RAF Thornaby

RAF Thornaby
Thornaby-on-Tees, North Yorkshire in England
RAF Thornaby on a target dossier of the German Luftwaffe, 1941
RAF Thornaby Shown within North Yorkshire Show map of North Yorkshire RAF Thornaby RAF Thornaby (the United Kingdom) Show map of the United Kingdom
Coordinates	54°32′00″N 01°18′00″W / 54.53333°N 1.30000°W / 54.53333; -1.30000
Grid reference	NZ455163[1]
Type	Royal Air Force station
Site information
Owner	Air Ministry
Operator	Royal Air Force
Controlled by	RAF Coastal Command (1939-) * No. 17 Group RAF RAF Fighter Command * No. 12 Group RAF
Site history
Built	1929 (1929)
In use	1929 - 1 October 1958 (1958)
Battles/wars	European theatre of World War II Cold War
Airfield information
Elevation	18 metres (59 ft) AMSL
Runways Direction Length and surface 04/22 1,807 metres (5,928 ft) Asphalt 10/28 1,277 metres (4,190 ft) Asphalt 17/35 1,282 metres (4,206 ft) Asphalt

Royal Air Force Thornaby, or more simply RAF Thornaby, is a former Royal Air Force Station located in the town of Thornaby-on-Tees, in the North Riding of Yorkshire, England. Fighter Command, Bomber Command and Coastal Command all operated from the base over its history, but its stint under Coastal Command is what the base was notable for, particularly in the air-sea rescue environment and the development of the Thornaby Bag. This was an emergency bag dropped to downed aircrew at sea and contained food, cigarettes and drink.