This is a Class A airfield, on which work began in late
1941, it was completed the following summer. Located directly south-west of
Kirmington village on the A18, Scunthorpe to Grimsby road. The
airfield conformed to the standard of the time with three concrete runways,
the main 04-22 being originally 1,450 yard long, runway 15-33 1,150 yards
long and runway 09-27 1,100 yards long.
However, it appears that extensions of the runway were
carried out before the station was opened and this involved the closure and
diversion of the A18 just west of Kirmington village, and also the closure
of the minor road running north to the village on the east side of the
airfield. When extended the runways lengths were 04-22 at 2,000 yards
and the others both 1,400 yards. Of the original 36 pan-type
hardstandings two were lost by perimeter track and hanger taxiway
extensions. Two loop-type standings were added as replacements.
A T2 hanger was located on the main technical site between runway heads 22
and 27 and another on the maintenance site near Kirmington Villa with
another T2 and a B1 a little to the north. Two blister hangers were
erected on the pan hardstandings adjacent to the technical site T2.
The bomb store was off the south side of the airfield and 11 camp sites, of
which seven were domestic, were dispersed around Kirmington village and
further east, allowing for 2,177 males and 345 females.
Kirmington was first used by No. 15(Pilots) Advanced Flying
School from March 1942, but on October 23 that year the station was
transferred to No. 1 Bomber Command when No. 150 Squadron and it's
Wellingtons arrived from Snaith preparatory to having half of its strength
dispatched to North Africa. The remaining crews continued on
operations and were joined in December by part of No. 170 Squadron
from Grimsby, which had suffered a similar fate. Instead of
re-building both squadrons, a desision was taken by Bomber Command to
amalgamate both under another designation. Thus on January 27, 1943,
No. 166 Squadron was re-born, having last existed as a Hadley Page V/1500
heavy bomber squadron in the First World War. No. 166 flew Wellingtons
until September 1943 and then converted to Lancasters.
As Bomber Command continued to expand, No. 166 lost its C
Flight in October 1944 for the reforming of No. 153 Squadron. It flew
its first raid on October 7 but, as was common practice, as soon as the new
unit was fully established it was transfered to a station where more room
was available. Thus by the middle of the month is had moved to
Scampton.
During operations from Kirmington, a total 178 bombers either
failed to return or were destroyed in crashes, 51 being Wellingtons and 127
Lancasters.
Kirmington continued as home for No. 166 Squadron until
November 1945 when, along with several other bomber squadrons, was
disbanded. From February 1946 the station was put on care and
maintenance until relinquished by the Air Ministry to the Ministry of
Agriculture in 1953. Some private crop spraying and commercial flying
with light aircraft took place over the next few years, use being made of
wartime buildings by the operators. From the summer 1967, a small
charter company started regular flying from the airfield and its activities
gradually expanded. In 1970 Kirmington was selected as the best
location for a regional airport serving the Hull, Grimsby and Scunthorpe
localities. By this time the A18 had been restored and took in part of
the
northern end of runway 22, but the others were in good order although a
minor road had been reopened across the flying field. In furtherance
of the project, the airfield was purchased by Lindsey County Council for a
reported £85,000, a further £170,000 being invested in refurbishing the
runways, building a new terminal and control tower. Opened in March
1974, Kirmington eventually became Humberside Airport and home to small
charter airlines. It has since been acquired by Manchester Airport
PLC.
A memorial plaque to the men of No. 166 Squadron was placed in Kirmington
village church. In 2001 this plaque was moved to the 166 Squadron
Memorial Gardens in Kirmington village. The land was donated by the Earl of
Yarborough.