Editing Doncaster (section)

===Aviation===
{{Main|RAF Doncaster}}
[[File:Robin Hood Airport, Finningley - geograph.org.uk - 915175.jpg|thumb|right|[[Doncaster Sheffield Airport]]]]
In 1909, [[Doncaster Racecourse]] was chosen as the venue for an airshow, after the world's first international air display in [[Reims]], France in 1909. Around a dozen aviators were present, the most famous being [[Léon Delagrange]] and [[Roger Sommer (aviator)|Roger Sommer]]. [[Samuel Cody]] (no relation to [[Buffalo Bill|William F. Cody]]) in an attempt to win a prize offered by the ''[[Daily Mail]]'' for the first British pilot in a British aeroplane to fly a circular mile signed British [[naturalisation]] papers in front of the crowd with the band playing both ''[[God Save the Queen|God Save the King]]'' and the ''[[Star Spangled Banner]]''. Unfortunately, he crashed his aeroplane on the first day of the meeting and made no significant flights.

During the [[First World War]], fighters based first on the racecourse, then at a temporary airstrip near Finningley (later [[RAF Finningley]] and now [[Doncaster Sheffield Airport]]) and finally, in 1916, on a newly built airfield alongside the racecourse, were deployed to defend the east coast against [[Zeppelin]]s. On several occasions fighters took off to search for intruders but none were ever seen. The [[Royal Flying Corps]] station trained pilots for the war in France. Within months of the war ending the station was put up for sale and two of its three Belfast hangars, the same type that now forms the basis for the [[Royal Air Force Museum]] at [[Hendon]], were sold to a Sheffield motor manufacturing company for storage and assembly at [[Finningley]]. The third of the hangars stayed in place, mainly housing buses, until the 1970s, when it was knocked down and replaced with modern buildings.

In 1920, the government asked local authorities to assist in forming a chain of airfields for civil air services. Doncaster, with expert advice from [[Alan Cobham]], opened its aviation centre on 26 May 1934. Development of the airfield continued and on 1 July 1936 an international service was opened to [[Amsterdam]]. On 1 November 1938, after discussions with the [[Air Ministry]], [[No. 616 Squadron RAF|616 (South Yorkshire) Squadron]] of the [[Auxiliary Air Force|Royal Auxiliary Air Force]] was formed. Shortly after the outbreak of war in 1939 the squadron went to its battle station and played a part in the [[Battle of Britain]]. After the departure of 616 squadron, its place was taken by the formation of [[No. 271 Squadron RAF|271 (Transport) Squadron]] composed mainly of requisitioned civilian aircraft and obsolescent twin-engined bombers. 616 squadron was the first Allied jet fighter squadron, equipped with the [[Gloster Meteor]], famed for using their wingtips to throw German [[V-1 flying bomb]]s off course. In 1944, after being equipped with American-made [[Douglas DC-3]] Dakotas, the squadron moved south to take part in [[Operation Overlord]] and later in the airborne invasion at [[Arnhem]], where [[Flight Lieutenant]] [[David Lord (officer)|David Lord]] was awarded a [[Posthumous recognition|posthumous]] [[Victoria Cross]].

After the war the airfield reverted to civilian flying, and finally closed in 1992.