RFCS Southfields / RAF Acklington

The closure was a result of UK defence budget reviews and a strategic realignment of the Royal Air Force during the early 1970s. As military aviation technology advanced, the RAF consolidated its fighter squadrons at fewer, larger, and more modern bases. RAF Acklington, with its older infrastructure, was deemed surplus to requirements in the new air defence strategy.

The site has been almost completely redeveloped and is unrecognizable as an airfield. A large portion of the former base is now occupied by HMP Northumberland, a large Category C male prison. The prison was formed by merging the former HMP Acklington and HMP Castington, which were built on the site after the RAF's departure. While some faint outlines of the runways and perimeter tracks can be seen in satellite imagery, they are largely derelict, broken up, or have been absorbed into the prison complex and surrounding agricultural or light industrial land. A few original military buildings may remain in a repurposed state, but the core aviation infrastructure is gone.

RAF Acklington had a long and distinguished history as a key air defence station.

- **WWI Origins:** It was first established in 1916 as Royal Flying Corps (RFC) Southfields, a Home Defence landing ground to counter German Zeppelin raids on the industrial northeast of England. It was renamed RAF Acklington on April 1, 1918, with the formation of the Royal Air Force.

- **WWII - Battle of Britain:** The airfield was significantly expanded and became a vital Sector Station within No. 13 Group of RAF Fighter Command during World War II. It was home to numerous squadrons flying Hawker Hurricanes and Supermarine Spitfires. Its primary role was to protect the Tyneside industrial areas, ports, and shipping convoys from Luftwaffe attacks. It played a crucial, though less famous, role during the Battle of Britain by defending the north.

- **Cold War Era:** After the war, Acklington continued its life as a front-line fighter station. It transitioned to jet aircraft, operating types such as the Gloster Meteor, de Havilland Vampire, Hawker Hunter, and the all-weather Gloster Javelin fighter. It served as a key base in the UK's Air Defence Region (UKADR), tasked with intercepting potential Soviet bombers. It also hosted various training and support units throughout its operational life.

There are no prospects for reopening the site as an airport. The permanent and extensive redevelopment of the land, particularly the construction of a major prison facility directly on the former airfield, makes any return to aviation use impossible. The remaining infrastructure is degraded beyond repair, and there is no strategic or commercial need for an airfield at this location, with Newcastle International Airport (EGNT) serving the region.