Raf East Kirkby

Royal Air Force East Kirkby or more simply RAF East Kirkby is a former Royal Air Force station near the village of East Kirkby, south of Horncastle in Lincolnshire, just off the A155. The Greenwich meridian passes through the base. HistoryThe base opened on 20 August 1943 as a Bomber Command Station and is situated not far from RAF Coningsby. Stationed at East Kirkby were: No. 57 Squadron RAF (5 Group) 27 August 1943 – 25 November 1945. No. 630 Squadron RAF (5 Group) 15 November 1943 – 18 July 1945. RAF East Kirkby served also as the headquarters of No 5 /5 (Bomber) Group RAF in command of satellite stations at RAF Strubby, RAF Spilsby, RAF Hemswell and RAF Manby. OperationsOn 17 April 1945, near the end of the Second World War, a 57 Squadron Lancaster was being loaded with bombs when a fully armed 1, 000 lb bomb was unintentionally dropped onto the tarmac. Because the bomb had had its fuse inserted it detonated, setting off the rest of the Lancaster's bombload. A massive explosion killed three airmen, injured 16 others, wrote off six other Lancasters beyond repair and badly damaged a nearby aircraft hangar.

Royal Air Force East Kirkby or more simply RAF East Kirkby is a former Royal Air Force station near the village of East Kirkby, south of Horncastle in Lincolnshire, just off the A155. The Greenwich meridian passes through the base. HistoryThe base opened on 20 August 1943 as a Bomber Command Station and is situated not far from RAF Coningsby. Stationed at East Kirkby were: No. 57 Squadron RAF (5 Group) 27 August 1943 – 25 November 1945. No. 630 Squadron RAF (5 Group) 15 November 1943 – 18 July 1945. RAF East Kirkby served also as the headquarters of No 5 /5 (Bomber) Group RAF in command of satellite stations at RAF Strubby, RAF Spilsby, RAF Hemswell and RAF Manby. OperationsOn 17 April 1945, near the end of the Second World War, a 57 Squadron Lancaster was being loaded with bombs when a fully armed 1, 000 lb bomb was unintentionally dropped onto the tarmac. Because the bomb had had its fuse inserted it detonated, setting off the rest of the Lancaster's bombload. A massive explosion killed three airmen, injured 16 others, wrote off six other Lancasters beyond repair and badly damaged a nearby aircraft hangar.