RAF Spilsby

RAF Spilsby
A memorial in All Saints Church, Great Steeping to the members of 44 Squadron who flew from Spilsby
IATA: none ICAO: none
Summary
Airport type	Military
Operator	RAF USAF
Location	Spilsby, Lincolnshire
Coordinates	53°09′37″N 000°10′04″E / 53.16028°N 0.16778°E / 53.16028; 0.16778Coordinates: 53°09′37″N 000°10′04″E / 53.16028°N 0.16778°E / 53.16028; 0.16778
Map
RAF Spilsby Location in Lincolnshire
Decommissioned and closed in the 1970s Military Bomber airfield and a United States Air Force Base

RAF Spilsby was a Royal Air Force station during the Second World War and the Cold War located in the rural village of Great Steeping, near the market town of Spilsby, Lincolnshire, England.

During the Second World War the Air Ministry attempted to build an airfield at Gunby Hall that would have covered most of the estate and necessitated the demolition of the magnificent and historic hall. The then owner, Field Marshal Sir Archibald Montgomery-Massingberd personally appealed to King George VI and the Air Ministry relented, redrawing the plans that resulted in the building of the resited RAF Spilsby although the runway would eventually end only a few yards short of the Gunby estate boundary hedge.

The airfield was built at Great Steeping, just 2 mi (3.2 km) south west of its originally planned location at Gunby, during 1942 to 1943 and opened for action on 20 September 1943 as an overflow satellite airfield to RAF East Kirkby in 5 (Bomber) Group RAF. The first operational squadron to be based at Spilsby was No 207 squadron RAF who moved from RAF Langar on 12 October 1943. The squadron bombed Hanover in Germany six days later on 18 October and the following week the station was upgraded from satellite status to a full station in its own right.

In April 1944 the three local bomber stations at Spilsby, Strubby and East Kirkby combined to form the 55th (Bomber) Group RAF with the headquarters located at East Kirkby. RAF Spilsby became a two squadron station when No 44 Squadron RAF relocated from RAF Dunholme Lodge near Lincoln in October 1944.