Lincolnshire is referred to as Bomber Country as its vast, flat landscape became home to over 46 military airfields, during world war 2. Some are still active strike and surveillance, and quite a few have been developed as heritage centres.
However there was no heritage centre in North Lincolnshire until a group of volunteers began work at Hibbaldstow airfield in 2019. The centre acts as a permanent memorial and museum to the memory of those men and women of all nations who served in North Lincolnshire. The flags of the different countries proudly fly outside the centre.
Hibbaldstow Airfield was one of the first wartime airfields to be built in the North of Lincolnshire and was a satellite for the larger airfield at Kirton Lindsey. Construction began in 1940 and it was originally intended to be used by Bomber Command with three intersecting tarmac runways. There was only one large hanger.
Only personnel working on the station. were based here. The rest were based in Kirton Lindsey. WAAF accommodation was in Scawby Brook, 4 miles away.
The runways couldn’t be extended so the airstrip was then used by fighter command. These normally flew off grass runways making Hibbaldstow almost unique amongst fighter airfields. It was the home of the Defiant night fighters. These were not very good in daylight as they were underpowered, not very manoeuvrable and had no forward firing. They were death traps but were very efficient night fighters.
They were soon replaced by Beaufighters, which had radar fitted. This made them very successful in intercepting and shooting down German bombers during night-time raids. To hide the new technology from enemy intelligence, the British Air Ministry and the Ministry of Food leaked the story to the press that the pilots were eating massive quantities of carrots, which gave them extraordinary night vision....
The airfield was also used to trial the experimental ’Turbinlite’ aircraft. These had a massive carbon arc searchlight built into their nose, designed to visually illuminate German bombers during The Blitz so accompanying Hurricane fighters could intercept them and shoot them down. As the aircraft had no guns, it it was dependent on the "hunter-killer" team tactic that ultimately proved unsuccessful and was abandoned by early 1943.
The emergency water tank was also used for dingy training to prepare airmen who might have to bail out in the sea.
There is also the wonderful story of Margaret Horton who went for an unscheduled trip on the tail of a spitfire...
A detailed history of the airfield and aircraft using it can be found on their website.
The station closed in 1947 and was sold off in 1960-61 for use as agricultural land. It was used for Sunday markets, and also as a skid-pan by Lincolnshire Police. Part of it was used by a local parachute club and they are still operating as Skydive Hibbaldstow which is one of the UK’s leading civilian skydiving drop zones. The control tower was converted to a two-storey house in 1976.
When work began work on the site in 2019, it was overrun by brambles and elder. Asthe ground was cleared, the concrete bases of many of the original WW2 buildings were uncovered. The volunteers acquired two Nissan huts and original WW2 wooden huts which they have reassembled on the site.
These now house an amazing collection of exhibits as well as an extensive research library.
There are so many highlights. The Link trainer patented by Edwin Link in the early 1930s, was the world's first mass-produced aircraft flight simulator. The "Blue Box" used vacuum pumps and organ-style bellows to realistically simulate flight movements, pitch, and turbulence without leaving the ground. This no longer in working condition as the pneumatics need restoring.
There is a gas mask for a baby and also one of the pyrotechnic flare canisters used to mark runways. when lit they would burn for two hours before needing to be topped up.
In another hanger are two of the smaller fuel tanks from a Lancaster Bomber. The larger tank is too big to go inside the Nissan hut.
Next to it is a Merlin engine from a Halifax bomber that was recovered from the Baltic Ocean. The bomber was on a pathfinder mission to light up Hamburg when it flew into a thunderstorm. Two of the engines failed and this one sheared off, ending up in the Baltic ocean. The pilot managed to fly the plane to neutral Sweden where he made an emergency landing.
The underground Battle Headquarters and adjacent observation post have carefully been restored. Every air base had one for use in emergency and when under attack. They would originally have been covered with soil and earth to camouflage them from above. Few still survive.
Steep steps led down into the Battle HQ which had three underground rooms: the main office, telephone room and the messenger and runners room. There was also a latrine. Three very steep steps led into the observtion post.
Parts of a wartime Anderson shelter were discovered on the site acting as a tractor shed. This has been restored and is now part of the Dig for Victory Garden, complete with an 'unexploded bomb'....
Inside one of the huts is a reconstructed scullery and living room (bringing back memories of grandparents’ houses...)
There is also a 1940s weddeing dress made from parchute silk (apologies for th very modern model wearing it...) Parachute silk was in great demand well after te war for homemade underwear and nightdrresses - often dyed in lurid shades of pink or orange.
The electrical substation survived and is now the NAAFI. The bacon butties and chocolate fudge cake come highly recommended.
I didn’t know about the centre until I heard a talk a couple of years ago given by one of the volunteers. It really is a secret waiting to be discovered. The term ‘hidden gem’ is often overused, but this really is an excellent example of one. It deserves wider recognition and well repays visiting.
Volunteers on site are excellent – friendly and knowledgeable and keen to share information. Allow plenty of time to talk to them - this place is all about memories and stories.
The site is signed off Redbourne Road between Hibaldstow and Redbourne. Make sure you avoid the turnings for the airfield and Skydive. The post code is DN20 9NN.
The Centre is open Sundays and Thursdays during the summer months from 10-2. They also have special open days geared at all the family. Entry is free so please leave a generous donation to support their work!
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