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RAF Caistor
Airfield Code: ? Google Earth Co-ordinates: 53°30'15.33"N 0°21'37.05"W Runways: Not Known RAF Caistor was a grass-surfaced airfield and served it's time as a Relief Landing Ground (RLG) for a number of stations in the area. It had four landing strips of varying lengths varying between 1100 yards to 1450 yards. During WWII, Caistor was an RAF base firstly being used by No.264 Squadron flying Defiant night-fighters and later undertook a training role under the control of the RAF Flying College at RAF Cranwell. Because of the unsuitability of the location, surrounded by the hills of the Lincolnshire Wolds and large wooded area it was relegated to a day only training role under the control of the RAF Flying College at RAF Cranwell. In 1942 it was used by the No.15 (P) Advanced Flying Unit from RAF Kirmington. The station was returned to agricultural use in 1945 but was to be used again by the RAF. Between 1959 and 1963 Caistor was a Thor missile base for 3 Thor IRBM launchers of No.269 (SM) Squadron with 3 Thor IRBM launchers. Each missile was armed with a one-megaton nuclear warhead, controlled by the US Air Force under so-called dual-key arrangements. RAF Hemswell was the headquarters for the 5 Lincolnshire dispersal sites at RAF Hemswell, RAF Bardney, RAF Caistor, RAF Coleby Grange and RAF Ludford Magna. Today, very little remains. A few huts on the very basic technical site remain in private hands. The Thor launch pads and their attendant buildings now lie within a major poultry-rearing concern and naturally, access is nil. The single blister remains to the north-east, although re-clad. A solitary Stanton shelter remains on one of the former dispersed sites but the rest has long gone, much of the area now taken over by a large caravan park and is unrecognisable. Aircraft & Squadrons
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