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  RAF Blyton

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#RAFLincolnshire

> RAF Bases

Interactive map
Full list of locations

Alma Park
Anwick
Bardney
Barkston Heath
Belton Park
Binbrook
Blankney Hall
Blyton
Boston Wyberton Fen
Bottesford
Bracebridge Heath
Braceby
Buckminster
Bucknall
Caistor
Cockthorne
Coleby Grange
Coningsby
Cranwell
Cuxwold
Digby
Donna Nook
Dunholme Lodge
East Halton
East Kirkby
Elsham Wolds
Faldingworth
Fiskerton
Folkingham
Freiston
Fulbeck
Gosberton
Goxhill
Grantham
Greenland Top
Grimsby
Grimsthorpe Park
Harlaxton
Hemswell
Hibaldstow
Holbeach
Humberston
Immingham
Ingham
Ingoldmels
Kelstern
Killingholme
Kirmington
Kirton in Lindsey
Langtoft
Leadenham
Lincoln West Common
Ludford Magna
Manby
Market Deeping
Market Stainton
Mere
Metheringham
Moorby
Morton Hall
New Holland
Nocton Hall
Normanby
North Coates
North Killingholme
North Witham
Norton Disney
Orby
Rauceby
Saltby
Sandtoft
Scampton
Skegness
Skellingthorpe
Skendleby
South Carlton
South Elkington
South Witham
Spilsby
Spitalgate
Stenigot
Strubby
Sturgate
Sutton Bridge
Swinderby
Swinstead
Theddlethorpe
Tydd St Mary
Waddington
Wainfleet
Waltham (Grimsby)
Wellingore
Wickenby
Wigsley
Winterton
Woodhall Spa

Updated: 13 Feb 12

Opened: spring 1942

Closed: 1954

Squadrons based here:

18 OTU :: Spring 1942 - 1 Feb 1943

199 Sqn :: Nov 1942 - 1 Feb 1943

1662 HCU :: 26 Jan 1943 - 1945

18 (Polish) Op Training Unit :: ??

1481 Bomber Gunnery Flt :: ??

7 Aircrew Holding :: ??

Airfield code :: AL

ICAO Code ::

Airfield call sign :: SLEEPWALK, WOOLSACK

Blyton airfield was constructed in 1942 between the Blyton and Northorpe villages and is now bordered by the B1205 to the south and the A159 to the west side. The main runway was 03-21 at 2,030 yards, the 14-32 runway at 1,400 yards and 11-29 at 1,430 yards. The usual 36 pan hard standings were provided off the concrete perimeter track although one was lost on the east side to a T2 hangar erected north of Cold Harbour Farm. A B1 hangar was positioned south of Cold Harbour and a second T2 on the technical site situated southwest of the runway heads 03 and 11.

Bomb stores were located in fields between runway heads 14 and 21. Six domestic, two WAAF, two communal and sick quarters sites were dispersed among fields north of Blyton village on either side of the A159. Total accommodation provided for 1,966 males and 389 females.

Opened as a 1 Group airfield it began service with B Flight of 18 (Polish) Operational Training Unit arrived with Wellingtons from Bramcote. 199 Sqn reformed at Blyton in early Nov 1942 on the Wellingtons; its first op was on 6 Dec with a six ship formation bombing Mannheim. After only one month the Sqn relocated to Ingham, leaving Blyton on 1 Feb 1943 , after 119 sorties with only one aircraft lost and a single fatality. The move out was triggered by the requirement for long, hardened runways for 1662 HCU's heavies - Lancasters and Halifaxes - for whom their current grassy home at Ingham was unsuitable.

1 Group was planned to become an all Lancaster force. However, production could not keep up with the increasing demand and thus by the end of 1943 all the Lancaster had been withdrawn from Blyton. 1662 HCU was left with some 30 Halifaxes.

One year later Blyton was transferred from 1 Group to 7 (Training Group) in November 1944, when Lancaster production finally allowed the Halifaxes to be retired

1662 HCU remained at Blyton for 26 months losing over 50 aircraft in crashes, many of which were in the farmland around the airfield which became quite unpopular. By the end of March 1945, the demand for specialized operational training was being more than met and the unit disbanded early in April.

From late 1943 the runways and taxiways at Blyton had often needed repair and by the spring of 1945 these surfaces were generally in a poor state. The runways and perimeter track suffered considerable strain and needed major repair work through prolonged heavy bomber use towards the end of the war. As a result no further RAF flying units were based on the airfield after the 6 Apr 1945 of 1662 HCU. After a period of care and maintenance, the airfield was left to decay. In the fifties it appeared that the Cold War would give the station a new lease of life as it was allocated to the USAF for refurbishment as a reserve airfield. However, no renovation is known to have been carried out and the USAF party soon withdrew.

The following two decades brought sale of the hangars and land and the inevitable removal of runway concrete for hard core.

The airfield is now used - in part as the Blyton Raceway. It is employed for off-road racing cars and test running refurbished and/or new designs of trucks.

 

location of RAF Blyton in relation to Lincolnshire - click here for full-size map showing all station locations

Aerial photo on Lincs Heritage Site

Photos of RAF Blyton control tower

Additional photo and Blyton ghost stories

RAF Blyton page on Royal Air Force website

Aviation Heritage Lincolnshire
(Tourism)

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