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#RAFLincolnshire
> RAF Bases
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Full list of locations
Alma Park
Anwick
Bardney
Barkston
Heath
Belton Park
Binbrook
Blankney Hall
Blyton
Boston Wyberton Fen
Bottesford
Bracebridge Heath
Braceby
Buckminster
Bucknall
Caistor
Cockthorne
Coleby Grange
Coningsby
Cranwell
Cuxwold
Digby
Donna Nook
Dunholme Lodge
East Halton
East Kirkby
Elsham Wolds
Faldingworth
Fiskerton
Folkingham
Freiston
Fulbeck
Gosberton
Goxhill
Grantham
Greenland Top
Grimsby
Grimsthorpe Park
Harlaxton
Hemswell
Hibaldstow
Holbeach
Humberston
Immingham
Ingham
Ingoldmels
Kelstern
Killingholme
Kirmington
Kirton in Lindsey
Langtoft
Leadenham
Lincoln West Common
Ludford Magna
Manby
Market Deeping
Market Stainton
Mere
Metheringham
Moorby
Morton Hall
New Holland
Nocton Hall
Normanby
North Coates
North Killingholme
North Witham
Norton Disney
Orby
Rauceby
Saltby
Sandtoft
Scampton
Skegness
Skellingthorpe
Skendleby
South Carlton
South Elkington
South Witham
Spilsby
Spitalgate
Stenigot
Strubby
Sturgate
Sutton Bridge
Swinderby
Swinstead
Theddlethorpe
Tydd St Mary
Waddington
Wainfleet
Waltham (Grimsby)
Wellingore
Wickenby
Wigsley
Winterton
Woodhall Spa
Opened as range and relief landing ground: 1927
Converted to Q/K Decoy site: Jun 1940
Converted to operational airfield: Feb 1941
Closed: 1945
Reopened:: ??
Airfield code :: ZN
ICAO Code: EGXX / EGXS
Squadrons based here:
206 Sqn :: 1 Aug 1941 - Jul 1942
61 MU :: Oct 1945 - Dec 1947
Initially Donna Nook was used as a bombing range and relief landing ground for squadrons at Armament Practice Camp at North Coates from 1927. The bombing range included 7 1/2 miles of foreshore south of Donna Nook Beacon and out to sea to a range of 8000 yards. Large proportions of this were exposed sand and mud flats at low tide and used for bombing and gunnery targets. Practice bombing was conducted from altitudes of up to 14 000 ft. There were 5 quadrant towers along the shoreline, used to record fall of shot and bombing scores for instant relay back to North Coates Fitties for the returning aircraft.
In the early stages of the Second World War Donna Nook was built as a bombing decoy airfield for RAF North Coates airfield. It operated as a K site decoy to deflect enemy day bombing. The site was equipped with dummy Blenheim aircraft. It operated as a K site from Jun 1940 to Feb 1941, and also operated as a Q site night time decoy in Jun 1940. Overcrowding at nearby RAF North Coates led to the site being transfered to Coastal Command and converted into a genuine satelite airfield to provide an overspill runway in Jan 1941. After the conversion, Donna Nook had its own bombing decoy at Marsh Chapel.
RAF Donna Nook became home to 206 Sqn for a year from Aug 1941. From Jul 1942 there were no resident formations and it served as a relief landing ground or diversion for North Coates. Donna Nook airfield subsequently closed in 1945 but remained an RAF unit with 61 MU taking residence from Oct 1945 to Dec 1947. It reopened as a NATO bombing range in 1949 and is still in regular use. It had also served as a prisoner of war camp. It is now known as the Donna Nook / East Coast bombing range.
RAF Donna Nook was also a secondary Bloodhound Firing Unit site - see Steve Ripley's oral history for detail.
RAF Donna Nook was the first National Nature Reserve on Ministry of Defence land in the UK, formally opened in Jul 2002 :: click here.
A few buildings and a section of perimeter track / runway are all that survive of the former RAF Donna Nook. The name lives on in the "new" RAF Donna Nook which uses the adjacent sandflats as a NATO air weapons range.
Contact Donna Nook on 01507 358716
The history of airfield deception
Donna Nook nature reserve on LincsTrust
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