| Located some 12 miles North of Boston, just off the A155 road, East of the village from where it takes its name. RAF East Kirkby opened mid-war in 1943 as a bomber airfield and although saw little active use after 1958, didn’t close until 1970.
Today, the main site is better known as “The Lincolnshire Aviation Heritage Centre”, having been re-opened in 1995 as a war-time museum. The old control tower has been restored to its war-time specifications, and a new hanger erected on the base of the airfields original. The centre piece of the museum is a fully operational Lancaster bomber, affectionately named “Just Jane”. Few other original buildings remain and different sections of the airfield itself are in the ownership of different farms. 4 of the original T2 hangers built alongside the A155 still exist, though aren't recognisable as they've been re-clad in differant colours. Parts of the airfield to the North-East of the museum are accessible as it’s dissected by the road between Hagnaby to Stickford. The southern part of the main runway remains, but has been reduced to a single track. The northern part is in its original state and currently used for motorbike drag-racing. The subsidiary runways though have since been broken up and removed, but the majority of perimeter track around the field is still intact. If you’re interested in visiting the Museum and seeing their Lancaster for yourself, checkout their website from the link on my main page for opening times. |
Former main entrance, from the A155 (now the Museum main entrance) 535x400 |
Museum main gate. 535x400 |
Welcome to RAF East Kirkby 535x400 |
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The restored control tower. In the background to the right the former Firetender shed (now a chappel) 535x400 |
Control tower, with hanger in background 535x400 |
East Kirkby's new hanger, built on the foundations of the original No1 hanger. 535x400 |
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The museum's pride "Just Jane" 535x400 |
I want one of these 535x400 |
Peritrack/taxiway adjacent to museum 535x400 |
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Nissen huts/workshops by museum entrance 535x400 |
Surviving shed in Museum car park 535x400 |
West side peri-track, taken from the dissecting Hagnaby-Stickford road, looking back towards museum. 1024x768 |
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West peritrack looking North-East up to runway head taken from the Hagnaby-Stickford road. 535x400 |
Main runway (now a single track) looking South-West, taken from the Hagnaby-Stickford road. 535x400 |
Main Runway looking North-East up towards runway head from South of the dissecting road 535x400 |
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Former location of T2 hanger, to the right of Eastern peri-track. 535x400 |
Looking directly North along the road towards where the Runway crosses. The peritrack follows the road at this section 535x400 |
Looking directly South, the Eastern peritrack goes onto a private farm and in the backround curls round to the right 535x400 |
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Former power supply shed on South-Eastern part of airfield on the Hagnaby-Stickford road 535x400 |
Former crash-gate on Western side of airfield, looking up the Western peri-track towards the museum 535x400 |
Former Nissen hut accros from Western crash gate 535x400 |
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East Kirkby Memorial by Museum main entrance 535x400 |
Close up of East Kirkby Memorial inscription 535x400 |
