Working on an old Airstrip

Carnaby opened in March 1944 as an emergency landing ground for Bomber Command to enable crippled bombers a safe place to land near the coast.

Carnaby Moor, near Bridlington, was ideal. A single runway almost 2 miles long and over 700ft wide was constructed. The airfield had to be available in any weather conditions and as well as an anti skid bitumen surface for the runway, FIDO (Fog Investigation Dispersal Operation), a device of petrol burners used to burn off fog, was installed. The system used lighted petrol to lift the fog from the airfield thus enabling aircraft to land safely.

Carnaby's wartime service was short but in it's operational life over 1400 emergency landings were recorded.

The base closed in March 1946 and was left to the elements until the outbreak of the Korean war, where the RAF increased its pilot training programme and Carnaby opened again in 1953 becoming a relief landing ground for Driffield.

Again, life to Carnaby was short lived and the base closed in 1954.
It wasn't until 1958 that Carnaby became operational again, this time deemed as a Thor missile site. 150 Squadron was reformed and designated the Thor unit.

1963 saw the base close for the last time and the site was left to decay. In 1972 the site was bought by Bridlington Council and turned into an industrial estate, as it is today. The main runway is now the road through the estate, the only real clue to its existence as an airfield. Very little remains today but you can still see parts of the taxiways.


Big Runway....