RAF Buckminster

RAF Buckminster RFC Buckminster
Near Buckminster, Leicestershire in England
RAF Buckminster Shown within Leicestershire
Coordinates	52°48′00″N 000°40′27″W / 52.80000°N 0.67417°WCoordinates: 52°48′00″N 000°40′27″W / 52.80000°N 0.67417°W
Type	Royal Air Force station
Area	125 acres (51 ha)
Site information
Owner	Air Ministry (1918-1919) The Air Board (1916-1918)
Operator	Royal Air Force 1918-1919 Royal Flying Corps (1916-1918)
Site history
Built	1916
In use	1916-1919
Airfield information
Elevation	146 metres (479 ft) AMSL
Runways Direction Length and surface 00/00  Grass

RAF Buckminster is a former Royal Air Force base located 2.25 miles (3.62 km) west of Colsterworth, Lincolnshire and 9.3 miles (15.0 km) north east of Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire, England.

History

The base was active during the First World War, firstly with a flight of No. 38 Squadron RFC initially with the Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.12 between 1 October 1916 and November 1916 before returning on 25 May 1918 with the FE 2B & 2D versions of the Royal Aircraft Factory F.E.2. The squadron had detachments at Leadenham & Stamford Aerodromes until the squadron moved to Cappelle on 31 May 1918 however the squadron depot stayed here at Buckminster until 14 August 1918 when it became No. 90 Squadron RAF.^[1] The new 90 Squadron was similar to 38 Squadron since it had detachments at Leadenham and Stamford Aerodromes with the same FE 2B fighters however during September 1918 this changed when the squadron regrouped at Buckminster and was re-equipped with the Avro 504K(NF). The squadron then disbanded on 13 June 1919 here at Buckminster.^[2]

The airfield then became home to an Aircraft Acceptance Park which closed in 1919 when the aerodrome was closed.^[3]

RAF Buckminster today

There is no sign of the base today, with the site being given back over to agriculture.^[4]

See also

• List of former Royal Air Force stations

References

Citations

1. Jefford 1988, p. 37.
2. Jefford 1988, p. 51.
3. "RAF Buckminster". RAF Lincolnshire.info. Retrieved 1 February 2014.
4. "Buckminster". Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust. Retrieved 1 February 2014.

Bibliography

• Jefford MBE, Wg Cdr C G (1988). RAF Squadrons. A comprehensive record of the movement and equipment of all RAF squadrons and their antecedents since 1912. Shrewsbury: Airlife. ISBN 1-85310-053-6.