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RAF Skellingthorpe
Airfield Code: ? Google Earth Co-ordinates: 53°12'58.78"N 0°36'4.25"W Runways: 02/20 & 11/29 = 4200ft x 150ft 07/25 = 6300ft x 150ft Of the many bomber airfields that ringed the city of Lincoln, the nearest was Skellingthorpe being only two miles south-west of the outskirts, its original purpose being the need to provide a satellite airfield for RAF Waddington. The site was an area of pasture known as Black Moor, 2 miles south of the village of Skellingthorpe amongst several large woods and bordering the B1190. The airfield consisted of the standard pattern of three runways, with one Type B1 and two Type T2 hangars. Nissen huts were used for accommodation. Hard runways were laid during 1941, the main 07-25 at 1650 yards long and the subsidiaries, 02-20 and 11-29 both 1400 yards. Hardstandings were all pan type and numbered 36 in total. The main technical site with a T2 hangar was near Stone's Place fishpond on the north side of the field to the west side of runway head 25. A second R2 with a technical sub-site was south-east between runway heads 02 and 29, and later a B1 was erected further south, not far from runway head 02. In November 1941, No.50 Squadron's Hampden's transferred from RAF Swinderby to 'Skelly', its popular abbreviation among RAF personnel. No.455 RAAF Squadron also removed its Hampden's from RAF Swinderby to Skellingthorpe so that hard runways could be put down, although most of its personnel remained billeted at Swinderby owing to insufficient accommodation at the new station. No.455 Squadron moved out to RAF Wigsley in February 1942. In April 1942, No.50 Squadron commenced conversion to the Manchester but then its troubles began. During two months only some 120 sorties were flown with the type and seven lost before it was replaced by Lancaster's. Nevertheless, the only Victoria Cross gained by a Manchester crewman went to a No.50 Squadron pilot flying from Skellingthorpe. On the night of May 30/31, 1942, during the famous 1000 bomber raid on Cologne, Flying Officer Leslie Manser's aircraft was repeatedly damaged by anti-aircraft fire. Despite a critical situation, Manser was determined to bring the Manchester and crew home but having regained friendly airspace the aircraft became untenable. After having given his crew time to parachute to safety, Manser gave his life in the crash, which followed. To convert to Lancaster's and allow the main runway to be extended, the No.50 Squadron returned to RAF Swinderby in June 1942. Some 350 yards were added to the north-east end of 07-25, the work being completed by September. The station was developed in two areas, two communal, two WAAF, five domestic and sick quarters along the Boultham road to the north, while on the south side along the B1190 were a communal, two domestic and a second sick quarters site dispersed in fields and woodland. Maximum accommodation was given as 1803 males and 295 females. Bomb stores lay to the north-west, between runway heads 11 and 20, in woodland on Skellingthorpe Moor. No.50 Squadron returned in October 1942 and for a year was the sole operational unit at the station. With sufficient accommodation and facilities to take a second squadron, in November 1943 No.61 Squadron arrived from RAF Syerston, which was to be used for operational training. There were then 30 to 36 Lancaster's regularly based at Skellingthorpe but, as airspace in the Lincoln area was becoming heavily congested, to lessen the risk of collisions and ease control, No. 61 Squadron was moved to RAF Coningsby at the beginning of February 1944. The Squadron returned in April when RAF Coningsby became the headquarters of No.5 Group's special duties operations. On May 19th, 1944, the deaths of two airmen and substantial damage to a hangar resulted from the detonation of three l000 lb bombs dislodged from a tractor-towed bomb trolley train. A total of 208 bombers failed to return or were lost in UK crashes during the operations flown from Skellingthorpe, 15 Hampden's, six Manchester’s and 187 Lancaster's. Post-war, No.50 and No.61 Squadrons moved to RAF Sturgate in June 1945 and No.619 Squadron arrived at 'Skelly' the same month only to be disbanded in July. Then came No.463 Squadron and this too, was disbanded late in September marking the end of resident flying units although the runways continued to have occasional use by aircraft from other stations, most notably RAF Swinderby. A proposal in 1948 to convert the airfield into a civil airport came to nothing and the main occupant until the early fifties was No.58 Maintenance Unit using hangars for storage. Salvaged crashed aircraft were stored at the base. During the following decade the runways and other concrete was broken up for hard core and the land mostly used for farming. Then in the late 1970s early 1980s, close proximity to Lincoln brought the site to the attention of developers resulting in the gradual encroachment of housing estates on the north-eastern side so that few visible traces of the airfield remain at the end of the century. The Birchwood Estate was built on the airfield in the late 1970s, and the A46 Lincoln Bypass was built on it in 1986. There is a memorial to No.50 and No.61 Squadrons in the nearby Birchwood Community Centre. A few remnants can still be found including a section of peritrack and bomb store remains which are in woodland to the west of the estate. An exhibition of photographs showing the history of RAF Skellingthorpe and the Squadrons that were based there has been set up to commemorate both No.50 Squadron and No.61 Squadron as part of the North Kesteven Airfield Trail. Included in the museum is memorabilia from the aircraft used by the squadrons, photographs and records. The No.50 Squadron and No.61 Squadron Books of Remembrance are also held there. The Heritage Room is based in the Birchwood Community Centre and is open daily to the general public. Aircraft & Squadrons
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