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Thornaby Airfield
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Thornaby has had an historic aviation past with the airfield being used in WW2.
The first known flying took place in 1912 from Vale Farm with a flying display sponsored by the Daily Mail.
The Royal Flying Corps. flew planes from Vale Farm during W.W.1.
In the 1920 's the Air Ministry purchased Thornaby Hall, Thornaby Grange,Thornaby Lodge and Vale Farms to convert to an airfield.
The 608(North Riding) Auxiliary Air Force light bomber squadron was formed on 17 th. March 1930.The first regular R.A.F. unit to stay at Thornaby was 9FTS.with Hawker Hart Trainers which arrived during March 1937.
608 Sdn. converted to a fighter sdn. on 14 th. Jan 1937.
At the outbreak of WW2 Thornaby was to be used as a main bomber airfield.
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By 3rd. Sept. 1939 the airfield went from one corrugated airplane shed and a grass field to a substantial complex of concrete runways and hangars to accomodate the thousands of airmen who would soon be using the site.
Spitfires and Blenheims were on hand to protect Coastal Command aircraft and the Aerodrome from intruders.
The Aerodrome was bombed a number of times during the war.
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Testament to the skill and bravery of the aircrew based at Thornaby is indicated by the awards of 5 DFMs and 8 DFCs.
The aerodrome memorial was dedicated on the 8th of May 1997, many personnel who had served at Thornaby attended the ceremony.
Another very emotive witness to Thornaby`s flying history is 608 squadrons silver and glass ware which included a model mosquito and a 1937 model hawker-hart which was placed in the safe keeping of Middlesborough town council on 20 Oct 58 witnessed by Alderman A E Dickenson, Mayor and Mr C E Parr, town clerk of Middlesborough. They are held for safe keeping until the day the squadron is reformed.
The squadron colours are housed in York Minster.
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Today the airfield is being developed into a housing estate with some of the old surviving buildings being used by small business groups.
There is a memorial to the aircrews who served at Thornaby and in April 2007 a joint venture between Stockton Borough Council and Thornaby Town Council saw a replica Spitfire placed on the roundabout at the top of Thornaby Road.
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