Opened:
Sep 1940 as relief airfield for RAF
Kirton in Lindsey, by 1942 for Kirmington,
then Cranwell
Closed:
1945 (Flying ceased 1944)
Opened:
1959 (missile base)
Closed:
1963
Squadrons
based here:
264
Sqn ::
15
(P) Advanced Flying Unit
:: 1942
53
OTU :: 17
May 1943 -
269 (SM) Sqn :: Jul
1959 - May 1963
RAF Caistor's location,
in the Lincolnshire Wolds, meant that it was unsuitable for much except
a day
only training role under the control of the RAFC Cranwell. In 1942 it
was used by 15 (P) AFU
from RAF Kirmington.
It had grass runways only.
British attempts
to corrupt the German Luftwaffe KNICKEBEIN radio signal, which directed
bomber formations to their target, were assisted by an 'ASPIRIN' transmitter
set up at Holton le Moor, near Caistor.
Between 1959 and
1963 Caistor was a Thor missile base for 3 Thor
IRBM launchers of 269
(SM)
Sqn with 3
Thor IRBM launchers. Each missile was armed with a one-megaton nuclear
warhead, controlled
by the US Air Force under so-called dual-key arrangements. RAF Hemswell
was the headquarters for the 5 Lincolnshire dispersal sites at RAF
Hemswell, RAF Bardney, RAF
Caistor, RAF
Coleby Grange and RAF
Ludford Magna.
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