RAF Caistor

The primary reason for closure was military downsizing. With the end of World War II, the vast network of temporary bomber airfields across the UK became redundant. RAF Caistor was one of many airfields deemed surplus to the peacetime requirements of the Royal Air Force and was subsequently decommissioned.

The site has largely reverted to its pre-war use as agricultural land. Most of the three concrete runways and perimeter tracks were broken up for hardcore in the 1960s and 1970s. However, several original structures remain. The control tower (a Type 12779/41) has been preserved and converted into a private residence. Two of the original T2 hangars survive and are used for agricultural storage, along with a few other smaller ancillary buildings. The basic outline of the runways can still be faintly seen in aerial photographs. A memorial stone dedicated to the personnel of No. 166 Squadron who served at the airfield is located on a nearby roadside.

RAF Caistor was a significant World War II bomber airfield, part of No. 1 Group, RAF Bomber Command. Opened in June 1940, it was initially a decoy 'Q-site' for RAF Kirton in Lindsey before being developed into a full Class A airfield, serving as a satellite station for RAF Wickenby. Its main operational role was as a base for heavy bombers conducting the strategic night bombing campaign against Germany. The most prominent unit stationed at Caistor was No. 166 Squadron, which operated Avro Lancaster bombers from the airfield between September 1943 and November 1945. The squadron flew hundreds of sorties, contributing significantly to the Allied war effort but also suffering heavy losses. The unofficial ICAO code GB-0147 is a modern database identifier for a historical site and was not in use during its operational period.

There are no plans or prospects for reopening RAF Caistor as an airport. The land is privately owned, and the essential aviation infrastructure, including the runways, was removed decades ago. Its restoration as an operational airfield is considered economically and logistically unfeasible.