Summary
Royal Air Force Kirmington or more simply RAF Kirmington was a Royal Air Force station located 6.2 miles (10.0 km) north east of Brigg, Lincolnshire and 11 miles (18 km) south west of Grimsby, Lincolnshire, England.
RAF Kirmington  | |||||||||||||||||||
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 Humberside International Airport | |||||||||||||||||||
| Summary | |||||||||||||||||||
| Airport type | Military | ||||||||||||||||||
| Owner | Air Ministry | ||||||||||||||||||
| Operator | Royal Air Force | ||||||||||||||||||
| Location | Kirmington, Lincolnshire, England | ||||||||||||||||||
| Elevation AMSL | 72 ft / 22 m | ||||||||||||||||||
| Coordinates | 53°34′40″N 000°20′39″W / 53.57778°N 0.34417°W | ||||||||||||||||||
| Map | |||||||||||||||||||
  RAF Kirmington Location in Lincolnshire | |||||||||||||||||||
| Runways | |||||||||||||||||||
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History edit
Second World War edit
It took its name from the village of Kirmington nearby; the most notable squadron posted there was No. 166 Squadron RAF[1] and a memorial plaque to the members of that unit is in the parish church. The airfield opened in January 1942 [2]
| Squadron | Equipment | From | To | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. 142 Squadron RAF | Vickers Wellington III/X | 19 December 1942 | 19 December 1942 | Disbanded[3] |
| No. 150 Squadron RAF | Wellington IC and III | October 1942 | 19 December 1942 | Blida, Algeria[4] |
| No. 153 Squadron RAF | Avro Lancaster BI/BIII | 7 October 1944 | 15 October 1944 | RAF Scampton Reformed here.[5] |
| No. 166 Squadron RAF | Wellington III/X | 27 January 1943 | February 1943 | Disbanded[6] |
| Lancaster BI/BIII | September 1943 | 18 November 1945 | Disbanded[6] |
The site was also used by No. 15 (Pilots) Advanced Flying Unit as a Relief Landing Ground between March and October 1942.[7]
Post 1945 edit
From February 1946 the station was put on care and maintenance until relinquished by the Air Ministry to the Ministry of Agriculture in 1953.[8]
Current use edit
In 1970, after changing hands several times, Kirmington was selected as the best location for a regional airport serving the Hull, Grimsby and Scunthorpe localities and has become Humberside International Airport.[8]
References edit
Citations edit
- ^ Halpenny 1981, p. 120.
- ^ Lincolnshire Airfields in the 2nd World War - p152 - Patrick Otter - Countryside Books - 1996 - ISBN 978 1 85306 424 1
- ^ Jefford 1988, p. 61.
- ^ Jefford 1988, p. 62.
- ^ Jefford 1988, p. 63.
- ^ a b Jefford 1988, p. 64.
- ^ Sturtivant & Hamlin 2007, p. 34.
- ^ a b Halpenny 1981, p. 121.
Bibliography edit
- Halpenny, B.B. Action Stations: Wartime Military Airfields of Lincolnshire and the East Midlands v. 2. Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, Patrick Stephens Ltd, 1981. ISBN 0-85059-484-7.
- Jefford, C.G. RAF Squadrons, a Comprehensive Record of the Movement and Equipment of all RAF Squadrons and their Antecedents since 1912. Shrewsbury, Shropshire, UK: Airlife Publishing, 1988. ISBN 1-84037-141-2.
- Sturtivant, Ray; Hamlin, John (2007). Royal Air Force flying training and support units since 1912. Tonbridge, UK: Air-Britain (Historians). ISBN 978-0851-3036-59.
External links edit
- Royal Air Force - Official RAF history
- Air Scene UK - Memories of Sergeant Roy Keen
- RAF Kirmington North Lincolnshire Airfield