RAF Kirmington

Add links
Coordinates: 53°34′40″N 000°20′39″W / 53.57778°N 0.34417°W / 53.57778; -0.34417
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

RAF Kirmington
Humberside International Airport
Summary
Airport typeMilitary
OwnerAir Ministry
OperatorRoyal Air Force
LocationKirmington, Lincolnshire, England
Elevation AMSL72 ft / 22 m
Coordinates53°34′40″N 000°20′39″W / 53.57778°N 0.34417°W / 53.57778; -0.34417
Map
RAF Kirmington is located in Lincolnshire
RAF Kirmington
RAF Kirmington
Location in Lincolnshire
Runways
Direction Length Surface
ft m
00/00 0 0 Concrete
00/00 0 0 Concrete
00/00 0 0 Concrete

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.

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]

The station bell dating from 1942 is preserved in the lobby of the modern Humberside Airport, with this little plaque below it.

Citations[edit]

  1. ^ Halpenny 1981, p. 120.
  2. ^ Lincolnshire Airfields in the 2nd World War - p152 - Patrick Otter - Countryside Books - 1996 - ISBN 978 1 85306 424 1
  3. ^ Jefford 1988, p. 61.
  4. ^ Jefford 1988, p. 62.
  5. ^ Jefford 1988, p. 63.
  6. ^ a b Jefford 1988, p. 64.
  7. ^ Sturtivant & Hamlin 2007, p. 34.
  8. ^ 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]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to RAF Kirmington.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=RAF_Kirmington&oldid=1217694850"