Royal Air Force Stations in Lincolnshire
Great Britain 1:50 000 Scale Colour Raster Mapping Extracts © Crown copyright Ordnance Survey. All Rights Reserved. Educational licence 100045616.
Contents
- Expansion of RAF Airfields in the 1930s
- International Bomber Command Centre.
- RAF Anwick
- RAF Bardney
- RAF Barkston Heath
- RAF Binbrook
- RAF Blyton
- RAF Bottesford
- RAF Caistor
- RAF Coleby Grange
- RAF Coningsby
- RAF Cranwell
- RAF Digby
- RAF Donna Nook (Range)
- RAF Dunholme Lodge
- RAF East Kirkby
- RAF Elsham Wolds
- RAF Faldingworth
- RAF Fiskerton
- RAF Folkingham
- RAF Fulbeck
- RAF Goxhill
- RAF Grimsby / Waltham
- RAF Harlaxton
- RAF Hemswell / Harpswell
- RAF Hibaldstow
- RAF Holbeach Range
- RAF Ingham / Cammeringham
- RAF Kelstern
- RAF Kirmington
- RAF Kirton-in Lindsey
- RAF Ludford Magna
- RAF Manby
- RAF Metheringham
- RAF North Cotes
- RAF North Killingholme
- RAF North Witham
- RAF Saltby
- RAF Sandtoft
- RAF Scampton / Brattleby
- RAF Skellingthorpe
- RAF Spilsby
- RAF Spitalgate (Grantham)
- RAF Strubby
- RAF Sturgate
- RAF Sutton Bridge
- RAF Swinderby
- RAF Waddington
- RAF Wainfleet Range
- RAF Wellingore
- RAF Wickenby
- RAF Woodhall Spa
- FIDO
- High Flight
- Folkingham in 1944
- Fulbeck 1944
- Goxhill 1947
RAF Spilsby
Airfield Code: SL; Grid reference centred on: TF 445 648
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Spilsby airfield was located east of Spilsby village and to the north of Great Steeping. Opened in September 1943, it was a Class 'A' bomber airfield allocated to 5 Group. The main runway length was 1430 yards and the remaining two were 1400 yards, both these were later extended to 2000 yards. Two T2 hangars were provided, one in the technical site on the south-west side of the airfield and the other off the eastern perimeter track. A B1 hangar was sited off the northern perimeter track, close to the bomb stores. The communal and accommodation sites were dispersed around the village of Great Steeping.
In October 1943, 207 Squadron arrived from Langar, Nottinghamshire equipped with Lancasters and remained as resident squadron until leaving for Methwold, Norfolk on 30th October 1945. During their time at Spillsby they were joined by Lancasters of 44 Squadron which arrived from Dunholme Lodge on 30th September 1944, staying almost ten months before departing to Mepal, Cambridgeshire on 21st July 1945. They were replaced by 75 Squadron until they disbanded in October 1945. The airfield was retained by the RAF and accommodated a series of fighter squadrons, namely 129, 219, 222 and 264 squadrons, until April 1946, when it was put on Care and Maintenance. A USAF non-flying squadron made a brief appearance in 1955 but Spilsby was fully closed in 1958 and sold in 1962.
On Easter Monday 10 April 1944, during the preparation for an operation, a 1,000 lb (450 kg) bomb exploded while it was being disarmed in a fusing shed. Ten squadron armourers were killed, three of whom were never found and have no known grave. (fourth image).
A few fragments of perimeter track and parts of dispersals can be seen alongside the minor roads to the east of Great Steeping. The B1 hangar still stands, (image five) as does the operations block. Some of the communal and accommodation buildings are still extant, (around TF 445 648) in use as farm buildings. A fine memorial can be found built on the base of the crash tender shed.
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Images used on this page, © Copyright Adrian S Pye, Richard Croft and Peter Skynner;
licensed for re-use under a Creative Commons Licence. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/Great Britain 1:50 000 Scale Colour Raster Mapping Extracts © Crown copyright Ordnance Survey. All Rights Reserved. Educational licence 100045616.
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