RAF Desford
| RAF Desford RFC Peckleton  |
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| Near Desford, Leicestershire in England | |||||||||
Instructor and pupil in front of a de Havilland Tiger Moth at No. 7 EFTS, Desford. Both wear 1930 Pattern flying suits.
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 RAF Desford
Shown within Leicestershire
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| Coordinates | 52°36′40″N 001°17′28″W / 52.61111°N 1.29111°WCoordinates: 52°36′40″N 001°17′28″W / 52.61111°N 1.29111°W | ||||||||
| Type | Royal Air Force station | ||||||||
| Site information | |||||||||
| Owner | Air Ministry | ||||||||
| Operator |
Royal Flying Corps Royal Air Force |
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| Site history | |||||||||
| Built | 1916 | ||||||||
| In use | 1916–1953 | ||||||||
| Battles/wars | World War I World War II |
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| Airfield information | |||||||||
| Elevation | 118 m (387 ft) AMSL | ||||||||
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Royal Air Force Desford or RAF Desford is a former Royal Air Force station located one mile (1.6 km) south of Desford, Leicestershire, and 6.7 miles (10.8 km) west of Leicester, Leicestershire, England.
Flying at Desford began in 1916, during the First World War, when the Royal Flying Corps rented a field from a local farmer to be used as an emergency landing ground for No. 38 (Home Defence) Squadron RFC, who were based at Melton Mowbray. It was then designated RFC Peckleton.
After the war the site reverted to agricultural use, until the Leicestershire Aero Club rented 43 acres of land from farmer John Cart in late 1929. They built a clubhouse, a small hangar, and installed a fuel store and pump. The aerodrome was officially opened on 14 September 1929 by Under-Secretary of State for Air Frederick Montague, with an air display which attracted a crowd estimated at 30,000.
Desford was twice used as a turning point for the King's Cup Air Race, in 1931 and 1933, and Alan Cobham's air display team visited in 1933 and 1934. Leicestershire Aero Club eventually left Desford in March 1935, relocating to the new municipal airport at Braunstone Frith.
In August 1935 the original 42-acre site, and an additional 56 acres for future expansion, was bought by the aviation instrumentation company Reid and Sigrist, who had contracted to create one of the thirteen new Civilian Flying Schools as part of the Royal Air Force's expansion scheme. Desford was the ninth CFS when it was officially opened on 13 December 1935 by Viscount Swinton, the Secretary of State for Air. The new flying school was equipped with a large 220 ft (67 m) by 70 ft (21 m) hangar, and an administration block with offices, four large lecture rooms, a photographic department, and parachute and first-aid rooms. There was also a mess block, and residential bungalows for the trainees, all centrally heated and soundproofed. In the clubhouse there was a dining-room, lounge, meeting hall and kitchen. Outside an area was set aside for a sports ground, gardens, and a car park. Trainees were to be instructed in administration, law and discipline, airmanship, navigation, armament, photography and signalling. The school had seventeen de Havilland Tiger Moths (with Gipsy Major engines), all fitted with Reid and Sigrist blind flying instruments in both cockpits, for flying instruction.
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