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RAF Wainfleet

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Coordinates: 53°04′18″N 0°12′48″E / 53.07177°N 0.21321°E / 53.07177; 0.21321
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RAF Wainfleet
Near Wainfleet, Lincolnshire in UK
Tower and Targets, RAF Wainfleet
Coordinates53°04′18″N 0°12′48″E / 53.07177°N 0.21321°E / 53.07177; 0.21321
TypeNATO Air Weapons Range
Site information
OperatorDefence Training Estates (East)
StatusClosed
Site history
In useAugust 1938 – June 2010
Airfield information
IdentifiersICAO: EGYW

RAF Wainfleet was a Royal Air Force weapons range on The Wash on the east coast of England near Wainfleet, in the civil parish of Friskney, although the north-east part of the range was in Wainfleet St Mary. Other ranges nearby include RAF Holbeach, also on The Wash, and RAF Donna Nook. It was also known as The Wash (North side) Bombing Range. It was only a few miles south-west of Gibraltar Point.[1]

History

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The range opened to aerial operations in August 1938; but had previously been used as a range from 1890 by the 1st Lincolnshire Artillery. However, there is evidence that the area was in use for military practice as far back as Napoleonic times when the River Steeping was navigable and Wainfleet itself was an important harbour.[2]

During the 1920s and 1930s it was also used by the RAF and Royal Artillery.[3] The range was administered by RAF Coningsby as an Air Weapons Range within RAF Strike Command. During the Second World War, it was used by 617 Squadron to test the Stabilised Automatic Bomb Sight.[1] Postwar, it was used by both fixed wing and rotary aircraft from NATO. On 1 April 2006 control was transferred to Defence Estates and the range was then administered by Defence Training Estates (East) from their headquarters at West Tofts Camp near Thetford.[4]

Due to funding cuts the range was closed for operations on 2 December 2009[5] and finally closed in July 2010.[6]

The tower and some surrounding buildings reopened as holiday accommodation in 2017.[7]

1981 air crash

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A USAF Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft crashed on Friday 8 May 1981 at 2.45 pm near Friskney.[8] 25 year old First Lt Henry Louis Gagne, born on 14 February 1956, died in RAF Nocton Hall several hours later, of Gulfport, Mississippi. He was an engineering graduate of Mississippi State University.[9][10] [11]

1983 air crash

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An RAF Hawker Siddeley Harrier XV742 crashed on Friday 28 October 1983.[12] 24 year old Flying Officer John Sewell from St Anthony's Road in Blundellsands was killed. The aircraft flew from RAF Wittering.[13][14]

1990 air crash

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On Monday 5 February 1990 at 5.30 pm, a USAF General Dynamics F-111 Aardvark aircraft crashed. One pilot was found at 7 pm by a boat from Boston. The Skegness lifeboat was looking for the other pilot.[15] The pilot was found three days later strapped in the seat.[16][17]

Operation

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The site was controlled from the Control Tower. Targets included old ships. There were two smaller wooden observation towers to the east nearer the shore but these were demolished in 2009. Access was via a narrow road called Sea Lane via the junction with the A52 at the Barley Mow at Friskney Eaudyke.

Weapons clearance

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The site was cleared daily by the Explosive Ordnance Disposal team from RAF Coningsby.[18] Although the range has finally closed unrecovered ordnance and unexploded ordnance will remain for many years.

SSSI

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The range area is a Site of Special Scientific Interest thanks to the large number of resident and migrating birds found there. The location is a major stopping point for flocks of brent geese on their way from the Arctic coast. There is also the red-legged partridge. Skegness gets its weather recorded from the automatic equipment at Wainfleet.

References

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  1. ^ a b "RAF Wainfleet control tower for sale". BBC News. 14 November 2014. Retrieved 13 January 2017.
  2. ^ "Public information leaflet; Defence Training Estate East" (PDF). www.gov.uk. Defence Estates. p. 5. Retrieved 13 January 2017.
  3. ^ Halpenny 1981, p. 195.
  4. ^ "Public information leaflet; Defence Training Estate East" (PDF). www.gov.uk. Defence Estates. p. 8. Retrieved 13 January 2017.
  5. ^ "RAF-lincolnshire.info :: Wainfleet". www.raf-lincolnshire.info. Retrieved 13 January 2017.
  6. ^ "Wainfleet History – BCAR.org.uk". www.bcar.org.uk. Retrieved 13 January 2017.
  7. ^ "RAF Wainfleet – The Tower (ref UKC1178) in Friskney, near Skegness, Lincolnshire | cottages.com". www.cottages.com. Retrieved 6 April 2017.
  8. ^ Lincolnshire Standard Friday 15 May 1981, page 40
  9. ^ Skegness Standard Friday 15 May 1981, page 1
  10. ^ Birmingham Mail Saturday 9 May 1981, page 8
  11. ^ 1981 A-10 crash
  12. ^ Lincolnshire Echo Saturday 29 October 1983, page 1
  13. ^ Liverpool Echo Saturday 29 October 1983, page 1
  14. ^ 1983 Harrier crash
  15. ^ Grimsby Evening Telegraph Tuesday 6 February 1990, page 5
  16. ^ Grimsby Evening Telegraph Wednesday 7 February 1990, page 28
  17. ^ 1990 F-111 crash
  18. ^ "RAF – News and Weather". www.raf.mod.uk. Retrieved 13 January 2017.

Bibliography

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  • Halpenny, Bruce Barrymore. Action Stations 2: Wartime Military Airfields of Lincolnshire and the East Midlands. Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, UK: Patrick Stephen Publishing, 1981. ISBN 0-85059-484-7.
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Video clips

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