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Airfield Traila c e l e b r a t i o n o f o u r a v i a t i o n h i s t o r y

North Kesteven

www.heartoflincs.com

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3 Introduction4 Lincolnshire and World War I5-6 BomberCounty7 Present Day RAF8-9 Anwick10-11 Bracebridge Heath12-13 ColebyGrange14-18 Cranwell19 CranwellAviationHeritageCentre20-22 Digby23 RAFDigbySectorOperationsRoomMuseum24 Leadenham25 LincolnshireBomberCommandMemorial26-27 Metheringham29 MetheringhamAirfieldVisitorCentre30 Skellingthorpe32-33 Swinderby35 Scopwick36-37 Waddington39 RAFWaddingtonHeritageRoom40 RAFWaddingtonViewingArea41 Washingborough42-44 Wellingore45 Map48 TouristInformation

CONTENTS PAGE

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INTrOduCTION

Lincolnshire,renownedasthe‘Homeof the Royal Air Force’, has a vast

aviationheritage.Thecounty’sflat,opencountrysideanditslocationmadeitidealforthedevelopmentofairfieldsduring World War I, and in World War II LincolnshirebecamethemostimportanthomeofBomberCommand. SeveralairfieldsarestilloperationalandservingthemoderndayRAFwhileformerairfields,museumsandmemorialsarewitnesstothebraveryofthemenandwomenwhoservedhereinmostturbulenttimes.

TheNorthKestevenAirfieldTrailhasbeencreated to enable visitors to locate the activeRAFstationsandformerairfieldsites,manyofwhicharenowidentifiedbydistinctivesignsinthispartofmidLincolnshire. The sites can be visited withinacomfortableday’sdrive,orforamoreleisurelytour,spendafewdaysherecombiningthetrailwithvisitstothe aviation centres and other places of interest close by.

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The Lincoln Edge, being a north-south escarpment,(particularlyevident

atHarmstonandLeadenham),hadamagneticappealtothedefencechiefsseekingairfieldsitesineasternEnglandduringtheGreatWar. Westerly winds, forced into rising currents, assisted heavily-laden, low-poweredbiplanesoftheGreatWarwhentakingofforlanding.Theirclimboutsand their speed relative to the ground couldbeimmediateandsteeper,andtheir speed relative to the ground could bereducedmoreconfidentlyonfinalapproach without fear of stalling. During theGreatWar,airfieldswereestablishedabove this cliff at Harpswell, Brattleby, SouthCarlton,BracebridgeHeath,Waddington,LeadenhamandSpittlegate.

On 1 April 1916, Royal Naval Air Service StationCranwell,partofHMSDaedalus,opened as a training station to teach officerstoflyaeroplanessuchasBE2cs,Avro504sandSopwithCamelsand

later airships and kite balloons. RNAS training continued until 1 April 1918, whentheRNASandRoyalFlyingCorpswereamalgamatedtoformtheRoyalAirForce.ThestationthenbecameknownasRAFCranwell.

LincolnitselfbecameoneofthetopfiveaircraftmanufacturingcentresoftheGreatWarwithover5,000aircraftbeingconstructedintheCity’sfactories.ManyoftheSopwith806typesfromRobey’sworksflewtoservicefromWestCommon(mapreferenceSK960720).Ruston,Proctor&CobuiltBE2biplanesandSopwithCamels.ManyofthesewereflownstraighttotheWesternFrontbytheRoyalFlyingCorps.MoreSopwithtypeswerebuiltbyClayton&Shuttleworth.

After the end of the war in 1918, only threeoutofthethirty-sevenmilitaryaerodromesthathadbeenestablishedinthecountyremainedforthepeace-timeair force.

LINCOLNShIrE ANd WOrLd WAr I

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Aswarloomedonceagainduringthemid1930s,theRoyalAirForce

beganaprogrammeofexpansion.World War II was a war in which aviation showed its devastating potential. Each combatantwantedfastermachinesintheaircapableofcarryingmorearmamentoveragreaterdistance.TheAirMinistrydemandedlargerairfieldswithdispersedfacilities – hidden if possible to reduce the risks of air attack. By 1940 the search forprospectiveairfieldswasatfullthrottleand, situated on the eastern side of the country. Lincolnshire was an ideal launchingplatformforapossiblebomberoffensive.

Fighterairfieldsneededamainrunwayof4,200feet(1,280m)andsubsidiaryrunwaysatleast3,300feet(1,006m)long.Forbomberstherequirementswere6,000and4,800feet(1,829mand1,463m)respectively.Treesandhedgesusually had to be grubbed up, although theywouldremainonmapsforsecurity

reasons. As soon as such features were uprooted, waste oil, creosote orblackpowderwasusedtoimitategroundshadowsanddeceiveenemyreconnaissance aircraft. A runway could not be steeper than 1 in 30. If a 3-ton (3.05tonnes)truckcouldbedrivenonagrassrunwaywithoutleavingtyremarksitwasdeemedreadyforaction.Concreterunwaysweretobe10to16inches(25to41cm)thick,whilstperimetertrackordispersalscouldmanagewitha6-inch(15cm)depthofconcrete.

Lincolnshirehadalreadyaccommodatedthe training needs of the RAF at the RoyalAirForceCollege,Cranwell,whichopenedasthefirstmilitaryairacademyintheworldon5February,1920.ManygraduatesfromCranwell,includingSirDouglasBader,becamedistinguishedWorld War II aviators.

5GroupBomberCommandwasheadquarteredatStVincentsin

BOmBEr COuNTy

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centralGranthambetweenSeptember1937 and October 1943, when its personnelmovedtoMortonHallnearSwinderby.Thesquadronsdirectedby5GroupflewfrommanyLincolnshireairfieldsincludingBardney,Coningsby,DunholmeLodge,EastKirkby,Fulbeck,Hemswell,Metheringham,Scampton,Skellingthorpe, Spilsby, Strubby, Swinderby, Waddington and Woodhall Spa. By the end of the war in 1945, forty-nineairfieldsinLincolnshirewereoperational. Twenty-eight of these were bomberbases–morethananyothercountyinGreatBritain.

ThemagnificentLincolnCathedralprovidedadistinguishedlandmarkforpilots during the Second World War and theAirmen’sChapelnowhousestheMemorialBooksof1and5Groups,RAFBomberCommand.Thebookscontainthenamesof25,611personnelwhodiedflyingfromairfieldsinorneartoLincolnshireincluding1,233Canadiansand 1,140 Australians. Stained glass windowsformtheBomberCommandMemorial,FlyingTrainingCommandMemorialandtheNewZealandMemorial.Thereareothermemorialstounitsandindividuals.ApermanentmemorialledgerstonetoBomberCommandanditspersonnel was unveiled in August 2006.

When the war ended in 1945, there wasnolongertheneedforsomany

militaryairfields.Manyofthosethathadbeen constructed during the war were closed down, their concrete runways torn up,andreturnedtoagriculture.Atsomeairfields,thedomesticquartersonthedispersedsiteswereusedastemporaryhousingfordisplacedpersons.Themorepermanentpre-warexpansionperiodairfieldsremainedoperationaltobedevelopedbythepost-warairforce.SomelikeDunholmeLodgebrieflyheldColdWarrolesasairdefencemissilesiteswithBloodhoundSurfacetoAirMissiles.

Today,sixmilitarystationsremaininLincolnshire:Waddington,CranwellandDigbyinNorthKesteven;ConingsbyinEast Lindsey, Barkston Heath in South KestevenandScamptoninWestLindsey.

TheRAFmainlyfliesaircraftbetween8amand5pmonweekdaysandifyoupause for a while close to one of these

airfields,youmightbeabletoadmiretheprecision of today’s air force pilots.

YoumaycatchsightoftheRedArrowspracticingoverRAFScampton,ortheE-3D Sentry and Sentinel aircraft resident at RAF Waddington where you can also watchthestation’svisitingmilitaryaircraftfromthepublicviewingareaknownastheWAVEontheA15road.YoumightevencatchaglimpseoftheLincolnshire&NottinghamshireAirAmbulancethatoperatesfromneartheWAVE.

InadditiontherearethecoastalBombingRanges at Donna Nook and Holbeach.

Visitorsareremindedtoobservetheofficialnoticesandparkingrestrictionsontheperimetersoftheoperationalairfields.

Thewartimeairfieldshavebeenreturnedto agricultural use, so at these sites, please do not leave the public roads or footpaths.

ThE PrESENT dAy rAF

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LOCATION:Anwickisasmallvillage,whichgaveitsnametoaWorldWarIlandingground(Sheet121SK110515),approximatelyamileNNWofthevillagechurchwithvehicleaccessfromRuskingtonFenRoad.IfapproachingfromRAFDigby drivers should re-join the B1188 at Scopwick and proceed south. On reachingRuskingtonturnleftatthefirstcrossroads and follow the signs out of the village to Ruskington Fen.

hISTOry:Trees were felled along the roadside and a telegraph wire was run to the site fromRuskingtonvillagepastPoplarFarmwhereJaneGlennhadlivedsincethe1880s.“Aeroplanecamedown at landing stage. Went to see it. FirstIhadseendown,sawhimstartoffagain.CamefromMeltonMowbray”.Thusrantheentryfor10Januaryinhernew 1917 diary. The landing ground supportednopermanentbuildingsbut

Anwick

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1, 2 & 3 Former site of r.F.C AnwickKEy dATES:

WOrLd WAr I – AIr dEFENCE By 38 SqN

WOrLd WAr II – dECOy SITE FOr rAF dIGBy

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covered54acres(21.85hectares)andwasequippedwithbasiclighting(petrol-soakedragsincans).

BetweenSeptember1916andMay1918MeltonMowbraywastheHeadquartersof38Squadronwhichwas responsible for landing grounds atStamford,Buckminster,Leadenhamand Anwick.

ThisearlyairdefenceunitflewBE2eand FE2b pusher biplanes against everyknownZeppelinintrudingintoMidlandsairspace.Zeppelinswereseen over South Lincolnshire during November1916andMarch,May,SeptemberandOctoberof1917.Theycouldflyataltitudesof20,000feet(6,096m)and,byFebruaryof1916, had penetrated as far west as Cheshire.Nonewereinterceptedby38SquadronwhichwasuntilJuly1917underthecommandofMajorL.J.E.Twisleton-Wykeham-Fiennes.

Soldiers were stationed down Ruskington Fen and helped local farmersandthepreacherattheWesleyanChapel. Theterrorofwarcamealittletoocloseforcomfortintheearlyhoursof25September1917whenninebombsfellfromaZeppelinonoraroundPoplarFarm.Twodidnotexplode,butthosethat did not caused craters that drew crowds of sightseers later in the week. “BombsdroppedneartoeveryonebutbytheProvidenceofGod”wroteJaneGlenn,“noonewashurt.Howthankfulweare”.

Twenty years passed and Britain was again at war. The old Anwick landing ground was rigged to appear as a decoyforDigby’sbusyairfield.Eightairmenwerebilletedlocally,workingon shift when the air attack warnings came.Theyhadnothingbutacrampeddug- out and an electric generator to lightaflarepath.Amobileflashingbeacon would be driven out by truck fromDigbytocompletethedeceptionofenemyaircrew.WhentheairmenwerenotcyclingfromDigbyorinthedugout they would do odd jobs for the localcommunity.

When two Avro Lancasters collided nearAnwickGrangeon2March1945itwastheturnofthelocalfarmerstohelpthe RAF. Three aircrew perished in this accident. The survivors were probably treated at the burns unit established in Rauceby Hospital near Sleaford. The decoy site was reportedly abandoned in August 1942. Other local decoy sites were at Dorrington, Branston Fen and Willoughby Walks.

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Bracebridge HeathLOCATION: IfyoutaketheA15southfromLincolnyou will soon recognise the Lincoln Edge which separates these two early flyingsites.

hISTOry: Bracebridge Heath was the aircraft manufacturerRobey’sfirstairstrip–nearthecemeteryatBracebridge

Heath and had an altitude of 210 feet (64m).AdesignofficehereattemptedtomeetanAdmiraltyorderforananti-Zeppelinfighterwithawideslab-sidedbiplane of 250-horse power.

Late in 1916 its third take-off proved to beitslast,theRobey-Peters‘fightingmachine’burnedoutontheroofoftheformerStJohn’sHospital,whichstandsalongsideCanwickAvenue.

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1 Avro 707 at Bracebridge heath2 robey aircraft being towed to aerodrome3 robey aircraft being towed to aerodrome

4 & 5 Great War hangars / buildings of the Avro repair Organisation of World War II; now used for commercial purposes

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KEy dATES:WOrLd WAr I – ThE FLyING FIELd BECAmE AN AErOPLANE PrOvIdING FIELd ANd LATEr A rFC LANdING GrOuNd.

WOrLd WAr II – ThE SITE BECAmE A rEPAIr FACILITy FOr A.v. rOE COmPANy. ThEIr WOrK CONTINuEd INTO ThE jET ErA WITh ThE AvrO 707 PrOTOTyPES BEING ASSEmBLEd ThErE.

A second aeroplane crashed in the followingJanuary.Laterin1917theRoyalFlyingCorpserectedthreetriplespan ‘Belfast’ Truss hangars. The last completehangarwasdemolishedafewyears ago leaving only parts of the other two still standing, which can still be seenfromtheA15(SK985672).Someairforceaccommodationwaslaterconverted into civilian bungalows and theirdistinctiveshapesmaybeseentothe west of this Lincoln-Sleaford road.

TheGreatWarendedbeforearesidentsquadronofdeHavilland9aircrafthad achieved operational status at Bracebridge Heath.

TheproximityofthesitetoWaddington’sairfieldledtheMinistryofSupplytorequisitionthehangarsinMay1941sothattheA.V.RoeCompanycouldundertake running repairs to Lancasters and other precious aeroplanes. The A15 south of Bracebridge Heath doubled as

ataxiwayalongwhichaircraftcould be towed.

Whilst Avro Anson aircraft were being refittedfortheRoyalNavy,twohighspeed delta-winged aircraft – the single seat Avro 707A and the two seat 707C–werecompletedatBracebridgeHeathfromcomponentsmadeintheManchesterarea.Oneofthesewasrefurbished at Waddington for display intheManchesterMuseumofScienceand Industry. These aircraft were purely experimentalbutledtothedevelopmentoftheevocativeVulcan,afamiliarsightinthelocalskiesformanyyears.

WiththedemiseofVulcanbomberlocal operations in 1984, British Aerospace had no further need for a spares warehouse at Bracebridge Heath and the site is now used for commercialpurposes.

On private land a short distance along theA15,closetotheW.A.V.E.aretheremainsoftheMereListeningStation,whichstandsasatestamenttopartofthe district’s secret history.Whilst the current structure is believed to bepostWorldWarII,theMereListeningStation’s history as a ‘Y’ Site can be traced back to just after World War I.

Due to the secretive nature of the site’s role,muchofitshistoryhasnotbeenfullyverified.HoweverduringWorldWar II it is thought to have played a keyroleintheinterceptionofGermanradiotransmissions.ThedatagatheredfromthisandothersitesformedpartoftheintelligenceinformationsuppliedtoBletchleyParknearMiltonKeynes,whichwashometotheEnigmacodebreakers.

KEy dATES:WOrLd WAr II – 409 (rCAF) SqN; 419 SqN; 288 SqN; ANd 307 (POLISh) SqN

COLd WAr – ThOr INTErmEdIATE rANGE BALLISTIC mISSILES.

LOCATION:SouthalongtheA15fromWaddingtonairfieldyouwillpasstheremainsofan18th century inland lighthouse known locally as Dunston Pillar. This was reduced in height in 1940 tolessentheriskofColebyGrangeaircraft colliding with it.

hISTOry: Only2.5miles(4.02km)fromWaddington,behindtheKitchenCafé,standsthewatchtowerofColebyGrangeairfield–ashortlivedairfieldwithout paved runways. You can park inthecafécarpark(TF005605).Although the site was intended as asatelliteairfieldforDigby,duringthesummerof1940HurricanesandDefiantsfromKirton-in-Lindseyoperatedfromthere.

Coleby Grange

1 Former site of rAF Coleby Grange2 view of Coley Grange3 The Kitchen cafe is situated on an old aircraft dispersal point, which you can just make out in the car park.4 Coleby Grange Watch Tower

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409(RCAF)SquadronbecamethefirstresidentsquadroninJuly1941.Supplied daily with food and basic essentialsfromDigby,personnelwere billeted in huts well screened by woodland to the east of the A15. Thissquadronwiththeirblack-paintedDefiantswasfullyoperationalby20August1941,earningthemthenickname“Nighthawks”.

SadlytheSquadronCommander,SquadronLeaderPetersen,waskilledflyingaBeaufighteron2September1941nearMetheringham.Thesetwinengined planes were soon brought into servicebythe“Nighthawks”andPaulDavoud,theirnewSquadronLeader,claimedtheirfirstenemyaircraftwhenhedownedaDo217bomberon1November1941.Withbetterradarequipment,four20mmcannonsandsixmachineguns,Beaufightersgavetheir

pilotsanimprovedchanceagainsttheLuftwaffe.

InFebruary1943,409SquadronchangedplaceswithasisterCanadianunit,410Squadron,atAcklington.TheybroughtMosquitoswiththem,these‘woodenwonders’becamethescourge of the Luftwaffe; and later staredinthefilm“633Squadron”.

AftershortspellshostingOxfords,DefiantsandHudsonsof288SquadronandtheMosquitonightfightersof307(Polish)Squadron,ColebyGrangebecameasatelliteofRAFCranwellaccommodatingglidersandtrainingaircraft.

ColebyGrangeairfieldwasquietfora decade, ending in 1958 when in responsetotheSovietdeploymentofinter-continentalmissilestheMacmillangovernmentagreedtothedeploymentofsixtyDouglasThorIntermediateRangeBallisticMissiles.ThemajorityofthesewereflowntoHemswellfordispersaltofiveLincolnshireairfields.Three launch sites were built during 1958atColebyGrangeandthepersonnelof142Squadronoperatedthese until 14 August 1963.

Thormissileswere65feet(19.81m)long,8feet(2.43m)indiameterandhadamainenginethrustof150,000lbs(68,040kg).Theywereperceivedasvulnerable and obsolete following the developmentofPolaris-typesystemsofattack.

Visitorsareremindedthatthereisnopublic access to the site.

KEy dATES:WOrLd WAr I – rNAS AIrShIP TrAINING STATION ANd EArLy rFC

INTEr-WAr yEArS - rOyAL AIr FOrCE COLLEGE FOrmEd

WOrLd WAr II – TrAINING rOLE mAINTAINEd ANd CONTINuES ThrOuGh TO PrESENT dAy

LOCATION:CranwellislocatedclosetotheA17andA15roadswithsignpostingfrombothroads.TheairfieldslocationisatmapreferenceTF010510andTF015490fortheCollege.InthevillageofCranwell,manyairmenareburiedinthe village churchyard.

hISTOry: ThenortherngrassairfieldcanstillbeseenfromLighter-than-AirRoadwhichleadsnorthfromtheB1429.Theroadnamecommemoratestheearlyuseofthe site as a Royal Naval Air Service airship training station.

The site had been selected in 1914 becauseofitsflatness,lackofdykesandproximitytocoastalbombingandgunnery ranges. The character of the

Cranwell

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local landscape would, it was thought, makethesiterelativelydifficultforenemiestolocate.Requisitionedfarmbuildings can still be plainly seen in activeusebytheMotorTransportSection.TheremotenessofCranwellwasmarkedbyacheekylamentin1916.

“There’s an isolated, desolated spot I’dliketomention,whereallyouhearis‘standatease’,‘quick-march’,‘sloparms’,‘attention’.It’smilesfromanywhere,byjoveit’sarum’un.Amanlived there for 50 years and never saw awoman”.

E.T Willows had started work on non- rigid airships in 1905, ten years beforeCranwellhadanairfield.Heintroduced the swivelling propellers that madeairshipsfarmoremanageable.AWillowsIVairshipcombinedwitha

BE2c aircraft fuselage produced the first“SubmarineScout”airship.AgiantshedflankedbytallwindshieldfenceswaserectedonCranwell’snorthairfieldduring 1916 and 1917, aligned to suit the prevailing south- westerly wind.

SeveralincidentsmarredCranwell’sassociation with the airship. One crashednearSleafordinNovember1916attemptingadescentintoCranwell.On26April1917onelandedinMrWright’sfielddownRuskingtonFen.Threemen,includingWingCommanderC.MWaterlow,werecarriedaloftdanglingfrommooringlinesandfelltotheirdeathson20July1917.OneweeklateraheavystormblewanairshipoutofcontroleastwardssixmilestodescendatHaverholm.Thankfullyonthis occasion no one was hurt.

By 1918, when the RNAS and theRFCmergedtoformtheRAF,CranwellCampcoveredabout3,000acres(1,214hectares).AttheendofWorldWarIMajorGeneralSirHughTrenchard,ChiefofAirStaff,wasdeterminedtoreinforcetheroleoftheRAF as an independent force. His wishes prevailed and on 5 February 1920,TheRoyalAirForceCollegeatCranwellwasopened-thefirstMilitaryAirAcademyintheworld.LightbiplanespredominatedinthetrainingrolealthoughalargeVimyaircraftarrivedin1922togiveairexperienceflights.

Five years later the long runway drew record-breakingaviatorstoCranwell.A Hawker Horsley specially adapted for long-rangeflightcovered3,419miles(5,502km)in34.5hourslandinginthe

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1 Kingair multi-engine trainer2 dominie gate guardian aircraft3 Early Cranwell airman4 Grob Tutor trainer at rAF Cranwell5 jet Provost T5 at rAF Cranwell6 SlingsbyFireflytrainer

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PersianGulf.Afteramatterofhoursanew world record had been broken by CharlesLindbergh,flyingbetweenNewYork and Paris.

SoonafterwardsCaptainW.G.“Ray”Hinchliffeattemptedawestboundcrossing of the Atlantic with heiress ElsieMackayathisside.She,adaughter of Lord Inchcape, was a flyingenthusiastpreparedtofinancethe trip. Despite poor weather they lefttheGeorgeHotel,Granthamearlyon13March1928toboardaStinsonDetroiteratCranwell.Beforethenextday had dawned both were drowned somewherewestofIreland.

MoresuccessfulwasaFaireyLongRangeMonoplaneflightinFebruary1933.GayfordandNicholettsflew5,341miles(8,595km)fromCranwell to Walvis Bay in South-West Africa in 57 hours.

BythistimeCollegeHallwasnearlycomplete.AWreninspiredbuildingdesignedbyJamesWest,itissitedontheoriginalflyingfield.ManyofthehangarsandclassroomssouthoftheB1429werealsofinishedataboutthistime.ThetrainingfunctionstayedatCranwellthroughoutWorldWar II. During that war at least 36 aircraft were written off at, or near Cranwell-achillingreminderofthehazardsofflyingtraining.AWhitleyofNo.3OperationalTrainingUnit(OTU)collidedwiththeroofofCollegeHallinfogon18March1942.

OnApril111940,Cranwell’smedicalunit took over the nearby Kesteven

ALogBookentryandmontageofphotographsbelongingtoCranwellCadetHarryBird,fromwhenhewasbasedatRAFStationCranwellin1918.TheHarryBirdWorldWarIitemsincludedbykindpermissionoftheGibsonfamily.

MentalHospital,whichbecameNo.4 RAF Hospital Rauceby serving woundedpilotsandaircrewflyingfromLincolnshire.Thecrashandburns unit was under the control of the excellentburnsspecialistSquadronLeader Fenton Braithwaite. The pioneering plastic surgeon, Archibald McIndoe,regularlyvisitedRaucebytoperformoperationsandmanyofthepatientsbecamemembersofhisfamousGuineaPigClub.In1947thehospital returned to its previous NHS roleandwassubsequentlyclosedin1998.AmemorialscrollandplaquecommemoratetherespectiverolesofRAF Rauceby Hospital and the crash and burns unit.

Britain’sfirstjetplaneflewfromCranwell.TheGlosterE28/39,popularly known as the Pioneer or Whittle,flewwestwardsfromCranwell’s

southernairfieldontheeveningof15May1941.P.E.G.Sayer,Gloster’schieftest pilot was at the controls.

AirCommodoreFrankWhittle,anoldCranwellian,haddevelopedits

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revolutionary engine, which was manufacturedatLutterworthinLeicestershire.

TheaircraftflewfromCranwellafurtherfifteentimesandwasoccasionallydispersed to RAF Balderton, Notts; itwasthendismantledandtakentoEdgehill in Warwickshire. It is now displayedintheScienceMuseuminSouth Kensington. Its successors were thetwin-enginedF9/40,whichfirstflewfromCranwellon5March1943,andtheGlosterG41Meteor,whichsawserviceatCranwellfromMay1948onwards.

In 1987, the Flying Training School (FTS)attheRoyalAirForceCollegewasreorganisedatRAFCranwell.Manyaircrafttypeshavebeeninservice here: Avro Tutors; North AmericanHarvards;deHavillandVampires;JetProvosts;TucanoandtheBulldog.AJetProvostisdisplayednearthegateofRAFCranwell.InitialOfficerTrainingremainsthetaskoftheRoyalAirForceCollegeandin1992theOfficerandAircrewSelection

CentremovedtoCranwellfrom Biggin Hill.

RAFCranwell’sOfficerandAircrewTrainingUnit(OACTU)hasvarioussquadronsoperatingwithit.No3FTSiscurrentlybasedatCranwelloperatingthe King Air twin-engined aircraft as 45(Reserve)Squadron;andTutorT1scarryoutbasicflyingtrainingaspartoftheCFS;theForceProtectionsSquadron,LeadershipSquadronandCentreforAirpowerStudiescompletethe units at the base.

GuidedtoursofCollegeHallcanbearranged for recognised groups – please write to:CollegeTechnicalSupportOfficer,RoyalAirForceCollege,Cranwell,Sleaford,LincolnshireNG348HB

AshortdistancefromtheCollege,acrosstheA17ontheminorroadto North and South Rauceby, is the CranwellAviationHeritageCentrewhereanexhibitionrelatesthehistoryoftheairfieldandCollege.

College hall Cranwell

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LOCATION:NorthRauceby,NrCranwell,SleafordNG348QRTel:01529488490. INFOrmATION: TheRoyalAirForceCollegeatCranwellisafamouslandmarkinRAFhistory.Afascinatingexhibitionrecallsin words and photographs the early yearsoftheairfieldfromitsoriginsasaRoyal Naval Air Service Station and the establishmentoftheCollegeasthefirstMilitaryAirAcademyintheworldtothepresent day.

OPEN: 1st April to 31st October; 7daysaweek10am–4.30pm;

1stNovemberto31stMarch,10amto4pm.Groupvisitsarewelcomeatalltimesbyarrangement,contactthecentre.

AdmISSION FrEE

TEL: 01529 488490 or www.cranwellaviation.co.uk

Cranwell AviationHeritage Centre

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1 jet Provost on display in the courtyard2 Flight Simulator 3 External view of Cranwell Aviation heritage Centre

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LOCATION:RAF Digby is located just off the A15 road on the B1191between Ashby de la Lounde and Scopwick.

hISTOry: This station that began life as RAF Scopwick,atrainingaerodromeinWorldWarI;howeverthenamewaschangedtoDigbyin1920(TF045570)following confusion with another station. Digby is no longer an active airfield. By the end of 1918 seven large hangarscompleted,althoughuntilthemid-twentiesfewaircraftwerein

Digby

1 SpitfireatRAFDigby2 CanadianOfficersintheMessat rAF digby3 288 Squadron Lysanders at rAF digby4 Canadian airman in a hurricane

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KEy dATES:WOrLd WAr I – mAjOr CONSTruCTION WOrK TOWArdS ThE ENd OF ThE WAr

INTEr-WAr yEArS – TrAINING rOLES WITh 2FTS

WOrLd WAr II – FIGhTEr COmmANd rOLE; 46 SqN; 72 SqN; 29 SqN; 2 SqN rCAF; 203 SqN rCAF

COLd WAr – TrAINING rOLE, ThEN FOLLOWEd By SIGNALS rOLE

residenceforanylengthoftime.SuchmemorabletypesastheSiskinandVickersVimybombersawservicewithNo.2FlyingTrainingSchool(FTS),whichhadmovednorthfromDuxford.

Inthemid-1930s,trainingcontinuedwithmorestreamlinedtypessuchas the Hawker Hart and Fury and two hangars, one still evident today, replaced the seven earlier structures. Someofthemarriedquarterswerealsoconstructedatthistimeofrisinginternational tension.

Latein1937controlofthegrassairfieldpassedto12GroupFighterCommand.2FTShadmovedsouthallowing46and72SquadronstoflyGlosterGauntletandGlosterGladiatorbiplanesfromDigby.Beforetheoutbreakofwarbothsquadronshadre-equippedwith the new Hawker Hurricane. After performingadmirablyinNorway,

destroyingmanyGermanaircraft,sadlyeight of the ten Hurricane pilots of 46 SquadrondiedwhenthecarrierHMSGloriouswasattackedandsunkbythepocket battleship the Scharnhorst when returningfromNorwayinJune1940.

At the start of the war Digby had the unfortunate distinction of being one ofthefirstLincolnshireairfieldstobeattacked by the Luftwaffe. The Royal WelchFusiliersandmembersoftheRAFRegimentmannedtheanti-aircraftgunsandpillboxestoprotectthestation.

Withinthreeweeksthesquadron,usingnewlyqualifiedpilots,manyofwhomhad less than ten hours on type, had reformedasanactivesquadronnowequippedwithSpitfiresatDigby.

Manyothersquadronssawservicehere before the Battle of Britain drew themsouthwardstodefendLondon.TheBlenheimsof29SquadronclaimedtwoHeinkel111bombersduring night operations in August 1940.FlyingOfficerGuyGibson(thenflyingBeaufighternightfighterswith29Squadron)wasawardedhisDFC.

On11December1940,agroupofCanadianofficersarrivedatDigbytoform2Squadron(RCAF),laterrenumbered402(RCAF).Inall,elevenCanadianSquadronsflewHurricanes,SpitfiresandDefiantsinanairdefencerolefromDigbyanditstwosatelliteairfieldsatWellingoreandColebyGrange.TheairfieldbecameanofficialCanadianStationknownasRCAFDigbyon16thSeptemberandtothisdaythestationcrestbearsamapleleafinrecognitionofthisimportantconnection.

In the latter half of the war Belgian, PolishandCzechnationalsalsoflewSpitfiresfromthisbase,whichhadservedasasector(regional) CommandStation.

Latein1944,aftertheCanadianshad departed as the 144 Fighter WingunderthecommandofJohnnieJohnstontosupportthealliedthrustthrough France. Digby was left with two squadronstoguardagainstanysneakattack at vital targets in the area. In addition, a range of aircraft undertook radar calibration work up to the end of the war.

FlyingtrainingreappearedinJanuary1946usingTigerMoths.Thistypewas still in use for training purposes until 1952, grading cadets prior to their formalflyingtraining,aroleperformedbytheElementaryFlyingTrainingSquadronatSwinderbysomefortyyears later.

The role of the station changed in 1955 with the arrival of No. 399 Signals Unit. This was later joined by 591 Signals Unit and the Aerial Erectors School. The best descriptions of Digby’s current rolecomefromanentryonthestation

website, which states: “No. 399 Signals UnitchangeditsnametotheJointServiceSignalsUniton15September1998,reflectingnotonlyitstri-serviceenvironment,butalsoitsbi-nationalonewithmembersofallthreeUSForcesservingalongsideRAF,Armyand Royal Navy personnel. On 1st April 2005theUnitmergedwiththerestofthestationtobecometheJointServiceSignalsWing(JSSW)Digby.”

It continues. “Today RAF Digby has asignificantlydifferentmandatethan it did when operating as a key operationalairfieldduringtheSecondWorld War, however its current role hasneverbeenmorecritical.Fromanoutsider’sperspective,Digbymayappear to be a sleepy hollow in which nothingmuchhappens;however,thiscouldnotbefurtherfromthetruth.Thestation supports both strategic decision makersatthehighestlevelandthefrontlineona24/7basis,directlysupportingourArmedForceswhereverdeployed. As such, the station has to be able to adapt to an ever-changing securityenvironmentandembracetechnologicalchangetoremaincapableofmeetingourremit”.

LOCATION:RAF Digby, Near Scopwick, Lincoln LN4 3LH Tel: 01526 327619. INFOrmATION: ThisrestoredFighterCommandSectorOperationsRoominanoriginal1937bunker details the history of RAF Digbyfrom1918tothepresentday.

It’suniquearchiveofdocuments,photographsandequipmentondisplaytellsthestation’shistory.GuidedToursduringMaytoOctobereverySundayat11amonly.Groupvisitsatothertimesbyarrangement.Fordetailscontactthe visits coordinator at RAF Digby on 01526 327619.www.raf.mod.uk/rafdigby

RAF Digby Sector Operations Room Museum

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1

2 3

1 - 3 digby Operations room

KEy dATES:WOrLd WAr I – 38 SqN

LOCATION:ToreachthesiteofLeadenhamairfield,follow the A17 towards Newark taking the right turn onto the signed A607 LincolnandGranthamandthenrightagainsignedNavenby.Thethirdfieldontheright(justpasttheBrauncewellturn)wasonceinthesouth-easterncornerofLeadenham’s86acre(34.80hectare)aerodrome(SK970523).

hISTOry: The site, deliberately selected on thecrestoftheLincolnescarpment,provided airstrips up to 3,500 feet (1,0667m)long.Thefirstaircraftinresidence were four BE2e biplanes constitutingCFlightof38Squadron.Sheltered by two hangars their task wasairdefenceagainsttheZeppelinthreat.TheZeppelinstendedtooverflyEngland by night and no interceptions weremade.Aftertwentymonthsdefendingtheeasterncounties,theSquadron,nowwith FE2b aeroplanes, was posted to theDunkirkareainMay1918withanightbombingtask.Thesquadronmotto“BeforetheDawn”hints at the eerie tension that these earlynocturnalaviatorsmusthaveexperienced.Instrumentationwasseverelylimitedand there were no radio or radar facilities.Somesearchlightswerepositionedattheairfield’snorthwesterncorner and the concrete bases upon whichtheyweremountedcanstillbe seen in the woodland close to the roadside.

Leadenham

1 & 2The site of former rFC Leadenham

1 2

LOCATION:It is proposed that it will be located onCanwickHill,aboveLincolnandoppositeLincolnCathedral.

INFOrmATION:Launchedon30May2013,theLincolnshireBomberCommandMemorialAppealhasbeensetuptoensurethatgenerationstocomecancommemorateanddiscoverthehistoryofthisamazinggroupofpeople,whoservedinBomberCommand.

A design process has selected a memorial,whichcombinedwithanInterpretationCentrewillformaMemorialParkincludingbothanInternationalPeaceGardenandaGardenofRemembrancefeaturingstones representing each of the 27BomberCommandStationsinLincolnshireduringWW2.Informationabout how to contribute to this memorialappealcanbeobtainedviathe appeal website at www.lincsbombercommandmemorial.com

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KEy dATES:WOrLd WAr II – 106 SqN ANd 467 SqN (TIGEr FOrCE)

LOCATION:MetheringhamvillagecanbeapproachedfromtheA15roadalongthe B1202. Take the B1189 road in an easterly direction and after a bend in the turn left towards Blankney Fen.HeretheremainsofRAFMetheringhamcanstillbeseenwheretwo public roads also follow the tracks ofarunwayandtaxiway.

hISTOry: Theairfieldappearstohavebeenlaidout to take advantage of a shallow island of sand and gravel which stands some50feet(15.24m)abovetheleveloftheadjoiningfens.Themainrunway,nearly north south in orientation and overonemile(1.61km)inlength,wasamplysuitedtousebyheavilyladenbombers.

Metheringham

1 2 3

5 64

1 Lancaster ‘Come on Steve’ – Wing Commander Steven’s Lancaster2 rear gunner pictured at rAF metheringham3 rAF metheringham ‘Gettsum Inn’4 metheringham War memorial5 memorial dedicated to the disbandment of 467Sqn6 Aircrew member at rAF metheringham

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In1943AldermanGeorgeFlinthamMBEandhisfellowfarmersweregivenonly48hoursnoticetoremovetheirhouseholdbelongings,livestockandequipmentfromthechosensite.Oak,birchandrhododendrons were soon uprooted and thefarmbuildingsdemolished.

The site was ready for service by late October and Lancasters arrived on 11and12November1943.Thiswas106Squadron,motto“ForFreedom”,who one week later sent a contingent of18aircrafttoraidBerlin.Fourmonthsandfifteenraidslater,duringwhich492RAFbombersfailedtoreturn,overthree-squaremilesofthatcityhadbeendevastated.

AplaqueandBookofRemembranceto106SquadronmaybeseennearthewestwindowinsideHolyTrinityChurchinthevillageofMartin(TF121600).

The church is currently only open on thelastTuesdayofthemonth,10am-mid-afternoonandthe106Squadronmemorialservicetakesplaceatthischurch,annually,inthesummer.Amemorialhasalsobeenerectedonthesiteoftheairfield.

Duringthefollowingsummer106SquadronundertookitsfirstdaylightraidandafogdispersalsystemknownasFIDObecameoperationalalongsidethemainrunway.ThislandingaidwasalsofittedatfourteenotherairfieldsintheUK;itinvolvedpumpingandburning,1,500gallonsofpetrolperminutethroughperforated pipes lining the runway edges.Ittooktwentyminutestolightaninstallationandcleartheinitialsmoke.

GroupCaptainMcKechnie,theStationCommander,diedonaraidinlateAugust in one of the 57 Lancasters lostfromMetheringhamoperations.Fighter avoidance duties were practised fromautumnonwardsusingMartinets,SpitfiresandHurricanes.

TheNAAFI(Navy,ArmyandAirForceInstitutes)providedafocalpointforthesocial activities of upwards of 1,000 airmenandwomen.Ithadalargerestaurant, which had a variety of uses includingcinemashowspresentedbyENSA(EntertainmentsNationalServiceAssociation)andtheCanadianSalvationArmy.Weeklydanceswerepopular and raised funds for causes suchasthe5Group‘PrisonerofWar’fund.AcombinedcinemaandconcerthallwascompletedinMarch1944,whichfeatureduptodatefilms,touringENSAshowsandperformancesbythe station’s own concert party and dramaticsociety.

VictoryinEuropewassecuredby8May1945.NosoonerhadthefightersvacatedMetheringhamthanthepredominantlyAustralian467SquadronbroughtitsLancastersfromWaddingtontoformpartof“TigerForce”inconjunctionwith106Squadron.TheB-29attacksonJapanculminatingwiththeatomicbombsbroughtthePacificWartoasuddenifhorrificcloseand“TigerForce”wasthereforedisbanded.ItsformationhadbroughttheMetheringhamestablishmenttoapeakof2,000personnel.Aclockandmemorialmarkingthesacrificeof467and463Squadronshasbeenerectedintributenear Waddington’s church.

PhotographsandmemorabiliacanbeseenattheMetheringhamAirfieldVisitorCentreandmemorialgarden.TheCentre,situatedinabuildingthatformedpartofthedomesticsite,commemoratestheroleoftheairfieldand106Squadron.

Animpressivememorialcanalsobefoundontheoldairfield;onleavingtheVisitorCentreattheexitjunctionontothemainroadfollowtheroadoppositeyouandthentakethefirstleftturnsigned to Blankney Fen. Follow this old airfieldperi-trackforapproximatelyonemiletothememorial.

LOCATION:WestmoorFarm,MartinMoor,MetheringhamLN43BQ.Tel: 01526 378604 INFOrmATION: TheVisitorCentrerecallslifeonanoperationalairfieldhonouring106Squadron.Includesarestoredgymnasiumandotherbuildings,which

contain artefacts, where a season of lectures and other events are held. Open:LastweekinMarchtotheendofOctober;Wednesday’s10amto4pm,Saturdays, Sundays and Bank Holidays 11amto5pm.Groupvisitsatothertimesbyarrangement.www.metheringhamairfield.org

Metheringham Airfield Visitor Centre

1

2 3

1 ExternalviewofMetheringhamAirfield visitor Centre2 InternalviewofMetheringhamAirfield visitor Centre3 metheringham War memorial

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1 War memorial located on Birchwood Avenue, Lincoln2 Skellingthorpe heritage room3 Skellingthorpe heritage room4 War memorial at Skellingthorpe village5 War memorial at Skellingthorpe village 6 Skellingthorpe heritage room

1 2 3

4 5 6KEy dATES:WOrLd WAr II – 50 SqN; 455 SqN; 61 SqN; 619 SqN ANd 463 SqN (TIGEr FOrCE)

LOCATION:Mostoftheformerairfieldsitehasbeentaken up by the Birchwood residential development.Travellingnorthalongthe A46 bypass and the village of Skellingthorpe is situated west of the A46 and Birchwood to the east.

hISTOry: When50SquadronarrivedatthenewlyopenedairfieldatSkellingthorpeon26November1941itwasthebeginningofan association that was to last until the endofthewar.TheSquadronbroughtitsHandleyPageHampdensfromRAFSwinderby and was soon joined at Skellingthorpe by Swinderby’s other residentunit,455Squadron,RoyalAustralianAirForce,alsoequippedwithHampdens.TheAustralianunitonly

Skellingthorpe

31

remainedforashortwhile,movingtoWigsley,Nottinghamshire,inFebruary1942.

AboutthesametimecontroloftheairfieldwaspassedtoSwinderbyand50Squadronbegantore-equipwiththenewAvroManchester,makingitsfirstoperationaluseofthetypeonthe night of 14 April 1942. At the end ofthefollowingmonththeSquadroncontributedManchesterstothefirstthousandbomberraidonCologne.During this operation one of the Squadron’spilots,FlyingOfficerLeslieManserearnedaposthumousVictoriaCrossforhisbraveryinpressingonwithhisattackdespitehisdamagedaircraft,andsacrificinghislifesothattheremainderofhiscrewcouldbesaved.

InJune1942theairfieldwasclosedforrunwayrepairsand50SquadronmovedbacktoSwinderbyforthesummer,returninginSeptember,bynowequippedwiththeAvroLancaster.TheSquadronoperatedaloneuntiltheend of August 1943 when it was joined at Skellingthorpe by a second line unit,1485(Bomber)GunneryFlight,whichbroughtamixtureofWellingtonandMartinetaircrafttotheairfieldfortraining duties.

When1485FlightleftinNovember1943 it was replaced by a second front linesquadron.Thiswas61SquadronequippedwithAvroLancasters.Exceptfor a short period at the beginning of1944when61wasmovedtoConingsby;thetwounitsoperatedaspartofMainForce,BomberCommanduntil the end of hostilities when both unitslefttheairfield.

July1945sawtwonewsquadronsarrive to begin training for Tiger Force. 619and463Squadronsbegantrainingbut with the end of the war in the FarEastbothsquadronsdisbandedontheairfield.ThelastaircraftleftSkellingthorpe in October 1945 and bytheendofthewartheairfieldwasclosed. In 1948 plans were drawn up to provideLincolnwithitsownmunicipalairportusingpartoftheairfield,buttheynevermaterialised.

AschoolbuiltontheformermainrunwayiscalledtheLeslieManserPrimarySchool(KingsdownRoad)tocommemorateFlyingOfficerManser.AmemorialtothetwosquadronscanbeseenneartheBirchwoodLeisureCentre(BirchwoodAvenue).Afurthermemorialis situated outside Skellingthorpe village communitycentrewhereanexhibitionofphotographsrelatingtotheairfieldcanalsobeseenintheHeritageRoomopposite. AshortwalkfromthevillageisSkellingthorpeMoorPlantation,the siteofthebombstoragearea.Fromthecommunitycentre,turnrightandtakethe turning right down Waterloo Lane. Continuetotheendofthelaneandfollow the public right of way acrossthefield.

1 Former rAF hangars, Swinderby 2 rAF Swinderby Passing Out Parade 22.08.86 3 Presentation: Polish Standard at rAF Swinderby 16.7.41 4 Former station headquarters at rAF Swinderby 5 Interpretation panel, Witham St hughs village hall6 rAF Swinderby memorial plaque7 dedicated to No. 300 and 301 Polish Air Force Squadrons who served at rAF Swinderby

1 2 3

5 6 7

4

KEy dATES:WOrLd WAr II – 300 SqN & 301 SqN (POLISh AF); 50 SqN; 1654 & 1660 hCuS

COLd WAr – AIr NAvIGATION SChOOL; 8FTS; rECruIT TrAINING FrOm 1964 ONWArdS

LOCATION:TheformerRAFSwinderby(SK885620)isbestapproachedfromtheA46 dual-carriage way and is located adjacenttoWithamStHughs.TheRAFstationclosedon1993;someoriginalhangarsremaininindustrialuse,butsadlymanyoftheoriginalbuildingsonthemainsiteweredemolishedin2008/9.

hISTOry: ‘Time’wascalledforthelasttimeatthe Sir Isaac Newton pub, which stood uncomfortablyclosetothethresholdofrunway19,theautumnharvestwasgatheredinandeightyfieldsmadewayforabomberbaselatein1939.Aircraftdid not arrive until August 1940 when theairmenof300(Polish)Squadronand301(Polish)Squadronflewthirty

Swinderby

33

Fairey Battles in for action. These Poles had already witnessed Nazi aggression onthecontinent.TheirfirstraidbysixaircraftwasflownagainstBoulogneharbouron14September1940.

Theairfield,locatedonThurlbyMoor,wasnamedSwinderbysimplytoconfuse the Luftwaffe as to its true location.Onedecoyairfieldwaslaidout closer to Swinderby village; others existedatBassinghamandBrantBroughton. This was not enough tofoxtheLuftwaffewhodamagedtwoaeroplanesandseveredGroupcommunicationsduringabombingraidon 13 October. By the end of 1940, 32 Wellingtons had been delivered to replacethesmallerBattleaircraftandRAFWinthorpe(nowhometoNewarkAirMuseum)hadopenedasasatelliteairfield.

Manylocalswereimpressedbythecheerful,gallanttemperamentofthePolishairmenandtheKingandQueenenjoyedtheirhospitalityon27January1941. President Raczkiewicz attended Swinderbyon16JulytogetherwithGeneralSikorskitopresentthesilkenPolishStandard(smuggledtoBritainviaSweden)to300Squadron.PlaquesinNortonDisneychurch(SK890590)paytributetothebraveairmenof300and301Squadrons.

No sooner had these two Polish SquadronsleftforHemswellthan50SquadronarrivedatSwinderbywithHampdens.By13September1941sufficientAustralianshadarrivedtorender455Squadron-alsowithHampdenbombers.Twomonthslatertheir planes were sent to Skellingthorpe in order that three concrete runways could not be laid at Swinderby.

AtSkellingthorpeairfieldAvroManchesterswereintroducedandthesespentthefollowingsummeratSwinderby while Skellingthorpe was closed for runway repairs. The twin- enginedManchesterwasdevelopedinto the four- engined Lancaster and 50Squadronexcelledwithboth.ItwassuggestedthatthesepluckyairmenoughttobebilletedatBuckinghamPalaceinordertoreducethetimespent travelling to receive decorations!

AsthebombardmentofGermancitiesintensified,Lancastersbecamevitaltothefrontline.HeavyConversionUnits(HCU),suchas1654and1660HCUoperatedfromSwinderby,hadtogetbywith‘moretired’aircraftliketheStirling.ByMarch1944therewerenofewer than 3,000 personnel in service

34

at Swinderby, regularly entertained by concerts,bandsandfilmshows.ThedancingwasprobablymoreexuberantonVEday8May1945.FourmonthslaterSwinderbystageditsfirstairdisplay before a crowd of 8,000.

Training for peace took the place of trainingforwarandmanpowerlevelsfelltosuittheaccommodationprovided.Number3hangarbecamealecturehallin 1949, including a cutaway Wellington as a training aid for engineers. The VarsitynavigationtrainermadeitsRAFdebut at Swinderby two years later.

ThedistinctivetwinboomVampireJetsof 8 FTS trained pilots for the RAF, FleetAirArmandoverseasairforcesbetweenJuly1955and20March1964 when it was disbanded and flyingtrainingceasedatSwinderby.Thenine-monthcoursehadincludedsomebackwoodssurvivalexercises,atraditionthatstillcontinuesatCranwell.

The station took on a new role with thearrivalinJune1964of7SchoolofRecruitTraining.InJuly1970,Number7SRTbecametheRAFSchool of Recruit Training, and in 1982 WRAFrecruittrainingwasmovedtoSwinderbyfromHereford.

The high cost of pilot training led to theformationoftheFlyingSelectionSquadron(FSS)atSwinderbyinJuly1979withchipmunkT10s.The14hourflyingprogrammewasdesignedto assess the aptitude of prospective pilotswhohadnoflyingexperience.Unsuitablestudentscouldbeidentifiedin the early stages of training thus savingtheRAFconsiderableexpense.TheFSSbecametheElementaryFlyingTrainingSquadroninJune1987.

ClosetothevillageofSwinderbyisthesiteofMortonHall(SK878644)whichbecametheheadquartersof5GroupBomberCommandfollowingtheirarrivalfromStVincentsinGranthaminOctober1943.TheyremainedthereuntiltheGroupdisbandedinDecember1945.Itcontinuedtobeused as an RAF unit until the late 1950sandisnowanHMPrison.TheHallwasseverelydamagedbyfireandsubsequentlydemolished.

TherelativelynewvillageofWithamStHughs also now occupies part of the airfield’sformeraccommodationsite.TheVillageHallhasaninterpretationboardandbenchtocommemoratethesite’saviationhistoryandanewmemorialiscurrently being prepared for the site.

Swinderby Wellington T10 1950

LOCATION:Scopwick village is located on the B1191 road between Digby and Metheringham. INFOrmATION: SeveralBritish,American,CanadianandGermanairmenareburiedintheScopwickCommonwealthGravesCemeteryadjoiningVicarageLane.

Also buried here is a 21 year old, PilotOfficerJohnGillespieMagee,anAmericanvolunteerwith412SquadronRCAFwhoisrememberedforhispoignantpoem‘HighFlight’.Theverse can be read in Scopwick Parish Church.Ifthechurchisclosedinformationregardingobtainingkeycannormallybe found on the notice board.

Scopwick

1 Scopwick War memorial2 War Grave marker sign3 PilotOfficerJohnMagee rests at Scopwick Cemetery4 War Graves section at Scopwick Cemetery5 Scopwich Church

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1 2 3

4 5

LOCATION:RAF Waddington is located between the A15 and A607 roads and there is a public viewing area alongside the airfieldontheA15.

hISTOry: Theairfieldbeganlifein1916asatraining station for the Royal Flying Corps.Withintwoyearstenhangarshad been built and an Aircraft Repair Section had been established. In thelatterhalfof1918anAmericansquadrontrainedhereonBritishbiplanes.

AttheendoftheGreatWartheaerodromecloseddown,re-openingin

Waddington

1 visiting aircraft at the International Airshow2 Early vulcan bomber at rAF Waddington3 Sentinel r1 reconaissance aircraft4 restored vulcan lands at Waddington5 E-3d Sentry Airborne Early Warning aircraft6 War graves at Waddington Church

1 2 3

5

4

6

37

KEy dATES:WOrLd WAr I – rFC STATION ANd rEPAIr BASE

INTEr-WAr yEArS – 503 SqN rAuxAF; 44 SqN ANd 50 SqN

WOrLd WAr II – 44 SqN ANd 467 SqN

COLd WAr – 21 SqN; 27 SqN; 230 OCu; 83 SqN; 44 SqN; 50 SqN; ANd Ix(B) SqN

CurrENT – BASE SuPPOrT WING, ENGINEErING ANd LOGISTICS WING ANd OPErATIONS WING; PLuS A FOurTh dEPLOyABLE ONE, NO 34 ExPEdITIONAry AIr WING. ThESE COmPrISE OF vArIOuS SquAdrONS.

1926withtheformationof503CountyofLincolnSquadron,RoyalAuxiliaryAirForce. 503 served at Waddington until 1938.

AsinternationaltensionmountedduringthethirtiesanExpansionSchemewas announced for the RAF. The GreatWarhangarsweredemolishedandfivehangarswerebuiltin1935-6aspartofthatscheme.44and50SquadronsmovedtoWaddingtonwithHawkerHinds,butwerere-equippedwithHandleyPageHampdens(“flyingtadpoles”)bythetimeofthe1939EmpireAirDay,whichattractednearly8,000 people to the base.

Warwasdeclaredon3September1939andbeforedusknineHampdenswereairbornetoseekourenemyships.None were sighted. In the opening monthsofWorldWarIIenemyshippingprovidedregulartargetsforBomber

Command.Miningoperationswerealsoundertaken.

Inter-squadronrivalrieswerecommonplaceandin1940threeHampdensladen with toilet paper and old leafletsdepartedfromWaddingtonand“bombed”Digby.29SquadronrespondedbysendinganunmarkedBlenheimtoWaddingtonthenextmorningwithan“urgentmessage”fortheOfficerCommanding44Squadron,who was kidnapped and detained until he had cleared the litter left at Digby.

After another bout in which a Beaufighterdroppedthestolenpeaked-caps of Waddington crews into the mudthishorseplaythreatenedtospillover into civvy-street in the Saracen’s Head Hotel near Lincoln’s Stonebow. Acease-firewasorderedbythecommandingofficersofthesquadronsinvolvedandthe“BattleoftheSnakepit”passed into local folklore.

AmorerespectableeventwasthevisitoftheKingandQueentoWaddingtonon27January1941.AvroManchesters,whichfirstsawserviceatWaddington,wereamongsttheaircraftdisplayed.

On9May1941,enemyminesfellonthe village church at Waddington and thestationNAAFI.ThemanageressMissRavenwasamongsttheelevendeadandtheRavenClubisnamedinhermemory.TheHorseandJockeyonthevillageHighStreetbecameanemergencydormitoryforthenight.Areplacementchurchwascompletedin1954andanadjacentmemorial–totheAustralianSquadrons463and467–was dedicated in 1987.

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ChristmasEve1941sawthedeliveryofthreeLancastersto44Squadron,thefirsttoenterRAFservice.BythattimeAirMarshalArthur“Bomber”Harris(aformerCOof44Squadron)hadtakencommandofthebomberoffensive.44Squadronwasreadytofulfilitsmotto“TheKing’sthunderboltsarerighteous”withitscapable,dependableLancasters.ExamplesofthisbombermaybeseenattheBattleofBritainMemorialFlightatConingsby,theLincolnshireAviationHeritageCentreatEastKirkbyandtheRAFMuseum,Hendon. The Lancaster displayed at Hendon once served as S-Sugar with 467SquadronatWaddington.“Jetty”wasWaddington’swartimecodename.

The retention of Waddington as a strategicallyimportantairfieldduringtheColdWarerawasvirtuallyassuredwhenits1.7mile(2.74km)longrunwaywasbuilt during 1953. When Waddington reopenedinJune1955itreceived2Canberrasquadrons,thefirstVulcansarrivedinMay1957.ByAugust1961threesquadronsofVulcanswerebasedatWaddingtonandVulcansremaineduntilthetypefinallyretiredinMarch1984.

InthefinalmonthsofitsoperationallifetheVulcanservedduringtheFalklandsWar and the ‘Black Buck 1’ Falkland veteranXM607isdisplayedoppositetheWAVEontheA15road.ShortlybeforeVulcanswereretiredfromservicein1984aviationmuseumsqueueduptobuythem.AnotherwasflownfromWaddington to the nearby Newark Air MuseuminFebruary1983.XM594isonloantothemuseumfromtheLincolnshire’s Lancaster Association.

The station’s current role is best

describedbythetextfromthestationwebsite:

“RAF Waddington is the UK hub of intelligence, surveillance, target acquisitionandreconnaissance,supporting national and NATO operations.

Weuseairborneintelligencesystemstoachieveourmission.ThesearetheE-3D Sentry and Sentinel R1.

Ourareaofexpertiseisknowncollectively as ISTAR. The role of ISTAR is to provide an electronic ‘eye in the sky’togatherinformation.

Informationfromouraircraftsensorsisthen processed into useful knowledge andtransmittedtothosewhoneeditinatimelyfashion.

Ultimately,ISTARimprovesamilitarycommander’sawarenessofwhatishappening on the ground or in the air, allowinghimtoformulatesoundplansinanoperationalenvironment.Itisa powerful tool, indispensable when conductingmoderndayoperations.”

The annual International Waddington AirshowisoneofthelargestmilitaryAirshows in the country, which attracts visitingaircraftfromaroundtheworld.

WaddingtonhasMemorialGardenthat can be visited by prior application. ThegardencontainsmemorialstoNo44(Rhodesia)Squadron,aswellas467and463SquadronsoftheRoyalAustralianAirForce.RemembranceDayandANZACDayarecommemoratedannuallyinthegardenbySquadronAssociations.

LOCATION:Royal Air Force Waddington, LINCOLN,LN59NB INFOrmATION: A project to set up RAF Waddington’s HeritageCentreisbeingundertakenwithassistancefromOfficerCadetsfromtheRAFCollegeCranwell.Oncecompleteditwillfeaturethestationshistoryfrom1916whenitwasaRoyal

FlyingCorpstrainingbase,throughWorldWarIIwiththeaircraftofBomberCommand,thentheageofthemightyVulcanwhichprovedsovitalintheFalklands War, and on to its current roleasthehomeoftheSentryE3Dand Sentinel R1.

OpeningdetailsfortheHeritageRoomcan be located on the station website. www.raf.mod.uk/rafwaddington

RAF Waddington Heritage Room

1

2 3

1-3 Artefacts found at Waddington heritage room

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1

2 3

LOCATION:Sleaford Road, Waddington, Lincoln, LN59FG;situatedoverlookingtheairfieldontheA15,5miles(8km) south of Lincoln. INFOrmATION: Visitorscanwatchtheactivitiesofthe station’s resident and visiting internationalmilitaryaircraftatthisbusyairfieldfromapublicviewingarea.

ForfurtherinformationcontacttheW.A.V.ETel:07540752432

Open:Open6daysperweekMondaythrough to Saturday. Summeropening8amuntil5pm;Saturday9amuntil4pm;Winteropening9amuntil4pmeachday. Admissionfree.www.heartoflincs.com

1-3 Waddington Aircraft viewing Area

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Aircraft Viewing

2 3

1

LOCATION:Washingborough village is located on the B1190 road heading out of Lincoln towards Bardney. INFOrmATION: Eight identical stained glass windows inWashingboroughParishChurchcommemorateaZeppelinraidsufferedbythevillageinSeptember1916.Theydepict a crown surrounded by a wreath

withtheletterZusedindesignandthenumbersoftwoZeppelins,whichcarried out the raid.

1 Zeppelin stained glass windows at Washingborough Church2 Washingborough Church3 War memorial outside the church

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WashingboroughAircraft Viewing

1

2 3

1 2 3

4 5 7

6

1 - 5 Former site of rAF Wellingore6 The Lion and royal at Navenby7 Pillbox located at Wellingore heath

KEy dATES:WOrLd WAr I – NAvAL LANdING GrOuNd

WOrLd WAr II – 29 SqN; 402 SqN; 81 SqN ANd 154 SqN

LOCATION:JustofftheA607betweenPottergateandtheRomanRoadcalledErmineStreet(atSK990545)isthetrackwhichledtoWellingoreairfield.TheformerdomesticsiteliesontheleftofPottergateonemile(1.61km)closertothevillagefromwhichtheairfieldtookitsname.TogainanoverviewoftheairfieldmotoristsshouldcontinuepastthedomesticsiteandtaketherightturnsignpostedTempleBruer,thenthe

firstrightsignedErmineStreetfortwothirdsofamilewhentheairfieldwillbeseen to the right. hISTOry: RAF Wellingore had its origins as a naval landing ground in 1917. Biplanes such as the Avro 504 and Sopwith CamelbasedatRoyalNavalAirStationCranwellusedafieldatGravesFarm.The landing ground established just westofErmineStreetin1935didnot

Wellingore

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coincide with this early site.

Before the outbreak of World War IItheAirMinistryhadacquiredaconsiderably larger area. By 1940 the intense activity caused by war saw eight curved blister hangars and a pavedperimetertrackconstructed.TheflatnessofthesiteanditsclearapproachesmusthaveassistedthefighteraircrewdetachedtoWellingorefromDigbybetweenJuly1940andMarch1944.

Securitywastightandninepillboxeswerebuiltaroundtheairfield,mostoftheseremaininsitu.Afewcrescent-shapedmoundsarestillinevidence.These blast-pens protected dispersed fightersandcouldalsobedefendedbygunfirewhennecessary.Eachmoundcontainedanair-raidsheltersufficientlylargeforthepersonnellikelyto be at that dispersal point

anddefensivepositionsfortworifleplatoons.

As satellite ‘L2’ of RAF Digby, WellingorewasmostactivewheneverDigby was thought to be under threat fromGermanbombers.InthesecircumstancesplanesthathadbeenscrambledfromDigbymightwelllandateitherWellingoreorColebyGrange.SometimestheLuftwaffewouldthrowaspannerintheworks.AloneJunkers88would,accordingtoGuyGibson,oftenloiterabovetheflarepathwaitingtointerceptunwaryBritishfighters.

GibsontookchargeofAFlight29Squadronlatein1940andheandhisnewwifeEvespenttheirhoneymoonatthe Lion and Royal in the nearby village of Navenby. They received a wedding giftofsmokedsalmonimaginetheirdismaywhenthelandladybroughtthisdelicacy to their table fried in batter!

OtherbuildingsfrequentedbythemilitarywereColebyHall(WAAFaccommodation),HillHouseonBarnesLane,Wellingore(paratroopsandsearchlightoperators),HeathFarm(airmens’cookhouse)andTheGrangeonHallStreet,Wellingore.TheGrangepleasantly set in its own grounds, functionedastheofficers’mess.Thecorporalinchargewasanex-Londonchefandthefoodwasexceptionallygood. Food, bedding and other basic provisions would be delivered daily in lorriesfromDigby.

Themenof29Squadronsawnoaction during 1940 and were therefore dispiriteddespitetheirSquadronmotto“EnergeticandKeen”.TheFrenchCanadiansof402Squadronwere

Wellingore

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similarlyeagertofightbutsawlittleaction until they left Lincolnshire in 1941forRochford(nowSouthendAirport).Fromthis‘BattleofBritain’stationtheyhelpedtodemonstratethepower of the Hawker Hurricane as a bomber.

Duringthesameyear81SquadronwasoperatingHurricanesfromVaengain Russia. This was one of two RAF SquadronstohaveescortedRussianbombersandduringitsdeployment81Squadrondestroyed13Germanplanesincombat.81SquadronincorporatesaredstarinitsbadgeandflewspitfiresfromWellingorelatein1942.

AnotherSpitfireSquadron,154Squadron,departedWellingoreinNovember1942foractioninnorthernAfrica. Besides attacking ships in Algiers Harbour they drew attention tothemselvesbydowningthreeGermanplanesonthedaytheyarrived.SquadronLeaderD.CarlsonwasawardedtheDistinguishedFlyingCross.

Duringthespringof1943MustangfightersoperatedinsupportofCoastalCommandfromWellingore.BuiltintheUSAtoBritishspecificationsthese

versatilefighterscouldreachheightsupto41,900feet(12,771m)andhadarangeexceeding2,000miles(3,219km).Flyingatspeedsabove400mph(641km/h)theP-51Mustangbecameawidelyrespectedfighterplane.

LessspectacularaircraftfromNewtonandCranwellusedWellingoreforflyingtrainingduring1944.BelgianandCanadianSquadronsshuttledbetweenDigbyanditssatelliteairfieldsas the air battle reached its peak over WesternEurope.On28July1945theArmyarrivedtoadaptthelivingquartersforuseasacampforformerprisonersofwar.Withintwomonths1,000UkrainiansandGermanswerelivinghere,manyundercanvas.Amongtheirobligatorytaskswereroadimprovementsandfarmlabouring.

Peace returned to Europe and crops instead of propellers were rotated at Wellingore.Afterfiveyearsofleaseholding,theOvertonfamilyweregiventhe opportunity in 1951 to buy back the land. The blast- pens are thought to continue in use shielding sugar beet fromtheicyblastofwindacrosstheheath.

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ExperienceLincolnshire’s‘bigskies’anddiscoverthethrillandexcitementof aviation - past and present.Uncover a landscape criss-crossed by wartime airfields and reminders of Lincolnshire’s historic aviation role.

Whether you are an enthusiast or simply looking for a great family day out with attractions, heritage centres and memorials, Lincolnshire has something to suit everyone.

www.aviationheritagelincolnshire.com

1 RFC Bracebridge Heath2 RAF Waddington - operational3 RAF Coleby Grange4 RAF Metheringham5 RAF Digby - operational6 RAF Anwick7 RAF Cranwell - operational8 RAF College Cranwell - operational9 RFC Leadenham10 RAF Wellingore11 RAF Swinderby12 RAF Skellingthorpe

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A1

A1133

A17

A1500

B1398

A607

A607

A15

A15

A52

B1189

B1190

A46

B1188

B1191

A607

B1429 A153

B1202

B1241

B1202

B1190

B1178

B1190

B1202

B1395

B1188

A158

A15

A52

B1191

B1191

B6403

B1192

A1434

B1178

A153

B1190

B1202

EastHeckington

Haddington

1

2

3

4

5

6

789

11

10

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Tourist Information

NorthKestevenhasmanyotherplacesofinteresttoexplore,rangingfromcraft andexhibitioncentres,suchastheNationalCentreforCraftandDesign,andhistoricbuildingssuchasCogglesfordWatermill,NavigationHouseandMrsSmith’sCottage.Thereisalsoawealthofbeautifulchurches,peacefulcountrysideandway-markedwalkswithintheDistrict.

Foruptodateinformationpleasecall01529308207orvisitwww.heartoflincs.com

Accommodation and Places to Eat

North Kesteven has a wide range of accommodationavailable,includingcountry inns, bed and breakfasts, secludedcaravanandcampingsitesand self-catering in beautiful stone cottages.TheDistrictalsoboastsmanywonderful cafes, restaurants, public houses and eateries.

Visitwww.heartoflincs.com tofindoutmore.

NorthKestevenDistrictCouncilgratefully acknowledges the valuable help given by Down to EarthPromotions,MikeHodgson,CrownCopyright,RAFWaddingtonPhotographicSection,KeithCampbell,NewarkAirMuseumArchive,MetheringhamVisitorCentreandRAFDigbySectorOperationsMuseum.

Whilst every care has been taken to ensure the accuracyoftheinformationprovidedinthis guide, we cannot accept any responsibility for anyerrors,omissionsorsubsequentalterations.