March 2018 FLYPAST 73Ministry’s permanent list – was
closed down.
In 1920, the government
asked local authorities to assist
in the formation of a chain of
aerodromes to link the major
communities across the country.
With advice from famous aviator
Sir Alan Cobham, Doncaster
Council opened a so-called
‘aviation centre’ on May 26, 1934.
The new location was a mile or so
to the southwest of the racecourse
and included an art deco-style
control tower on the north side
of the east-west runway. An
international airline service was
inaugurated to Amsterdam on
July 1, 1936.
After long discussions with the
Air Ministry, 616 (South Yorkshire)
Squadron of the Auxiliary Air
Force was formed at Doncaster on
November 1, 1938. Three Bellman-
type hangars were erected
on the southern perimeter to
accommodate the new squadron.
A variety of units were based
there throughout World War Two,
including the North American
Mustang Mk.I-equipped 613
Squadron in 1942. Doncaster’s last
RAF unit was 24 Gliding School,
which disbanded in late 1949.
Post-war, the airfield was home
to maintenance organisations
and aero clubs, but by the 1980s,
usage had declined and it closed
in December 1992. The area
has since been developed into
an industrial, leisure and retail
complex – including a large lake.The hangar and site used by SYAM
are the only buildings still in
existence from pre-war days.Museum origins
I spoke to SYAM’s Alan Beattie
about how the site was acquired.
He said: “We started in 1973 with a
small collection at Nostell Priory,
near Wakefield. It expanded and
moved to the former RAF Firbeck,
north of Worksop, opening to the
public in 1986. We moved to this
site in 1999 when previous owners,
Yorkshire Water, left.”
Alan explained that it was not all
plain sailing as the buildings were
in a poor state of repair with no
electricity or drainage. “The level
grass area outside, which is used
for special events, was actually a‘dump’ site and we were struggling
to work out how to clear it.”
Help was provided by the
developers of the surrounding
business park, who promised
to lend support for one day.
This was thought to be just a
generous gesture, but at 7am, a
procession of JCB earthmovers
plus personnel arrived and cleared
everything up.
There was still a great deal of
work required and, thanks partly
to a £15,000 grant from WREN – a
not-for-profit organisation that
awards grants for community,
biodiversity and heritage projects- the buildings were repaired.
Further WREN funding brought
electricity to the hangar while
Doncaster Council provided a