1949
A Spitfire parked outside a hanger at Yeadon aerodrome. The markings on the plane are: RAP-F TB911.
According to my research this plane was at 6 MU (Maintenance Unit on 27 February 1945 before going to 603 (City of Edinburgh) Squadron Royal Auxiliary Air Force, during WWII on 15 March 1945. It was then used by 609 (West Riding) Squadron of the Royal Auxiliary Air Force, on 1 March 1949. It was finally sold for scrap in 1956.
Check out the facts at Spitfire and Pilots Datadase, please – Click Here
Y680 – Yeadon Aerodrome, 1949.
Aerodrome & 609 (West Riding) Squadron RAF Yeadon – 1949
A Halifax bomber and an Auster G-AJDY 1949 on the apron in front of the Municipal Hanger.
Y682 – Yeadon Aerodrome, 1949.
Aerodrome & 609 (West Riding) Squadron RAF Yeadon – 1949
Lancashire Aircraft Corporation Halifax RG719 in front of the Municipal Hanger in Winter 1949 at the time of the Berlin Airlift but was not used and later scrapped in situ.
Photo Sam Whitworth.
Y644 – Yeadon Aerodrome, 1949.
Aerodrome & 609 (West Riding) Squadron RAF Yeadon – 1949
Yeadon Aviation Charter Ltd.’s de Havilland DH 98 Dragon Rapide G-AHKT outside the Municipal Hanger in 1949.
Photo Terry Sykes.
N902 – Yeadon Aerodrome, c1950.
Aerodrome & 609 (West Riding) Squadron RAF Yeadon – c1950
An aerial view of the airport and surrounding area. Harrogate Road runs diagonally left to right past the old AVRO factory, the large rectangular building, the terminal is below it. Bayton lane is in the bottom left hand corner.
Courtesy of Ken Cothliff, from his book Yeadon Above and Beyond.
L776 – Yeadon Aerodrome, 1950.
Aerodrome & 609 (West Riding) Squadron RAF Yeadon – 1950
At that time is was called Yeadon Aerodrome, and shows aircraft to the left. The building with cars outside was the West Riding Aviation Centre. The airfield was controlled from the top floor with offices on the ground floor. Stairs on the left of the building led to the roof. The public were allowed onto the roof to watch the aircraft.
The photograph was donated by Howard German.
S639 – Yeadon Aerodrome, 1950s.
Aerodrome & 609 (West Riding) Squadron RAF Yeadon – 1950s
Tiger Moth aircraft which came nose down into a reservoir near the airport, now a car park for A E Turbines, the crew were unhurt.
Donated by Ken Cothliff.
U612 – Yeadon Aerodrome, 1950s.
Aerodrome & 609 (West Riding) Squadron RAF Yeadon – 1950s
The clubhouse and terminal in the early 1950s, donated by Ken Cothliff.
U613 – Yeadon Aerodrome, 1950s.
Aerodrome & 609 (West Riding) Squadron RAF Yeadon – 1950s
The clubhouse and terminal in the early 1950s, donated by Ken Cothliff.
Previous Comments:
Re L776
Chris Youhill
Great 1950 picture Howard – hope you’re keeping OK – happy memories of Independent Coachways, London weekend trips in-Tony’s day. The Master Brewer at Hillingdon was a great place to stay and on the Saturday afternoons Peter Johnson’s “Tour of London” was always enjoyable. For health reasons he couldn’t attend one week and I had to do the commentary myself – not my scene at ll and hopefully the clients seemed happy with it. Take care, Chris.
22 January 2021.
Re C208
The information from several people given to us when the photo appeared on our facebook page is:
It is a Spitfire LF mark XVIe and that photo is either 1948 or 1949.
RAP was the squadron code for 609 squadron between 1946 and 1949.
Still further: pointy tailfin were a feature from mark VII on. Statistically, therefore, that’s probably a mark IX.
Adam Dixon Basically it is a MkIX, but with a Packard Merlin 266 making this a MkXVI. This type was operated by 609 (West Riding) Squadron and TB911 was flown by 603 and then 609 Squadrons. The code ‘RAP-F’ further identifies this a/c as a LF MkXVI e, and this type was on charge with 609 Sqn from April ’48 to February ’51. The Squadron code ‘RAP’ was allocated to 609 Sqn from May ’46 into 1949, so dating this photograph no earlier than April ’48.
jdathebowler
If the registration No: is TB911 which it appears to be then the photo was taken in 1948. That is the year this aircraft was taken out of service..
10 June 2014.
Re FBA292
John Stubbs.
Looks like a late series LF Merlin engine Spitfire – possibly a Mark XVI with clipped wings and teardrop canopy. Post war, with no camouflage. It carries 609 (West Riding) RAuxAF PR markings and the registration looks like TE437 which was built June 1945 and allocated to 609 Sq. April 1947 at Yeadon. On the 22nd March 1948 TF437 bounced on landing and tipped over. She was finally scrapped in 1950. That looks like Whitehouse Lane and the Chevin in the background.
