Opened: Dec 1916

Closed: Jun 1919

Reopened: May 1940

Care and Maintenance: 1957-1960

Closed: Dec 1965, then an army barracks to 2004

Airfield code :: KL

ICAO Code ::

Airfield call sign ::

Squadrons based here:

33 Sqn RFC (B Flt) :: Dec 1916 - Jun 1919

65 Sqn :: 28 May 1940 - 5 Jun 1940; 26 Feb 1941 - 7 Oct 1941

222 Sqn :: May 1940 - ?1943

253 Sqn :: May 1940 - ?1943

264 Sqn :: 23 Jul 1940 - 22 Aug 1940, 29 Aug 1940 - 29 Oct 1940

74 Sqn :: 21 Aug 1940 - 9 Sep 1940

307 Sqn :: 5 Sep 1940 - 7 Nov 1940

85 Sqn :: 23 Oct 1940 - 23 Nov 1940

255 Sqn :: 23 Nov 1940 - 15 May 1941

452 Sqn RAAF :: 8 Apr 1941 - 21 Jul 1941

136 Sqn :: 20 Aug 1941 - 9 Nov 1941

486 Sqn RNZAF :: 3 Mar 1942 - 9 Apr 1942

303 (Polish) Sqn:: 15 Jun 1942 - 15 Aug 1942; 20 Aug 1942 - 2 Feb 1943

71 Sqn (American) ::

121 Sqn (American) ::

133 Sqn (American) ::

53 OTU (Operational Training Unit) :: 9 May 1943 - May 1945

7 SFTS :: May 1946 - 1948

RAF School of Aircraft Recognition :: 31 May 1948 -

2 ITS :: 1952 - 1957

Active as an RFC aerodrome for 33 Sqn RFC (Home Defence Sqn) in the Great War Kirton in Lindsey rapidly returned to agriculture in Jun 1919. It was reopened in May 1940 as a fighter station and many sqns passed through for short periods during the Battle of Britain. Sqns which formed here include 307 Sqn. 452 Sqn and 457 Sqn RAAF both rested here for a while before departing for Australia in the summer of 1942.

During World War II Kirton in Lindsey was home to a Fighter Command Sector Operations Room for [?] Sector, fulfilling the same filtering and command and control functions as Digby's Lima Sector Ops Room. Kirton in Lindsey was protected from enemy air raids by the Q site night decoy at Thornton le Moor and at Cadney.

From May 1943 to May 1945 the airfield served as a Fighter Operational Training Unit (53 OTU) with Spitfire transfered from Llandow. RAF Caistor and RAF Hibaldstow became satellite airfields within the Base.

7 SFTS moved here in May 1946 from RAF Sutton Bridge before departing to RAF Cottesmore in 1948, training on the Oxford.

From 1948 to 1952 the station was home to various non-flying training schools of the RAF which were replaced by 2 ITS (Later renamed 1 ITS) until 1957, training with the Tiger Moth.

Terry Turner, who did his National Service at Kirton in Lindsey commented

"regarding the statement that it was non-flying training schools until 1952 it was still non training flying and was 1 ITS during the whole of my time, March 1953 - Dec 1954. On my arrival there were no aircraft but subsequently a number of Chipmunks arrived and these were used by qualified flying personnel, by now ground staff, and it was said these aircraft were brought in to enable them to continue to qualify for their flying pay supplement. The Chipmunks were still there when I left. Maybe the Tiger Moths came later."

From 1960 until Dec 1965 Kirton in Lindsey hosted 7 School of Technical Training and a Gliding School. Finally the station transfered in 1966 to the Royal Artillery and remained open until 31 Mar 04 as Rapier Barracks. In 2005 the Barracks was preparing to return to RAF ownership with the arrival of 1ACC.

Kirton in Lindsey and Hibaldstow Association

Kirton in Lindsey Society

Kirton in Lindsey Memorial

RAF Kirton in Lindsey holds a commemorative certificate with the crests of 302, 303, 306, 307, 316, and 317 Squadrons which operated from RAF Kirton in Lindsey between 1940-1943. 307 Squadron was the only PAF Sqn which did not fly Spitfire.