RAF Buckminster

The primary closure was a direct result of the post-World War II military drawdown. The UK had a vast number of airfields that were surplus to requirements in the jet age. RAF Buckminster, being a satellite field with grass runways, was deemed redundant and was decommissioned. The later closure of the gliding club was reportedly due to the landowner's decision not to renew the lease, returning the entire site to other uses.

The site is now entirely in private hands and has largely been returned to agricultural use, primarily arable farming. The original layout of the three runways and the perimeter track is still clearly visible from satellite imagery, though the surfaces are now grass or broken concrete. A few original WWII-era buildings, such as hangars and Nissen huts, remain in various states of decay, with some likely being used for farm storage. The site is closed to the public and all aviation activity has ceased.

RAF Buckminster was constructed during World War II, opening in 1943. It served as a satellite airfield for the larger RAF Saltby. Its primary role was not as a frontline combat base but as a crucial support and depot facility. It was heavily used by the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) 9th Air Force, specifically housing the 34th and 45th Air Depot Groups. These units were responsible for the maintenance, repair, and modification of a wide range of USAAF aircraft, particularly transport planes like the C-47 Skytrain, before their deployment to mainland Europe after D-Day. After the USAAF departed in 1945, the airfield was used by RAF Transport Command for a short period before being placed under care and maintenance. Following its military decommissioning, it gained a new life as the home of the Buckminster Gliding Club for several decades.

There are no known plans or prospects for reopening RAF Buckminster as an airport or even a private airstrip. The land is privately owned and actively farmed. The remaining infrastructure is severely degraded and would require immense investment to be made suitable for any form of modern aviation. Its proximity to other active airfields and the lack of any economic or strategic need make its revival as an aviation facility extremely unlikely.