RAF Danby Beacon
{{Short description|Royal Air Force base in Yorkshire, England}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2014}}
{{Use British English|date=July 2014}}
{{infobox military structure
|name = RAF Danby Beacon
|ensign=Ensign of the Royal Air Force.svg
|ensign_size=90px
|native_name =
|partof =
|location = near Danby, North Yorkshire
|country = England
|image =
|caption =
|map_type = North Yorkshire
|pushpin_label = RAF Danby Beacon
|coordinates = {{coord|54.47716|-0.8705|type:landmark|display=inline}}
|map_size =
|map_alt =
|pushpin_map_caption = Shown within North Yorkshire
|type = Radar station
|code =
|built = {{Start date|1937}}
|builder =
|materials =
|height = {{convert|360|ft|m|1}}
|used = 1937–1954
|demolished = 1957
|condition =
|ownership =
|open_to_public =
|controlledby =
|garrison =
|current_commander =
|commanders =
|occupants =
|battles =
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|image2 =
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}}
Royal Air Force Danby Beacon or more simply RAF Danby Beacon was an early warning radar Royal Air Force station that formed part of the Chain Home network of radar (or Radio Direction Finding (RDF)) stations built by the Royal Air Force immediately prior to the Second World War.
Construction
The receiving masts were {{convert|240|ft|m|1}} high timber structures and the transmitting masts were {{convert|360|ft|m|1}} steel masts. The construction of these masts was the work of the RAF controlled, but civilian staffed, No. 2 Installation Unit of No. 1 Maintenance Unit RAF (1 MU).{{cite web|last=Clark|first=Ted|title=My Experiences of Radar Installation|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ww2peopleswar/stories/91/a2137691.shtml|work=WW2 People's war|publisher=BBC|accessdate=29 July 2010|date=16 December 2003}}
Second World War
During the first part of the war the station was under the control of 13 Group of RAF Fighter Command.{{cite book |last1=Royle |first1=Trevor |title=A time of tyrants : Scotland and the Second World War |date=2011 |publisher=Birlinn |location=Edinburgh |isbn=978-1843410553 |page=174}} On 3 February 1940 it was a plot from Danby that led Hawker Hurricane aircraft from Blue section, 43 Squadron stationed at RAF Acklington to shoot down a Heinkel He 111 bomber over Whitby. This was the first German aircraft shot down over England during the war, the British aircraft being under the command of (then) Flight Lieutenant Peter Townsend.{{cite web|last=Pears|first=Brian|title=Firsts|url=http://www.ne-diary.bpears.org.uk/Bck/Firsts.html|work=North-East Diary 1939–1945|accessdate=29 July 2010|year=1994–2010}} The intercept is described in detail in Townsend's highly-successful book about the Battle of Britain, "Duel of Eagles."Peter Townsend, Duel of Eagles, (New York, Simon and Schuster, 1970), pp 7-8.
Soon after control of the station passed to the newly formed 60 Group but its information was passed to 13 Group headquarters in Kenton, Newcastle upon Tyne.
Cold War
In 1946 the station moved to the control of 90 Group and continued to function in the early warning role until 1954 when the station ceased operating.{{cite news|title=Beacon lit for heroes|url=http://www.whitbygazette.co.uk/news/Beacon-lit-for-heroes.6232669.jp|accessdate=30 July 2010|newspaper=Whitby Gazette|date=16 April 2010}} The masts and buildings were demolished in 1957.
Memorial
None of the structures remain but the site of the station is now marked by a memorial stone.
References
{{reflist}}
{{Royal Air Force}}
{{RAF stations in Yorkshire}}
{{Royal Air Force radar stations}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Danby Beacon}}