Dates: 1915 - 1996
Finningley first emerged as a Royal Flying Corps Military Airfield in 1915.
The airfield (and now Airport) at Finningley is located off the A638 Bawtry Road to the south of Doncaster. This road is historically known as the Great North Road and was called the A1 at that time. The road’s significance and designation changed when the Doncaster A1(M) Motorway bypass was built. The A1 road was the principal road - the equivalent of a modern-day backbone motorway - that linked London to Edinburgh and ran straight through the centre of Doncaster. Because of the significance of communication, a large proportion of UK military airfields were built alongside it.
A Royal Aircraft Factory BE.2 Fighter. Aircraft identical to this were based at Finningley during 1915.The Royal Flying Corps Station Doncaster (RFC Doncaster) which later became RAF Doncaster was located on the same principal highway. During the refurbishment of the Royal Flying Corps station at Doncaster in 1915 a decision was taken to move operations temporarily to an air strip at Bancroft Farm at Finningley. This flight of aircraft is thought to have consisted of Royal Aircraft Factory BE.2c fighters. These fighters were used to intercept Zeppelin bombers approaching Yorkshire cities from the East Coast, in this instance, the heavily industrialised City of Sheffield.
Forces Reunited Forum Posts involving RAF Finningley
"Would love to find Carol Shaw from PBX Raf Syerston. Carol married John Milligan also stationed at Syerston. I last saw them both at Raf Finningley, Doncaster. If anyone knows them I would be grateful if they could give me any information."
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"Would love to find Carol Shaw from PBX Raf Syerston. Carol married John Milligan also stationed at Syerston. I last saw them both at Raf Finningley, Doncaster. If anyone knows them I would be grateful if they could give me any information."
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"I’m trying to find Keith Dodd, he served on 92 sqn Phantoms at Wildenrath in Germany from 1979/82. He returned to RAF Finningley in 82 and I last heard of him in Saudi Arabia working for As Salam Aviation in Riyadh. Do any ex Phantom people out there know of his whereabouts now? "
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" Have any members got in their possession any photos of RAF Finningley please I was stationed there in 1959-1962 ad didn`t manage to get many pix as the security was so tight!I would be grateful for any pix sent or indeed any past Airmen/women from that era! Cheers "
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" I am looking for EX RAF MTD’s who served with me in Raf North Luffenham 72-72,RAF CDA Thatcham 72-73,Raf Kinloss 73-74. RAF Aberdeen University Air Squadron 74-76,RAF Wattisham 76-80, RAF Finningley 80-83 Gibraltar 83-85, RAF Wittering 85-87,If you are out ther get in touch "
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