Metheringham Airfield History

Metheringham airfield is located two miles to the east of Metheringham village on the B1189. The airfield opened in October 1943 as a Class 'A' bomber airfield within 5 Group. The standard three intersecting concrete runways were provided as were two T2 hangars and a B1. One of the T2s was on the technical site to the south-west, which straddled the B1189 and the other was located off the eastern perimeter track. The bomb stores were to the north and between these and the north-west runway head stood the B1 hangar. The communal and accommodation sites were located in fields to the south and west. Metheringham was also equipped with FIDO fog dispersal equipment.

On 11th November 1943, the Lancasters of No.106 Squadron arrived from Syerston, Nottinghamshire. This squadron would remain at the airfield for the duration of the war, disbanding on 18th February 1946. In September 1944, 1690 (Bomber Defence) Training Flight arrived, providing evasion training to local squadrons, leaving Metheringham in June 1945. Following the end of the war in Europe, No.189 Squadron and No.467 Squadron arrived at the airfield but his was only in order to disband and neither was operational.

Parts of the runway and perimeter track still exist today and it is possible to drive where Lancasters once taxied and took-off. The south-west to north-east subsidiary runway and eastern perimeter track are now public roads. Many of the technical site buildings still stand, either in use by various industries or, as in the case of the operations block, abandoned to the elements. The watch office is semi derelict with most of the top floor missing. However, a long-term project to restore this is in its early stages. In addition, the communal site retains some of its buildings which form the Metheringham Airfield Visitor Centre. Off the perimeter track is the memorial to No.106 Squadron.

Date	Squadron	Notes
October 1943		Station opened.
November 1943	No.106 Sqn	Operating the Avro Lancaster. The squadron disbanded at the station on the 18th February 1946.
September 1944	No.1690 BDT	Operating the Supermarine Spitfire, Hawker Hurricane, Miles Martinet. The Bomber Defence Training Flight left Metheringham on the 4th June 1945.
June 1945	No.467 (RAAF) Sqn	Operating the Avro Lancaster. The squadron disbanded at the station on the 30th September 1945.
October 1945	No.189 Sqn	Operating the Avro Lancaster. The squadron disbanded on the 20th November 1945.
March 1946		Station ceased flying and put on Care and Maintenance.
March 1946	No.93 MU	The Maintenance Unit left Metheringham in December 1950.
1951		RAF Metheringham closed.
1961-2		The airfield is sold-off.