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 Sturgate
Airfield Code: EGCS; Grid reference centred on SK 879 876
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The airfield was opened in 1944 as RAF Station Sturgate. Located between the small villages of Upton and Heapham, Sturgate was one of the last airfields to be built during WW2. Construction was to the Class "A" Bomber standard with three intersecting runways, two T2 and one B1 hangars. FIDO was installed with three fuel tanks connected via a pipeline from the railway sidings at Lea, almost three miles away. FIDO was first lit on 21 December 1944 for ten Lancasters of 625 Squadron based at Kelstern. It consumed 138,000 gallons of fuel in a two hour burn.
Work started during early 1943, with the station not opening until March 1944 under the control of Hemswell and 1 Group, Bomber Command. Originally used for Blind Approach Training (BAT). 1520 BAT Flight arrived on 18th September 1944, flying the Airspeed Oxford. 1st November 1944, saw the arrival of No.1 Aircrew School. A month later on the 1st December 1944, control of the station became a sub-station of 71 Base, which turn was controlled by 7 Group, Bomber Command. 1520 BAT Flight was disbanded in February 1945, and No.1 Aircrew School leaving the airfield three months later. Two operational Lancaster squadrons (50 and 61 Squadrons) arrived in June 1945 but both then moved to RAF Waddington in January 1946 but they only flew training sorties. While here they retro fitted an improved version of the Rose rear gunner turrets. Both 50 and 61 Squadrons left the airfield in the January 1946. The station was closed to flying between 1946 and 1953.
In 1953 the station was allocated for use by the United States Air Force Strategic Air Command (SAC) and the 508th Strategic Fighter Wing operating the Republic F-84 Thunderjet. It was also used to house SAC bombers on temporary duty from the United States. From 1959, it was used for logistical support facilities for 99th USAF Munitions Maintenance Squadron located at the Thor missile unit at nearby RAF Hemswell. The airfield was closed in 1964.
A corner of the original airfield is now used as an unlicensed aerodrome for civil use as Sturgate Airfield.
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Images used on this page, © Copyright Richard Croft, Adrian S Pye, Mat Fascione and Chris;
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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