RAF Clifton, RAF York ,RAF Rawcliffe | Education Video by World of Military

<p>RRoyal Air Force Clifton, or more simply RAF Clifton, is a former Royal Air Force station located 1.5 miles (2.4 km) north west of York city centre and 2.6 miles (4.2 km) south west of Haxby, North Yorkshire, England.</p><p><br></p><p>The airfield was opened in 1936 as a civilian airport but by 1939 the station was taken by the Royal Air Force (RAF) for use in the Second World War and was returned in 1946 when the airport reopened. However, in 1955 the airfield was closed for good. The airfield during wartime was also known as RAF York and RAF Rawcliffe.</p><p>Station history</p><p><br></p><p>The airfield was originally York Municipal Aerodrome which opened in 1936 after an air circus had used the site previously but on 1 September 1939 the site was requisitioned by the RAF for Bomber Command.[1]</p><p><br></p><p>The first squadron to use the airfield was No. 613 Squadron RAF between 7 September 1940 and 8 July 1941 as a detachment while the main squadron were at RAF Firbeck.[2] The airfield was empty until No. 4 Squadron RAF arrived on 27 August 1940 originally with the Westland Lysander III/IIIA adding the Tomahawk IIA in April 1942 and the North American Mustang I in May 1943