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Report - - RAF Coleby Grange, Lincs, February 2016 | Military Sites | 28DaysLater.co.uk

Report - RAF Coleby Grange, Lincs, February 2016

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HughieD

28DL Regular User
Regular User
This was a revisit for me as had a mate with me who had never seen the control tower here before and we were passing, so thought 'why not'. This time made sure I took in the other RAF buildings nearby. Here's the history bit:

RAF Coleby Grange was a World War 2 Royal Air Force station situated alongside the western edge of the A15 between the village of Coleby and Nocton Heath, some 12 km south of Lincoln. It first opened in 1939 as a relief landing ground for RAF Cranwell before being transferred to RAF Digby. It then operated as a fighter and night fighter airfield. Despite this it never had the feel of permanence of its parent station with its three grass runways, temporary Nissen and Quonset huts and solitary Type T1 hanger. The nearby Coleby Hall was commandeered Officers' Mess during the war.

Encircled by concrete perimeter track, by 1944 it boasted 9 hangars and accommodation for around 1800 personal. In August 1944 RAF Digby took on a non-operational role leaving Coleby Grange to combat the threat of night raids in Lincolnshire on its own.

It closed after the war but then re-opened between 1959 and 1963 when it housed a Thor missile unit and three launchers before closing again and the land auctioned off. Most of the buildings have now been demolished and only a small number have been adapted to alternate uses by local farmers. The original air operations control tower and part of a Thor blast wall still stand. Apparently the control tower is reputed to be haunted!


On with the pix. Let's start with the control tower:

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img3774 by HughieDW, on Flickr

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img3776 by HughieDW, on Flickr

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img3778 by HughieDW, on Flickr

This was a new addition since my last visit:

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img3779 by HughieDW, on Flickr

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img3782 by HughieDW, on Flickr

24768903259_3c7eed017e_b.jpg
img3790 by HughieDW, on Flickr

Up top we go...

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img3785 by HughieDW, on Flickr

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img3786 by HughieDW, on Flickr

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img3793 by HughieDW, on Flickr

On to the other buildings close by:

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img3781 by HughieDW, on Flickr

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img3792 by HughieDW, on Flickr

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img3795 by HughieDW, on Flickr
 

ExplorerTodd

28DL Member
28DL Member
Great set of pics! If you head into the woods the other side of the road (I believe it's called Green Man Woods?) there are lots of air raid shelters and ruins of old buildings. On a large tree the words EVW Camp (European Volunteer Workers) are inscribed. Might take a little searching for but well worth a visit!
 

HughieD

28DL Regular User
Regular User
Great set of pics! If you head into the woods the other side of the road (I believe it's called Green Man Woods?) there are lots of air raid shelters and ruins of old buildings. On a large tree the words EVW Camp (European Volunteer Workers) are inscribed. Might take a little searching for but well worth a visit!

Cheers for the heads up mate - will check it out next time I'm passing.
 
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