Post War
No 279 squadron remained at Thornaby and in September 1945 moved its HQ to RAF Beccles where the squadron was to convert to the Lancaster ASR Mk III, leaving only a detachment behind at Thornaby. In the event it was the detachment at Thornaby that received and converted to them and 279 flew their first operational sorties in the Lancaster on 8 November 1945. Also in November 1945 No. 280 squadron returned here and in January 1946 the remaining 279 squadron detachment of Lancasters were disbanded at Thornaby.
In May 1946 "Thornabys own" No 608 (North Riding) squadron were reformed as part of reserve command, No 64 Group, in the light bomber role, however, they only received De Havilland Mosquito T3s and Airspeed Oxford T1s. On 21 June 1946 No. 280 squadron disbanded at Thornaby and, in July 1947 No. 608 became a night fighter squadron when they received Mosquito NF 30s. Number 2608 (North Riding) Light Anti Aircraft Squadron of the Royal Auxiliary Air Force Regiment were formed here in December 1947, armed with the 40mm Bofors Gun before being reorganised, re-equipped and re-trained in 1955 as a mobile infantry unit equipped with Land Rovers. In March 1948 a third auxiliary squadron were formed here, No. 3608 (North Riding) Fighter Control Unit, who trained men and women as Radar Operators and Fighter Plotters.
In May 1948 No. 608 became a day fighter unit when it received Vickers Supermarine Spitfire F22s and North American Harvard T26s, in December 1949 608 re-equipped with the De Havilland Vampire F3, then the FB5 in 1952 and finally the FB9 in 1955, the squadron also operated the Gloster Meteor T7 between 1950 and 1957. On 7 December 1952 No. 533 (Rifle) Squadron arrived from Hereford (where they were formed on 28 July 1952) and became part of 21 Wing, Royal Air Force Regiment. This regular unit provided detachments for many parades in the north of England, it also provided Guards of Honour at all Ceremonial Parades at Thornaby and in 1954 the unit was chosen to provide a Ceremonial Guard at Holyrood Palace during the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland.
On 1 January 1954 the squadron began conversion to a Field Squadron and was redesignated as No. 533 (Field) Squadron. On 18 November 1954 No. 275 Search And Rescue Squadron arrived from Linton-on-Ouse equipped with Bristol Sycamore HR Mk 13s and soon after HR Mk 14s, this was the only helicopter SAR unit in the RAF at the time and was on 24 hour stand-by duty and was able to get airborne within ten minutes of receiving an emergency call. The squadron began to expand rapidly and detached flights from its headquarters at Thornaby to strategic points near the coast from Scotland down to the south of England. In January 1956 No. 533 (Field) Squadron disbanded at Thornaby and, on 10 March 1957 numbers 608 and 2608 squadrons disbanded leaving only 275 and 3608 squadrons on the station.
In September 1957 Hawker Hunter F6s of No. 92 squadron temporarily re-located here from Middleton St George while the runways there were being extended. No. 275 squadron departed for Leconfield in October 1957 and a year later on 1 October 1958 No. 92 squadron moved back to Middleton St George leaving only 3608 (North Riding) Squadron who disbanded shortly after. The last entry in the station diary was made on 13 October 1958 and stated that the station had been reduced to a Care and Maintenance level as from that date, the entry was signed, Flight Lieutenant H.J. Grant, Camp Commandant, C and M party, Royal Air Force Thornaby.
Read more about this topic: RAF Thornaby, History
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