Royal Air Force Stations in Lincolnshire

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RAF Caistor

Grid reference iro: TA 086 023






RAF Caistor was a grass-surfaced airfield and served it's time during the war as a RLG (Relief Landing Ground) for a number of stations in the area. It had four grass landing strips. The airfield opened on the 6th September 1940 as a Satellite for RAF Kirton-in-Lindsey, 264 Squadron under the control of 12 Group, Fighter Command flying Boulton Paul Defiants. They were replaced shortly after by 85 Squadron for daylight training in Hawker Hurricane. But after only a few short weeks, they left the airfield. The control of the airfield swapped from 15(P) AFU (Advanced Flying Unit) at nearby RAF Kirmington to RAF Manby on the 9th December 1942. During this period being a grass airfield it was little used. RAF Cranwell brought their Airspeed Oxfords and Miles Masters on the 6th April 1943.
Because of its proximity to the coast and the risk of attack, in late 1943 all night flying was cancelled.
The 346th Company, US Engineering Corps were resident for about two months in 1943/44 and were replaced with personnel from 948th Ordnance Corps. The station was placed on Care and Maintenance, and became the new home of 5354 Airfield Construction Wing. With this change of role, the control of the airfield was transferred to 43 (Maintenance) Wing on the 21st February 1945.
At the end of the war it was transferred to the Ministry of Agriculture for allocation to the local farmers.
In 1958 part of the former airfield was needed as a base for the newly developed Douglas Thor missile. Three launch pads for the missile and 269 Squadron reformed at the station as part of the Hemswell Missile Wing under the control of 1 Group, Bomber Command until the Thor missiles were withdrawn from service in 1963.

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