RAF Goxhill
Encyclopedia
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
and United States Army Air Force station in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. It is located just to the east of the village of Goxhill
Goxhill
Goxhill is a large village and civil parish in North Lincolnshire, England. It lies east of Barton-upon-Humber and north west of Immingham. It is served by Goxhill railway station, this line runs from the town of Barton to the seaside resort of Cleethorpes...
, on the south bank of the Humber
Humber
The Humber is a large tidal estuary on the east coast of Northern England. It is formed at Trent Falls, Faxfleet, by the confluence of the tidal River Ouse and the tidal River Trent. From here to the North Sea, it forms part of the boundary between the East Riding of Yorkshire on the north bank...
estuary, opposite the city of Kingston upon Hull
Kingston upon Hull
Kingston upon Hull , usually referred to as Hull, is a city and unitary authority area in the ceremonial county of the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. It stands on the River Hull at its junction with the Humber estuary, 25 miles inland from the North Sea. Hull has a resident population of...
, in north Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire is a county in the east of England. It borders Norfolk to the south east, Cambridgeshire to the south, Rutland to the south west, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire to the west, South Yorkshire to the north west, and the East Riding of Yorkshire to the north. It also borders...
.
Origins
During World War IWorld War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
a Royal Flying Corps
Royal Flying Corps
The Royal Flying Corps was the over-land air arm of the British military during most of the First World War. During the early part of the war, the RFC's responsibilities were centred on support of the British Army, via artillery co-operation and photographic reconnaissance...
landing ground existed near the Lincolnshire village of Goxhill. In 1940 the Air Ministry
Air Ministry
The Air Ministry was a department of the British Government with the responsibility of managing the affairs of the Royal Air Force, that existed from 1918 to 1964...
returned to survey the land once again for its suitability as an airfield.
RAF use
Goxhill was originally used as a barrage balloonBarrage balloon
A barrage balloon is a large balloon tethered with metal cables, used to defend against low-level aircraft attack by damaging the aircraft on collision with the cables, or at least making the attacker's approach more difficult. Some versions carried small explosive charges that would be pulled up...
site to protect the port of Hull
Kingston upon Hull
Kingston upon Hull , usually referred to as Hull, is a city and unitary authority area in the ceremonial county of the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. It stands on the River Hull at its junction with the Humber estuary, 25 miles inland from the North Sea. Hull has a resident population of...
and the River Humber
Humber
The Humber is a large tidal estuary on the east coast of Northern England. It is formed at Trent Falls, Faxfleet, by the confluence of the tidal River Ouse and the tidal River Trent. From here to the North Sea, it forms part of the boundary between the East Riding of Yorkshire on the north bank...
. In 1940, Goxhill was transferred to RAF Bomber Command
RAF Bomber Command
RAF Bomber Command controlled the RAF's bomber forces from 1936 to 1968. During World War II the command destroyed a significant proportion of Nazi Germany's industries and many German cities, and in the 1960s stood at the peak of its postwar military power with the V bombers and a supplemental...
and was planned and rebuilt as a Class-A bomber airfield. The base was equipped with three intersecting runway
Runway
According to ICAO a runway is a "defined rectangular area on a land aerodrome prepared for the landing and take-off of aircraft." Runways may be a man-made surface or a natural surface .- Orientation and dimensions :Runways are named by a number between 01 and 36, which is generally one tenth...
s, the main runway at 1600 yards and two secondary runways of 1100 yards. Three hangar
Hangar
A hangar is a closed structure to hold aircraft or spacecraft in protective storage. Most hangars are built of metal, but other materials such as wood and concrete are also sometimes used...
s were built - two T-2's, one J-Type and four blisters and fifty aircraft hardstands. Temporary accommodation was provided for 1700+ personnel.
Its location, however, was too close to the air defences of Hull
Kingston upon Hull
Kingston upon Hull , usually referred to as Hull, is a city and unitary authority area in the ceremonial county of the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. It stands on the River Hull at its junction with the Humber estuary, 25 miles inland from the North Sea. Hull has a resident population of...
to be used for that purpose. Its first occupant was No. 1 Group that took up residence on 26 June 1941. The mission of No. 1 Group was towing practice targets with Lysander
Westland Lysander
The Westland Lysander was a British army co-operation and liaison aircraft produced by Westland Aircraft used immediately before and during the Second World War...
bomber
Bomber
A bomber is a military aircraft designed to attack ground and sea targets, by dropping bombs on them, or – in recent years – by launching cruise missiles at them.-Classifications of bombers:...
s, its first operation beginning on 25 October.
In December 1941, RAF Fighter Command
RAF Fighter Command
RAF Fighter Command was one of three functional commands of the Royal Air Force. It was formed in 1936 to allow more specialised control of fighter aircraft. It served throughout the Second World War, gaining recognition in the Battle of Britain. The Command continued until 17 November 1943, when...
replaced the Bomber Command training unit with No. 12 Group, flying Spitfire
Supermarine Spitfire
The Supermarine Spitfire is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was used by the Royal Air Force and many other Allied countries throughout the Second World War. The Spitfire continued to be used as a front line fighter and in secondary roles into the 1950s...
s from No. 616 Squadron at RAF Kirton in Lindsey
Kirton in Lindsey
Kirton-in-Lindsey, also abbreviated to Kirton Lindsey, is a small town and civil parish in North Lincolnshire, England.-Geography:It is south of Scunthorpe, near the A15 road, and has a total resident population of 2,694....
. Fighter Command operated the base until May 1942.
USAAF use
The base was relegated to satellite field use by RAF KirmingtonRAF Kirmington
RAF Kirmington was a Royal Air Force Bomber Command station in North Lincolnshire during World War II.It took its name from the village of Kirmington nearby; the most notable squadron based there was 166 Squadron and a memorial plaque to the members of that unit is in the parish church.-After World...
until August 1942, when it was taken over by the United States Army Air Force (USAAF). The transfer ceremony was attended by General Dwight D. Eisenhower
Dwight D. Eisenhower
Dwight David "Ike" Eisenhower was the 34th President of the United States, from 1953 until 1961. He was a five-star general in the United States Army...
. During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
it was known as USAAF Station 345.
The facilities at Goxhill, however, had a lot to be desired. Three wooden barracks
Barracks
Barracks are specialised buildings for permanent military accommodation; the word may apply to separate housing blocks or to complete complexes. Their main object is to separate soldiers from the civilian population and reinforce discipline, training and esprit de corps. They were sometimes called...
were supplemented by a number of metal fabricated buildings (aka: tin cans) for living quarters. Typical of the RAF bases of that period, living quarters and mess facilities were 1–2 miles from the hangars and flight operations area.
The station was unofficially known by the USAAF units based here as "GoatHill".
The USAAF used Goxhill as a training base though the balance of the war, with several squadrons using it after their initial deployment to the UK, then moving on to a permanent facility for their operational missions.
Both the USAAF 8th
Eighth Air Force
The Eighth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Global Strike Command . It is headquartered at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana....
and 9th
Ninth Air Force
The Ninth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force's Air Combat Command . It is headquartered at Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina....
Air Force utilized Goxhill. Units which trained here were:
| Group | Aircraft | Date Arrived | Date Departed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st Fighter Group | P-38 Lightning P-38 Lightning The Lockheed P-38 Lightning was a World War II American fighter aircraft built by Lockheed. Developed to a United States Army Air Corps requirement, the P-38 had distinctive twin booms and a single, central nacelle containing the cockpit and armament... | 10 June 1942 | 24 August 1942 |
| 52d Fighter Group | P-39 Airacobra | 26 August 1942 | 9 November 1942 |
| 78th Fighter Group 78th Fighter Group The 78th Fighter Group is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 78th Fighter Wing, being assigned to Hamilton Air Force Base, California. It was inactivated on 1 February 1961.... | P-38 Lightning P-47 Thunderbolt | 1 December 1942 | 6 April 1943 |
| 353d Fighter Group 353d Fighter Group The 353d Fighter Group is an inactive United States Army Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with the Army Service Forces, being stationed at Camp Kilmer, New Jersey. It was inactivated on 18 October 1945.... | P-47 Thunderbolt P-47 Thunderbolt Republic Aviation's P-47 Thunderbolt, also known as the "Jug", was the largest, heaviest, and most expensive fighter aircraft in history to be powered by a single reciprocating engine. It was heavily armed with eight .50-caliber machine guns, four per wing. When fully loaded, the P-47 weighed up to... | 7 June 1943 | 3 August 1943 |
| 356th Fighter Group 356th Fighter Group The 356th Fighter Group is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with the Army Service Forces, being stationed at Camp Kilmer, New Jersey. It was inactivated on 10 November 1945.... | P-47 Thunderbolt | 27 August 1943 | 5 October 1943 |
| 358th Fighter Group 358th Fighter Group The 358th Fighter Group is an inactive United States Army Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the Second Air Force stationed at La Junta Army Air Field , Colorado. It was inactivated on 7 November 1945.... | P-47 Thunderbolt | 20 October 1943 | 29 November 1943 |
| 496th Fighter Training Group | P-51 Mustang P-51 Mustang The North American Aviation P-51 Mustang was an American long-range, single-seat fighter and fighter-bomber used during World War II, the Korean War and in several other conflicts... and P-38 Lightning | 25 December 1943 | 15 February 1945 |
The 496th Fighter Group was a Combat Crew Replacement Center for 8th and 9th USAAF units. It consisted of the 554th Fighter Squadron with P-38s and the 555th Fighter Squadron with P-51s. The group trained over 2,400 fighter pilots during its existence. The 78th Fighter Group came to England equipped with P-38's but had all of its aircraft and most of its pilots sent to the Twelfth Air Force in February 1943, after which it flew P-47 Thunderbolts.
Postwar Military use
RAF Kirton in Lindsey
RAF Kirton in Lindsey is a Royal Air Force airfield in Lincolnshire. The field is located 15 miles north of Lincoln.It hosts No.1 Air Control Centre , the RAF’s only deployable ground-based early warning and air control radar unit, parented by RAF Scampton.-First World War:The Royal Flying Corps...
. On 27 May it was assigned to RAF Maintenance Command for storage of excess munitions. RAF Goxhill remained a storage depot until it was deactivated on 14 December 1953.
Goxhill airfield was leased to farmers for agricultural use until 29 January 1962, when it was finally sold by the Ministry of Defence
Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)
The Ministry of Defence is the United Kingdom government department responsible for implementation of government defence policy and is the headquarters of the British Armed Forces....
(MOD). The Technical Site and the aircraft hangars, however, was retained by the MOD for storage uses. In July 1977, the MOD sold off the remaining parts of Goxhill to private owners for agricultural use.
Civil use
With the end of military control, Goxhill airfield is remarkably intact and has a 'Marie Celeste' feel about it. All the buildings in the Technical Site, with the sad exception of the control towerControl tower
A control tower, or more specifically an Air Traffic Control Tower , is the name of the airport building from which the air traffic control unit controls the movement of aircraft on and around the airport. Control towers are also used to control the traffic for other forms of transportation such...
, demolished over the owner's objection in 2002, are still standing. The three hangars, two T-2s and a J type also are there, albeit in a state of disrepair. The perimeter track is almost complete and a large part of the main runway is still in place. To the northwest corner of the site is a memorial incorporating a propeller
Propeller (aircraft)
Aircraft propellers or airscrews convert rotary motion from piston engines or turboprops to provide propulsive force. They may be fixed or variable pitch. Early aircraft propellers were carved by hand from solid or laminated wood with later propellers being constructed from metal...
blade from a crashed P-38.
Perhaps of its relative inaccessibility, Goxhill looks very much like it did during the war years.
See also
External links
- 496th Fighter Training Group -- This opens up a pdf file and not a web page. (i.e. html)
- United States Army Air Forces - Goxhill
- Historic Goxhill photo gallery
- Historic Goxhill photo gallery 2