Bombers RAF Binbrook was opened as a Bomber Command station in June 1940 during the
Second World War and home to
No. 12 Squadron RAF, with
Vickers Wellington Mk II and III, between 3 July 1940 and 25 September 1942 before it moved to
RAF Wickenby. Another squadron stationed at Binbrook before 1942 was
142, with the
Fairey Battle, from 3 July 1940 to 12 August 1940 and from 6 September 1940 to 26 November 1941 when it moved to
RAF Waltham. The squadron used the Battle until November 1940 before switching to the Wellington Mk II. RAF Binbrook closed in 1942 for the installation of three concrete runways, reopening in 1943 as home to
No. 460 Squadron,
Royal Australian Air Force. Post-war, Binbrook was home to a number of distinguished
RAF bomber squadrons, notably
IX,
12,
101 and
617, all four of which were there for more than a decade. The airfield saw the start of the RAF's transition to jet bombers with the arrival of the first
English Electric Canberras. The control tower and adjacent fire section were demolished in 1995. In the mid-90s,
Lincolnshire Police and
Humberside Police used the site to teach
riot control techniques to its police officers. As of 2012 a majority of the accommodation blocks have been demolished. The hangars and offices are used as an industrial estate housing many businesses. The flight line is fenced off and used for storage of mainly ex-military equipment awaiting resale. The married quarters are private housing, forming the new village of Brookenby. There is also a memorial to 460 Squadron (RAAF) consisting of a memorial plaque and benches around the former ident square. The following units were here at some point: •
No. 1 Group Target Towing Flight RAF (November 1941) became
No. 1481 (Target Towing) Flight RAF (November 1941 - January 1942) became
No. 1481 (Target Towing and Gunnery) Flight RAF (January - November 1942) •
No. 50 Squadron RAF •
No. 109 Squadron RAF •
No. 139 Squadron RAF •
No. 460 Squadron RAAF Notably, the squadron: flew the most sorties of any Australian bomber squadron; dropped more bomb tonnage than any other squadron in Bomber Command; lost 188 aircraft and suffered 1,018 combat deaths. •
No. 643 Volunteer Gliding School RAF (June 1991 - October 1992) •
819 Naval Air Squadron •
849 Naval Air Squadron • No. 849B Flight of 849 NAS • Air Bomber Training Flight (No. 1 Group) RAF (June - September 1942) • Bomber Command Aircraft Maintenance Unit RAF (July 1952 - ?) • Bomber Command Jet Conversion Flight RAF (December 1950 - July 1952) • Bomber Command Supply Support Unit RAF (October - November 1956) •
Day Fighter Combat Squadron RAF (November 1962 - November 1965) • Instant Readiness Reserve Unit RAF (June 1979 - 1981) became Lightning Augmentation Flight RAF (1981 - 82) • Lightning Special Engineering Project Team RAF (April 1974 - ?) • Lightning Training Flight RAF (October 1975 - April 1987) ==Popular culture==