Brough Aerodrome

Brough Aerodrome

Company type	Private
Industry	Aviation, Aircraft manufacturing
Founded	1916
Fate	Closed in 2013
Headquarters	Brough , England, United Kingdom
Products	Aircraft manufacturing and testing (including Blackburn Beverley, Blackburn Buccaneer, BAE Harrier, BAe Hawk)
Parent	Blackburn Aeroplane & Motor Company; later Blackburn & General Aircraft Limited; Hawker Siddeley Aviation; British Aerospace; BAE Systems

Brough Aerodrome Template:Airport codes was a privately operated airfield situated in Brough, within the East Riding of Yorkshire region of England. The aerodrome ceased operations following its final recorded flight in 2011 and officially closed two years later in 2013. Currently, the location is intersected by a newly constructed thoroughfare named "Baffin Way," which provides access to the town.

History

Initially established in 1916, the site was utilised by the Blackburn Aeroplane & Motor Company during the First World War for seaplane testing.

During the preparations for the Battle of Britain, Brough contributed by training fighter pilots. Notably, local Spitfire aviator Ronald Berry and, briefly, distinguished ace James "Ginger" LaceyTemplate:Spaced ndashboth members of The FewTemplate:Spaced ndashdeveloped their flying proficiency at the Brough Flying Training School operating on Blackburn B-2 biplanes.

In 1949, the Blackburn Aeroplane & Motor Company rebranded as Blackburn & General Aircraft Limited and manufactured several aircraft at Brough, including the transport model Blackburn Beverley and the maritime strike Blackburn Buccaneer.

From 1949 through 1957, the aerodrome’s perimeter track was repurposed as a racing circuit known as Brough Circuit, famously marking Stirling Moss's inaugural victory.

Throughout the 1960s, the company was incorporated into Hawker Siddeley Aviation, continuing Buccaneer production at the site.

Subsequently absorbed into British Aerospace and eventually BAE Systems, the facility remained active in military aircraft manufacturing and support. Production of BAE Harrier jump jets persisted at Brough until completion. The airfield itself closed during the early 1990s after daily shuttle flights to BAe Warton were terminated due to budget reductions. Presently, variants of the BAe Hawk continue to be produced at this location.

On 7 September 2007, it was announced that all forthcoming Hawk Advanced Jet Trainer aircraft would be flown from Brough to Warton at a frequency of two per month. Flight operations recommenced on 28 January 2008 with a demonstration Hawk aircraft taking off. In late April 2009, a static test airframe of the F-35 Lightning II was delivered to Brough Aerodrome, marking the first arrival of such an aircraft in the UK.

A contract valued at £2.5 billion for supplying Typhoon and Hawk aircraft to Oman extended Brough’s production workload through to 2016, with anticipation of additional profitable export agreements.

Throughout its history, several units have been stationed at Brough:

• No. 4 Elementary and Reserve Flying Training School RAF
• No. 4 Elementary Flying Training School RAF
• No. 4 Reserve Flying School RAF
• No. 48 Maintenance Unit RAF
• Hull University Air Squadron