RAF Wigsley watch tower

RAF Wigsley, located 8 miles west of Lincoln, was built in 1942 as a standard bomber airfield. In total there were 17 different sites including sick quarters and a sewage works. The watch tower was of three story design and quite unique design. It opened in the same year under the administration of 5 Group Bomber Command and served as a satellite base for RAF Swinderby. Its brief time as an operational airfield started when the Hampdens of 455 Squadron arrived in February 1942 before being moved to RAF Leuchars in May. Then in June became a major training station for 5 Group which included a mix of Lancasters and Manchesters. By April 1943, Wigsley was an all-Lancaster airfield before re-equipping with Stirlings. Its training role came to an end in September 1945 and was placed on Care and Maintenance in 1946. The airfield was reactivated in the 1950s as a Relief Landing Ground for the Vampires and Meteors of RAF Swinderby until closing permanently in April 1958.

Over the years the site’s most imposing building, the watch tower, has been very badly vandalised and survives along with a few of the Technical Site buildings. The runways were torn up many years ago and are now used as a pig farm.