Dates: 1940 - 2007
RAF Leeming is a Royal Air Force station in North Yorkshire, UK.
It opened in 1940 as a bomber station during the Second World War. In 1943 the station was assigned to No. 6 Group Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) with a sub-station at RAF Skipton-on-Swale. The main aircraft operated were Whitley, Stirling, Halifax and Lancaster bombers. Following the war, the station became a night fighter base, equipped initially with Mosquito and then with Meteor and Javelin aircraft before becoming a Training Command airfield in 1961. The Station was then home to No. 3 Flying Training School, equipped with the Jet Provost aircraft. It functioned as a training base until 1988 when it reopened as a frontline air defence base armed with Tornado F3s. Initially it hosted Nos 11, 23, and 25(XXV) Squadrons, all flying the F3.
23 Sqn was disbanded on 1 March 1994, and was reformed at RAF Waddington in 1996 flying the Sentry E3D, This left two Tornado squadrons, which were half of the fighter squadrons of the RAF. 11 Squadron was disbanded in October 2005, it was redeployed to RAF Coningsby on 29 March 2007 flying the Eurofighter Typhoon F2. The last Tornado squadron at Leeming disbanded (No XXV Squadron) on April 4 2008.
The only remaining jets are the BAe Hawks of 100 Squadron which provides an air combat training service and a navaigator training unit as well as support to the Joint Forward Air Control Unit (JFACTSU).
Currently Leeming is operating as a Forward Operating Base and as a Fast Jet Turnround facility, the others being RAF Leuchars in Fife, Scotland which is also equipped with F3s and since June 2007 RAF Coningsby in Lincolnshire which is home to Typhoon F2s. Coningsby took over from Leeming as England’s main air defence base in April 2008 when 3 Sqn became fully operational. Leeming is also home to the Air Training Corps No 11 Air Experience Flight /Northumbrian Universities Air Squadron, with four Grob Tutor aircraft stationed there.
The future of RAF Leeming following the disbandment of its remaining Tornado squadron was not clear for a period. Under current plans by the UK Ministry of Defence, Air Combat Service Support units of 2 Group and personnel from RAF Boulmer and elsewhere who were destined to move to RAF Scampton in Lincolnshire will now be stationed at Leeming due to problems with accommodation at Scampton. As of 2008 this move is underway.
It is not clear if Leeming, which was substantially rebuilt less than twenty years ago, will continue as a flying base. However, the Red Arrows, who are also based at Scampton, are relocating to Waddington, likely by the end of the decade. A number of options are believed to be on the table. Leeming is being developed as a communications hub with No 90 Signals Unit being the resident unit. Currently two flying squadrons remain, 100 Squadron and the Northumbria University Air Squadron, and there are no plans to disband or move either of these squadrons.
No 135 Expeditionary Air Wing (EAW) was formed at the station on 1 April 2006 and encompasses most of the non-formed unit personnel. The EAW does not include the flying squadrons or any other formed units. The station commander at RAF Leeming is also the commander of the wing.
Forces Reunited Forum Posts involving RAF Leeming
" Looking for Wally and Phil.Andy here,got the nickname Psycho at San carlos in the sheep pens! We went back to Port Stanly and worked at the Harr Det till we flew back to UK. Think phill was from RAF leeming and Wally From RAF St Mawgan Last edited by Andy McNab Last edited by Andy McNab"
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" Looking for Wally and Phil.Andy here,got the nickname Psycho at San carlos in the sheep pens! We went back to Port Stanly and worked at the Harr Det till we flew back to UK. Think phill was from RAF leeming and Wally From RAF St Mawgan "
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" I had a strange experience in 1986,I was working at RAF Leeming at the time,putting in some temporary cabins.My mates and myself stayed at a pub outside of Thirsk called the "Busby Stoop".The bedroom had central heating and double glazing,but I could not sleep for feeling as cold as you could ..."
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" Anyone out there remember my late Dad Sgt A N Mitchell i believe he was an aircraft engine fitter he served in many RAF stations at home and overseas. He was in India during the partition 1947 I was born in Airmans Married Quarters at RAF Leeming in 1950, Dad was posted to Rhodesia (Raf Heany)in ..."
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" I was at RAF Bridgenorth in January 1959 for basic training, the DI was Cpl Fowler, yellow sqnd. We arrived by train from RAF Cardington. I believe the station or platform was attached to the camp because we had to run across a field which was part of the camp. It was certainly not Bridgenorth ..."
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