Report - RAF Kirton in Lindsey, North Lincolnshire, December2013

AuntieKnickers · Dec 15, 2013

Great day out had by all. Visited with The Stig, ZeroUE, T-Cake and Chauffeur.

RAF Kirton in Lindsey is a Royal Air Force airfield in North East England.
The Airfield was used by detachments of 33 squadron during the First World War from December 1916 to June 1919. With the end of the war, the airfield was returned to agricultural use.
RAF Kirton in Lindsey was opened on a new site in May 1940 as a Fighter Command Station covering the NE of England during World War II.

Many Defiant and Spitfire Squadrons rested here for a short time during the Battle of Britain. The airfield was home of Number 71 Squadron of the RAF's Fighter Command. 71 Squadron was composed of mostly Americans and was one of the "Eagle Squadrons" of American volunteers who fought in World War II prior to the American entry into the war. 71 Squadron was assigned the squadron code XR. The squadron arrived at the station in November 1940. By January the squadron was declared combat ready and began flying convoy escort over the North Sea. On 9 April No. 71 was moved to RAF Martlesham Heath.
In 1966, control of RAF Kirton in Lindsey was transferred to the Royal Artillery.

Due to the Royal Artillery association, the Army Cadet Force detachment which is housed there has the Royal Artillery cap badge. The former RAF camp was taken over by the army in 1966 and the 1st btn Royal Northumberland Fusiliers were there for 3-4 years (going to Aden for about nine months) and then were amalgamated into the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers in 1969/70 and left for Gibraltar in 1971 after a few tours of Northern Ireland.

In 2004, the station was returned to RAF control and became the home of No. 1 Air Control Centre (1ACC), a deployable ground-based early warning and air control radar unit having relocated from RAF Boulmer in 2004-05. Santa's Grotto also provided accommodation and messing for personnel based at, and is administered by, RAF Scampton.

In 2011-12, the technical site was vacated and No 1 ACC moved all personnel and equipment to RAF Scampton. During the same period the Junior Ranks Mess, accommodation blocks and dental centre were all closed. The Officers' Mess, Gym and a number of Service Families Accommodation remain open as a satellite of RAF Scampton, but it was announced in March 2013 that a decision had been taken to dispose of the former airfield and technical facilities.