Also known as Silksheen (post-war code name)
The story of RAF East Kirkby
The station flew 212 operations during the war. From them, 121 Lancasters did not return, and another 29 were lost in crashes or accidents. On 17 April 1945 a fused 1,000 lb bomb fell from a 57 Squadron Lancaster during loading. The blast set off the rest of the load, killed three airmen, injured 16 and wrote off six more Lancasters. The last wartime raid left East Kirkby on 25 April 1945.
No. 630 Squadron disbanded in July 1945. No. 460 Squadron RAAF came in from Binbrook to join No. 57 for Tiger Force, the planned bomber force for the Far East. In the 1950s the United States Air Force used the airfield for air rescue squadrons for four years. The station closed in 1958 and was sold in 1964. Broiler sheds went up, but much of the runway survived. The Panton brothers later turned the site into the Lincolnshire Aviation Heritage Centre, home of Lancaster NX611 Just Jane.
Flying units
| Unit | Years | Aircraft |
|---|---|---|
| No. 57 Squadron | 1943–1945 | Avro Lancaster |
| No. 630 Squadron | 1943–1945 | Avro Lancaster |
| No. 460 Squadron RAAF | 1945–1945 | Avro Lancaster |
What survives
- Wartime control tower, now part of the heritage centre
- Much of the main runway, still used for taxi runs and as a grass and concrete landing strip
- Memorial outside the old main gate
The museum on the airfield
| Museum | Adult entry | Airframes | Headline exhibit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lincolnshire Aviation Heritage CentreSpilsby, Lincolnshire | £13.50 | 11 | Lancaster NX611 (taxiing now, returning to flight one day, they swear) and Mosquito NF.II HJ711 — the only running Mosquito in Europe.… |