TIMELINE
1944. October-----150 Squadron operating Lancasters arrive. This Squadron completed 9 operational sorties before moving to RAF Hemswell. The Squadron's stay at Fiskerton's was just three weeks.
1945. 13th September ----- 576 Squadron disbands with hostilities over, airfield closed for flying.
1962----- Royal Observer Corps Headquarters opens.
1988----- Oil production begins.
1992----- Royal Observer Corps Headquarters closed.
1995----- Memorial to 49 and 576 squadrons erected.
2009----- Oil exploration commences on a different area of the airfield.
2010----- Section of perimeter track re-laid in preparation of the possible building of a compost factory on the airfield.
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1942 ------ Built to Class 'A' standard design.
1943 January------ 49 Squadron operating Lancasters for No 5 group arrive.
1944. September----- Flying operations transferred to Dunholme Lodge Airfield to allow runway repairs. Fog dispersal system installed. (F.I.D.O.)
1944. October----- 49 Squadron depart the airfield. No 1 Group having been allocated this airfield whilst 5 Group being allocated RAF Fulbeck near Cranwell and 49 Squadron moving there to continue Lancaster Operations.
1944. October----- 576 Squadron operating Lancasters for No 1 group arrive from RAF Elsham Wolds.
Various RAF units were stationed at Fiskerton besides the operational squadrons. They consisted of two instructional flights, 1690 (Bomber) Defence Training Flight which was resident at the airfield from October 1944 to June 1945, listing Spitfires and Martinets for fighter affiliation training of 1 Group’s air gunners, and the second training unit was 1513 Beam Approach Flight.
Based at Fiskerton from January 1944 until January 1945, this training unit oversaw No.1 Group’s training of pilots in the landing of their aircraft by flying the Airspeed Oxford aircraft down a radio beam which intersected the active runway head, this was the earliest form of the present day I.L.S. (instrument Landing System) were airliners are automatically landed by computer on a radar beam. Both these units left Fiskerton for RAF Ingham, this airfield being north of RAF Scampton, to continue their training duties within No.1 Group.
A flight of three de Havilland Mosquito VI Serrate night fighters were detached from 141 Squadron, a 100 Group night fighter unit based at RAF West Raynham, North Norfolk. These night fighters fitted with airborne radar would fly in front of the Main Force of bombers seeking out German night fighters in the air and at their airfields, ("Ranger sorties") (seek and destroy enemy fighters in the air and on the ground) and intercepting them before they could inflict losses on the bomber crew’s. This flight was at Fiskerton from July 1944 until March 1945.
Post war the airfield after 576 Squadron was disbanded on the 13th September 1945 reverted to a care and maintenance status with airfield control the responsibility of No. 40 Maintenance Command.No. 61 and 93 Maintenance units storing ordnance on the disused runways.
The airfield finally came under No. 255 Maintenance Unit, handling RAF surplus stores, much of the material being disposed of in auctions during 1948. The airfield was then on a care and maintenance status for five years as a sub-station of No. 93 Maintenance Unit.
Immediately after the war, due to an acute housing shortage, the accommodation sites at Fiskerton were used as temporary housing up until 1954. The four sites on the Bardney road were called: The Crescent; Ferryside; Woodlands and Longwood. These four on the accommodation access road were named: Hallfields; Fenlands; Moorlands and Birchill. The Sergeants mess on Site: 3 was used as the village hall up to 1970.
Today, the airfield is used for a variety of purposes. Arable and poultry farming on the main site. Oil was discovered under the airfield in 1977 and production with two pumps began a year later. These are situated next to the south eastern perimeter track at the end of the old Technical site and next to the Fiskerton/Reepham road in the middle of the airfield. The oil reservoir is at a depth of 2,300 feet.
All the buildings have been demolished on the main site including the tower and hangar. A narrow section of the main runway remains and is used for access to the poultry farm. Some sections of the secondary runways are still intact and are still the original width but other sections have been removed to prevent joy-riding/racing.
Some of the original landing light holders still litter the runway. Large sections of perimeter track are still there and are used for access to the oilfield. A couple of dispersal points are still there in the old 'A' flight area. The1960’s built Royal Observer Corps Headquarters is located next to the old 'A' flight line on the Fiskerton /Reepham road. This building is now occupied by Primtake, a specialist ammunition manurfacturer.
Part of the old operations block on Hall Lane still stands and is used for stabling.The airfield is popular with walkers, cyclists, runners and dog exercisers and several public footpaths cross the airfield. One of these footpaths follows the perimeter track adjacent to the old technical site and walking down the track at twilight on a peaceful summer's evening.
It is hard to imagine the activity that would have been taking placall those years ago during W.W.2.
Of the dispersed sites, the gymnasium, (building No: 206 on site 4) has been demolished along with the Chancery. On site: 9 the base of the sick bay, (building No. 328) is still there and is used for storing straw bales. Site: 3 is privately owned and several buildings have survived the years. These are used by small businesses and personal use by the site owner. Among them are the Officer’s mess and the Sergeants mess, (buildings No.176 and 176), a power house and several other buildings which have been preserved and utilised by the gentleman owner who very kindly allowed me to photograph the site and showed me around.
The site is very pleasant with landscaped areas and an orchard. Over the years many former occupants of the site have been back to re-visit and the owner has a visitors' book for them to sign. Another part of site: 3, (building N.178) was by the occupied by the Tanya Wool factory. This company ceased trading in 2009, it is believed the building is now empty. Of the other dispersed sites, small coppices mark the locations and nothing remains save for a few buildings and some concrete bases of what would have been a hive of activity all those years ago.
In total, the airfield had, during its operational life, over 400 buildings including 275 on the dispersed sites ranging from hangars to living quarters. Briefing rooms to dining halls and messes. Now, only a handful remain of what would have been a self-contained community and was home to 2,300 personel. Inevitably, empty buildings attract unwarranted attention or become dangerous to enter and therefore it was necessary to demolished them because of these reasons.
A solar farm has been built at the eastern end of the airfield. As the remaining sections of perimeter track and runways are used for access these hopefully should survive for many years to come. The developers of the solar farm have agreed to preserve what is left of the concrete operating surfaces and the local council have indicated they regard the airfield of historical importance. Of the remaining building son Site:3, we can only hope the builders do not move in. These buildings are the only substantial ones remaining and it would be a pity to see them go.