RAF Wigsley, located 8 miles west of Lincoln, was built in 1942 as a standard bomber airfield. In total there were 17 different sites including sick quarters and a sewage works. The watch tower was of three story design and quite unique design. It opened in the same year under the administration of 5 Group Bomber Command and served as a satellite base for RAF Swinderby. Its brief time as an operational airfield started when the Hampdens of 455 Squadron arrived in February 1942 before being moved to RAF Leuchars in May. Then in June became a major training station for 5 Group which included a mix of Lancasters and Manchesters. By April 1943, Wigsley was an all-Lancaster airfield before re-equipping with Stirlings. Its training role came to an end in September 1945 and was placed on Care and Maintenance in 1946. The airfield was reactivated in the 1950s as a Relief Landing Ground for the Vampires and Meteors of RAF Swinderby until closing permanently in April 1958.
Over the years the site’s most imposing building, the watch tower, has been very badly vandalised and survives along with a few of the Technical Site buildings. The runways were torn up many years ago and are now used as a pig farm.
Airfield & Technical Site: Bdg No. 64, Watch Office from the road:
img8639 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Close up of the watch Office:
How long before that falls down!
img7771 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Pipe on decontamination block’s wall:
img802 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Nature enveloping the decontamination block:
img7803 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Well looky here:
img7811 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img7810 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img7808 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Nature reclaiming the roof of these old RAF huts too:
img7773 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img7774 by HughieDW, on Flickr
As per usual all windows are smashed!
img7777 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img7778 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Some of the huts were being used for storage:
img7797 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Ivy is everywhere:
img7800 by HughieDW, on Flickr
More RAF huts:
img7779 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img7781 by HughieDW, on Flickr
An unsmashed window pane here!
img7790 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img7804 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Over the years the site’s most imposing building, the watch tower, has been very badly vandalised and survives along with a few of the Technical Site buildings. The runways were torn up many years ago and are now used as a pig farm.
Airfield & Technical Site: Bdg No. 64, Watch Office from the road:
Close up of the watch Office:
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Inside it’s fairly bleak:
Up the stairs to the second floor:
…even better views await:
A few more externals for good measure:
And the tower in its full glory:
Across the road is Airfield & Technical Site: Bdg No. 90, Sub Station
And this:
Airfield & Technical Site: Bdg No. 96, a very tidy and clean Stanton Shelter:
How long before that falls down!
Pipe on decontamination block’s wall:
Nature enveloping the decontamination block:
Well looky here:
Nature reclaiming the roof of these old RAF huts too:
As per usual all windows are smashed!
Some of the huts were being used for storage:
Ivy is everywhere:
More RAF huts:
An unsmashed window pane here!