RAF Wainfleet

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Former RAF station in Lincolnshire, England

title: "RAF Wainfleet" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["royal-air-force-stations-in-lincolnshire", "bombing-ranges", "military-installations-established-in-1938", "sites-of-special-scientific-interest-in-lincolnshire", "east-lindsey-district", "military-installations-closed-in-2010"] description: "Former RAF station in Lincolnshire, England" topic_path: "technology/web" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAF_Wainfleet" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary Former RAF station in Lincolnshire, England ::

::data[format=table title="infobox military test site"]

FieldValue
nameRAF Wainfleet
imageTower and Targets, RAF Wainfleet - geograph.org.uk - 669903.jpg
captionTower and Targets, RAF Wainfleet
map{{Superimpose
baseLincolnshire_outline_map_with_UK.png
base_width260px
floatLocator_Dot.png
float_width10px
x235
y183}}
typeNATO Air Weapons Range
coordinates
nearest_townWainfleet, Lincolnshire
countryUK
operatorDefence Training Estates (East)
statusClosed
datesAugust 1938 – June 2010
ICAOEGYW
::

|name = RAF Wainfleet |image = Tower and Targets, RAF Wainfleet - geograph.org.uk - 669903.jpg |caption = Tower and Targets, RAF Wainfleet |map = {{Superimpose |base=Lincolnshire_outline_map_with_UK.png |base_width = 260px |float=Locator_Dot.png |float_width=10px |x= 235 |y= 183}} |map_caption = |type = NATO Air Weapons Range |coordinates = |nearest_town = Wainfleet, Lincolnshire |country = UK |area = |operator = Defence Training Estates (East) |status = Closed |dates = August 1938 – June 2010 |remediation = |subcritical_tests = |nuclear_tests = |thermonuclear_tests = |other_tests = |ICAO=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.

History

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.

During the 1920s and 1930s it was also used by the RAF and Royal Artillery. 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. 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.

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

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

Aircraft incidents

1952 mid-air collision

On Friday 18 April 1952 at 3.12 pm, two F-84 Canadair Sabres, from the RCAF, had a mid-air collision at 19,000ft, of 410 Squadron. Both pilots were killed, from RAF North Luffenham.

  • Flying Officer Arthur Edgar Rayner baled out, being picked up by the Skegness lifeboat, he was in the water for one hour 30 minutes, was unconscious, taken to Boston by the RAF, but died on the way there
  • Flying Officer Joseph Austin Leslie Kerr died

1975 F-111 crash

On Wednesday 5 November 1975 at 4.11 pm, F-111 '68-0060' had a bird strike over the range. Both pilots ejected, who were picked up by two Boston fishermen and were taken to the Pilgrim Hospital.

  • Capt James E. Stieber, pilot
  • Capt Robert Gregory, WSO

1981 A-10 crash

A USAF Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft crashed on Friday 8 May 1981 at 2.45 pm near Friskney. First Lt Henry Louis Gagne died in RAF Nocton Hall several hours later.

1990 F-111 crash

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. The pilot was found three days later strapped in the seat.

Operation

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

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

SSSI

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

Bibliography

References

  1. (14 November 2014). "RAF Wainfleet control tower for sale". BBC News.
  2. "Public information leaflet; Defence Training Estate East". Defence Estates.
  3. "Public information leaflet; Defence Training Estate East". Defence Estates.
  4. "RAF-lincolnshire.info :: Wainfleet".
  5. "Wainfleet History – BCAR.org.uk".
  6. ''Skegness News'' Wednesday 23 April 1952, page 1
  7. ''Skegness Standard'' Wednesday 23 April 1952, page 3
  8. ''Skegness Standard'' Wednesday 30 April 1952, page 2
  9. ''Times'' Saturday April 19 1952, page 6
  10. [https://asn.flightsafety.org/wikibase/207539 19177]
  11. [https://asn.flightsafety.org/wikibase/207538 19181]
  12. ''Lincolnshire Standard'' Friday 14 November 1975, page 1
  13. [https://asn.flightsafety.org/wikibase/152913 1975 F-111 crash]
  14. ''Lincolnshire Standard'' Friday 7 November 1975, page 1
  15. ''Lincolnshire Standard'' Friday 15 May 1981, page 40
  16. ''Skegness Standard'' Friday 15 May 1981, page 1
  17. ''Birmingham Mail'' Saturday 9 May 1981, page 8
  18. [https://asn.flightsafety.org/wikibase/56099 1981 A-10 crash]
  19. ''Grimsby Evening Telegraph'' Tuesday 6 February 1990, page 5
  20. ''Grimsby Evening Telegraph'' Wednesday 7 February 1990, page 28
  21. [https://asn.flightsafety.org/wikibase/153055 1990 F-111 crash]
  22. "RAF – News and Weather".

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royal-air-force-stations-in-lincolnshirebombing-rangesmilitary-installations-established-in-1938sites-of-special-scientific-interest-in-lincolnshireeast-lindsey-districtmilitary-installations-closed-in-2010