Royal Air Force Stations in Lincolnshire

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RAF Faldingworth

Airfield Code: FH; Grid reference centred on: TF 034 853






RAF Faldingworth was requisitioned as a decoy site for RAF Hemswell known as Toft Grange. It was August 1942 before construction began on the airfield. Built to the same design as most airfields at the time, to the Class ‘A’ standard. This consisted of three intersecting runways and surrounded by a perimeter track. The technical site along with both the accommodation and communal were built on the northern side of the airfield. The normal three hangars; a T2 and a B1 were erected to the north, with a T2 on the southern perimeter.
The first arrivals were the Handley Page Halifax and the Avro Lancaster of 1667 Heavy Conversion Unit (HCU) in August 1943. Number 1 Lancaster Flying School (LFS) ‘C’ Flight was formed which led 1667 HCU becoming an all Halifax Conversion Unit with thirty-two aircraft at its disposal.
It wasn’t long before they were replaced with the stations first all-out operational squadron, 300 (Mazowiecki) Squadron, of the Polish Air Force equipped with Lancasters.
Joining them in May 1944, were 1546 BAT (Beam Approach Training) Flight. The flight was originally scheduled to be formed at Gamston in Nottinghamshire, but due to lack of space there they switched to Faldingworth. The flight was also to bring a new aircraft type to the airfield, in the form of the Airspeed Oxford. The New Year brought change. The decision was made to disband 1546 BAT Flight and on the 9th January 1945 they were gone. This left only 300 Squadron as the only occupants of the station.

300 Squadron were eventually disbanded on the 11th October 1946, they were replaced with the arrival of 305 Squadron, Polish Air Force. They arrival not only brought new aircraft the airfield in the shape of the de Havilland Mosquito, but also new hope that the station would survive. But this was short lived, when on 6th January 1947 305 Squadron were disbanded, and the station placed on Care and Maintenance.
April 1949 brought further change, when control was transferred from Bomber Command to 42 MU Group (Maintenance Command). Intended as a sub-site for 93 MU, they remained in control until October 1957. That month 92 MU was formed at the airfield and the airfield was partially reactivated again, but not for its previous use as a flying field. This time the station was be tasked with the supply of munitions to all other RAF airfields in Lincolnshire. This also included the storage of Nuclear weapons during the Cold War period. But in November 1972, 92 MU were disbanded and the airfield closed and placed up for sale.

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