RAF Church Fenton - Leeds

RAF Church Fenton – Leeds

RAF Church Fenton – Leeds

  History;

Opened in 1937, it saw the peak of its activity during the years of the Second World War, when it served within the defence network of fighter bases of the RAF providing protection for the Leeds, Bradford, Sheffield and Humberside industrial regions.

During September 1940 it became home to the first RAF “Eagle squadron” of American volunteers being No. 71 Squadron RAF initially with the Brewster Buffalo I for one month before changing to the Hawker Hurricane I. The airfield was also home to both the first all-Canadian and all-Polish squadrons, with No. 242 Squadron RAF for the Canadians and No. 306 Squadron RAF for the Polish.

As technologies evolved, the first night fighter Operational Training Unit (No. 54 OTU) was formed at Church Fenton in 1940 and stayed until 1942. Some of the squadrons stationed there flew the famous de Havilland Mosquito.

Today the airfield if used as a private airport for the wealthy while the RAF bunk houses and mess halls lay dormant.