RAF Manby

The closure of RAF Manby was a result of the 1970s UK defence budget cuts and the subsequent rationalization of the Royal Air Force's training infrastructure. Its specialist training functions were consolidated and relocated to other RAF stations, primarily RAF Cranwell, making the Manby base surplus to requirements.

The former airfield and its associated buildings have been completely redeveloped for civilian use. The site is now known as the Manby Business Park (or Manby Park), a large commercial and industrial estate managed by the East Lindsey District Council. Many of the original military structures, including hangars, workshops, and administrative buildings, have been repurposed for various businesses. The former married quarters now form a substantial residential housing estate. The runways and most of the taxiways have been removed or built over, and the site no longer functions as an airfield in any capacity.

RAF Manby opened in August 1938 as a dedicated armament training station. Its primary unit was the No. 1 Air Armament School (AAS), which was responsible for training armourers, armament officers, and bomb aimers for the RAF. This role was crucial throughout World War II, equipping thousands of personnel with the skills needed for air combat.

After the war, Manby's role evolved into a center for advanced and specialist training. In 1949, the prestigious RAF Flying College was established here. The college was renowned for training senior officers, test pilots, and navigation specialists on a variety of aircraft, including Avro Lancasters, Lincolns, and later, English Electric Canberras and Avro Vulcans. It gained international fame for its pioneering long-range polar navigation flights. Notably, the 'Aries IV' Canberra based at Manby was the first jet aircraft to fly over the geographic North Pole in 1952. In 1962, the college was renamed the RAF College of Air Warfare, continuing its role as a premier institution for advanced air power education until its functions were moved prior to the station's closure.

There are no known plans or prospects for reopening RAF Manby as an airport. The extensive redevelopment of the site for commercial, industrial, and residential purposes since the 1970s makes a return to aviation use economically and logistically unfeasible.