RAF Scampton

RAF Scampton
Richard Croft · CC BY-SA 2.0 · source
Name	RAF Scampton
Location	Lincolnshire, England
Coordinates	53.353°N 0.644°W
Type	Royal Air Force station (former)
Built	1916
Used	1916–1996, reactivated intermittently to 2020s
Garrison	No. 617 Squadron RAF, No. 1 Group RAF, Bomber Command units

RAF Scampton is a former Royal Air Force station near the village of Scampton in Lincolnshire, England. Established during the First World War, it became most famous as the base for No. 617 Squadron RAF, which executed the 1943 Operation Chastise "Dambusters" raid. Over its century-long existence Scampton hosted bomber, training and display units, and was associated with figures including Sir Arthur Harris, Guy Gibson, Keith and Jim Hawker, and Leonard Cheshire.

History

Scampton opened in 1916 as a flight training site associated with Royal Flying Corps operations and later with Royal Air Force reorganisation after 1918. Between the wars the station supported units equipped with types such as the Avro Lancaster, contributing to Bomber Command preparations for continental operations during the Second World War. In 1943 Scampton became the launch point for No. 617 Squadron RAF and the specially modified Avro Lancaster B III aircraft used in Operation Chastise, led by Wing Commander Guy Gibson, targeting dams in the Ruhr industrial region. Post-war Scampton housed nuclear-capable units during the Cold War, and figures such as Air Chief Marshal Sir Arthur Harris influenced strategic bomber policy linked to the station. In later decades Scampton hosted Central Flying School detachments, saw the arrival of the Red Arrows display team for training, and remained active until phased reductions in Royal Air Force infrastructure led to its closure as an operational station in the 2010s; proposals for redevelopment have since involved local authorities like Lincolnshire County Council and organisations such as the Heritage Lottery Fund.

Infrastructure and facilities

Scampton's airfield layout evolved from grass runways to a hardened airfield with multiple concrete runways, perimeter tracks, technical sites and dispersed [link] hangars. Key structural elements included the station's control tower, wartime runways capable of supporting heavy types like the Handley Page Halifax and Avro Lancaster, and surviving Cold War-era hardened aircraft shelters. Support buildings incorporated accommodation blocks, married quarters used by personnel and families, a station cinema similar to those at RAF Waddington, technical blocks housing armament and engineering workshops, and fuel storage installations compatible with jet-propelled aircraft. The site also featured memorials and a museum collection area preserving artifacts associated with units such as No. 617 Squadron RAF and personnel including Guy Gibson and Leonard Cheshire.

Units and operations

Scampton hosted an extensive succession of squadrons and training units. During the Second World War, aside from No. 617 Squadron RAF, the station accommodated No. 83 Squadron RAF, No. 9 Squadron RAF and operational conversion units preparing crews for heavy bomber operations. In the Cold War era Scampton was home to elements of No. 1 Group RAF and maintained readiness with aircraft like the Avro Vulcan assigned to nuclear deterrent duties under V Bomber force structures. The station also supported display and training units including the Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team (the Red Arrows) and the Central Gunnery School predecessors. In the 21st century Scampton was the historic base for the RAF Lancaster association and hosted commemorative flying operations and airshows involving types such as the Supermarine Spitfire and Hawker Hurricane.

Notable events and incidents

The most renowned operation staged from Scampton was Operation Chastise in May 1943, when specially adapted Lancasters of No. 617 Squadron RAF used "bouncing bomb" technology developed by Barnes Wallis to breach dams in the Möhne Reservoir and Edersee Dam, altering industrial output in the Ruhr campaign. The station experienced wartime incidents including operational losses during bombing raids and training accidents involving types such as the Avro Lancaster and Handley Page Halifax. Post-war notable moments included visits by senior RAF figures, parade events marking the return of veterans from campaigns like the Battle of Britain commemorations, and Cold War alerts tied to V Bomber dispersal exercises. In more recent decades Scampton saw airshow accidents and high-profile security incidents prompting inquiries involving organizations like the Civil Aviation Authority.

Heritage, preservation and redevelopment

Following reductions in active RAF use, conservation groups and veterans' organisations campaigned to preserve Scampton's heritage. The station's association with Guy Gibson and No. 617 Squadron RAF motivated the establishment of a visitor centre and museum exhibits curated by volunteers and heritage bodies including the Lincolnshire Aviation Heritage Centre network. Listings and protective measures considered structures of historical importance similar to those at RAF Coningsby and RAF Waddington. Redevelopment proposals explored mixed uses encompassing museum, residential and business park elements in collaboration with local authorities such as West Lindsey District Council and national heritage funding bodies. Debates over preserving runways and hangars versus commercial reuse involved stakeholders including Historic England and community heritage trusts.

In popular culture and memorials

Scampton's role in Operation Chastise has been dramatized and memorialised in works like the film "The Dam Busters" based on the biography of Guy Gibson, in books on Bomber Command and in exhibitions featuring artifacts connected to Barnes Wallis and the bouncing bomb trials. Memorials on-site and at nearby cenotaphs honour personnel including members of No. 617 Squadron RAF, Leonard Cheshire and other decorated aircrew. The airfield appears in documentaries produced by broadcasters such as the BBC and in histories by authors associated with Imperial War Museums collections. Commemorative events attract veterans and descendants from associations like the RAF Association and international participants from nations involved in allied air operations.

Category:Royal Air Force stations in Lincolnshire Category:World War II airfields in the United Kingdom Category:Heritage sites in Lincolnshire