History of RAF Usworth
The grass airfield opened in autumn 1916 at Hylton for use by the region's Home Defence unit (36 Squadron). It was built on (and also know as) West Town Moor and facilitated a detachment of various aircraft. In June 1917 the Squadron HQ moved in fully with the Bristol Fighter being the main aircraft type in operation. Detachments were also established at Ashington and Seaton Carew. By this time the airfield was also being referred to as Usworth. 36 Squadron only lasted until June 1919 before being disbanded, the airfield becoming disused.
The Airfield was re-acquired in 1930 with 607 Squadron of the Royal Auxiliary Air Force becoming established in March and remained here until October 1939 when the Squadron moved to Acklington. During this time a number of different aircraft were operated including the Wapiti, Demon and Gladiator. In early 1937 the number of airframes at the airfield were increased with the arrival of 103 Squadron from Andover with their Hinds. During the summer of 1938 the Squadron re-equipped with Fairy Battles, but a few months later had moved out to Abingdon.
During the early war years the airfield was developed to include two
runways as well as a perimeter track. An attack on the airfield was
planned by the Luftwaffe for August 15th 1940, but this was intercepted
by fighters from Acklington, Catterick and Usworth before the bombers
were anywhere near the field. By this time 607 Squadron had returned
equipped with Hurricanes for two short periods (June 1940-Sept 1940 and
Dec 1940-Jan 1941). Fighter support was also provided briefly by 43
(Sept 1940-Dec 1940) and 64 (May 1940) Squadrons with Hurricanes and
Spitfires respectively.
By early 1941 training had replaced the fighter role as the main
activity with the arrival of 55 Operational Training Unit from Aston
Down with over one hundred aircraft (Blenheim, Defiant and Hurricanes).
The large number of aircraft mean a satellite airfield had to be
established at Ouston. The OTU moved out during April 1942 and the
airfield returned to care and maintenance until the formation of 62 OTU
in June with their Ansons. The unit remained at Usworth until July 1943
at which time it moved to Ouston. The proximity of the local balloon
barrage at Sunderland being the reason used. For the remainder of the
war the airfield was very quiet with little activity.
The end of the war (and removal of the balloon barrage) saw the arrival of 23 Reserve Flying School in February 1949 who operated a number of different trainer types until disbanding in July 1953. Between 1951-1953 2 Basic Air Navigation School were also based with their Avro Ansons. Other users of Usworth during this period were the Durham University Air Squadron with their Chipmunks (May 1949-Oct 1957), 664 Squadron with their Austers (Feb 1954-Mar 1957) and a number of gliding schools.
On 3 July 1962, the airfield was purchased by Sunderland Corporation for £27,000 and reopened as Sunderland Airport. Sunderland Corporation re-laid the runways and renovated the hangar, and in June 1963 Sunderland Flying Club came into being. The following year an Open Day and commemorative ceremony took place on June 28 1964 to celebrate the rebirth of what was now Sunderland Airport. There was a modest flying display and pleasure flights were made available in a visiting Dakota. The cost of such flights was 15 shillings for adults and 10 shillings for children. The Dakota being kept busy all day. However, its short runways precluded any use on a regular basis by other than light twins.
The appearance of a Dakota in 1964 was a result of a brave attempt by Newcastle based Tyne Tees Airways to operate a charter airline from Sunderland. Tyne Tees airways had already set up the airline's engineering base at the airport with all maintenance and overhaul work being performed. The airfield was also used to store several aircraft of the fleet that weren't in service.
The success of the 1964 air day meant that it became an annual event. For 1965 the organisers had arranged for a Sopwith Pup to give a flying display. However the static display was dominated by a Beverley from the RAF.
Sopwith Pup at the 1965 Sunderland Airshow.
In 1966 the flying display included participation by the RAF with a Shackleton, Jet Provost a Whirlwind and the Red Arrows, the show was attended by in excess of 17,000 spectators. The Air Day in 1967 followed much the same format of the previous year. For many the highlight of the 1968 Air Show was the appearance of the North American P-51D Mustang owned by Charles Masefield. A further Air Show was held in 1969, but the only military flying coming from those units of training command based in the area, including Chipmunks and Jet Provosts from Ouston and a Whirlwind from Acklington.
Cover of 1969 airshow programme.
On 28 August 1974 the peace of the aerodrome was loudly interrupted when a Royal Air Force Buccaneer strike aircraft carried out an emergency landing on Runway 23 without warning at 14.05. The aircraft had been on its way to carry out a practice attack on a bombing range in Northumberland when it suffered a bird strike. With the navigator injured and the canopy shattered the pilot, an American on an exchange posting, had declared an emergency. The runway at Newcastle had been cleared ready for the aircraft's arrival, when to everyone's surprise the aircraft touched down at Sunderland, even though the runway length was marginal, indeed the aircraft overran the runway. By 1420 an RAF guard had arrived from RAF Ouston with two armourers to make safe four practice bombs. Meanwhile the crew had been taken to hospital by helicopter. By the end of the day the aircraft had been placed in the main hangar. A repair crew arrived and a replacement canopy was flown in by an RAF Andover and the aircraft was repaired and departed, with Sunderland returning to normal.
Buccaneer at Sunderland following its surprise emergency landing.
The day to day business of the airport continued with the ground facilities being enhanced gradually. A second small hangar was erected. By 1976 the airfield could boast 23,376 aircraft movements and 5.419 passengers and 29,242 movements with 7,182 passengers in 1977. The Red Devils parachute team used the airfield as the base for their Islander aircraft in 1977 while doing parachute drops at the Tyneside summer Exhibition in Newcastle. One of the largest number of movements on one day occurred on 30 June 1979 when Sunderland Airport was chosen as the refuelling stop for over seventy vintage De Havilland Tiger Moths, Hornet Moths and Gipsy Moths taking part in a rally to mark the 50th anniversary of the Gipsy Reliability Tour of 1929. The aircraft arrived at Sunderland from Hatfield via Hucknall and flew on, after refuelling to Strathallan in Scotland. From about midday there was intense activity at Sunderland as the brightly coloured biplanes landed, were marshalled and fuelled, then took off again at two minute intervals..
The last Sunderland Air Day took place in on 15 June 1980 and was perhaps the largest and noisiest display to be held at the airport. The flypast included many RAF aircraft including the Jaguar and Nimrod. Vintage aircraft were represented by the Spitfire, Hurricane and Lancaster with the support of the Firefly, Meteor and Vampire. Many civil residents from the airfield were also displayed.
On 31st May 1984 the airfield was closed after the Sunderland Council reached agreement with a major car manufacturer to sell the site for the creation of a new factory.
Airfield plan from early 80's.