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RAF Hibaldstow
RAF Hibaldstow, situated in North Lincolnshire was built as a satellite airfield for RAF Kirton Lindsey in 1941. The airfield opened in May 1941 when 255 Squadron took up residence flying Defiant Night Fighters.
The base closed in August 1947 and remained in RAF hands until 1961 when the land was sold agriculture. The Control Tower was converted into a house in 1976 and today the site is used for Sunday markets, by a parachute club and as a skid-pan by Lincolnshire Police.
Squadrons stationed at RAF Hibaldstow
- No: 255 Squadron. May 1941
- No: 253 (Hyderabad) Squadron. Sept 1941 to Jan 1943
- No: 53 OTU. May 1943 to May 1945
- No: 538 Squadron. Sep 1942 to January 1943
The runway at Hibaldstow
Runway area at Hibaldstow
RAF Hibaldstow entrance in the distance with modern hanger.
Building near the watch office
The Control watch office
Track near to the way out
Track near control watch tower
Taxi area now a go kart track.
The side of the watch office.
The only significant signs are the runway and perimeter track and the watch tower which is now a private house. There are also two modernish hangars that look like they are the handywork of the target skydiving club.
23rd April 1941 Re-equipped
28th January 1943 New aircrew; new role
If you can provide any additional information, please add it here.
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Those known to have served at RAF Hibaldstow during the Second World War 1939-1945. - Hennessey Phyllis Ethel.
- Horton Margaret.
- Stevens Richard Playne. (d.15th Dec 1941)
- vanderZee Edward Raymond. F/O. (d.3rd Mar 1945)
The names on this list have been submitted by relatives, friends, neighbours and others who wish to remember them, if you have any names to add or any recollections or photos of those listed,
please
Add a Name to this List
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Want to know more about RAF Hibaldstow? There are:3 items tagged RAF Hibaldstow available in our Library
These include information on officers, regimental histories, letters, diary entries, personal accounts and information about actions during the Second World War. |
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Richard Playne Stevens 253 Squadron (d.15th Dec 1941) Since reading, 'Johnnie' Johnson's book "Wing Leader", I have been fascinated by the story surrounding Flt. Lt. Richard Playne Stevens, 253 Squadron, RAF pilot. JJ speaks highly of him in his book and the great man himself, Dougie Bader, has referred to him, yet little is known of the man. I have found a few tidbits which reveal the death of his baby daughter in a house fire and that Stevens, for obvious reasons, took it very badly. Following this tragedy, it is said that he would scream like a man possessed when engaging the enemy during his time as a night fighter pilot and that he scored a very high tally against enemy aircraft without using any of the emerging technology at that time. One tale reveals that he got so close to an exploding Heinkel He 111 he was attacking, that ground crew found human remains and blood on the fuselage of his Hurricane after the sortie and he made them leave it on his aircraft. Whilst posted to 253 Squadron, Stevens set out to attack an airfield in Holland, Hulten near Grize- Rijen, on the 15th of December 1941, from Hibaldstow. He crashed near the Dutch airfield at 21:30 hrs that night and his remains were interred in the local cemetery at Bergen op Zoom and re-interred after the war at the CWWG site at Zuilen. If you know any more about this individual or the aircraft he flew I would appreciate it if you could forward information on to me. It is a tragic but fascinating story.
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Phyllis Ethel Hennessey My grandma, Phyllis Hennessey served at RAF Hibaldstow in July 1943. I have a photo of her sitting on a Spitfire with two other ladies and four men standing on the ground below them. Does anyone remember her?
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