RAF Wainfleet

RAF Wainfleet is a Royal Air Force weapons range on The Wash on the east coast of England at Wainfleet. Other ranges nearby include RAF Holbeach, also on The Wash, and Donna Nook. It is also known as The Wash (North side) Bombing Range.

1 History
2 Operation
- 2.1 SSSI
3 External links
- 3.1 Video clips

History

It opened in August 1938. However usage of the site as a range dates back to 1890 by the 1st Lincolnshire Artillery. During the 1920s and 1930s it was also used by the RAF and Royal Artillery. The range was administered by RAF Coningsby as an Air Weapons Range within RAF Strike Command. On 1st April 2006 control was transferred to Defence Estates and the range is now administered by Defence Training Estates (East) from their headquarters at West Tofts Camp near Thetford. It is used by both fixed wing and rotary aircraft from NATO. During the Second World War, it was used by 617 Squadron to test the Stabilizing Automatic Bomb Sight.

Operation

The site is controlled from the Control Tower. Targets include old ships. There is another smaller wooden observation tower to the east nearer the shore. Access is via a narrow road called Sea Lane via the junction with the A52 at the Barley Mow at Friskney Eaudyke.

SSSI

The range is a Site of Special Scientific Interest thanks to the large number of resident and migrating birds found there. The location is a major stopping point for flocks of Brent Geese on their way from the Arctic coast. There is also the Red-legged Partridge. Skegness gets its weather recorded from the automatic equipment at Wainfleet.