RAF Woodhall Spa

RAF Woodhall Spa
Avro Lancaster of 617 Squadron at Woodhall Spa
IATA: none ICAO: none
Summary
Airport type	Military
Owner	Air Ministry
Operator	Royal Air Force
Location	Tattershall Thorpe, Lincolnshire
Built	1941 (1941)
In use	1942-1965 (1965)
Elevation AMSL	33 ft / 10 m
Coordinates	53°07′54″N 0°11′04″W / 53.13167°N 0.18444°W / 53.13167; -0.18444Coordinates: 53°07′54″N 0°11′04″W / 53.13167°N 0.18444°W / 53.13167; -0.18444
Map
RAF Woodhall Spa Location in Lincolnshire

Royal Air Force station Woodhall Spa or more simply RAF Woodhall Spa is a former Royal Air Force station located 2 miles (3.2 km) north of Coningsby, Lincolnshire and 16 miles (26 km) south east of Lincoln, Lincolnshire, England.

Constructed on farmland 1.2 miles (1.9 km) south of Woodhall Spa, the station opened in February 1942 as a satellite station to RAF Coningsby. In August 1943 it became No. 54 Base Substation. After victory in Europe the airfield was used as an assembly and kitting out point for Tiger Force (a proposed heavy bomber force for the far east). After the end of the Second World War and with the move of No. 617 Squadron RAF to RAF Waddington the airfield was closed and the site used by No. 92 Maintenance Unit for the storage of bombs. From the late 1950s it was used as a base for Bristol Bloodhound Missiles until 1964 when most of the site was sold off for agriculture or mineral extraction. The former missile site used to be under the control of RAF Coningsby having been used for the servicing of McDonnell Douglas Phantom and Panavia Tornado aircraft engines until finally being mothballed in 2003.

97 Squadron transferred to Woodhall Spa on 1 March 1942. As one of the earliest squadrons to be equipped they were heavily involved with the early operations with this aircraft, including the low level mission to bomb the MAN diesel engine factory in Augsburg on 17 April 1942. New Zealander Les Munro (as of 2013 the last surviving pilot who flew on 617 Squadron's Dambuster raid), served with 97 Squadron at Woodhall Spa before being posted to Scampton to join 617 in early 1943. He came back to Woodhall Spa in January 1944 when 617 moved there for the rest of the war. 97 Squadron moved to RAF Bourn in 1943 leaving behind 3 crews.