RAF Carnaby

The primary reason for closure was military drawdown following the end of World War II. RAF Carnaby was a purpose-built Emergency Landing Ground (ELG) with a very specific wartime role. With the cessation of large-scale bombing raids over Europe, the need for such a massive emergency airfield diminished significantly, making it redundant for post-war RAF requirements. Its later, brief use as a missile site was a temporary Cold War measure, and its deactivation was due to the obsolescence of the Thor missile system.

The site is now the Carnaby Industrial Estate, a major commercial and industrial park serving Bridlington and the surrounding area. The original layout of the airfield is still discernible, with many of the estate's roads and industrial units built directly on the former runway and taxiways. Some original wartime buildings, including pillboxes and a B1 type hangar, still exist and have been repurposed. A memorial stone is located on the estate to commemorate the airfield's wartime role and the personnel who served there.

RAF Carnaby holds significant historical importance as one of only three purpose-built Emergency Landing Grounds constructed for RAF Bomber Command during WWII (the others being RAF Manston and RAF Woodbridge). Its key features and operations included:

- **Massive Runway**: It had a single, enormous runway measuring 9,000 ft (2,700 m) long and 750 ft (230 m) wide, designed to accommodate multiple heavily damaged bombers, such as the Avro Lancaster or Handley Page Halifax, landing simultaneously from any direction, regardless of wind.
- **Emergency Role**: It served as a 'drome of last resort' for Allied aircraft returning from operations over Europe, particularly those damaged by enemy fire, low on fuel, or facing instrument failure. It is credited with saving over 1,400 aircraft and their crews during its operational life.
- **FIDO System**: The airfield was equipped with the Fog Investigation and Dispersal Operation (FIDO) system. This system used pipelines along the runway to burn vast quantities of petrol, creating intense heat that would lift and disperse fog, enabling safe landings in zero-visibility conditions.
- **Special Duties**: For a period, it was home to No. 171 Squadron, a special duties unit involved in electronic countermeasures against German night-fighter radar.
- **Cold War Era**: After its initial closure, the site was reactivated during the Cold War to host three launch emplacements for PGM-17 Thor intermediate-range ballistic missiles, operated by No. 150 Squadron RAF from 1959 until the system was deactivated in 1963.

Note: The ICAO code 'US-0216' is incorrect for a UK location and likely an error from a third-party database. As a WWII military airfield that closed before the modern ICAO system was fully implemented for all airfields, it never had a standard ICAO code.

There are no plans or prospects for reopening RAF Carnaby as an airport. The site has been extensively redeveloped over the past 50 years into a thriving industrial estate. The original runway and airfield infrastructure have been built over with roads, factories, and warehouses, making any conversion back to aviation use completely unfeasible.