HOW THIS WEBSITE STARTED.

The idea and reasons for this website's existance  started one evening in July 2006 when I came across some old black and white photographs which I had taken in 1968 aged 14.

I had intended initially, to offer them to one of the many websites which feature the old Bomber airfields but after some thought, I decided to create my own website about Fiskerton and those persons who were there during the dangerous years of WW 2.

AN INTEREST STARTS.

Despite having no connections with the RAF myself other than living in Lincolnshire, I first became interested in Bomber Command after a history lesson at school during the 1960's. With my imagination full of images of brave young men putting on their flying jackets and taking off to bomb enemy targets, I decided to study the subject further and began by reading whatever books I could get hold of. One of these, an excellent book even by today's standards is called: "lancaster-The Story of A Famous Bomber."This superb book details the development of the wartime and post war Lancasters. Also listed in this book are the serial numbers of every Lancaster produced, squadrons, dates  and its eventual fate.

Upon learning of the many airfields which existed in Lincolnshire I got hold of an O/S map of the area and began to explore. Places like Bardney, Skellingthorpe, Wigsley, Dunholme and Fiskerton to name only a few. There are nearly 50 airfields in Lincolnshire and all within a few miles of each other. I started to visit these airfields in my spare time. Of the airfields, Fiskerton, as well as being the nearest also became my favorite.  

Back in the sixties, these airfields were in good condition and Fiskerton was no exception. Access to the airfield was unrestricted and all the runways and the perimeter track were all intact as well as many dispersal points. On the airfield,(site 1) many buildings were standing on the technical site,as was the control tower complex complete with windsock mast, the empty static pool was there and so was one hanger. Opposite the old main gate, parts of the ops block was there. Of the dispersed sites, I knew very little. I remember some buildings on a site I now know was the Sick Quarters but there were more buildings on the other areas of the airfield. These areas are known as sites. E.G: the main airfield was site 1. Site 2 was the bomb stores, site 3 was accommodation etc etc.*

Over the next few years, I visited Fiskerton many times. Looking at all the parts of the airfield. Of the buildings, I could only guess at their former use. There were no plans available back then. I also read about the squadrons which were based there too. Walking around the perimeter track  at sunset was and still is most enjoyable, trying to imagine what it would have been like all those years ago when the airfield was operational and hundreds of people,vehicles and aircraft were moving about.

A favorite walk, was to follow the route taken by the crews on an operational evening. Starting at the accommodation site, I would to walk to where the briefing room was. From there, a short walk took you to the site of the old Locker Rooms. Here, crews would change into their flying gear before being ferried out or cycling to their waiting Lancasters. From the locker rooms, I would walk all the way around the perimeter track, past the empty dispersals and past the ends of the runways.

*SEE AIRFIELD LAYOUT FOR DETAILS OF  THE SITES.