RAF Wickenby, Lincolnshire
Wickenby airfield is situated north east of Lincoln and north of the A158 and on the B1399 road covering about 600 acres. Wickenby village is to the south east of the site.
This was another of a large number of bomber airfields that sprang up during the war and was built on farmland owned by the Bowser family.
The airfield was of a standard pattern with 3 concrete runways with the domestic sites dispersed around the district particularly to the east of the airfield towards the hamlet of Holton. The contractors were McAlpine. A minor road which crossed the airfield was closed and another west of the airfield was crossed by the taxi track to some dispersal hard stands
The tower was inside the perimeter track on the eastern side of the airfield with a T2 hangar to the north and a B1 in the south west corner. The airfield had a decoy site at Rand about a mile south of the airfield.
Wickenby was occupied in September 1942 by 12 Squadron with their Vickers Wellington II/IIIs from RAF Binbrook. During the winter of 1942/3 they converted to the Avro Lancaster and the Squadron flew the Lancaster throughout the rest of the war. On 7 November 1943, 12 Squadron C Flight separated and formed the nucleus of 626 Squadron also flying the Lancaster. Both Squadrons played significant roles in the Bomber Command offensive against the Axis and occupied countries for the rest of WW2 and concluded with operations Manna and Exodus. On 24 September 1945, 12 Squadron moved to a more permanent site at Binbrook on the 24 September 1945. 626 Squadron was disbanded on the 14 October 1945.
12 Squadron Lancaster III 1943
The airfield was the home for 109 Squadron with their Mosquitos for a short time from October to the 27 November 1945 and the airfield then closed for flying.
92 Maintenance Unit then took over and the site was used for the storage of bombs until 1956 when the unit moved to Faldingworth.
The airfield was then sold off between 1964/66 and most of it reverted to agricultural use. The Lincolnshire Air touring Group used the airfield to operate Proctor light aircraft but due to the poor repair of the runways had to use a section of perimeter track while the runways were repaired.
The title was changed to the Wickenby Flying Club in 1971 and they were able to buy the northern part of the airfield including the tower, a T2 hangar and sections of runway.
The north part of the former airfield is now known as Wickenby Aerodrome which is a grass and concrete airfield. A road from Holton cum Beckering to Snelland runs across the former airfield. Companies based at the airfield are Thruster Aircraft who make microlight planes. Lincoln Flight who train pilots and conduct experience flights and Rase Distribution, a haulage firm.
The Watch Office is the home of the RAF Wickenby Memorial Collection and the Wickenby Archive, a museum and collection of memorabilia and archive dedicated to the memory of the Squadrons who served there.
Compiled by David Fell
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