RAF Kelstern
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Airport type | Military [1] | ||||||||||||||||||
Owner | Air Ministry[1] | ||||||||||||||||||
Operator | Royal Air Force[1] | ||||||||||||||||||
Location | Kelstern, Lincolnshire, England [1] | ||||||||||||||||||
Built | 1917 [1] | ||||||||||||||||||
In use | 1917-1919[1] 1943-1945 [1] | ||||||||||||||||||
Elevation AMSL | 420 ft / 128 m | ||||||||||||||||||
Coordinates | 53°24′36″N 000°06′54″W / 53.41000°N 0.11500°W | ||||||||||||||||||
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Royal Air Force Kelstern or RAF Kelstern[1] is a former Royal Air Force station 3.6 miles (5.8 km) south east of Binbrook, Lincolnshire and 4.9 miles (7.9 km) north west of Louth, Lincolnshire, England.
Station history
[edit]The airfield first opened in 1917 as a night landing ground before closing in 1919.[2]
RAF Kelstern re-opened in 1943 and the following squadrons used the airfield:
- No. 33 Squadron RAF.[3]
- No. 170 Squadron RAF reformed at the airfield on 15 October 1944 with the Avro Lancaster I and III before moving to RAF Dunholme Lodge on 22 October 1944.[4]
- No. 625 Squadron RAF reformed at Kelstern on 1 October 1943 with the Lancaster I and III before moving to RAF Scampton on 5 April 1945, where the squadron disbanded on 14 October 1945.[5]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]Citations
[edit]- ^ a b c d e f g h "Forgotten airfields europe". www.forgottenairfields.com.
- ^ "Bomber Command - Kelstern". Royal Air Force. Retrieved 29 June 2012.
- ^ "RAF Kelstern". Raf-Lincolnshire.info. Retrieved 29 June 2012.
- ^ Jefford 1988, p. 65.
- ^ Jefford 1988, p. 101.
Bibliography
[edit]- Jefford, C.G. RAF Squadrons, a Comprehensive Record of the Movement and Equipment of all RAF Squadrons and their Antecedents since 1912. Shrewsbury, Shropshire, UK: Airlife Publishing, 1988. ISBN 1-84037-141-2.