RAF Skellingthorpe facts for kids

Quick facts for kids RAF Skellingthorpe
Lincoln, Lincolnshire in England
RAF Skellingthorpe Shown within Lincolnshire
Coordinates	53°12′50″N 0°36′11″W / 53.214°N 0.603°W / 53.214; -0.603
Site information
Owner	Air Ministry
Operator	Royal Air Force
Controlled by	RAF Bomber Command
Site history
Built	1941 (1941)
In use	1941-1952 (1952)

RAF Skellingthorpe was a special air base used by the Royal Air Force (RAF) during World War II. It was located near Lincoln, England, on a piece of land once known as Black Moor. After the war, the area became the Birchwood estate.

History of the Airfield

Building the Base

The airfield opened in 1941. It was controlled by RAF Bomber Command, which was in charge of bomber planes. The base had three runways, which are long strips of land for planes to take off and land.

It also had two large buildings called hangars for storing and fixing planes. The people working there lived in special curved huts called Nissen huts. RAF staff often called the base "Skelly" for short.

Planes and Squadrons

A "squadron" is a group of military aircraft and their pilots. The first squadron at Skellingthorpe was No. 50 Squadron RAF. They flew planes called Handley Page Hampdens.

Later, No. 455 Squadron RAAF also arrived with Hampdens, but they soon moved to another base. In April 1942, the 50 Squadron got new planes called Avro Manchesters.

To make room for even bigger planes, the base closed in June 1942. This allowed the runways to be made longer for the new Avro Lancaster aircraft.

More Squadrons Arrive

In November 1943, another bomber squadron, No. 61 Squadron RAF, came to Skellingthorpe. They also flew the powerful Avro Lancasters. This squadron stayed until February 1944.

After that, they moved to RAF Coningsby so that more living spaces could be built at Skellingthorpe. On July 3, 1945, No. 463 Squadron RAAF moved to RAF Skellingthorpe with their Lancaster planes.

Remembering the Past

During World War II, many brave pilots flew from Skellingthorpe. In 1981, a special memorial was put up at the site. It remembers the 1,984 people who lost their lives flying from the airfield during the war.

After the War

After World War II ended, RAF Skellingthorpe was used for a different purpose. It became home to No. 58 Maintenance Unit RAF. This unit stored parts from crashed aircraft. The base officially closed in 1952.

What is There Today?

Birchwood Estate and Roads

The land where RAF Skellingthorpe once stood has changed a lot. In the 1970s, the Birchwood Estate was built there, creating a new community. Later, in 1986, the A46 Lincoln Bypass road was also built across the old airfield.

Today, the area is known as Birchwood. There's a local pub called The Black Swan. Its name comes from the radio call sign that the airfield used during the war.

Museum and Exhibitions

You can learn more about RAF Skellingthorpe's history today. There is a special Heritage Room at the Community Centre in Skellingthorpe. It has an exhibition with photos and information about the airfield and the squadrons that were based there. This exhibition is part of the North Kesteven Airfield Trail.

There is also a small public museum at the Birchwood Community Centre in Lincoln. This museum celebrates the history of Nos. 50 and 61 Squadrons. It has items from the aircraft, photographs, and records. The museum also holds special books that remember the people from these squadrons.

Units Based at Skellingthorpe

Many different groups, called units or squadrons, were based at RAF Skellingthorpe during its time. Here are some of them:

• No. 50 Squadron RAF
• No. 61 Squadron RAF
• No. 455 Squadron RAAF
• No. 3 (Coastal) Operational Training Unit RAF
• No. 14 (Pilots) Advanced Flying Unit RAF
• No. 50 Conversion Flight RAF
• No. 92 Maintenance Unit RAF
• No. 93 Maintenance Unit RAF
• No. 97 Conversion Flight RAF
• No. 383 Maintenance Unit RAF
• No. 1485 (Bomber) Gunnery Flight RAF
• No. 1506 (Beam Approach Training) Flight RAF