Manby Airfield |
| Hob Uid: 1402569 | |
Location :
Lincolnshire
East Lindsey
Legbourne, Little Carlton, Grimoldby, Manby
|
| Grid Ref : TF3890086800 |
| Summary : The site of a former military airfield opened in 1938. It was used in World War Two and post-war until 1974. Construction began on the site in 1936, and the formal layout of the buildings reflects the consultation between the Air Ministry and the Royal Fine Arts Commission that took place in the 1930s. From 1938 and during World War Two the special function of the airfield was as a base for Number 1 Air Armament School (from 1944 Empire Central Armament School) which was concerned with training in air gunnery (and bomb aiming) skills. The actual ranges for these activities were at Theddlethorpe. At some time during the war concrete runways were added.In 1949 the Royal Air Force Flying College (later renamed the College of Air Warfare) was formed at Manby. In the 1960s a new control tower and signals square were built, superseding the earlier pre-war tower. The airfield retains a large number of its original pre-war domestic buildings many designed in a Neo-Georgian style by the Air Ministry architect Bulloch as well as a number of the original aircraft hangars (please see TF 38 NE 60 to TF 38 NE 68). Some of the surviving technical buildings include workshops, a guardhouse and a parachute store. |
More information : Manby Airfield, Lincolnshire TF 385 866. Opened 1938, closed 1974. The airfield had concrete runways and was provided with Type C hangars and Blister variant aircraft hangars. Accommodation was permanent. (1)
Construction began on the site in 1936. From 1938 and during World War Two the special function of the airfield was as a base for Number 1 Air Armament School (from 1944 Empire Central Armament School) which was concerned with training in air gunnery skills. In 1949 the Royal Air Force Flying College (later renamed the College of Air Warfare) was formed at Manby. In the 1960s a new control tower and signals square were built. (2)
The former RAF station at Manby Airfield was described in 2003 as ranking jointly with Hullavington (Wiltshire) as being the "most complete and architecturally unified of the post -1934 Expansion Period". It retains a large number of its original pre-war buildings many designed in a Neo-Georgian style by the Air Ministry architect Bulloch as well as a number of the original aircraft hangars. The overall formal layout of the buildings reflects the fact that it was a formal training setting and also the consultations that took part between the Royal Fine Arts Commission and the Air Ministry in the 1930s. During the war the airfield specialized in training bomb aimers, air gunners and armourers. The actual ranges were at Theddlethorpe. A dummy airfield to draw off enemy attacks was situated at Mablethorpe. At some time during the war "paved" runways were added at Manby. (3)
Airfield centred at TF 385 866 (NAT). The bulk of the flying field and the airfield buildings are in Manby Civil Parish, however hard standings and dispersals extend into Grimoldby to the north, Little Carlton to the south and Legbourne to the west. (4)
The site was the nodal point in the late 50's all the 60's and part 70's for the coding and dissemination of 5 figure weather forecasts for stations throughout the UK north of Coventry as far as Saxa Fford in the Shetlands. (5) |