| Former RAF Goxhill was the most Northern of all the Airfields to be built in Lincolnshire during WW2. Located just East of Goxhill village, which is some 3 miles East of Barton upon Humber, the site is actually just North of former RAF Killingholme, .
The base opened in 1941 and was originally intended as a bomber airfield, however for reasons unknown, the RAF decided to use it for their fighter planes instead and was predominantly used by the US 8th Air force. It was during this time the site also became known as "Goathill", due to the American pronunciation as they were unable to say "Goxhill" properly (so the story goes). The base was wound down following the wars end in 1945, and with the exception of being used to store bombs during the 1950’s, the base saw little other military use until it was finally disposed of in 1962. Today Most of the buildings on the old tech site remain, being used by various businesses for storage purposes, however most of these are now in a very dilapidated state, with the exception of the 3 main hangers at the front of the site. The old airfield, like so many former war time flying fields, has been turned back into farmland. The runways and peri-track were mostly intact up until 2002, but since then parts of the site have been sold off by the original farmer and large sections of these have been churned up by the new owners. The old control tower was still standing derelict up until this time, but the new owners have since carefully knocked it down and apparently shipped it over to the US to be reconstructed at an air force museum. Sections of the old domestic site can be found to the South, some now forming parts of a small industrial set of units. A memorial to the site can be found on the North-West corner of the airfield at adjacent to the crossroads where Ruard road and Horsegate Field lane meet on what was one the North East airfield entrance. Trivia buffs may wish to note that 40’s movie star Clark Gable was stationed at Goxhill for a period during his time in the US air force. Please note that technically, the old tech site buildings are on private property. However ownership of these is split, and after chatting to one of the owners, they said they had no problems in me photographing the site. There is also a public footpath that runs straight accross the former field, so access was relatively straightforward. |
Former main entrance, off Chappelfield road. 700x525 |
Sign by main entrance (a nice tribute by the new owners). 700x525 |
This attractive gate by the main entrance tells of the sites former use. 700x525 |
Guard room, to the right of main entrance. 700x525 |
This gate on the old tech site depicts an aeroplane propellor. 700x525 |
The former ops block. 700x525 |
Access road around the tech site, hangers in background. 700x525 |
Some of the many derilict buildings on site. 700x525 |
Derilict former flight hut. 700x525 |
Tech site buildings, the tall building at the back was the bomb trainer. 700x525 |
Not all huts are derilict, this one has been re-roofed and is in use. 700x525 |
Old Nissen hut. 700x525 |
Apparently this was a pyro store. 700x525 |
Eastern peri-track, looking North. 700x525 |
Eastern peri-track, looking South. The hangers are just off to the left. 700x525 |
Goxhill's J type hanger. 700x525 |
One of Goxhill's T2's. 700x525 |
Same T2, looking from the rear towards the J hanger. 700x525 |
Goxhill's second T2, looks like its being used by a coal merchants. 700x525 |
Former fire tender sheds. The old control tower was just to the right of these. 700x525 |
Though its overgrown and partially chruned up, we're looking straight up from the base of the main N-S runway. 700x525 |
This aircraft tie down was right in the middle of where the N-S and NE-SW runways cross. 700x525 |
North-East airfield entrance. 700x525 |
Looking down the NW-SW runway from the Northern end. 700x525 |
