RAF Wickenby
RAF Wickenby Wickenby Aerodrome Wickenby Airport |
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| Summary | |||||||||||||||
| Airport type | Public | ||||||||||||||
| Owner |
Air Ministry 1942-1964 |
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| Operator |
Royal Air Force 1942-1964 Wickenby Aerodrome 1964 – present |
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| Serves | Langworth | ||||||||||||||
| Location | Holton cum Beckering | ||||||||||||||
| Elevation AMSL | 82 ft / 25 m | ||||||||||||||
| Coordinates | 53°19′01″N 000°20′56″W / 53.31694°N 0.34889°WCoordinates: 53°19′01″N 000°20′56″W / 53.31694°N 0.34889°W | ||||||||||||||
| Website | www.wickenbyairfield.com | ||||||||||||||
| Map | |||||||||||||||
 EGNW
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Royal Air Force Station Wickenby or RAF Wickenby was a purpose built Royal Air Force station constructed late 1942 and early 1943. It lies halfway between Wickenby and Holton cum Beckering, to the south-east of Wickenby close to the B1399 in West Lindsey, 8 NM (15 km; 9.2 mi) north-east of Lincoln, England.
It had two T2 type hangars and one B1 type. The B1 and one of the T2 hangars can still be seen on the airfield site. The T2 near the threshold of runway 21 was recently acquired by the airfield owners and after many years of industrial use is now, once more, an aircraft hangar.
The airfield covered about 600 acres (2.4 km2), and had the usual three runway configuration with perimeter track, hard standings, a brick watchtower and numerous brick and metal buildings for the aircrews and ground staff. A number of the buildings were to the east (Communal Site, Living Quarters, WAAF Quarters) and stretched to and beyond the Lissington road - a road travelled many an evening by the airmen and women who visited their favourite watering hole, the White Hart at Lissington. The Sick Quarters were to the south of the airfield together with a Communal Site and Living Quarters.
Wickenby was occupied in September 1942 by No. 12 Squadron (a/c code PH) who brought with them Wellington II/III's, but during the winter of 1942/3 they converted to the Avro Lancaster. The Squadron flew the Lancaster throughout the rest of the war. On 7 November 1943, C Flight was expanded to become 626 Squadron (a/c code UM), also flying the Lancaster. Wickenby played a large part in the bomber offensive, taking part in many of the major raids including: Berlin, Munich, Nuremberg, Essen, Mailly-le-Camp, and Caen. Aircraft from Wickenby were also involved in mine-laying (gardening), and operations Manna and Exodus. On 24 September 1945, 12 Squadron moved to a more permanent site at Binbrook.
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Wikipedia