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#RAFLincolnshire
> RAF Bases
Interactive map
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
Updated: 1 Oct 13
Opened: Jan 1941
Closed (operationally): Aug 1945
Location:
TF505676 - mobile and intermediate GCI sites
TF525677 - final site.
Orby was one of two ground controlled intercept (GCI) radar stations operated in Lincolnshire during the war, the other being RAF Langtoft. It was assigned to RAF Digby. It also operated as a satellite bomb dump for RAF Market Stainton.
Ground Controlled Interception (GCI) radar stations were developed by the Air Ministry from 1940 to detect, locate and track enemy aircraft and provide inland radar coverage of Britain, taking over from the Chain Home which was located around the coast and looked out to sea, not providing cover inland. Their primary function was to guide night fighters onto attacking bombers. There were three phases of GCI site development, described as mobile, intermediate transportable and final. Early stations (from 1940) had equipment on wheeled caravans and temporary wooden hutting; these were replaced by intermediate stations which had the aerial arrays mounted above and below a wooden gantry, with operations carried out from wooden huts. Final stations, built from 1942 onwards, had brick operations blocks, known as 'Happidromes'. These stations had a single rotating aerial array with the transmitter and receiver housed in a well underneath.
Mobile GCI - Jan 1941
The GCI site at RAF Orby opened in January 1941 as a Mobile station, telling its reports to the Fighter Command sector operations rooms at Digby (L Sector), Wittering and Church Fenton. As a mobile station it was equipped with separate trailer-mounted transmitter and receiver aerial arrays which were never more than 220ft (67 metres) apart. Operational activity was all contained in associated trucks.
Intermediate Transportable - 1942/3
By 28 Jan 1943 the Orby site had been developed into a Intermediate Transportable (IT) station. IT sites typically comprised a single aerial array mounted on a gantry and a 50ft by 18ft non-metallic operations hut. Additional on-site buildings included a small power house, huts for offices and recreation, and a guard hut for the site entrance.
Final GCI station - 1943
A Final GCI station was built nearby in Orby at TF525677 (visualise in WheresthePath) and was already active in Jan 1943. Aerial photography from 1968 shows 1-2 ancillary buildings surviving at the site.
Post-War
In later life Orby was reduced to a stock car racetrack.
Mr John Hicklin provided some information in 2012 about life at Orby after the war:
"Re RAF Orby, you say it was closed in 1945, but I was there as a Radar Mechanic from 1952-53 when it was used as a training camp for Marconi engineers who were installing underground radar stations round the coastline.
It is true to say it is still used as a stock car racing track,(as of 2 years ago) as I revisited it to see what had happened to it. Not much is left of the original except the operations block (derelict) and part used as a toilet block!
Thanks for the memories"
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