RAF Bardney

Post-war military rationalization. With the end of World War II in Europe, the UK had a vast number of airfields that were surplus to requirements. RAF Bardney, as a purpose-built heavy bomber station, was no longer needed for the peacetime Royal Air Force. Flying operations ceased shortly after VE Day, and the station was placed under 'Care and Maintenance' until it was finally sold off for civilian use in 1963.

The site is now almost entirely in private hands and has been largely returned to agricultural use. A significant portion of the former airfield is occupied by a large-scale poultry farming operation, with numerous long poultry sheds built across the technical site and former runways. While the main runways have been mostly removed or built over, sections of the perimeter track and some concrete hardstands are still visible, often used as farm tracks. The original layout of the airfield can still be discerned from aerial imagery. A memorial dedicated to the personnel of No. 9 Squadron who served at RAF Bardney stands near the former main entrance on the B1190 road, preserving the memory of the site's wartime role.

RAF Bardney was a significant airfield for RAF Bomber Command's No. 5 Group during World War II. Opened in April 1943, it was built as a standard Class A bomber airfield with three concrete runways. Its primary and most famous resident squadron was No. 9 Squadron, which flew the Avro Lancaster.

While at Bardney, No. 9 Squadron became one of only two squadrons (the other being the famous No. 617 'Dambusters' Squadron) to be trained in the use of the 12,000 lb 'Tallboy' earthquake bomb. From this base, the squadron participated in numerous critical precision bombing raids. The most notable of these were the attacks on the German battleship Tirpitz (Operation Catechism). On November 12, 1944, Lancasters of No. 9 and No. 617 Squadrons departed from their home bases (Bardney and Woodhall Spa, respectively) and staged through Scotland to successfully attack and sink the Tirpitz in a Norwegian fjord using Tallboy bombs.

Other operations from Bardney included raids on V-weapon sites, U-boat pens, canals, and other strategic targets across occupied Europe. The airfield played a crucial role in the final year of the strategic bombing campaign against Germany. Other squadrons, such as No. 189 and No. 227, also operated from Bardney for shorter periods.

There are no known plans or prospects for reopening RAF Bardney as an airport. The site is privately owned, and its infrastructure has been almost completely dismantled or repurposed for agricultural and industrial use. The cost to acquire the land and rebuild it to modern aviation standards would be prohibitive, and there is no strategic or commercial demand for a new airport in this specific location.