RAF Lindley explained

RAF Lindley
Ensign:Ensign of the Royal Air Force.svg
Ensign Size:90px
Location:Higham on the Hill, Leicestershire
Country:England
Type:Royal Air Force station
Coordinates:52.5617°N -1.4472°W
Pushpin Map:Leicestershire#UK
Pushpin Map Caption:Shown within Leicestershire
Pushpin Label:RAF Lindley
Pushpin Label Position:top
Ownership:Air Ministry
Operator:Royal Air Force
Controlledby:RAF Flying Training Command
Used:1940 -
Battles:European theatre of World War II
Elevation:100m (300feet)
R1-Number:00/00
R1-Surface:Concrete
R2-Number:00/00
R2-Surface:Concrete
R3-Number:00/00
R3-Surface:Concrete

Royal Air Force Lindley or more simply RAF Lindley is a former Royal Air Force station situated in Leicestershire 8.1miles south east of Polesworth, Warwickshire, England in close proximity to Watling Street.[1]

The airfield opened in 1943 before closing in 1946.[2]

History

The first unit to use the airfield was No. 1513 (Beam Approach Training) Flight RAF (BAT Flt) flying the Airspeed Oxford based at RAF Bramcote, RAF Bitteswell and Lindley between 31 October 1942 and 13 May 1946.[3] From 7 February 1943 until 27 March 1943 No. 18 (Polish) Operational Training Unit RAF used the airfield as a satellite from RAF Bramcote flying Avro Ansons, Fairey Battles and Vickers Wellingtons[3] but the airfield was transferred to RAF Transport Command on 25 June 1943 and was home to No. 105 Operational Training Unit flying Vickers Wellingtons and Douglas Dakotas until 21 November 1945. However the unit was renamed No. 1381 (Transport) Conversion Unit RAF before moving to RAF Desborough on 10 August 1943.

United States Army use

The airfield was used by the Air Echelon of 250th Field Artillery, United States Army, with the Piper L-4 Cub, 'Grasshopper' between March and June 1944 before 30 November 1945 when the airfield was placed on care and maintenance.

Current use

The Motor Industry Research Association (MIRA) started using the airfield from October 1948[1] two years after it was founded.[4]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Lindley/Nuneaton. Control Towers. 2 April 2012.
  2. Web site: Lindley/Nuneaton. . 1 April 2012.
  3. Web site: Military flying units in the south west Midlands . Aviation Archaeology . 2 April 2012.
  4. Web site: MIRA Heritage . MIRA . 2 April 2012.